Published on December 14th, 2009 by the Daily Loaf, and found at commondreams.org:

Protests rocked Copenhagen on Saturday as anywhere from 30,000 to 100,000 people (depending on who you talk to) marched to the UN Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen to demand a strong climate treaty to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.  Indian physicist, author, and activist (Dr.)Vandana Shiva spoke to the crowd before the march.

Local food production and organic farming systems will be essential as oil-based agriculture is environmentally devastating and grossly unsustainable. Sustainable agriculture techniques will be of crucial importance for sustaining the overwhelming population of planet Earth.

Green systems for rotational agriculture and organic farming have been in existence since the birth of agriculture.  It is only since we discovered oil-based fertilizers that we have strayed from these practices.  As oil price shocks will inevitable occur, our current systems for single crop industrial agriculture will prove to be utterly unsustainable.

Supporting local and organic food will help increase the demand enough to drive the growth.  The United States and most of the world is woefully unprepared to provide food locally if the fossil fuel industry implodes.  We simply could not feed the world’s population without large multinational agribusiness, but the system is supremely unsustainable and heavily reliant on low oil prices and subsidies.

Large agribusiness is one of the biggest polluting industries in the world.  To produce large-scale corn and soybeans, which represent over 80% of  feed stock for animals and processed foods, takes enormous amounts of oil for fertilizer, pesticides, planting, harvesting, and transporting their products.  These synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are leeched into the aquifers and rivers, which contaminates precious clean drinking water and fishing areas.  Chemical farming in the bread basket of America has lead to a massive dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

Single-crop totalitarian agriculture and GMCs have become totally reliant on fertilizers and pesticides made from oil. The reuse of the land with one crop has destroyed the organic content in the soil, has led to Ecoli and other diseases, is killing honey bees in record numbers, and is generally a less healthy product.   Crop ration is essential for restoring certain necessary properties to the soil.  One crop may leave more nitrogen and a nitrogen hungry crop should be planted the following year.

Many farmers are beginning to save their farms by adopting old methods for organic farming.  Organic farm Co-ops are popping up all over the United States and elsewhere and becoming wildly successful.  When organic methods are applied these farmers begin healing their soil, which produces healthy organic food.  This healing of the soil also reduces the costs and need for fertilizer and pesticides.

Grass farmers are leading the charge for sustainable farming and meat production.  They are basically recreating nature to produce food, where the herd animals eat the most nutritious part of the grass and then are moved to a fresh pasture daily to keep the foundation of the grass healthy.  They dung the fields and over time this creates very healthy organic topsoil.  Then these farmers bring poultry animals into the previous herded area and eat the insect larva from the dung and all of the other insects, as well as the seeds from the grass grains.  The birds then add valuable nitrogen to the soil to further enhance the quality of the organic soil, while eliminating all local insect pests.  Over time the soil gets healthier and deeper, while the meat and eggs produced by the animals eating their natural food is pure and healthy.

Ever notice how many farm-related clichés there are? Oddly enough, we never really paid much attention until Dana pointed it out to us – sayings like “a long row to hoe,” which can be taken in the literal sense here.

Whether we’re hoeing, planting or harvesting, particularly in our section of 400-foot rows, we must keep our heads down rather than risk discovering how much farther we have to go. These rows can appear never-ending, and making the mistake of looking ahead only plants a seed in our minds that we should nip it in the bud right then and there. We try to stay cool as a cucumber, however, and keep our noses to the grindstone. We know we need to make hay while the sun shines.

At the end of a long day, the younger workers might be inclined to go out on the town, to a dance club perhaps – a contemporary version of the old-fashioned hoedown (after they put the “hoe down”… get it?). Not Farmer John and me, though. We’re no spring chickens. Anyone anticipating our arrival at a nightclub will likely be waiting till the cows come home.

That’s not to say we’re ready to be put out to pasture! We’ve just heard through the grapevine that a night of dining and dancing isn’t as dirt cheap as it once was, and money doesn’t grow on trees. Now, I’m not claiming that money is the root of all evil, yet when you farm for a living, you’re not exactly raking in the dough. And you can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip.

That’s really not the only reason. Without spilling all the beans, the truth is that Farmer John and I are often content to stay cooped up at home. Still, neither of us is a one trick pony. I wouldn’t want to insinuate that we sow any wild oats – we aren’t bad seeds – but we’re also not ones to be henpecked into submission. We didn’t just fall off the turnip truck, after all.

It boils down to the fact that we’re two peas in a pod and don’t intend to put all our eggs into one basket. We might ruffle a few feathers when it sometimes seems our social life has gone to pot, but we’re not couch potatoes. While we may not be the cream of the crop when it comes to late-night partygoers, we aren’t going to let any grass grow under our feet either. We’re not about to give up the goat. We’ll be ready to kick the bucket

when pigs fly. I’d bet the farm on it.

****
We have some yummy things this week for your holiday meal! Here’s what we’ll bring to the farm stand this Wednesday (Note: We’ll open at our regular 10 a.m., but will be closing the stand a little early that day, at 1:00):

Farmer John’s “holiday lettuce” (heads of red leaf/green leaf lettuces bound together); Butterhead lettuce; lettuce mix; broccoli; four varieties of cabbage – tender & sweet Farao cabbage, Napa cabbage, purple cabbage and crinkly savoy cabbage; spinach; purple beets; sweet white turnips; bunches of chard; dinosaur kale; bunches of collards; bags of mixed Asian greens; big heads of escarole; and a little of this and that.

*** We’re hoping to return to the farm stand next week, too, on December 30th. We’ll have to wait and see if the broccoli and other crops cooperate with us (i.e., if the GROW!) before we know for sure. Stay tuned! I’ll send out a note early next week to let everyone know.

We wish you the best of holidays!
Jo Dwyer
Angel Valley Organic Farm
Farm stands:
In Jonestown on FM1431 at the blinking yellow light, Saturdays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.;
In NW Austin on Jollyville Road between Oak Knoll and Duval (at the Asian American Cultural Center), Wednesdays 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

I have started buying lottery tickets. Not for a dream vacation or fancy car…just so I can buy organic food. (I kid, I kid…sort of)

Lindsay, my sister-in-law and I often discuss our escalating grocery bills. She has a frugal gene too. We are both interested in buying organic food but wonder who can afford to pay the prices? There is no getting around it, organic food is expensive. Lindsay has asked me to put my frugal skills to the test and research how we can lower our monthly grocery bills, yet eat as healthy as we like.

Many argue that organic is not worth the money. My husband is one of those “anti-organic – it’s all a marketing ploy” thinkers. When he spies the price of organic grapes (after I have put them in the cart) the vein at the side of his head pulses. We debate, we share interesting articles and he does not shop with me anymore.

Since money does not grow on organic trees, I have to start prioritizing where I spend our money in the grocery stores. I have discovered I can save money buying fresh produce. Why do I bother buying organic fruit and vegetables? After researching the topic, it is much more than being pesticide-free. Organic means that farmers cannot use sewage sludge to fertilize crops. Yes folks, that’s right human feces is a popular fertilizer in Canadian municipalities. Yum! Organic also means free of hormones, free of processing aids and nothing genetically modified. Other reasons include higher nutrient/vitamin content, earth friendly farming practices and supporting local family farmers when possible.

Forget my reasons. Check out some websites and come up with your own. This is an interesting one  The Environmental Defence’s website has a Toxic Nation Reports section full of many different studies.  You can view the toxic chemical profiles of Canadian Adults and Canadian families tested.  You can also head over to their Metallic Lunch Report to see which foods contain the most lead (frozen dinners) nickel (cookies) and other unhealthy metals. What a fun way to spend an evening!

Another website is The Environmental Working Group. They used results from 87,000 tests collected by the U.S. Food and Drug administration and ranked pesticide levels of 46 fruits and vegetables. According to the E.W.G. people who eat the 12 most contaminated produce consume an average of 10 pesticides per day. Rinsing reduces pesticides but does not eliminate them. Peeling helps but unfortunately we lose the good nutrients in the skin.

 Here is a list of items you might want to consider buying organic, and which ones matter less.  Click here for a printable pocket guide.

The Worst Offenders

1.   Peach

2.   Apple

3.   Bell Pepper

4.   Celery

5.   Nectarine

6.   Strawberries

7.   Cherries

8.   Kale

9.   Lettuce

10. Grapes (Imported)

11. Carrot

12. Pear

This is not all doom and gloom though. Good news! Turns out there are many non-organic fruits and vegetables tested that had minimal pesticide residues.  Here are the top results.

The Clean 15

1.   Onion

2.   Avocado

3.   Sweet Corn

4.   Pineapple

5.   Mango

6.   Asparagus

7.   Sweet Peas

8.   Kiwi

9.   Cabbage

10. Eggplant

11. Papaya

12. Watermelon

13. Broccoli

14. Tomato

15. Sweet Potato

The shopping lists will likely change as I continue to research this topic. In the meantime, I will be less concerned about shopping organic when it comes to items on the Clean 15 list.  I have noticed a small reduction in our grocery bills while still trying to eat and cook healthier meals.  Every little bit helps.

I think the lotto is 20 million this week…come on lucky quick pick!

By Irene Sharon Hodes

Originally published in the IsraTimes, December 2008.

Having lived through two, I feel can safely proclaim Israeli winters to be a North American’s dream. For one, we have the privilege of locally grown thick, leafy greens, crisp, colorful fruit, bulbous roots, aromatic herbs, and hearty legumes almost year round. The shuks are cornucopian playgrounds, and the organic scene is alive and kicking. Hardly the fad it once was, not a day goes by when I’m not sent an email about an organic orchard, farm, flock, or other such agricultural community enterprise. But as I considered which mouthwatering vegetable-box service to subscribe to this week, I became aware of another pressing food-related issue.

As we become more and more health and environment conscious, it boggles the mind to think that hunger is still one of the planet’s major long-term concerns. It’s estimated that over one-billion worldwide are chronically undernourished, and that 20 million people die of starvation every year, 75% of which are children. In 2007 there was a 50% rise in child hunger in the USA. And here in Israel, the 2006 statistics show that one in three children are hungry— over 600,000.

Global economic crisis or no, we live in a world we’ve practically conquered; we’ve cured deadly illnesses, sent people to the moon, and communicate face-to-face on tiny pocket-sized machines. And still, people go hungry. It is our responsibility as Jews to leave a portion of what is ours to the poor and to the stranger, as we are commanded to do several times in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. I give tzedakah as much as I think I can, but in the face of these staggering statistics, I find myself asking if I’ve done enough, and if we Jews, collectively, are doing enough.

While I know of many Jewish soup kitchens and charities both here and abroad, I wanted to know if a more progressive approach to address the issue of world hunger existed. That’s when I discovered Hazon (http://www.hazon.org/), an organization whose “vision is to create a healthier and more sustainable Jewish community as a step towards a healthier and more sustainable world for all.” Their work includes the first CSAs (Community-Supported Agriculture programs) in the American Jewish community and educational work in schools. Delving deeper, I discovered a CSA farm right here in Israel. Or-Gani (http://www.or-gani.org.il/), describe themselves as a socially conscious business that “believes that it has a responsibility to the community it serves.” They use their revenues to support important community programming, and they provide organic produce to Fat Meir (http://www.fatmeir.com/), a kitchen and community center that provides warm meals and lunches to hungry schoolchildren in Bat Yam.

As the joyous Chanukah season descends, sufganiyot flooding out of every bakery, I’ll be thinking of more concrete ways that I can be a part of the solution to this staggering problem. It’s winter. Hard times for some. As it says in Isaiah (32:17), “And the work of tzedakah shall bring peace.” Something in the core of my being knows how true and essential this statement is. As Jews, as human beings, we have a duty to act responsibly towards each other. We have been blessed with so many miracles. I’m hoping we can use Chanukah as inspiration, and bring some comfort to those among us whose very existence is yet very difficult. My organic veg box will taste all the better for it.

by Mary Ellen Ryall

Allow me to introduce you to Will Allen. Will walked away from corporate America and sports sixteen years ago to head up a growing business. His main goal is to grow soil at his working farm, Growing Power, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His focus is all about community gardens and how we need to get growing in each community. Check out his site at: http://www.growingpower.org/

When we realize that it takes nearly one gallon of fossil fuel and 5,200 gallons of water to produce just one pound of conventionally fed beef (Mooallem, 2009), we might start to realize we need to support local farmers and grazers. Meat tastes like meat is supposed to when it is wild harvested or grass fed.

Biofuels made from crops have been responsible for up to 75 percent of the 130 percent increase in global food prices in the past six years (Weltz, 2009). Food is not fuel and should never be taken out of the mouths of people and diverted to another profit-making purpose.

It is interesting to note that college campuses across the US are starting to introduce local grown food right into the cafeteria. Tim Galarneau, co-founder of the national campaign Real F00d Challenge, wants to encourage 1,000 universities and colleges to buy 20 percent of their food by 2020. Tim will still be actively working long after I retire. It is good to know that youth are stepping up to the issue now. Communities need to learn how to grow their own food so they can feed themselves in the future.

Josh Viertel, the 31-year-old president of Slow Food USA, says, “It’s just this incredible outpouring of energy to do the right thing.”  I feel confident that Tim Galarneau and many other young activists will lead the way to sustainability.

Are we too little, too late?

We need to keep our eyes open and on global food security and climate stress now that climate change is knocking at earth’s door. Please take a few minutes to listen to Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, speaking on agriculture and climate change in this video here.

He spoke at Agriculture and Rural Development Day, on 12 December, 2009. This day-long event at the University of Copenhagen drew more than 300 policy makers, negotiators, producers and leaders from the agricultural and climate change scientific community. Unfortunately, many believe that genetically-engineered crops are a possible solution to end world hunger and the second Green Revolution has begun. By listening to this video, we are staying informed about the world’s challenges to these paramount issues.

Mooallem, J. (2009, March-April). Veg-o-might. Mother Jones, 36-37.
Welz, A. (2009, March-April). Trouble on the Limpopo. Mother Jones, 44-47.
Viertel, J. (2009, March-April). Tray chic, Mother Jones, 47.

Photo, above: Happy Tonics member Randy Melton loves to grow potatoes and onions. Photo © Mary Ellen Ryall.

Ever notice how many farm-related clichés there are? Oddly enough, we never really paid much attention until Dana pointed it out to us – sayings like “a long row to hoe,” which can be taken in the literal sense here.

Whether we’re hoeing, planting or harvesting, particularly in our section of 400-foot rows, we must keep our heads down rather than risk discovering how much farther we have to go. These rows can appear never-ending, and making the mistake of looking ahead only plants a seed in our minds that we should nip it in the bud right then and there. We try to stay cool as a cucumber, however, and keep our noses to the grindstone. We know we need to make hay while the sun shines.

At the end of a long day, the younger workers might be inclined to go out on the town, to a dance club perhaps – a contemporary interpretation of the old-fashioned hoedown (after they put the “hoe down”… get it?). Not Farmer John and me, though. We’re no spring chickens. Anyone anticipating our arrival at a nightclub will be waiting till the cows come home.

That’s not to say we’re ready to be put out to pasture! We’ve just heard through the grapevine that a night of dining and dancing isn’t as dirt cheap as it once was, and money doesn’t grow on trees. Now, I’m not claiming that money is the root of all evil, yet when you farm for a living, you’re not exactly raking in the dough. And you can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip.

That’s really not the only reason. Without spilling all the beans, the truth is that Farmer John and I are often content to stay cooped up at home. Still, neither of us is a one trick pony. I wouldn’t want to insinuate that we sow any wild oats – we aren’t bad seeds – but we’re also not ones to be henpecked into submission. We didn’t just fall off the turnip truck, after all.

It boils down to the fact that we’re two peas in a pod and don’t intend to put all our eggs into one basket. We might ruffle a few feathers when it sometimes seems our social life has gone to pot, but we’re not couch potatoes. While we may not be the cream of the crop when it comes to late-night partygoers, we aren’t going to let any grass grow under our feet either. We’re not about to give up the goat. We’ll be ready to kick the bucket

when pigs fly. I’d bet the farm on it.

***If it’s stupid windy this Saturday, we’ll set up on the sidewalk in front of the library (directly across the parking lot from our usual spot). Otherwise, we’ll be right where you always see us, with these yummy things for your holiday meals:

Butterhead lettuce and Farmer John’s “holiday lettuce” (heads of red leaf/green leaf lettuces bound together); a good amount of lettuce mix; four varieties of cabbage – tender & sweet Farao cabbage, Napa cabbage, purple cabbage and crinkly savoy cabbage; spinach; purple beets; sweet white turnips; bunches of chard; dinosaur kale; bunches of collards; big heads of escarole; cilantro; bags of broccoli side shoots; and a few more heads of that crazy-looking Romanesco cauliflower.

We’ll also have bags of frozen tomatoes for cooking! To use, hold a frozen tomato until running water to peel off the skin. Leave peeled tomatoes in the sink for a little while until beginning to thaw, then chop. (If you have a recipe calling for a can of tomatoes, use two cups chopped frozen tomatoes instead. They’ll make your dish way tastier than any canned tomato, believe me!)

***Farmer John and I sincerely thank you for making 2009 a successful year for us. Despite the record-breaking summer heat and drought, despite our October hailstorm and 25” rain, we’re ending the year just fine. Without you, we could never make such a claim. This Saturday will be our last farm stand in Jonestown for 2009 – but if all goes well, we might be able to open the stand a week or two into January. Stay tuned!

We wish you the best of holidays, and a fabulous New Year!
Jo Dwyer
Angel Valley Organic Farm
Farm stands:
In Jonestown on FM1431 at the blinking yellow light, Saturdays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.;
In NW Austin on Jollyville Road between Oak Knoll and Duval (at the Asian American Cultural Center), Wednesdays 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

This is by no means exhaustive, but here’s a list of the upcoming workshops and conferences scheduled in the region:

MOSES (Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service) Organic Conference Lacrosse, WI Thurs.-Sat. February 25-27.  This is the “big momma” of organic and sustainable ag conferences–and not just in the region, but in the country.  There were over 2600 attendees last year (and I was finally among them).

The workshops are great and the food is outstanding.  The exhibitor hall is very cool, too–you can pick up all kinds of great samples and drool over the machinery.  Good for making regional contacts as well.  More info.

NPSAS  (Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society) Winter Conference Watertown, SD Tues.-Thurs. February 9-11.  I started going to this conference several years ago, and it has really grown.  I’m heading back this year to check out the new exhibitors and workshops.  Very good for making local/regional contacts.  More info.

Great Plains Vegetable Growers Conference St. Joseph, MO Thurs.-Sat. January 7-9.  This one’s coming up quick and looks to have some good workshops on CSA and high tunnels.  It also is fairly low-cost.  You get a discount if you sign up before December 24, so hurry!  More info.

Farmers Market Workshop Rapid City, SD Friday, February 5th (no schedule as yet–contact Rhoda Burrows for more information: rhoda.burrows@sdstate.edu).

This is by no means exhaustive, but here’s a list of the upcoming workshops and conferences scheduled in the region:

MOSES (Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service) Organic Conference Lacrosse, WI Thurs.-Sat. February 25-27.  This is the “big momma” of organic and sustainable ag conferences–and not just in the region, but in the country.  There were over 2600 attendees last year (and I was finally among them).

The workshops are great and the food is outstanding.  The exhibitor hall is very cool, too–you can pick up all kinds of great samples and drool over the machinery.  Good for making regional contacts as well.  More info.

NPSAS  (Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society) Winter Conference Watertown, SD Tues.-Thurs. February 9-11.  I started going to this conference several years ago, and it has really grown.  I’m heading back this year to check out the new exhibitors and workshops.  Very good for making local/regional contacts.  More info.

Great Plains Vegetable Growers Conference St. Joseph, MO Thurs.-Sat. January 7-9.  This one’s coming up quick and looks to have some good workshops on CSA and high tunnels.  It also is fairly low-cost.  You get a discount if you sign up before December 24, so hurry!  More info.

Farmers Market Workshop Rapid City, SD Friday, February 5th (no schedule as yet–contact Rhoda Burrows for more information: rhoda.burrows@sdstate.edu).

One of the many deep-seated convictions shared by various presenters at the Acres conference was the strong correlation between nutrient-dense food and forages that are grown and raised on bio-active, minerally-balanced soils, and the good health of the creatures eating them.

It was a primary, underlying message in nearly every lecture, workshop, and discussion I attended.  From veterinarians to agronomists, cattle breeders to seed specialists, this broad gathering of agrarians may have had differing points of view on more than a few issues, but they spoke with one voice when it came to the importance of quality of what they were growing:  it matters more than anything. 

This surprised me a little, and then it saved me.

I fully expected the onslaught of information on building healthy soils, selecting livestock that makes good gains on grass, and developing smorgasbord pastures.  In the Grazing Management course we learned about the feed value of weeds (surprisingly higher than prize-winning grasses and clovers), the value of hedgerows, and the critical role minerals and trace elements play in plant and animal development.  We learned how to identify beef animals that will consistently produce tender, marbled meat on a diet of grass, and we heard from master graziers who have perfected the art of rotating herds through paddocks to grow huge volumes of grass where only scrub existed before.  

Much of what I listened to those two days I’d already encountered in my studies, which was quite affirming.  Hearing it from the sources, with their personal stories and amazingly deep understanding of their subject, was invigorating.

Still, I was surprised.  I did not expect to be surrounded by a group of people so intensely dedicated to improving the nutrient value of what they and their customers eat.  This organic farming stuff, it’s not just about eliminating chemical fertilizers and poisons.  Nor is it just about building and conserving topsoil, or sequestering carbon with permanent pasture plants, or raising food animals humanely outside of cages and factories, although those are vital aspects of this great endeavor. 

But it’s really about the food, and how the food we grow can be much better than what is generally available.  So much better, in fact, that it functions as medicine.  Because food packed with minerals, enzymes, CLA’s, omega-3 fatty acids, and protective nutrients, is incredibly fortifying, and healing.

Food as medicine.  As it should be.

Which was a message I really needed to hear.

A reminder, really.  Nothing I didn’t already know, just truth I’d drifted away from. 

Then during the conference, the holistic veterinarian began his excellent briefing on homeopathy by discussing how proper hygiene – the modification and minimization of noxious external influences on the patient – is necessary to health.  It is a precursor to health.  You can’t activate the body’s innate protective abilities unless the system is clean.

I met a remarkable octagenarian who grows micro-greens in his basement, and drinks a pint of fresh carrot juice each day.  Said his eyesight improved considerably since he began this regimen.  His good health is undeniable.  He is three years younger than my mother would have been, had she not lost her battle with leukemia.

I thought about my degrading night vision, and my lungs and liver challenged by bad habits these past few years.  I thought about all the farming work I have ahead of me, and how much I needed my health and vigor back.  And just like that, the light came on.  And my mind-view changed.

My juicer sits out on my counter now, rescued from the back of a bottom cupboard.  A pound of organic carrots runs through it every night, part of my rescue.  And with every pint of enzymes and pro-vitamin A I drink, my resolve to avoid toxins and improve hygiene grows. 

No prescription required.  Imagine that.

For the last few weeks I’ve been thinking about what I’d like to accomplish in 2010. I have a lot of goals on the list- some that are easily obtainable with just the slightest bit of effort and planning, and others which will most definitely be a stretch, but of course, one that I am willing to work hard in order to accomplish.

Since there is no telling whether or not I will be sticking with Causecast (or whether they will be holding on to me) in the  spring, I’ve already started brainstorming ideas for a plan B.

Recently, I’ve become very interested in the idea of organic farming (try not to roll your eyes) and have also been making a conscious effort in trying to educate myself on where our food comes from and how our purchasing and consumption habits have an immense impact not just on our personal lives but those around the world. I admit that my recent awakening was  mostly influenced by a book I just finished called “The Omnivores Dilemma” by Michael Pollan, but this insanely educational and truly eye-opening novel has had such an impact on my eating habits already. Having been an on-and-off again vegetarian/pescatarian since high school, I finally feel like I have a healthy and realistic view of what foods I should, and REALLY shouldn’t be eating. Basically, I highly recommend this book. I’ve also read Pollan’s other book titled, “The Botany of Desire” a couple years ago, (without even realizing it was the same author) which is also great, but definitely not as powerful.

This past summer, Hilary and I successfully grew a beautiful vegetable patch starting from just seeds. The process was somewhat grueling as nursing seeds is like raising a baby kitten. Oh yeah, we did that too. But, needless to say, the little guys needed a lot of attention and some major t.l.c. We were determined to have the garden flourish though and our close attention to their daily growth definitely paid off. At one point we had cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, basil, green beans, bell peppers, summer squash, snow peas, and just one baby pumpkin. It was wonderful.

Well, I miss our garden and as I was thinking about things to plant for this coming spring, I thought about how amazing it would be to do this on a much larger scale. If I’m on the same emotional planet in 4-6 months as the one I’m on now, I think I’d like to spend some time wwoofing. If you don’t know what that means, google it or check out this website.

http://www.wwoof.org/ (sorry don’t know how to make things into links)

Maybe in the US, or in Europe, possibly Asia? Who knows!

I’ve had numerous friends tell me about their experiences on organic farms and it just seems like something I would love to experience at least one time in my life. Secretly, I just want to get the best tips on how to grow the most perfect produce so that I can use these tricks when I’m retired with a family and have a big farm of my own one day.

This would be a nice location for my farm…

Or this.

ah, one can dream…

Click the photo to view a multimedia piece about the JED Collective. Photos by Anna Lundgren. Speaking is Kate Boverman.

To read the full story about the JED Collective, click here.

Tomorrow night at the MIX Downtown and The CCC in partnership with the Downtown Sacramento Partnership will host the pilot event for first ever Sacramento Idea Fair.

What is an Idea Fair? you may ask, well in short it’s a show-n-tell for adults, highlighting new concepts and ideas for the greater Sacramento region and specifically downtown. Local designers, artists, architects and creatives will showcase their concepts to improve life and culture in Sacramento with their ideas for architecture, agriculture, public art, in-fill developments and other unique projects geared towards life in Sacramento.

What makes this event so unique is that it provides an opportunity for relatively unknown people to showcase never before seen concepts that may potentially be implemented. We wanted to create a local event that let’s people show off their best experimental concepts with no censorship or limitations. They will be able to broadcast their ideas in front of the most influential individuals in the region. Local officials, the mayor, private developers and other key stakeholders will be on-hand to see the next generation of inventors.

Come out tomorrow night to witness the first of many Show-n-tells for the future of Sacramento.

The MIX Downtown

16th & L street

5-7pm

Cocktails & Apps

Great Ideas Guaranteed

It’s downright humiliating to buy eggs at the grocery store when you own six chickens, yet for the past few weeks that’s exactly what we’ve been forced to do. Since our hens aren’t crammed into a building filled with artificial light, their laying habits ebb and flow as nature intended. They aren’t so interested in laying eggs this time of year in the first place, and to add insult to injury, one of them just molted (no eggs are forthcoming during that time) and another is getting up there in years (henopause may have already set in).

Now, there’s no question we enjoy our chickens as pets as much as we appreciate their vital contributions to our big Sunday morning breakfasts. But still. We miss those farm fresh omelettes. So when Daisy recently showed some interest in an old pile of straw in the corner of the garage, we couldn’t help feel a twinge of encouragement.

It’s not that we don’t supply the ladies ample space for laying. A throwback to when we had 45 hens several years ago, are our two sets of double-decker nest boxes. This is just one of them.

When all the hens are laying, some do indeed utilize these nice boxes. Daisy, however, is one of our newest chickens, adopted from a neighbor a while back.

Along with Daisy came a blond beauty by the name of Lyla.

The two of them struggled a little to adapt to our dual henhouse situation (another throwback to having had 45 hens), as well as to the freedom offered them when we threw open the door to the chicken run. While our other four hens would scamper past us madly, Daisy and Lyla remained shy and stayed within the wire-walled compound.

Eventually they got the hang of it – and now are always the first to rush outside – but on two occasions we did discover a lone egg in the middle of the run after the ladies had all exited the premises. Knowing that Daisy and Lyla were unaccustomed to the nest boxes, we assumed the eggs had come from one or both of them.

Time passed. Store-bought eggs enveloped fresh farm greens for our Sunday morning omelettes. (Thank goodness for those greens!) Then finally – finally! – Daisy sat on the old pile of straw in the corner of the garage. When she got up, there it was.

I was working at the salad station at the other end of the building while Daisy was “busy,” and made a point to leave her alone so as not to startle her into losing her train of thought. Lyla, on the other hand, wasn’t nearly so polite. During the half hour or so it took Daisy to accomplish her good deed, Lyla paced back and forth, back and forth, five feet in front of the nest, grumbling her impatience with a guttural “rrrrrr rrrrrr rrrrrr.”

I’d hoped perhaps Lyla was wanting her turn on the straw, but alas, she was simply waiting for Daisy to finish so they could meander off together.

I called the other humans into the garage to show them what a fine job Daisy had done. As we oooh’d and aaaah’d over the egg still nestled in the straw, Miss Red pranced into the garage and noticed it herself. Immediately, she began clucking and strutting as if she had produced the egg.

“Who do you think you’re kidding?!” Farmer John exclaimed. Miss Red looked away in embarrassment.

The hard truth is, until she starts to ante up her own donation to our breakfasts again – even if not enough for a full-fledged omelette, a couple sunny-side-ups would do – she’ll be hearing no congratulatory whoops from us.

I felt a little badly for Miss Red. She was so excited there for a minute, I think she really believed it was her egg. I’m convinced she’ll get into the swing of things, though, once the daylight hours begin to lengthen again. Her heart is certainly in the right place.

***Here’s what we’ll be bringing to the farm stand Wednesday:

Five varieties of cabbage – tender & sweet Farao cabbage, Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, green storage cabbage and crinkly savoy cabbage; sweet white turnips w/greens (the most we’ve had so far this season!); lettuce mix; Provencal lettuce/chicory mix; butterhead lettuce; romaine lettuce; Farmer John’s “holiday lettuce” (heads of red leaf/green leaf lettuces bound together); spinach; bunches of chard; dinosaur kale and curly kale; bunches of collards; purple and golden beets; big heads of escarole; cilantro; bags of broccoli side shoots; and some crazy-looking (yet delicious!) Romanesco cauliflower.

Thanks!
Jo Dwyer
Angel Valley Organic Farm
Farm stands:
In Jonestown on FM1431 at the blinking yellow light, Saturdays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.;
In NW Austin on Jollyville Road between Oak Knoll and Duval (at the Asian American Cultural Center), Wednesdays 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

It’s downright humiliating to buy eggs at the grocery store when you own six chickens, yet for the past few weeks that’s exactly what we’ve been forced to do. Since our hens aren’t crammed into a building filled with artificial light, their laying habits ebb and flow as nature intended. They aren’t so interested in laying eggs this time of year in the first place, and to add insult to injury, one of them just molted (no eggs are forthcoming during that time) and another is getting up there in years (henopause may have already set in).

Now, there’s no question we enjoy our chickens as pets as much as we appreciate their vital contributions to our big Sunday morning breakfasts. But still. We miss those farm fresh omelettes. So when Daisy recently showed some interest in an old pile of straw in the corner of the garage, we couldn’t help feel a twinge of encouragement.

It’s not that we don’t supply the ladies ample space for laying. A throwback to when we had 45 hens several years ago, are our two sets of double-decker nest boxes. This is just one of them.

When all the hens are laying, some do indeed utilize these nice boxes. Daisy, however, is one of our newest chickens, adopted from a neighbor a while back.

Along with Daisy came a blond beauty by the name of Lyla.

The two of them struggled a little to adapt to our dual henhouse situation (another throwback to having had 45 hens), as well as to the freedom offered them when we threw open the door to the chicken run. While our other four hens would scamper past us madly, Daisy and Lyla remained shy and stayed within the wire-walled compound.

Eventually they got the hang of it – and now are always the first to rush outside – but on two occasions we did discover a lone egg in the middle of the run after the ladies had all exited the premises. Knowing that Daisy and Lyla were unaccustomed to the nest boxes, we assumed the eggs had come from one or both of them.

Time passed. Store-bought eggs enveloped fresh farm greens for our Sunday morning omelettes. (Thank goodness for those greens!) Then finally – finally! – Daisy sat on the old pile of straw in the corner of the garage. When she got up, there it was.

I was working at the salad station at the other end of the building while Daisy was “busy,” and made a point to leave her alone so as not to startle her into losing her train of thought. Lyla, on the other hand, wasn’t nearly so polite. During the half hour or so it took Daisy to accomplish her good deed, Lyla paced back and forth, back and forth, five feet in front of the nest, grumbling her impatience with a guttural “rrrrrr rrrrrr rrrrrr.”

I’d hoped perhaps Lyla was wanting her turn on the straw, but alas, she was simply waiting for Daisy to finish so they could meander off together.

I called the other humans into the garage to show them what a fine job Daisy had done. As we oooh’d and aaaah’d over the egg still nestled in the straw, Miss Red pranced into the garage and noticed it herself. Immediately, she began clucking and strutting as if she had produced the egg.

“Who do you think you’re kidding?!” Farmer John exclaimed. Miss Red looked away in embarrassment.

The hard truth is, until she starts to ante up her own donation to our breakfasts again – even if not enough for a full-fledged omelette, a couple sunny-side-ups would do – she’ll be hearing no congratulatory whoops from us.

I felt a little badly for Miss Red. She was so excited there for a minute, I think she really believed it was her egg. I’m convinced she’ll get into the swing of things soon enough. At least her heart is in the right place.

***Here’s what we’ll be bringing to the farm stand Saturday:

Five varieties of cabbage – tender & sweet Farao cabbage, Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, green storage cabbage and crinkly savoy cabbage; bunches of green onions; lettuce mix; butterhead lettuce; romaine lettuce; heads of red leaf/green leaf lettuces bound together; bunches of chard; dinosaur kale; bunches of collards; hopefully more purple and golden beets (we haven’t checked them yet to see how many are ready); sweet white turnips w/greens; big heads of escarole; cilantro; some orange Cheddar cauliflower and some crazy-looking (yet delicious!) Romanesco cauliflower.

Thanks!
Jo Dwyer
Angel Valley Organic Farm
Farm stands:
In Jonestown on FM1431 at the blinking yellow light, Saturdays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.;
In NW Austin on Jollyville Road between Oak Knoll and Duval (at the Asian American Cultural Center), Wednesdays 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Hello,

I’ve just spent the last two weeks staying here at Rosekanda in the beautiful Kumaon hills. I’ve been staying with the Verma family along with other British volunteers, where we’ve enjoyed good food and good company and a very relaxed stay in Kanda.
When I first arrived, the wheat crops were being harvested so I helped with that – cutting the wheat in the fields by scythe, carrying piles of it back to the house on our heads and then bashing out the husks and separating the grain from the straw with the wheat fan. Sadly there is currently a drought here, so the crops are short of water and therefore the yield has been considerably reduced. The villagers are now waiting on rain before they can plough the fields and plant the next crop of rice, so farming work has been limited by that since the wheat harvest.

I’ve also been helping out a local school in Kanda – Abdial Public School, which has been a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. The school day starts early in the summertime with assembly at 7.30am and then lessons through to 1pm, avoiding the heat of the day. I’ve been teaching English, Math’s, Social Studies, Science and all sorts with the help of the other volunteers too. The standard of English in the school is high and the children are keen to learn and (generally!) well behaved, and very sweet too. We’ve been having fun with them teaching them songs and playing games with them and hopefully helping their understanding of English too. I’ll definitely miss their smiling faces when I leave here.

As for construction work, progress with the community centre has been slow – again due to the water shortage which seems to have delayed building works. Some of the volunteers helped make bricks for the construction of a water tank here and so hopefully work for that will finish soon.

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to be invited to a local wedding party which was a real treat. We arrived with gifts of milk for the groom’s family and sat down to blaring Indian music, surrounded by lots of beautiful women all wearing stunning saris and covered in their finest jewellery. Girls took it in turn to dance to the music while all around enjoyed the celebrations. It was a stunning party and the first T-total wedding I’ve been too!

It’s been a great experience living with a local Indian family here and getting involved with the daily activities, and I’m looking forward now to my travels on from here – Pindari Glacier next! I just hope the views are OK – at this time of year (April/May), a lot of crop burning takes place and so the views are limited and often it’s quite hazy here with all the smoke. A consideration to be aware of when planning your trip to Kanda. Apart from that the weather has been perfect here – sunny and quite hot in the daytime and cooler in the evening with warm winds blowing across the hills.

Have a lovely stay here if you decide to come!

Jenny

Pacific Edge Magazine Spring 2009

Photo by Kevin Blitz

G.I.V.E.-ing at MA’O Organic Farms by Lauren Rigney

Looking at how one local farm is giving Hawaii’s youth the opportunity to attend college and pursue their passions.

Photo by Kevin Blitz

ON 1st July the members of community organised meeting at ROSE and decide to setup a dairy in Kanda for providing milk supply for the generation so Maha KAli Milk Producer Society ellected as Mr. Jeevan lal Verma- Chairperson, Mr.- prayag Singh -Vice Chairperson, Mr.mahesh Chandr -Tresarar, with 13 members, the socirty will be improving livestock milch cattle helth/management/housing/fodder/feed/milk yeld also sell milk and milk products.

Starting with the most pure source of fresh water; Rainwater, it is slowly turned into Graywater, and then can even become beneficial Blackwater.

This process can be made into a sustainable solution for the success of our planet. As the rain touches the earth (or our rooftops) it soon becomes adulterated with contaminations. Some of these contaminations are derived naturally as dissolved minerals; and many are induced into our fresh water sources by invertebrates and vertebrae’s, but many of these contaminates will hinder our sustainability and are created by the human species. It is now that we adopt more environmentally sound judgments accepting the findings of Science over that of Politicians and their Special Interests.

As Rainwater is initially a pure, clean and a soft water resource, it is key to our life support as we know it. It’s what we seek on Mars and now our moon. As the rain touches down on the planet, it either saturates into the earth, or is captured in reservoirs, such as puddles, ponds, and lakes. At this point it takes on natural contaminations from the earth’s surface and subsurface, from surrounding rivers and streams which enter from pastures, forests, or other natural wildlife habitats. However due to the high concentrations of; exploited natural elements, chemical compounds, and other pollutants from human development and industrial practices; chemical these concentrated contaminates are also added to the original Rainwater, making it Graywater or just simply; dirty water.

If bacteria or pathogenic contaminations are introduced into the water, that water becomes unusable for human consumption. The human body is not as adaptable to many of these biological contaminates. It therefore becomes known as Blackwater, this water can come from our toilets, kitchen sinks, or other sources which may be used for the production of meats or seafood’s.

Ever wonder why a dog or cat can lick their whole and complete body, and never get sick? These animals can also drink from just about any puddle or stream and survive well, their intestinal tract is colonized by benign bacteria.

On the other hand; we Humans must have clean and pure water to survive. So far we have adopted energy inefficient, and extraneous industrialized methods to reprocess the water we have contaminated struggling to make clean water possible to sustain our existence. We have included processing deep well water and ground water from our rivers, lakes and reservoirs as our water resource. We have created a monster shopping center isle full of bottled water which is highly suspect in energy waste, toxic materials and even pollution. But still we end up with; Salmonella, E coli, and a myriad of other illnesses which require hospitalization or maybe even cause death. Most bacteria are benign (benign = good, friendly, kind) or beneficial and colonize the human intestinal tract, and only a few are “bad guys” (Pathogen: a disease-causing organism). Water borne pathogens are frequently a result of fecal matter from sewage discharges, leaking septic tanks, and runoff from animal feedlots into bodies of water be it our drinking water reservoirs or even our swimming areas.

Simply: Black water is considered sewer water. Too much of our expensive drinking water is wasted as it used to flush our toilets. Graywater should be used instead recycling Graywater, making it useful again and again. Maybe the resulting water is not potable water, but it can again be recycled as a resource for some agricultural or industrial uses.

Blackwater within its initial solids (fecal matter) will evaporate over time and natural beneficial bacteria will breakdown the resulting materials killing off the bad pathogens and result in highly organic compost. Another resulting sustainable resource for Agricultural and Landscaping uses!

Therefore, it is possible on a smaller scale, (other than that of the concentrations of large cities), to capture Rainwater as a potable and Graywater resource and also compost our personal human waste and reuse it, creating Green Jobs at home everywhere on this planet.

I have personally used commercial composting toilets for more than 4 years, and lived in a neighborhood where a 7 room B&B continues to survive well after 10 years, using a composting toilet infrastructure.

From here I lead you into the following recent published news story:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20091207/us_time/08599194576400

Kevin Libin, journalist at National Post, Canada’s national newspaper, gets right to the point. “…environmental groups are arguably the biggest political obstacles to (aquaculture) expansion.”

In his December 7, 2009 piece entitled “From sci-fi tech, food for the masses”, Mr. Libin makes the case for intensive food production as the best way for this planet to provide food for a projected 9 billion inhabitants.  

His point is simple; it’s better for the planet to intensify terrestrial food production and use state-of-the-art technology, thus leaving poor quality farm land as forest, mountains and rolling hills.

Will this feed the world?

 Although “greenies” would suggest that acres and acres of ”ma and pa” organic fields would be lovely, the fact is, there isn’t enough farm land in the world to supply the demand for protein.

Same goes with aquaculture.  Pound for pound, acre for acre, fish farms output more food, with fewer inputs and emissions, than land farms, without ravaging oceans or clearing land. “What most people don’t realize is that fish are so much more efficient at converting into food,” says Dr. Patrick Moore: their cold blood and not having to fight gravity makes seafood emit less than half the greenhouse gases of equivalent amounts of land-based meat.”

Alaska is a prime example of this. Back in the “good ‘ol days”, wild salmon were simply caught and consumed. But soon, demand outstripped supply. With record low catches in the 1960’s Alaska made a decision – intensify the culture of salmon – grow salmon in hatcheries and release them into the ocean to graze for food. Others parts of the world took it one step further – grow salmon in hatcheries and continue to culture them in enclosed nets in the ocean. Either way, we have effectively created efficiencies in growing salmon for human consumption.

Yes, there is a risk to this intensive production of protein, and therefore, the benefit must outweigh that risk. As Mr. Libin correctly points out, the clear benefit is leaving most of the planet alone.

Of course, a true stab at the hypocrisy of “environmental” groupies isn’t complete until Dr. David Suzuki has been challenged.

Mr. Libin writes, “David Suzuki rhapsodizes about Cuba’s “sustainable” archaic ox-ploughed farms, but that country imports 85% of its food.”

To read the entire article, click here.

I hate the cold. So much so, I’ve lately thought back nostalgically to the summer months, recalling the sweat-soaked weeks with a secret, bittersweet smile. The 103-degree afternoons, one after the other after the other. The relentless sun. Feeling as if it would never ever rain again. Watching the crops, the grass, even the weeds wither to brown, disintegrate before our very eyes. Oh, but for the good old days….

That’s how much I hate the cold.

There’s an interesting phenomenon that happens this time of year at the farm stands. While I’ve seen people who grew up in, say, Chicago standing at the check-out table bundled to the gills yet shivering violently when it’s 46 degrees, the folks who handle the cold weather – who relish it, really – are the ones who’ve grown up around here. I suppose it only makes sense. Like a customer said yesterday, the cold only lasts a few minutes in this part of the country, relative to the duration of the heat.

Customers often express their sympathies about our having to stay out in the cold during farm stand hours. We appreciate their concern very much, but another interesting phenomenon occurs when we remind them that we also froze half to death both days prior to market. We can see the light bulb go on in their heads – the “aha!” moment when they realize that, of course, the harvest takes place outdoors too.

The very worst is when it’s cold and wet on harvest days. For those tortuous occasions, Farmer John and I keep a few sets of waterproof Frog Togs on hand. They’re ridiculous looking outfits, made of some hideously unnatural substance like polyethylene, or polyolefin, or polynucleotide, or burned tractor/trailer tires. To make them more palatable (not in the culinary sense, mind you) they do at least come in a variety of colors. Each time we buy a new set, we try to get a different hue.

Consequently, after everyone has grabbed a top from this set and a bottom from that, this is how it plays out.

Notice how Farmer John’s jacket matches Dana’s pants; Dana’s jacket matches Mary’s pants; and Mary’s jacket matches Davy’s pants. It’s as if they’re no longer individuals – as if they’ve been forever intertwined, somehow fused into a single polyurethane being. (Even our car, seen in the background here, has succumbed to a similar sort of polyestrous wrapping.)

Luckily, I’m able to escape the polycarbonate clutches of Frog Togs. Three years ago, as a birthday gift John gave me a spiffy rain jacket from REI. Although it surely wasn’t intended as farm gear, I do wear it on rainy harvest days. Compared to my poly-clad cohorts, it makes me look like I’m off to Vale for a ski vacation…if in fact the skiers in Vale dress themselves in maroon plastic pants.

Well, I am the princess. Part of the “deal” John made with me back in 1996 when he brought up the idea of starting a farm, was that I would get special treatment. I was a lady of leisure at the time, after all, so he knew he had to sweeten the pot a little in order for me to agree to such a lifestyle change. (He’s a smart, smart man.)

By the way, the photo above wasn’t the first one taken. Originally, I held my right hand thusly:

Mary was quick to point out that due to my royal status (ahem), my initial wave was improper. I adjusted my gesture to one more appropriately aristocratic, more befitting the queen as she greets her subjects.

Come to think of it, though, were I really the queen, I wouldn’t require a rain jacket – even a special one – at all. Shouldn’t I be indoors snacking on tea and crumpets while the peasants work outside? I’m going to need to have a talk with Farmer John about making some changes to our “deal.” At least until next May rolls around.

***Here’s what we’ll have for you at the farm stand this Wednesday (when the forecast calls for a balmy 60 degree day!):

Five varieties of cabbage (perfect for hot soup on cold nights!) – tender & sweet Farao cabbage, Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, green storage cabbage and crinkly savoy cabbage; lettuce mix; Provencal lettuce/chicory mix; some heads of red leaf/green leaf lettuces bound together; arugula; bunches of chard; dinosaur kale and curly kale; bunches of collards; purple and golden beets; sweet white turnips w/greens; big heads of escarole; bundles of green onions; cilantro; and anything else that might be ready to harvest.

Thanks!
Jo Dwyer
Angel Valley Organic Farm
Farm stands:
In Jonestown on FM1431 at the blinking yellow light, Saturdays beginning at 10 a.m.;
In NW Austin on Jollyville Road between Oak Knoll and Duval (at the Asian American Cultural Center), Wednesdays beginning at 10 a.m.

I hate the cold. So much so, I’ve lately thought back nostalgically to the summer months, recalling the sweat-soaked weeks with a secret, bittersweet smile. The 103-degree afternoons, one after the other after the other. The relentless sun. Feeling as if it would never ever rain again. Watching the crops, the grass, even the weeds wither to brown, disintegrate before our very eyes. Oh, but for the good old days….

That’s how much I hate the cold.

There’s an interesting phenomenon that happens this time of year at the farm stands. While I’ve seen people who grew up in, say, Chicago standing at the check-out table bundled to the gills yet shivering violently when it’s 46 degrees, the folks who handle the cold weather – who relish it, really – are the ones who’ve grown up around here. I suppose it only makes sense. Like a customer said yesterday, the cold only lasts a few minutes in this part of the country, relative to the duration of the heat.

Customers often express their sympathies about our having to stay out in the cold during farm stand hours. We appreciate their concern very much, but another interesting phenomenon occurs when we remind them that we also froze half to death both days prior to market. We can see the light bulb go on in their heads – the “aha!” moment when they realize that, of course, the harvest takes place outdoors too.

The very worst is when it’s cold and wet on harvest days. For those tortuous occasions, Farmer John and I keep a few sets of waterproof Frog Togs on hand. They’re ridiculous looking outfits, made of some hideously unnatural substance like polyethylene, or polyolefin, or polynucleotide, or burned tractor/trailer tires. To make them more palatable (not in the culinary sense, mind you) they do at least come in a variety of colors. Each time we buy a new set, we try to get a different hue.

Consequently, after everyone has grabbed a top from this set and a bottom from that, this is how it plays out.

Notice how Farmer John’s jacket matches Dana’s pants; Dana’s jacket matches Mary’s pants; and Mary’s jacket matches Davy’s pants. It’s as if they’re no longer individuals – as if they’ve been forever intertwined, somehow fused into a single polyurethane being. (Even our car, seen in the background here, has succumbed to a similar sort of polyestrous wrapping.)

Luckily, I’m able to escape the polycarbonate clutches of Frog Togs. Three years ago, as a birthday gift John gave me a spiffy rain jacket from REI. Although it surely wasn’t intended as farm gear, I do wear it on rainy harvest days. Compared to my poly-clad cohorts, it makes me look like I’m off to Vale for a ski vacation…if in fact the skiers in Vale dress themselves in maroon plastic pants.

Well, I am the princess. Part of the “deal” John made with me back in 1996 when he brought up the idea of starting a farm, was that I would get special treatment. I was a lady of leisure at the time, after all, so he knew he had to sweeten the pot a little in order for me to agree to such a lifestyle change. (He’s a smart, smart man.)

By the way, the photo above wasn’t the first one taken. Originally, I held my right hand thusly:

Mary was quick to point out that due to my royal status (ahem), my initial wave was improper. I adjusted my gesture to one more appropriately aristocratic, more befitting the queen as she greets her subjects.

Come to think of it, though, were I really the queen, I wouldn’t require a rain jacket – even a special one – at all. Shouldn’t I be indoors snacking on tea and crumpets while the peasants work outside? I’m going to need to have a talk with Farmer John about making some changes to our “deal.” At least until next May rolls around.

***Here’s what we’ll have for you at the farm stand this Wednesday (when the forecast calls for a balmy 60 degree day!):

Five varieties of cabbage (perfect for hot soup on cold nights!) – tender & sweet Farao cabbage, Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, green storage cabbage and crinkly savoy cabbage; lettuce mix; Provencal lettuce/chicory mix; some heads of red leaf/green leaf lettuces bound together; arugula; bunches of chard; dinosaur kale and curly kale; bunches of collards; purple and golden beets; sweet white turnips w/greens; big heads of escarole; bundles of green onions; cilantro; and anything else that might be ready to harvest.

Thanks!
Jo Dwyer
Angel Valley Organic Farm

Farm stands:
In Jonestown on FM1431 at the blinking yellow light, Saturdays beginning at 10 a.m.;
In NW Austin on Jollyville Road between Oak Knoll and Duval (at the Asian American Cultural Center), Wednesdays beginning at 10 a.m.

Since this is my husband and my first Christmas together, lots of people seem to be making a big deal as to what we are going to get each other. Honestly, I have never been a big fan of the over-commercialization of Christmas and the sense of obligation many people feel to buy something for everyone they have some sort of connection to. Also, since we did just get a bunch of wedding gifts last month, I can’t even remotely think of anything we actually need.

So, what did we decide to get each other to celebrate our first Christmas as husband and wife? Drumroll please….POO.

Through Oxfam America Unwrapped, you can donate manure to be sent to a developing country in honor of your loved ones for a mere $12. Better yet, donate a double load of poo for $24 and twice the effect. Here’s what Oxfam’s website has to say about the importance of this unique gift:

“No need to feel like a stinker when you give twice the manure to a loved one. This green gift transforms waste into power—agricultural power. Organic manure increases crop yields and is cheaper, greener, and safer than chemical fertilizers. So, show your loved ones that you really “give a $%@#” for our planet. And pack a punch by giving twice as much!”

I have long been a fan of alternative gift giving, and I wish more people would donate a goat, a flock of chickens, or medical supplies, sponsor an HIV awareness event, or support micro-lending to aspiring women small business owners instead of buying me another item I probably don’t need.

Here a few more of my favorite sites:

Heifer International - An organization devoted to eliminating hunger and poverty, you can donate livestock and plants to people in developing countries. From my travels in East Africa, I’ve met some of the recipients and can say that what this organization is doing is great.

ELCA Good Gifts - An effort of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can sponsor things like mosquito nets, school uniforms, immunizations, water wells, and various Lutheran-affiliated projects around the globe.