If I could meet one person in life, it would be Joel Salatin. The video below is pretty long, but it's a good one! This one was recorded when he came to Portland Oregon, and it was so encouraging to see all the fellow Oregonians in the background who agree with his ideals and goals.
I've been hearing murmers here and there about Joel coming to the Northwest again this summer, but haven't heard anything concrete yet. Anyone know anything about this rumor?
Enjoy the movie!
Pages
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Book Review...
I have almost finished reading through my stack of books for the month. Some I read twice over because I enjoyed them so much, some I never finished because they were not what I thought they were, and some I am still trying valiantly to finish... Here's a tiny peek at what is in my "book crate" this month...
Slow Food Nation
By Carlo Petrini
Rating: 10
Readability: 8
This was a fantastic book, but it is in every way, a "slow" book. I had to read and re-read everything just to fully comprehend what the author was saying. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that it was translated from Italian to English? But once you get used to mentally slowing yourself down (by nature, I am a very fast reader), the book is very enjoyable, informative, and eye opening.
Impact: 10
I learned a ton from this book; although some of his terms took some getting used to, such as a person being a "gastronome"! ;) I suppose the "American" version of his term would be something like "foodie", "locavore", "Greenie"... Something along those lines.
Recommend it: Very highly! Just take it slow!
Read it again: Yes! Someday I would like to buy this book!
What to expect: Right off the top, you might expect that this book would be about eating "organic, local foods" and all that stuff that seems sorta' elitist. I was pleasantly surprised to find the opposite. Petrini writes with a passion about how our food should be "good", "clean", and "fair". The majority of the book explains in very fine detail just what he means by that. Basically, we should have a decentralized food system that is "good", meaning it supports families in a way that they can make a true living, not just surviving. It should be "clean", meaning our food system should be sustainable, so that families do not have to rely on chemicals, and that the farming practices do not pollute or endanger anyone or anything. And it should be "fair". Many third world countries are cheated out of what they should earn for their crops (many earn $1 per day to support their families). Petrini wants to see that all family farms get a fair price for their goods, not the lowest price possible.
My thoughts on it: Overall, I liked it. I like Carlo's style (even though it took some getting used to), and I like his ideals and goals. He wants to see the world's endangered livestock, cultures, foods, and lore be revived and kept going. I think he has a good thing going. ;)
The Face On Your Plate: The Truth about Food
By Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
Rating: 1
Readability: 3
Impact: 0
Recommend it: No
Read it again: No
What to expect: Masson does his best to turn all his readers in to vegetarians (he would prefer vegans though), by an attempt to horrify you, take you on a guilt trip, and prove the point that animals are the same as people in every respect.
My thoughts on it: I read through the whole thing, because I had heard about so many people turning vegetarian after reading it. I was curious to see how one author could have such an impact. I was not impressed in the least. Masson's theory had a lot of holes; and big ones at that. He starts the book out by asking why we would value an infant/ mentally retarded/autistic child more than a full grown chimpanzee who has "more intelligence than the above humans". That made me mad. I slammed the book shut and threw it back into my book crate. As a Christian, I believe what the Bible says, and that is that we humans were created in God's image, and we were created to be stewards of the earth and to have dominion over all the animals. Masson's explosive question goes completely against what God has told us.
After a few days to cool the smoke, I picked up the book and continued. Next explosive remark: Why do humans feel that it is okay to eat animals and/or keep them for dairy, eggs or work, but we rebel at the thought of human slavery? Masson claims that we are hypocrites in the worst sense of the word if we can do this without any feeling of remorse for the animals.
Another urge to slam the book closed and burn it. But I didn't. I take it back to the bible. We were given dominion over the animals. It says numerous times in various places how the animals were created to be "beasts of burden".
Continuing on in the book, Masson takes you through the dairy business, the egg business, and the meat CAFO's, trying to take you on a guilt trip. Overall, his reasons for not eating meat is that an animal has to suffer in order to feed you. My opinion is that eating meat is biblical, and while yes, the CAFO animals do suffer horrendously while growing to slaughter weight, we can easily choose to eat meats that have been grown by small farmers who care about their livestock and see that they have a content, although short, life.
Masson does write about the small farms where the animals are cared for properly, but still condemns them. His reasoning? The animal still suffers when his time is up. Therefore, humans should not eat meat.
My response was an original, "bah-humbug"! I have personally slaughtered animals before, and I know that if the animal is dispatched quickly and properly, then it feels no pain; it's just over.
Biblically, slaughtering an animal was a daily thing for many people. Jesus Christ is depicted as a "lamb going to slaughter", or "the lamb that was slain". Life, suffering and death are irrevocably intertwined. You cannot get away from it no matter what.
Back in February, I did do a one month meat fast. I consumed no meat at all, and liked it pretty well. But I did it for health reasons, not because I felt that eating meat was wrong.
So I finished the book. No, I did not burn it. It is sitting quietly in my book crate, waiting to go back to the library. Masson brought up many points, but I did not feel that any were biblically sound. And so, I will continue to eat meat, eggs and dairy. Masson can keep his veggie burgers, I think I'll have scrambled eggs for lunch today...
Real food: What to eat and why
By Nina Planck
Rating: 9
Readability: 10
Impact: 10
Recommend it: Yes!
Read it again: Yes!
What to expect: Nina is very down to earth as she writes, and very simply points out how the basic foods truly are the best foods for our bodies. All those yummy foods such as raw milk, homegrown eggs, real cheese, oils, meats, lard, fruits, vegetables, etc. are what God created for us; we should enjoy them and know that they are healthy!
My thoughts on it: I loved her style, and loved her points about it. It takes her awhile to actually get "into" the book, as she tells about her childhood and young adult years, aaaaand it takes awhile to read through. The only thing I didn't like was that she believes in evolution, and every now and again brings up the phrase, "millions of years ago, we humans...." But her information is very sound, both scientifically and biblically. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it made me hungry every time I read it! ;)
I have over 25 books in my book crate, but somehow I don't think y'all want a review on all of them [wink], so I'll leave these three as a highlight of what I've been reading. Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts on them?
By Carlo Petrini
Rating: 10
Readability: 8
This was a fantastic book, but it is in every way, a "slow" book. I had to read and re-read everything just to fully comprehend what the author was saying. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that it was translated from Italian to English? But once you get used to mentally slowing yourself down (by nature, I am a very fast reader), the book is very enjoyable, informative, and eye opening.
Impact: 10
I learned a ton from this book; although some of his terms took some getting used to, such as a person being a "gastronome"! ;) I suppose the "American" version of his term would be something like "foodie", "locavore", "Greenie"... Something along those lines.
Recommend it: Very highly! Just take it slow!
Read it again: Yes! Someday I would like to buy this book!
What to expect: Right off the top, you might expect that this book would be about eating "organic, local foods" and all that stuff that seems sorta' elitist. I was pleasantly surprised to find the opposite. Petrini writes with a passion about how our food should be "good", "clean", and "fair". The majority of the book explains in very fine detail just what he means by that. Basically, we should have a decentralized food system that is "good", meaning it supports families in a way that they can make a true living, not just surviving. It should be "clean", meaning our food system should be sustainable, so that families do not have to rely on chemicals, and that the farming practices do not pollute or endanger anyone or anything. And it should be "fair". Many third world countries are cheated out of what they should earn for their crops (many earn $1 per day to support their families). Petrini wants to see that all family farms get a fair price for their goods, not the lowest price possible.
My thoughts on it: Overall, I liked it. I like Carlo's style (even though it took some getting used to), and I like his ideals and goals. He wants to see the world's endangered livestock, cultures, foods, and lore be revived and kept going. I think he has a good thing going. ;)
By Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
Rating: 1
Readability: 3
Impact: 0
Recommend it: No
Read it again: No
What to expect: Masson does his best to turn all his readers in to vegetarians (he would prefer vegans though), by an attempt to horrify you, take you on a guilt trip, and prove the point that animals are the same as people in every respect.
My thoughts on it: I read through the whole thing, because I had heard about so many people turning vegetarian after reading it. I was curious to see how one author could have such an impact. I was not impressed in the least. Masson's theory had a lot of holes; and big ones at that. He starts the book out by asking why we would value an infant/ mentally retarded/autistic child more than a full grown chimpanzee who has "more intelligence than the above humans". That made me mad. I slammed the book shut and threw it back into my book crate. As a Christian, I believe what the Bible says, and that is that we humans were created in God's image, and we were created to be stewards of the earth and to have dominion over all the animals. Masson's explosive question goes completely against what God has told us.
After a few days to cool the smoke, I picked up the book and continued. Next explosive remark: Why do humans feel that it is okay to eat animals and/or keep them for dairy, eggs or work, but we rebel at the thought of human slavery? Masson claims that we are hypocrites in the worst sense of the word if we can do this without any feeling of remorse for the animals.
Another urge to slam the book closed and burn it. But I didn't. I take it back to the bible. We were given dominion over the animals. It says numerous times in various places how the animals were created to be "beasts of burden".
Continuing on in the book, Masson takes you through the dairy business, the egg business, and the meat CAFO's, trying to take you on a guilt trip. Overall, his reasons for not eating meat is that an animal has to suffer in order to feed you. My opinion is that eating meat is biblical, and while yes, the CAFO animals do suffer horrendously while growing to slaughter weight, we can easily choose to eat meats that have been grown by small farmers who care about their livestock and see that they have a content, although short, life.
Masson does write about the small farms where the animals are cared for properly, but still condemns them. His reasoning? The animal still suffers when his time is up. Therefore, humans should not eat meat.
My response was an original, "bah-humbug"! I have personally slaughtered animals before, and I know that if the animal is dispatched quickly and properly, then it feels no pain; it's just over.
Biblically, slaughtering an animal was a daily thing for many people. Jesus Christ is depicted as a "lamb going to slaughter", or "the lamb that was slain". Life, suffering and death are irrevocably intertwined. You cannot get away from it no matter what.
Back in February, I did do a one month meat fast. I consumed no meat at all, and liked it pretty well. But I did it for health reasons, not because I felt that eating meat was wrong.
So I finished the book. No, I did not burn it. It is sitting quietly in my book crate, waiting to go back to the library. Masson brought up many points, but I did not feel that any were biblically sound. And so, I will continue to eat meat, eggs and dairy. Masson can keep his veggie burgers, I think I'll have scrambled eggs for lunch today...
Real food: What to eat and why
By Nina Planck
Rating: 9
Readability: 10
Impact: 10
Recommend it: Yes!
Read it again: Yes!
What to expect: Nina is very down to earth as she writes, and very simply points out how the basic foods truly are the best foods for our bodies. All those yummy foods such as raw milk, homegrown eggs, real cheese, oils, meats, lard, fruits, vegetables, etc. are what God created for us; we should enjoy them and know that they are healthy!
My thoughts on it: I loved her style, and loved her points about it. It takes her awhile to actually get "into" the book, as she tells about her childhood and young adult years, aaaaand it takes awhile to read through. The only thing I didn't like was that she believes in evolution, and every now and again brings up the phrase, "millions of years ago, we humans...." But her information is very sound, both scientifically and biblically. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it made me hungry every time I read it! ;)
I have over 25 books in my book crate, but somehow I don't think y'all want a review on all of them [wink], so I'll leave these three as a highlight of what I've been reading. Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts on them?
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Goals and Decisions
I like lists.
I like to know exactly what I'm supposed to be doing, and when I should do it.
And so, as I have been brainstorming ideas, goals, decisions and whatnot for this farm these past couple of days, I have had a chance to go over some things again and make some changes.
Most of my idea/goals are still in rough draft form, so they shan't be shared publicly yet, but there is one goal in life that I DO know what I want, and where I want to go with it. And that is with my dairy goats.
Last year, I jotted down what I wanted to see in my growing herd of goats and it looked something like this:
Does should be very feminine, and graceful looking. No heaviness or coarseness in body type. First time milkers should give a minimum of 1/2 gallon a day, and would like to see senior milkers giving at least 1 gallon per day. I want goats that do well on a grass based diet, with only a tiny bit of grain (max. 1 lb. per day) and decent hay to supplement. All goats should be very hardy, with minimal health problems, and does should all have easy births.
I feel like I am off to a good start with these goals, but lately I have been mulling over the thought of adding another breed into my herd. I love my flop-eared Nubians, but I've also always liked the flashy French Alpines. So my thought lately has been to try getting a couple of doelings this summer, and see how they do. It will be interesting to see how they produce on the above diet (grass-based) as most Alpines have been bred to consume large amount of grain a day, and produce large amounts of milk in return. I just feel like I don't have very many breeding options with my Nubians, and it is really hard to find purebred doelings that have the genetic potential to give 1 gallon of milk a day, that are under the price of $500. Ouch. I've been mulling over the thought of selling Ivy after she freshens (gives birth) in April, but I'm not 100% positive on that decision yet. If I do sell her, than I will probably use that money to invest in some quality Alpines.
I've had a few Alpines in the past; my favorite was named Gretchen. That goat was the most sensible, patient creature, that it almost didn't seem possible. She never tried to escape, never hogged any food, never went down in milk production, was never temperamental, was easy to breed... Just an all around good goat. I have tried multiple times to re-find her, but have failed thus far. Maybe some day... But she was my first Alpine, and since then I have always had a sneaking fondness for the breed.
One other thought I have been toying with, is breeding Heidi with a Saanen buck this year; thus getting kids that would be 3/4 Saanen, and 1/4 La Mancha, but it depends on if she tests negative for CAE or not. Not sure what I'll do if she tests positive... I guess I'll get there when I get there! :)
So I guess my goals really haven't changed. It just feels that way, since I will be working with a new breed, and new bloodlines, I guess. But I'm excited. Excited to have more goats (one can never have too many), excited to have Alpines again, and excited to see how everything plays out in the end. Wish me luck!
I like to know exactly what I'm supposed to be doing, and when I should do it.
And so, as I have been brainstorming ideas, goals, decisions and whatnot for this farm these past couple of days, I have had a chance to go over some things again and make some changes.
Most of my idea/goals are still in rough draft form, so they shan't be shared publicly yet, but there is one goal in life that I DO know what I want, and where I want to go with it. And that is with my dairy goats.
Last year, I jotted down what I wanted to see in my growing herd of goats and it looked something like this:
Does should be very feminine, and graceful looking. No heaviness or coarseness in body type. First time milkers should give a minimum of 1/2 gallon a day, and would like to see senior milkers giving at least 1 gallon per day. I want goats that do well on a grass based diet, with only a tiny bit of grain (max. 1 lb. per day) and decent hay to supplement. All goats should be very hardy, with minimal health problems, and does should all have easy births.
I feel like I am off to a good start with these goals, but lately I have been mulling over the thought of adding another breed into my herd. I love my flop-eared Nubians, but I've also always liked the flashy French Alpines. So my thought lately has been to try getting a couple of doelings this summer, and see how they do. It will be interesting to see how they produce on the above diet (grass-based) as most Alpines have been bred to consume large amount of grain a day, and produce large amounts of milk in return. I just feel like I don't have very many breeding options with my Nubians, and it is really hard to find purebred doelings that have the genetic potential to give 1 gallon of milk a day, that are under the price of $500. Ouch. I've been mulling over the thought of selling Ivy after she freshens (gives birth) in April, but I'm not 100% positive on that decision yet. If I do sell her, than I will probably use that money to invest in some quality Alpines.
I've had a few Alpines in the past; my favorite was named Gretchen. That goat was the most sensible, patient creature, that it almost didn't seem possible. She never tried to escape, never hogged any food, never went down in milk production, was never temperamental, was easy to breed... Just an all around good goat. I have tried multiple times to re-find her, but have failed thus far. Maybe some day... But she was my first Alpine, and since then I have always had a sneaking fondness for the breed.
One other thought I have been toying with, is breeding Heidi with a Saanen buck this year; thus getting kids that would be 3/4 Saanen, and 1/4 La Mancha, but it depends on if she tests negative for CAE or not. Not sure what I'll do if she tests positive... I guess I'll get there when I get there! :)
So I guess my goals really haven't changed. It just feels that way, since I will be working with a new breed, and new bloodlines, I guess. But I'm excited. Excited to have more goats (one can never have too many), excited to have Alpines again, and excited to see how everything plays out in the end. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Farmageddon: The Unseen War On American Family Farms
I recently found out about a documentary that will be coming out soon, titled "Farmageddon", and am now very excited to get to watch the whole thing rather than just the trailer. This documentary bluntly shows the injustices being done to the small farmers in this nation. We are not being allowed to sell, giveaway or consume our own clean food. Farms are being raided, farmers being led away in handcuffs, people being held at gun point by police officers, sheep being killed for no reason... The trailer alone is riveting.
I wanted to put the trailer on here so y'all could see it too, but the producers of the video respectfully ask that viewers go to their website instead. You can visit it, and see the trailer HERE.
I did also want to mention that the producer, Kristin Canty, will be doing a broadcast on the radio about food rights and 'Farmageddon' on March 19th. You can find more info about that HERE
I wanted to put the trailer on here so y'all could see it too, but the producers of the video respectfully ask that viewers go to their website instead. You can visit it, and see the trailer HERE.
I did also want to mention that the producer, Kristin Canty, will be doing a broadcast on the radio about food rights and 'Farmageddon' on March 19th. You can find more info about that HERE
Chicken, Anyone?
April is sneaking up on us, and with it we are facing the big question: How many meat chickens should we raise this year? If nothing else, we will just raise enough birds for our own freezer, but we would like to offer all of you who are within driving distance to us, the chance of getting some good, homegrown chicken for yourselves!!
We will be raising Red broilers (usually a Rhode Island Red/ Cornish cross) which are a little slower growing than the standard white Cornish crosses, but they tend to have a lot more flavor, as well as being hardier birds.
The feed has been the main stickler for us. I knew exactly what I wanted: No corn, no soy, no GMO's, all organic, preferably all locally grown, whole grains. The feed store people thought I was crazy to have such a tall order. ;)
But after many phone calls, I have done it!! I finally located a local feed mill that does all of the above. They are very passionate about their work and truly believe that you are what you eat, eats; and therefore only use the best feed they can find. Yes, we will end up paying a bit more for this feed, than regular conventional feed, but I think that it will be worth it.
So if you would like some real, homegrown chicken for you freezer, feel free to e-mail us HERE to be put on our list! This year's prices are $2.00 per lb. (compare with Harvest Fresh's chicken which is $2.99 per lb.) and the majority of our chickens will weigh around 5 lbs.
We will be raising Red broilers (usually a Rhode Island Red/ Cornish cross) which are a little slower growing than the standard white Cornish crosses, but they tend to have a lot more flavor, as well as being hardier birds.
The feed has been the main stickler for us. I knew exactly what I wanted: No corn, no soy, no GMO's, all organic, preferably all locally grown, whole grains. The feed store people thought I was crazy to have such a tall order. ;)
But after many phone calls, I have done it!! I finally located a local feed mill that does all of the above. They are very passionate about their work and truly believe that you are what you eat, eats; and therefore only use the best feed they can find. Yes, we will end up paying a bit more for this feed, than regular conventional feed, but I think that it will be worth it.
So if you would like some real, homegrown chicken for you freezer, feel free to e-mail us HERE to be put on our list! This year's prices are $2.00 per lb. (compare with Harvest Fresh's chicken which is $2.99 per lb.) and the majority of our chickens will weigh around 5 lbs.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
And The Winner Is....
Today's the day! We will find out who the winner of my 'Heirloom Seed Collection' is!
A flower pot seemed ideal for putting the names into...
Said pot was then shaken, stirred and mixed...
and the winner is....!
Congratulations 'Sue'!! (you posted as "anonymous", but you told me who you were. ;D) I will get your seeds sent off you you as soon as possible!
I would also like to thank the others who entered my little giveaway. These seeds are not your ordinary "Dollar-Tree" seeds; they have a history to them. By growing them and saving the seed, you are helping to keep that history from disappearing forever, as well as preserving some rare gene pools and protecting food safety. Each variety has been grown for generations by different families, to have the traits that they do; they have not been genetically modified, nor tampered with, in any way. Sue, I hope you enjoy your seeds, and I hope you have fun experiencing the rich heritage that each variety has! :)
Happy gardening!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Feeding Time At The Zoo
I've started giving the chickens soup for lunch, which basically means any kind of grain I can find, some alfalfa pellets and some kitchen scraps all thrown into a pot and covered with boiling water. Yesterday, they had a warm broth of alfalfa, oats, barley, brown rice, lentils, linseed, and powdered milk.
And they loved it!
And they loved it!
Normally, feeding time erupts into a mad, scrambling, squawking mess as the hens all fight for the food, but with the soup, it's calmed into a quiet, peaceful chore.
For their breakfast this morning, I gave them some alfalfa mash. To make it, I just soaked some alfalfa pellets in water over night and voila! Instant breakfast! The pellets swell to roughly three times their original size, which means that it doesn't take much. I tried soaking 5 cups of pellets, and ended up with 16-17 cups of mash the next morning; way too much!! From now on, I will only soak 2-3 cups per day.
The hens all seem really content on their new diet, and I am happy to have them off of the commercial chicken feed, which is expensive and causes health problems.
Why not try giving your chickens some soup today?
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