What Are We Eating?

Due to the massive amount of work required to prepare for this weekend's three day Farmer's Market at the Falling Leaves Festival I won't have time to write my blog. In the meantime, I thought people might like to take a look at this.

Do you think this chart is accurate? I think that the fruits and vegetables sections may be a bit optimistic.







(If you double click on the image it'll come up larger)

Have a wonderful first day of October!

That's (not) A Lot of Salsa!

Here are the fruits of a day of salsa making.





For the amount of time and work put in I should have more jars. My pantry should be full! But this is what I ended up with and I'm happy. Those are quart jars. We've already opened the one on the end.

I learned something today and would like to pass it along. I've heard that instead of wearing rubber gloves when you cut jalapeno and other hot peppers you can instead rub your hands with olive oil. That works - a bit.

This evening my hands feel as if they have a very strong sunburn. I'll be interested to see if they turn red and peel! I think next time I'll wear rubber gloves.

Today I put in push in fences to hold in the chickens near their chicken coop. I plan to move the fences to fresh grass every three days so this is a quick solution. We've had a predator problem and I'm hoping this will help to alleviate it. The chickens were free ranging everywhere and I knew it would only be time... and the time came.

Plus, I'm getting tired of skipping around piles of chicken poo on the walkway to my back door and having them dig through and dig up my landscaping!

A few of the chickens were smart enough to fly over the fence. They had their wings clipped for their troubles. You only cut the outer feathers. It's like cutting fingernails and is painless to the chicken. Though they look a little odd!




6 eggs

Fracking

I usually keep my blog limited to Sustainable Agriculture. But, as everyone knows, I am very opposed to Marcellus Shale Fracturing (Fracking) - a process of natural gas drilling that fractures seams in the ground for the purpose of pulling out natural gas. There have been many instances of ground water, well water, and streams being destroyed by this process. Frighteningly, the area in which I live is being treated like the next big gold rush by the oil/gas companies. I saw this on a website and had to share it:









I would like point out that I am not opposed to regular gas well drilling - it's the fracking process and the amount of wasted water and chemicals associated with it that research tells me is going to destroy our area.

Fresh: The Movie

Heather and I drove to Olean, NY last night for a viewing of the movie, "Fresh" at St. Bonaventure. I came home just full of new ideas and "ah ha!" moments. The movie was presented by my business model, Canticle Farms, and I was fortunate to meet one of the owners and get an invitation to visit.

In the movie, "Fresh," the operation, Growing Power, run by Will Allen was particularly impressive. I love how he went vertical -rather than just horizontal - in his high tunnels and green houses. I love his use of aquaponics and vermiculture. Impressive, and something I'd like to emulate!



When Russ Kremer tells how he went from a conventional intensive hog operation to an organic operation it's completely eye-opening. You realize, this CAN be done.



And finally, there's the Sustainable Living Guru, Joel Salatin, of Polyface Farm




These people are changing the world one small farm operation at a time. They're trying to leave something better for our children and our children's children - sadly, something not much found nowadays.

Autumn Comes

Summer has changed to autumn and tomorrow begins my official Fall planting season. This next weekend is the Coudersport Annual Falling Leaves Festival (http://www.PotterCountyFestivals.com/)and my last hurrah at the Farmer's Market. It'll be run on Friday, Saturday, and maybe Sunday (if I have anything left). Hopefully some maple sap buckets and lids will get some paint thrown on them before the festival.

After that, I will clean out the garden, pull up the leftover weeds, till the outside garden, and plant a cover crop. I may even experiment with a cover crop in the high tunnels... something that can be winter killed in February. I have a lot of spotty, yucky tomatoes that will make lovely food for the pigs.

Now I don't just have an egg problem, but I have a predator problem! We suspect a fox it's coming into the yard and picking off my chickens. I know their numbers are dwindling rapidly! I have some traps that just may have to find their way outside.

Old Trusties

My colander of 22 years finally bit the dust. I bought it in Berlin, Germany, shortly after we married and it's traveled all over the world since then.

Isn't it funny how you adapt to the quirks of something and don't notice as they change (many of us have a spouse or friends we could say that about : )). But this trusty old plastic colander finally developed cracks and a piece fell off.



And had to be replaced with a shiny new model.



Do you have kitchen equipment that you've had for years and years and it's always the first piece you reach for?

Hurray! I've passed 200 visits! How exciting!

Batteries

What I find most frustrating about writing this blog is that I go through batteries like it's nobodies business.

A blog is SO much more fun and entertaining with lots of photos and I find that my camera just eats the batteries and spits them out!

Just when I find the most perfect picture... the little screen pops up "Change the batteries." Tomorrow I'm going to venture into the world of rechargeable batteries. Hopefully, this will solve the problem.

And then I will be able to get back on track. I have so many fun and interesting things to show you!

~ The pigs are huge
~ Apple cake recipe
~ Foghorn Leghorn
~ Tomatoes, basil, purple beans
~ New plantings
~ A beautiful autumn

And much more!