Posts Tagged ‘Money’

The Saddest Words I Know

Friday, March 30, 2012

Throughout my life, as a sheep breeder, a farmers wife, an Ag business professional, a 4-H leader and a suburban homesteader I often talk with people who want to do the same kinds of things I’m doing—growing my own food and living a more simple life. They claim to want this more than anything else; it permeates to the very core of their being. But, as I talk with them about what I am doing and encouraging them in how they too can walk this path, an interesting thing happens. A litany of reasons why “I can’t” begins to emerge. The reasons usually revolve around the fact that they don’t own a farm, or their family will not move out of the city, or still yet they have to wait until the kids are out of school. You get the picture.

As I listen to the excuses one thought runs through my mind—if you want to farm then farm. Just get started; no matter where you are.

I understand the reluctance and obstacles. Some people have city rules or HOA regulations that prevent them from participating fully in a farm life, but I do not understand doing nothing. No matter where you live you can start growing your own food NOW! If farming is something you want to do then nothing will stand in your way. Not location, not time, not money, not the job, not family reservations. Nothing. If this is your dream, stop dreaming and start doing. If my seemingly lack of understanding makes you mad then get mad. But, remember one thing…all these excuses…all these reasons…all the “I cant’s” for not doing has stopped you before; stopped you from pursuing areas that interested you, projects you wanted to try, places you wanted to go. You know I’m right. No matter where you live or what your immediate situation is you can start now. Start with a potted garden on your condo balcony. Start with a small unused planter near your patio, but do start. Give yourself permission to start.

If you live in an apartment or city high-rise you can still order seeds, set up some grow lights or pot up a bunch of herbs to set in the kitchen window and start growing a little of what you use. You can volunteer at the local farmers market; get acquainted with farmers who can mentor you. You can offer veggie starts or eggs for sale to co-workers, eventually working your way up to a small business. In a few weeks starting with nothing but borrowed equipment and a few packs of bought seeds you can be on your way to becoming a farmer. This may sound crazy, but it’s not. Not unless you are still hanging onto the long list of “I can’t’s”. If you want it to happened, really happen, you will find a way. Nothing will be able to stop you, and once you start you’ll be surprised how things just come your way. A friend may offer an extra table to use as a potting bench; another may ask to partner with you to raise chickens for eggs or meat. When your new life begins, your old life begins to fade away. You become a careful spender, an avid seller of unused belongings, and that brings money into your world, allowing you to do more.

Don’t be influenced by the people who don’t understand, who don’t agree, who perpetuate the “I can’t” excuses that chip away at your resolve and you dream. Stand with people who are excited about your ideas and prospects. Stay clear of those who want you to wait until life gets a little easier, gets a little slower, when you have more time on your hands because those days will never come. Life is always busy. Always crazy. The question is what do you want to be busy with or crazy about. Wouldn’t you prefer to busy yourself gardening or getting crazy planning for a new batch of chicks? I know I would.

This is my advice to you, folks, my wish for you—start today; not just dreaming, but doing. Take a few steps towards that farm in your mind and make it a reality. Surf the net for information. Call the farmers market organizer. Find a local garden club or sustainable farming organization and join. Borrow books. Barter for help. Find people who are trying to do the same and set up a group to encourage each other, support each other. This is not something you will ever regret. Not ever!

If farming is not your thing, but you still want to live a simpler less stressful life there are steps you can take to move that direction too. The moral of my story is “if you want it badly enough, crave it ‘til your stomach aches, even cry at night because it hurts you don’t have it…remember one thing…NOTHING and NO ONE can stop you from pursuing your farming dream if you have taken “I CAN’T” out of the equation.” And every day you put if off is one more day you have killed off life’s enjoyments. Choose life my dear friends…choose life.

 

 

Real Farmer or Faking It

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

I first heard about Ben Hewitt when he authored the book, “The Town That Food Saved”; a story about how a struggling Vermont town became a beacon in the locavore movement and brought national attention to resolving the food crisis. Ben posted this article on his blog recently and I wanted to share it. I thought it was a great example of how small-scale farmers are perceived by larger growers. I especially liked the questions he raised about the value of being able to feed one’s self and one’s family. Enjoy!

Faking it
By Ben Hewitt

Not so long ago, I was at the home of a real farmer. I know he was a real farmer, because he told me so. The implication, I believe (though I can’t be sure) was that I am not a real farmer, because I do not earn all or even the majority of my living from a farming enterprise. For what it’s worth, this is not the first person I’ve heard articulate such a belief. Or even the third.

Leaving aside the question of why it even matters who is and who is not a real farmer, and why anyone would feel compelled to claim such a title for him or herself, I couldn’t help but ponder what factors must be present to make a farmer real.

I’m pretty sure our neighbor’s definition is income-based. That is, if you make your living “farming,” then you are a “real farmer.” Fair enough, I suppose. But I know this person’s enterprise pretty well; I know that his family purchases the vast majority of their food at a retail outlet. I know that they don’t keep a garden, or process any of the milk they produce into butter or cheese or yogurt. They don’t raise their own meat. What they do, basically, is specialize in the production of a single food (milk), which they primarily sell in bulk. This arrangement provides them with the money necessary to purchase the essentials they do not produce for themselves. This is, in his mind at least, real farming.

Last year I was at a book talk, and someone asked me how much of my income is derived from our farm. “Oh, not much,” I answered, because it’s not. Most years, it’s not much more than 15%.

“But did you include the food you grow for your family in that figure?” He asked.

Well, no, actually. I hadn’t.

Which is where this conversation gets interesting, because my family raises upwards of 80% of the food we consume. I’m not really sure how to put a dollar value on the food we raise for ourselves, because I know that in many cases, we could purchase our nourishment for much less than it costs to produce it, particularly if one is inclined to believe the lie that time is money and therefore, the time spent in pursuit of our food production could be more profitably applied elsewhere. In other cases, we couldn’t buy the food we produce for any price, because it’s simply not available on the open market.

In any case, I am struck by the irony that we seem to have arrived at a definition of “real farmer” that is rooted in money, rather than food. Frankly, it’s fine with me: I have no need nor desire to lay claim to the term “real farmer.” I am happy to cede it to those whose agricultural pursuits are based in the exchange of product for money.

What does that make me? Hell, I don’t know. And I’m not going to spend much time trying to figure it out: I’m too busy growing food.

To read more about Ben and his family farm check out his blog

Homemade Seed Tape

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

seed-tape

Some seeds are so small and hard to handle that you end up wasting more than you plant, or planting them so close that they need to be thinned heavily. But, it doesn’t have to be that way anymore. You can make you own homemade seed tape with toilet paper and a little bit of honey. The homemade version works just as well as the commercial ones for a lot less money.

Here’s how to make them.

1.) Start with a strip of toilet paper the length of the row you want to plant. If that is too long lengths of 12 to 18-inches is very workable and useable in a garden bed. Spread the toilet paper out flat being careful not to tear it then fold it in half length-wise. After you have creased the TP it can be unfolded to lay flat. Single or double-ply will work, but the single-ply works best because smaller seeds can root through the single layer, plus it decomposes faster. Also try to avoid scented and colored TP as it only adds chemicals to the soil.

2.) Mix about a teaspoon of honey with several drops of warm water to thin it out. The number of seed strips you are making will determine how much honey you will need. Using a small spoon, popsicle stick or paint brush gently spread a thin layer of the honey mixture down the middle of one of the folded sides of TP. Be careful not to press too hard or you will tear the TP.

3.) Before the honey dries, sprinkle an evenly spaced row of seeds down the line of honey. Check each seed packet for the recommended seed spacing. If shaking seeds out of the packet proves too difficult simply pour them into your hand or into a small bowl and place them one at a time onto the TP.

4.) Now fold the unseeded edge of the tape onto the seeded side and gently press so the honey can “glue” the two sides together. The long continuous line of honey will help keep the seeds from slipping out of place.

5.) Using a fine pen gently write the seed name, plant height, row spacing and date seed tape was made onto one edge of the seed tape. Be careful not to tear the tape. Including the plant height and row spacing will help when laying out your garden bed.

6.) After preparing the garden bed lay seed tape in desired location. Cover tape with a light peat moss mixture to the depth recommended on the seed packet. Water and keep moist as with direct sown seeds, especially after seeds have sprouted. The toilet paper tape will protect seeds from birds and small animals and from being blown away by the wind or washed away by rain or sprinklers.

The toilet paper quickly and easily decomposes never to be seen again and what remains is a perfectly laid out garden bed.

Creative Commons License photo credit: Minneapolis.Metblogs

Suburban Homestead Pork

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Pig Portions

Can a suburban homesteader raise a pig on their city lot? The answer is YES…sort of.

Any time I talk about raising livestock the first question I ask is “What are you zoned for?” This is the first question any suburban homesteader should ask when thinking about raising livestock, because there is nothing worse than disgruntled neighbors or an angry city.

The next question you should ask yourself is, “Can you do the big “B”?” The big “B” being butchering your pig. You don’t have to do it yourself, someone else can, but the question is, are you okay with butchering something that you’ve feed and cared for, for months. If the answer is no, then you’d better stop right here. But, if the answer is yes, you’ll soon be on your way to providing your family with fresh, tasty pork that has been well cared for and humanely processed.

First things first, though. First decide if you have the space to raise a pig.

Although a small piglet can live in smaller quarters a full grown pig will need about 80-square feet and a shelter to be happy and content. That’s an 8’x10’ pen, with a simple shade area so pig can get out of the sun. Next you’ll need to decide if you have the materials to build a pig pen or do you want to spend the money to buy materials. Pigs are notorious escape artists and the pen will need to be strong. Some of my friends use cemented posts with panels welded to them, but my pig raising friends say that’s overkill. No matter what you use it needs to be secure.

If you’re still onboard with raising a pig, the next question to ask yourself is “How many pigs should I raise” and “Where can I buy a piglet?” Read the rest of the story »

Understanding the Dates on Our Food

Monday, January 17, 2011

use-by

“Sell By”, “Use By”, “Best By”, “Expiration”, our food is labeled with multiple and sometimes confusing dates. But, what’s behind them? What do they mean? Simply put, they are the date which signals when a carton of milk, bag of lettuce or pack of chicken may be the best-tasting or safest to use. What it doesn’t do is concretely indicate that the item is past its prime or spoiled. Read the rest of the story »

Extend the Life of Kitchen Sponges

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Tip & Hint

Extend the Life of Kitchen Sponges

There’s nothing worse than spending good money on kitchen sponges only to throw them in the trash when they get sour and moldy smelling. But, with this quick tip your kitchen sponges will last much longer.

Simply place the sponges in the dishwasher each time you run it and they will stay fresh and useable for a longtime – saving you money.