To Be A Young Farmer

I've been finding myself reading a few small farming blogs these days, and the thing that strikes me most is that there seem to be a small but persistent number who want to make it their life's work, but only circumstances prevent them from expanding. I found one or two folks in my area that do very well urban farming on very little land. I found a few more in my province that have enough room to raise a few chickens. Urban homesteaders are out there, they're just not the easiest folks to find! while I was traipsing around the internet I came across a program here in Ontario that basically hooks small scale farmers up with young folks who want to learn on the job. Craft Ontario

It's a farmer intern program. Through this program, wanna-be farmers get on the job experience, learning and hands-in-dirt training that books just can't give. Small scale farmers get help on their farms and the chance to pass on what they know. Sometimes the farmers put up the interns with room and board, sometimes there is pay involved. It sounds like a fascinating experience! I just wish there had been something like this when I was in my formative years.

I think it's great that someone has decided it's time to encourage folks who want to get into farming. Most farmers these days are challenged to think of new ways to stay competitive, no matter what size their land. There is a woman in Kitchener, Ontario that has a herbal company that she runs like a vegetable based CSA. She takes her orders ahead of planting so she has a clear idea what she needs that season. Vision, insight and goals. Awesome! There are young people in Toronto that are running flower and vegetable businesses, but using other people's yards. The home or landowner gets a lovely, productive yard that adds to the value of the land, and the entrepreneur has a place to grow what they need without the hassle of paying land tax, etc, etc. There are more perks and details than what I've mentioned here, but it's an example of new ways of approaching an interesting dilemma.

I see there are a growing number of people that want to reconnect with the land, and those that want to help those that want to reconnect.

Perhaps there is hope for society after all.

Real Food and False Calories

On our way to school the other day, my youngest son and I were talking about the Farmer's Market. He doesn't understand why I enjoy holding the vegetables, smelling the tomatoes and admiring a particular apple. I tried explaining why small farmers are necessary, but B is firmly camped in the world of Sonic The Hedgehog and all things Play Station. So he doesn't "get" my fascination with bio-intensive gardening, seed saving and composting.

I hope to introduce him to the world of fresh potatoes soon. The ones you pull from the soil, wash off and eat within two hours. I hope I can convince him that a pea inside a long green pod is pretty much the same as the ones in a can, only better tasting and much more real.. The biggest problem is that he isn't really into fruits and veggies. S, however, seems to be leaning toward gardening. He is quick to volunteer to help me plant, is always concerned about how much water the plants are getting, and has input on what we plant next. He helped me plant seeds a couple of weeks ago, and then did his best to save some lettuce seedlings after the beagle sat on the corner of a pot and knocked the whole thing over. (S seems to have saved them. We have quite a few sprouts growing haphazardly toward the sun) But I'm thinking this seed crisis of his may be the basis of a new relationship with his food. It's not easy to get kids thinking about what's on their forks. Especially on a limited budget, in the city, in the spring before a whole lot is ready to harvest.

But...

I am resolved to teach them what I can and have them along for the journey as much as I can. I will teach them what I learn about wild food, domestic food, real food and false calories. I will teach them how the parks and trails can feed them better than McDonalds can.

I know I have a long road ahead, especially with B. But I have to have faith that if I hang in there, my children will learn to appreciate the difference between a real vegetable and a colourful lump in the grocery store.

Chickweed or Stellaria media

This is known far and wide as one of the easiest plants to forage for. Easily identifiable, easy to introduce into your commonly consumed wild-foods, and high in Vitamin C.

Chickweed can be sprinkled in your soups, in your omelets, stews, or on your salad instead of that leaf of iceberg lettuce. You'll get far more vitamins and minerals from a sprig of chickweed! Enthusiasts claim that chickweed tastes much like a mild spinach. This simple, unassuming plant has levels of Ascorbic-acid, Beta-carotene, Calcium, Coumarins, Genistein, Gamma-linolenic-acid, Flavonoids, Hentriacontanol, Magnesium, Niacin, Oleic-acid, Potassium, Riboflavin, Rutin, Selenium, Triterpenoid saponins, Thiamin, and Zinc that multi-vitamins can only be envious of.

The plant that so many call a weed and try to kill can be used as an infusion to treat hoarseness and cough, a circulatory tonic, relieve constipation, and help to treat kidney complaints. New research shows the plant may be used as as an anti-histamine also! It can be used to treat rheumatic pain, ulcers and can be applied as a medicinal poultice. Chickweed has a bit of a reputation as an aid in weight loss. It's said to bring down swelling and perhaps even aid in settling upset stomachs. For anyone allergic to chickweed, reports are given that allergy symptoms do not appear when using the dried leaves.

It can be found nearly anywhere man does not want it; roadsides, your lawn or perhaps your neighbor's, abandoned parking lots and forgotten green spaces. Look for this green warrior on your next walk around your neighborhood and perhaps perk up your next sandwich or salad!

I've not tried chickweed yet, but it's on my list of urban edibles to try this summer!

Compost Anyone?

Today I started an experiment. A tumbling composter.
It's a bucket with a tight fighting lid and a couple of holes. Into it will go all the fruit and veggie scraps, the coffee grounds and the tea bags we've been throwing out. I've felt guilty about contributing to the garbage that gets hauled off to rot somewhere else. Here in our region, there is a composting program, but the basic premise is that you bring trimmings and so forth and get finished compost in return. This assumes one has a vehicle. Which we don't.
So, in the interest of being self reliant, I am trying a tumbling system. I have heard brown to green ratios of anywhere from 1;1, 2:1 or even 3:1. I have also heard old-timers advise 1:1 and play it by smell after that. If it gets hot and doesn't smell, then things are going well.
I think the fact that it's in a bucket that can be moved, rolled and added to easily should work in it's favor.
I can't put a bin system here at the apartment, and I can't afford the over priced $150 for a larger barrel, so I've scaled back the basic premise.
We'll see how it works, and I'll keep you up to date!

Oatmeal Honey Maple Bread Recipe

Oatmeal Honey-Maple Bread

*This bread is not a considered a sweet quick bread but is sweet and a little heavier.

2 cups boiling water

1 cup rolled oats

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp maple flavoring

1 tbs. honey

¼ cup melted butter

1 tbs. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbs. yeast

3 cups whole-wheat flour

2 cups bakers’ flour

1 tbs. gluten

In mixing bowl, combine water, oats, sugar, flavor, honey, butter, salt and cinnamon. Let cool to lukewarm. Add the yeast and flours stirring to form rough dough. Knead 7 minutes by machine until the dough is smooth and satiny. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl; cover the bowl with plastic or towel and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled. Divide the dough in half and shape into l loaves. Place the loaves in 2 greased small bread pans. Allow to rise until they have crowned about 1 inch over the rim. Bake in oven at 350degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Screen Door Shenanigans

I learned a valuable lesson today. A few of them, actually.

First, never assume that what you think will be a quick home repair that will only take a minute in pajamas and bare feet will be easy. It won't be. Take the time to get dressed, fill your coffee cup and make sure you approach the job with a set jaw.

I didn't.

Also, make sure that you know how to put something back together if you are taking it apart. That means having the proper tools at hand, instructions or diagrams if you think you might need them.

I didn't.

I thought I could just 'pop the screen door' back on it's tracks this morning before work. HA!

This involved removing two of the heavy glass doors first, and much wrestling with a flimsy screen door, as well as much muttering, cursing and swearing at the door, and it's creator, and it's installer, and the apartment superintendents for not teaching tenants how to install the cursed doors, and... you get the idea.

Instead of fighting with it, I decided to take it out completely and replace the screen and spline. That job was done in under 20 minutes and we only got a little damp in the rain. By then I had figured out what I had been doing wrong with the door. First the top goes in, THEN the bottom. Then I had to fiddle with the springs that control the tension of the wheels. This all keeps the door on track, so it's kinda important. Seems simple enough until one corner fits snug, and one doesn't even meet the door frame. Fiddle, twist, fiddle, shut door, make a face, twist, fiddle, shut door, and so on. Finally we got it! Then came time to wash both sides of the heavy glass doors and set them back in.

At least with them, I knew what I was doing. They were a breeze.

With an hour to go before work, almost two hours after I started, I finally got the job done.

Note to self: next time, take your coffee outside with you and wear your shoes!