Archive for the ‘In the News’ Category
This Just In!!
The average American produces 5 pounds of trash…a day.
WOW! 5-pounds.
I don’t think I produce 5 pounds in a week.
Don’t be average.
Time to Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle
My Job Depends on Ag – The Movement
This new movement is sweeping the country like a fire storm, drawing attention to how integrated ag and ag products are in our every day lives.
How much do you depend on farm products? How much do you understand what it takes to get a crop from seed to store?
Have you ever thought about what life would be like without your favorite fruit, veggie, meat or dairy product? Life would be horrible without ice cream! Am I right?
I know I’m probably preaching to the choir here, but you can help spread the word about how many jobs, both obvious and not so obvious depend on Ag. Check out the My Job Depends on Ag facebook page to join in the conversation and show your support for a group of people who feed the world, but rarely get the recognition they deserve.
Chime in here and tell us if your job depends on Ag, or how Ag is woven into your life.
The Fair. The Concert. The Meteor Shower. What a Night!
The sights, the sounds, the smells; catching up with old friends, always brings back fond memories of my days showing at the county fair, and of being a “show mom” to DD.
The concert was huge, bigger than anyone ever imagined. 500 extra people crammed into the arena. It was one big crazy party with thousands of friends you never knew you had.
Dark, dark night. Crystal clear sky. Stars that shine. Warm summer breeze floating in from the sea. Streaks of light across a velvet canvass. Mother nature in her awesomeness.
What a night. So tired. I’ll be trashed at work today, but life is always worth a sleepless night.
If you missed the meteor display there are more to come. Pick a night, grab a blanket and turn your eyes to the heavens. You won’t be sorry you did. Trust me.
City Farmers under Attack – Again!
I recently found this article “Are “DIY Slaughter Hobbyists” Destroying Your City?” in an Oakland, CA newspaper and wanted to share it with you.
We all know that the practice of farming in the city, homesteading a suburban lot, growing your own food on a condo balcony, is not everyone’s cup-of-tea, but to promote the practice as harmful and elitist is nothing short of ludicrous. I’m sure many people have had run-ins with uneducated neighbors, people who are ignorant about where their food comes from and how it is produced, and wish to remain that way. But, exactly how does raising animals qualify as harmful? And, when exactly did growing your own food, for food safety sake become an elitist activity that separates us from the less fortunate people in our neighborhoods. It begs the question.
Up until WWII it was commonplace for city dwellers with any amount of property to have a small flock of hens for eggs and meat, a garden for fruits and vegetables, all the while making soap and candles in their backyards to boot. The practice was even encouraged by city fathers as a way for people to eat better and more regularly without impacting or over burdening the food supply.
But now commonsense and self-reliance has left most people. And what has filled the void is dependence on others to feed us, ignorance about where food comes from and how it gets to us, but most of all, complete laziness about taking care of one’s self. Most people would rather put the responsibility of care for their family on other people – farmers to grow the food, processors to make into something that can be thrown in a microwave because people no longer cook, trucking companies to get the food within a few miles of them and a government to give it away for free when people no longer feel like fending for themselves.
Backyard farming is not a practice that should be run out of our neighborhoods, but one that should be encouraged and supported, not only by our fellow neighbors, but by city governments as well. There is so much good, besides good food that can come out of backyard farming, like education and the interconnectedness of man and animals and plants, connection with the natural world, healthy exercise, and an understanding of how our small farm fits into the bigger picture of world agriculture.
Fortunately for me my neighbors are kind, understanding and often times curious about what we do and why we do it, which has led to many great conversations and even a few new flocks of chickens on the street. Even so — I think I’ll give them a carton of eggs just to be safe.
National Parks are Free for 14 Days in 2012
Good news for cash-strapped economy weary Americans. This year, entrance to our wonderful national parks is gratis on several days in 2012: January 14-16 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend), April 21-29 (National Park Week), June 9 (Get Outdoors Day), September 29 (National Public Lands Day), and November 10-12 (Veterans Day weekend).
I KNOW you’ll have a blast exploring some of what our country’s got to offer. After all — they don’t call it America the Beautiful for nothing — do they.
Seen the parks in your home state? Why not hop the border to a neighboring one?
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Small Farm Rising
Right in the Champlain Valley of New York, a new generation of farmer is helping to redefine agriculture in America. Local farms are at the forefront of a movement taking shape across the nation. Filmed at three upstate New York farms — Essex Farm in Essex, Fledging Crow in Keeseville, and Asgaard Farm in AuSable Forks — the documentary follows these unique farms through an entire growing season. This inspiring film is a co-production of photographer/director Ben Stechschulte and Mountain Lake PBS.
The Farmer and The Horse
The Farmer and the Horse is a feature-length documentary film that tells the story of young farmers in New Jersey with an old-fashioned passion: farming with draft horses. Award-winning journalist and filmmaker Jared Flesher follows farmers Tom, Matt, and Aubrey out of the suburbs and back to the land. Way back.
The Farmer and the Horse is a film that digs into difficult questions about sustainability, self-sufficiency, and why we do the work we do. Flesher’s film goes beyond the usual platitudes of smiling organic farmers talking about the good life. Farming is hard work, especially if you don’t use a tractor.
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