Suburban Homestead Store
Archive for the ‘In the News’ Category
National Heirloom Expo
I was so disappointed when I found out that the California Mother Earth News Fair had been cancelled. According to MEN staff, there wasn’t enough interest in the fair to continue with its planning. I question that. I think California is in dire need of informative workshops and festivals on sustainable farming/gardening, self-sufficient and self-reliant living, and living a more simple less consumer intensive lifestyle.
I mourned the loss of a few days spent with like-minded people that I could connect with and talk with and possibly build friendships with. But, my grief was short lived. Like a beacon in the dark. Like quenching a parched body, I found a wonderful (maybe even better) replacement – The National Heirloom Expo.
Slated for September 13, 14 & 15 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, this event will include not only heirloom fruits and veggies, but a heritage livestock show as well. The schedule is chock full of speakers, workshops, vendors, heirloom displays, music and art, all there to help us learn to live a more authentic fulfilling life. What more could a farm girl ask for!
Strange Weather
As our friends and neighbors on the east coast batten down for hurricane Irene, we on the west are experiencing our own bizarre climate changes. Our pleasant temperate summer bolted into a heat wave yesterday, driving temperatures into the high 90s. What’s more, we are having a bout of humidity which is even more unusual than the cool weather, and light showers here and there.
All this shifting and changing managed to produce a glorious sunrise this morning. I snapped this photo a little after 6am as I was strolling through the farm and feeding the chickens.
I don’t think our cloudy weather has anything to do with tropical storms, but it did give me a glimpse into what my mid-west and eastern friends go through every day—muggy, sticky, sweaty.
As I watched the news today, I can only pray that lives will be saved and damage will be minimal. Seems small and trite, but it’s all this homesteader has, being 3,000 miles away.
Heart & Soil
What a great way to spend a summer evening. “Heart & Soil”, a sustainable agriculture documentary will take you on a journey into the lives of southwest farmers, energetic farmer’s market and vibrant school lunch programs. The farmers are an inspiration for us all to dig more, grow more or to support those who do.
To learn more about the mission of “Heart & Soil” and their desire to promote local agriculture check out their website at http://heartandsoilfilm.com/index.php
Peak Oil
I never intended this site to talk about militia tactics, conspiracy theories or post-oil survivalist ways, but it is becoming increasingly impossible to be involved in homesteading and the local food culture and not be at least aware of, if not affected by, the topic of Peak Oil.
I take solace though that the more I read and learn about energy issues the more content I feel that I have chickens who give us eggs, lambs who provide us with meat, a garden, berry patch and fruit orchard that supplies us with fresh produce and the where with all to combine those ingredients into a satisfying meal for my family.
If this topic is new to you or you’ve never heard about it before you may want to ask yourself these simple questions. What is Peak Oil? Do you think Peak Oil is fact or fiction? Do you or your family base decisions based on the future of oil?
Do you think the current boom in small farming and homesteading is the result of worries about peak oil, the food supply or energy issues in general, or is it just a fad? I’m sure our readers would be curious to know what you all think.
The Peak Oil clip above is a quick 3 minute video visually explaining Peak Oil, what oil is used for, and what the future may hold with regards to Peak Oil.
To learn more about Peak Oil check out this YouTube video by VideoNation, or simply plug Peak Oil into your browser window for more videos and articles.
A New Generation of Farmers Emerge
In an age when people want to feel more connected to their food than they can at a grocery store a younger group of farmers have emerged. Young people in their 20s and 30s who have chosen farming as a career. Influenced by punk rock bands and a “foodie” culture this new generation of farmer is embracing the connection between what they grow and who ultimately consumes it; bringing back the trust between them.
Garry Stephenson, coordinator of the Small Farms Program at Oregon State University, said he had not seen so much interest among young people in decades. “It’s kind of exciting,” Mr. Stephenson said. “They’re young, they’re energetic and idealistic, and they’re willing to make the sacrifices.”
Though the number of young farmers is increasing, the average age of farmers nationwide continues to creep toward 60, according to the 2007 Census of Agriculture. That census, administered by the Department of Agriculture, found that farmers over 55 own more than half of the country’s farmland.
To read the entire New York Times article click here.
Victorian Farm – BBC documentary series
The Victorian Era in England saw an agricultural revolution spread across the country. Old world traditional ways sat along side new modern technology and machinery. Like Frontier House and Colonial House before them Victorian Farm is a realistic documentary about a group of people who step back in time and live, work and eat as they did in rural Victorian England.
Working for a full calendar year, Ruth, Alex and Peter rediscover a lost world of skills, crafts and knowledge, assisted by an ever-dwindling band of experts who keep Victorian rural practices alive. Each month and season brings pressing priorities, from tending livestock and repairing buildings to raising crops, preparing food and crafting furniture and tools. Can they make a success of farming the Victorian way?
The 36 You Tube episodes are chock full of useful information for up-and-coming and seasoned farmers alike. For those who have just recently decided to live more self-sufficiently the series is a priceless addition to their research and knowledge, even though it is based in the English countryside.
If Victorian Farm draws you in, watch BBC channels for Edwardian Farm airing this fall.
New and used DVD sets and companion books are available through Amazon.com. However, the series is in a European format and will not work in U.S. DVD players.
Growing a Greener World Airs on PBS
Tour an organic farm and learn why organic food is so important for the health of our bodies and our planet: Tune in this weekend when Maria Rodale and the Rodale Institute appear on the public television program Growing a Greener World.
Use this link to see when the show will be aired in your area: PBS.org/stationfinder.
Every station’s line-up and times are different. WJNSDT, NJN (New Jersey Network) will air the show Saturday, October 16th at 1:30 p.m.
Who’s Really Responsible for Food Safety?
Food poisoning has a huge impact on our country, costing American’s thousands in dollars and in lives each year. But, how much do people really know about safe food handling?
NSF International finds that consumers display inconsistent food safety behaviors and that Americans need more food safety education at home.
To read more about NSF’s recent survey on consumer food handling practices and knowledge click here.
The Second Green Revolution
How Monsanto has systematically and relentlessly laid the framework to dictate the world’s farming practices.
One companies attempt to control the food supply through global farmerless farming, thereby controlling us.
I’m not fond of mass emails and usually just delete them. But, this one caught my attention.
A friend in Australia watched this documentary last Friday night. On Sunday he asked the hippie farmer who runs their local market if he had seen the film or knew anything about it. What he learned was even more shocking than the film itself.
The farmer had found injected genes from manipulated soy-beans in his avocados. That is scary! The genes are crossing species! He is now taking his laboratory test results to the department of the prime minister.
Please watch the film and forward the link to everybody you know. This topic needs public awareness and we all know the mainstream media will not cover it.
The Latest in Factory Food Failures
As our nations food supply is consolidated into larger and larger growing and processing facilities, can consumers count on safe food? The recent and expanding salmonella outbreak and subsequent recall in the egg industry says it can’t. With millions of eggs being pulled off store shelves where can consumers turn for safe food? One answer – their own backyard.
To read more about the egg industry recall click here