tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13573331324856044432024-03-13T05:07:09.120-05:00From Corporate to CountryA city girl meets a farmer who changes the way she thinks and feels about food. This blog looks at farming in a whole new way. How far removed are we from our food? We're not eating like our grandparents -- not even close. Hope you'll stick around to find out why and what can be done to change that for everyone!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-42231048213514131042014-01-26T23:30:00.000-06:002014-01-26T23:30:41.224-06:00Uncommonly Cold CacklingKentucky is having winter lows of record and more snow than is usual for this region and time of year. Of course, we are not the only state suffering the wrath of the polar vortex. We generally expect ice storms in February that provide treacherous driving conditions. What snow that generally falls before the February ice storms melts within 48 hours of its arrival. A day of biting cold can happen; however, the odd bit about this polar vortex is the weather lingers. The snow is hanging around, needs shoveled, but on the upside your snowman will last awhile. <br />
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Thankfully, the animals are doing quite well. I was a bit concerned for the cattle. Then, Richard reminded me that cattle are left out in Canada in temperatures of -40 and -60 C with no harm done. My tendency to make every animal a pet of sorts must amuse him. Long before humans decided to keep and tend animals, these beasts roamed the open land and did quite well without us. My worry wart needs some 'Compound W' and I'll be fine!<br />
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Egg production is steadily increasing despite the harsh weather. I am thankful that the temperatures have not hampered them. In the off periods when Richard is unable to check, I collect eggs too. To date, I have not been pecked. Richard gets pecked quite often. This has me wondering if I have a beginner's edge. Could the big peck come soon and I'll need a Band-Aid? I try to speak as softly as I can when I approach the nest box speaking words of love and concern before I place my hand under the hen. Except for the odd one, they raise up for me to show their work (or lack thereof). When I find no egg, I remove my hand and give her some peace.<br />
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The ewes are healthy. Several resemble wheel barrows. Number 94 is definitely having twins. If not, we'll have a time extracting the two beach balls that she swallowed. She's docile and loves to be petted. In close competition for soppy pet like characteristics with number 75, I wonder how much of this 'petness' they'll retain when they become mothers. A ewe can reject her lamb; though it seems unfathomable to me. No one considers orphaned lambs really but I do hope that our flock is the mothering type. It is no chore to bottle feed a baby lamb when they are the cutest creatures on Earth. It's always best for the mother to accept them, of course. I am praying that none are orphaned.<br />
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I hope that your world is warmer than ours tonight and tomorrow brings sunshine and happy thoughts. In the coming weeks, I will be traveling. Spring planning commences when I return. Diagramming the garden for this season and future planning is one task that I will enjoy. I will also post a list of what we've planted in the vegetable garden and plans for the flower garden when it is finalized.<br />
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Stay warm and purpose each day to find peace in your heart.<br />
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With Love from Brookhill<br />
<br />
Mrs. B. <br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-75368340398141032192014-01-16T15:06:00.001-06:002014-01-16T15:06:12.803-06:00Apple Cider Vinegar: It's Not For Everybody<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
goes in and out of fashion and is making a comeback. </b></h2>
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Dr. D.C. Jarvis was the first to praise ACV
for its benefits and claim it cured almost everything. Jarvis believed in the health benefits of honey and vinegar. His book is still available and his work represents that piece of ancient folklore
surrounding ACV. </div>
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Twenty years ago, I
jumped on the ACV train for all the wonderful benefits promised. Paul Bragg was really the founder of the modern
ACV movement. His daughter, Patricia
Bragg, followed in his footsteps. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bexp5Xg9clY/Utg_dy8vlXI/AAAAAAAAAO4/WUqgpX04X8k/s1600/Paul+Bragg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bexp5Xg9clY/Utg_dy8vlXI/AAAAAAAAAO4/WUqgpX04X8k/s1600/Paul+Bragg.jpg" /></a></div>
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Paul
Bragg believed that a clean life could offer a man up to 120 years. He hoped to live that long but his age at death is not known. No one knew Paul's age. To
be fair, Paul Bragg was a young man before he started his journey and stated
many times that his life may not work as a model. He lived his youth eating all sorts of things
that were bad for him. It was impossible
to know what damage was done and how that would shorten his life. Bragg only claimed the untainted life from
birth could enjoy up to 120 years with a daily dose of apple cider vinegar along with clean vegan eating and vigorous exercise.<br />
<br />This is how the movement began. Later,
the Bragg’s came out with Liquid Amino Acids:
a substitute for the protein missing in most vegan diets. A close look at the label though tells the
consumer there is little protein in
Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acid. The amino acids touted by the Bragg family
were from fermented soy beans; a process that came under close scrutiny and
caused outrage in the health community not long ago. Why? Natural bloggers everywhere had a 'beef' with the vegan protein substitute that stated "No MSG" on the label. The process by which the amino acids were made produce an 'MSG broth' and was not suitable as a soy sauce alternative or good source of vegan protein.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEgOs468i7U/UthB1HxZD4I/AAAAAAAAAPM/Hy05oU3VWZk/s1600/Bragg+Healthy+Lifestyle+Book+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEgOs468i7U/UthB1HxZD4I/AAAAAAAAAPM/Hy05oU3VWZk/s1600/Bragg+Healthy+Lifestyle+Book+Cover.jpg" /></a></div>
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Patricia Bragg was never
available for comment. Sales
tanked. Now, I imagine enough time
passed for folks to develop amnesia and Bragg products are moving off shelves
again. Paul and Patricia Bragg marketed
their specific apple cider vinegar claiming that only pure ACV could guarantee
benefit. The vinegar must contain the ‘mother’. Filtered vinegars provide flavor but no benefit, they say. There are other brands of raw or unfiltered
vinegar that contain the ‘mother’ but Bragg’s is king.</div>
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All that said, is there conclusive evidence that ACV is the
cure-all for humankind? There are a few
studies that hint ACV may help reduce your likelihood of diabetes or
obesity. Most ancient folklore about ACV
has either been disproved or not researched.
There is no body of evidence proving its benefits ranging from curing
head lice to de-crystallizing arthritic joints.
Yet, folks continue to use it.
But, not every remedy fits every person.
<br /><br />If you are using ACV and benefit from it, by all means, keep using
it. Some may actually get sicker taking
apple cider vinegar. A community of
folks who struggle with another common ailment:
<i>Candida Albicans.<br /></i></div>
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Candida Albicans in its simplest form is a yeast
infection. If left untreated, the yeast
will spread and cause thrush in your mouth, body blisters, etc. This is ‘systemic yeast’ and at that stage is
diagnosed ‘Chronic Candida’. The
increase of antibiotic usage in the United States contributes to the
numbers. Folks who take antibiotics
every time that they are ill run the greatest risk of contracting candida
albicans. It is difficult to eliminate
once in your system. Harsh dietary
regimens have to be followed, medications are given, and there are three items
above all that the candida sufferer must eliminate: sugar, alcohol, and vinegar. These three substances cause yeast to
proliferate. Vinegar is gasoline on an
already burning yeast fire.<br />
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The trouble with candida albicans is the yeast takes up residence alongside fat
in your cells. The yeast creates a
barrier between fat and the outside world denying fat an exit strategy. Unless the yeast is reduced or eliminated
from the cells, the fat molecules will not release. Current researchers believe more suffer with
candida albicans than reported because one can go for years without being
diagnosed. <br /><br />For example, your only symptom
may be weight gain while others may experience a myriad of symptoms. Candida manifests in each person differently. When aggravated, the condition only worsens
because the acidic stomach loaded with yeast is already sour and ‘making wine’
per se. Candida sufferers will have a decreased alcohol tolerance. One or two
drinks can intoxicate the candida patient who used to be able to drink more
before becoming very drunk. Another study now links chronic edema with obesity. When yeast surrounds a cell, it traps fat and water. More research is needed to find a direct link but work to date is compelling.<br /><br />
ACV is not a cure-all but it can help some people. If you suffer from candida, I urge you to avoid
adding ACV to your diet. Are you
wondering if you have candida albicans?
Take this questionnaire before seeing your doctor: <a href="http://www.yeastconnection.com/pdf/yeastfullsurv.pdf">http://www.yeastconnection.com/pdf/yeastfullsurv.pdf</a> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.yeastconnection.com/" target="_blank">The Yeast Connection</a> online is a great resource for those who suffer from chronic illness. Rule out yeast before grabbing a bottle of ACV. People are unique and a cure-all may not be YOUR answer.<br /><br />Be blessed!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com2Ghent, KY 41045, USA38.7375625 -85.05828350000001638.712790000000005 -85.098624000000015 38.762335 -85.017943000000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-12685460389547849192014-01-15T13:54:00.000-06:002014-01-15T13:57:42.962-06:00Waiting on Springtime<br />
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The woodland and pastures of Brookhill lie dormant waiting for that next burst of sunshine. Walking the upper tract this morning, the tender green shoots below the bleached grass covering told of a long kept promise by the Creator. Spring will come! Life is just waiting for the okay from heaven.<br />
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This week, we said goodbye to our four roosters. The hens seem much happier without them and they were not the roosters that we really wanted for breeding. They went to a very good home. Meanwhile, Richard and I are keeping our eyes peeled for a Colombian Wyandotte rooster. If you know of anyone local who might have one, please drop a line to us. <br />
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The Colombian Wyandotte pullets that we got from a lovely couple in Harrodsburg are growing so fast! This week, two tiny eggs appeared from them. It is hard to believe they are coming into lay. But...here they are giving us beautiful little pullet eggs that will become gorgeous large eggs before we know it.<br />
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The lake has a mottled glass block style surface this morning, evidence of thaw. Feeding the fish is something Richard loves to do each morning. When we can get a pole in the water, there will be catfish in the pan! The lake at the bottom of the property has one distinguished resident: an albino catfish that weighs around 15 pounds! I've only seen the fish twice and was amazed at his size.<br />
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The weather is crisp and unforgiving cold but Spring is on its way. My garden books are here. More catalogs arrived today to entice me to plant a million lush posies about the farm. My heirloom seed catalog is also here for vegetable garden planning. A high functioning yet gorgeous garden is my goal.<br />
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Vegetable gardens are necessary but never pretty. Most gardeners tell that it took about three years for them to get the look that they wanted. Patience is not really a virtue of mine but the goal for year one is to have a decent outline to build upon year over year. Pathways, raised bedding, and some containers may factor into the end design. We were too late in the season for Fall planting but the portable greenhouse structure reserved for that will have hot house tomatoes and other heat loving veggies in it this year. After that harvest is done, we will be busy putting together our Fall/Winter planting to harvest throughout the cold season.<br />
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A garden should work for the gardener through the years. Don't stop gardening because you cannot bend any longer. Bring the garden to you! I will be using a few techniques to ensure that I can reach all my plants for many years while building something that also looks good in and out of season. Plans from Spring 2014 extend to Spring 2015 with four season harvesting the end goal. With any luck and a bit of sunshine, I should need very little from the market by summertime.<br />
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Do you have any great gardening ideas? I would appreciate you posting them here. I've always worked in other people's gardens. Spring 2014 will be my very own and I'm anxious to get my hands in the dirt.<br />
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God bless!<br />
<br />
Tina<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com2Ghent, KY 41045, USA38.7375625 -85.05828350000001638.712790000000005 -85.098624000000015 38.762335 -85.017943000000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-67096746294905858692014-01-14T09:42:00.000-06:002014-01-14T09:42:05.914-06:00Housing and Chicken Development<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><b>Hey there!</b></span><br style="text-align: start;" /><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;">The chilly weather has not deterred work at Brookhill Farm. Richard has been busy building chicken tractors, large and small. He has two prototypes in development. The smaller tractor is on grass with a few young hens inside. The larger tractor is not yet ready but I am providing pictures of our progress on that model. A few more items like wheels on the bottom and it should be rolling onto pasture soon.</span></div>
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From this side, we have a lovely yard for our birds to play, peck, and express their chicken selves. A ladder descends from the nesting and perching platform allowing them to wander in and out as needs dictate.<br />
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This is sitting inside our barn. Please close your eyes and imagine there is a grass floor inside. :) The beauty of this design is the chickens remain safe, receive plenty of fresh air and grass, and can peck or dig for worms or grubs as they choose. We do provide a bit of non-GMO chicken feed but chickens desperately need to be on grass to thrive. You will notice a difference in the chicken and the eggs they lay when they are given fresh pasture each day.<br />
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Chickens are resilient creatures but a few 'creature comforts' go a long way in making your birds happy, happy, happy. The ladder that takes them to the nesting/perching platform can be latched onto the ceiling when not in use making the whole unit easier to move around the pasture or field to field.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TzKjb3PwXrU/UtVN_H_n2oI/AAAAAAAAAM8/Cl37NvaxbuY/s1600/Chicken+Tractor+Large+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TzKjb3PwXrU/UtVN_H_n2oI/AAAAAAAAAM8/Cl37NvaxbuY/s1600/Chicken+Tractor+Large+4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">The nesting boxes (3 per side) are accessible via external hatches. A separate door into the nesting/perching platform area provides easy access to cleanup for droppings and providing fresh bedding for your birds. Once the wood dries, this tractor is ready for paint. A tin roof completes their new home.</span></div>
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Spring is just around the corner. Lambing starts soon. The beef calves are due around May 2014. Richard also plans to add piglets to our mix this Spring to fatten for Fall slaughter. <br />
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<br /><br />Emma, the Jersey, is doing nicely and expecting her calf soon. <br />
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Houston, the donkey, is getting adjusted to her surroundings. She is bonding quite well with the sheep and looks at me now when I call her name. I think she has an idea that it is her name; in the coming weeks, I pray she understands, "Yes, that me!"<br />
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<br /><br />Tons of great things going on at Brookhill Farm including the antics of Houdini, the magic laying hen.<br /><br />More on Houdini later...stay tuned!<br /><br /><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-19606950556375944232013-10-21T10:32:00.000-05:002013-10-21T10:38:10.149-05:00Soggy with a Dose of SunshineIt's a crisp yet slightly soggy morning here at Brookhill Farm. The sun made its appearance at the appropriate time. I walked down the drive to open the gate for the gentleman who works for us and retrieved Saturday's mail this morning. I had company and forgot about the post until I unlocked the gate.<br />
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More cedars will be sacrificed today in the name of the almighty fence post! We have quite a surplus and the additional cross-fencing that Richard wants will be done using our own wood. That's a nice thought not to mention a great savings. To date, 100 cedars have been felled. Richard and I took a survey of the 65 acres of woods last week. From various storms, many second and third growth trees have cracked and tumbled in the woods. One old growth tree fell over the creek and reaches the other side as if to build a bridge for a mischievous ten year old with a tree frog in his pocket (for safe keeping, of course). Managing the forest is just as important as making sure the fields produce delicious grass for the animals. The thinning is necessary and the dead wood needs put to good use.<br />
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Hickory trees abound and are bearing nuts. Coming late to the farm, we missed this year's harvest but found enough to dry and savor for the holidays. The next order of business is identifying the different types of oak and maple within the forest. At the entrance to the property there are about six sugar maples discovered via leaf identification. Their bark is much lighter than I would have imagined for a maple tree. My first guess was white oak or silver birch but I was wrong. It took a few hours searching through tree and shrub books, identification guides online, and forestry web sites to find the exact match on this leaf.<br />
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Identifying species during the Fall is not as easy. In the Spring, nature reveals its true self. Once the decay of autumn commences, some telltale signs erase. The discovery of the sugar maples had my mind fixated on delicious maple syrup. My research took off in a new direction! How might I tap these trees and get some of this yummy syrup?<br />
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The number of taps depends on the circumference of the trunk. Anything under 10 DBH should not be tapped as it would cause permanent damage to the tree. A spile is inserted into a tap hole drilled slightly upward to allow the sap to flow freely into a container. When it rains, water taken up by the tree mixes with the sap inside allowing it to flow freely and continue to give. The rain helps produce more sap. The best time to extract syrup is Spring and Fall when the nights are frigid and the days are warm!<br />
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From what I've read, the extraction is easy when the tree is tapped properly. The tricky part for me will be choosing the right spile. Those who wish to do as little damage to the tree use a 5/16" spile. A 7/16" spile was used in years gone by. Many prefer the 7/16" despite the damage believing the 5/16" spile reduces sap flow. Studies conducted recently show no reduction in sap flow using a 5/16" spile. The tap hole is able to heal faster and the tree is happier. Spiles are made from many types of materials now. The question is: which type is right for our trees? I'll keep you posted!<br />
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Link: <a href="http://articles.dailyamerican.com/2012-09-21/magazines/34009861_1_spile-maple-producers-maple-syrup-digest">New Options for the Maple Spout or Spile</a><br />
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The difficult part is boiling down the sap. Commercial sap operations purchase large evaporators/reducers that boil the sap down into a syrup, removing all the water, and impurities from it. One can boil sap down on a stove but it would take much longer to produce syrup or sugar that way.<br />
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The general formula: <b>40 gallons of sap = 1 gallon of maple syrup or 8 pounds of maple sugar</b><br />
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Without an evaporator, I need a large black cauldron in the back yard to boil down my sap should I decide to do this. The trees cannot be tapped until Spring 2014 . So, I decided to spend more time looking for other sugar maples in the woods. The previous owners may have planted these or they could have been here. If I find our only sugar maples are in the front near the brook, then I know they were a thoughtful addition. I hope the woods yields more of them, however. They are amazing trees. The leaves are astounding and each one matches the size of Richard's hand. Locals often call them "river maples" which is deceiving because that name doesn't tell the casual onlooker what gorgeous goo this specimen contains.<br />
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The more we wander, the more we discover. These trees are another example of valuable resources that are 'untapped'. As I returned from the brook with my leaf samples last weekend, my mind went back in time while I walked the hill. My father once said, "When you're old enough to know how to live, you're old enough to die." As the chill bothered the arthritis in my right hand, my hip popped, and my bad leg reminded me it was along for the ride too. <br />
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From the cradle, every breath is counted. No one knows exactly how many of those each of us gets to take. I think of what I used to consider scenery. Now, I see it as life, opportunity, sustenance. Perhaps a better word would be 'provision'. Then my mind takes me to that awesome concept: Divine Provision or Providence.<br />
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Nature replenishes itself. The human is the intruder into its world. It is never the other way around. Humans are blessed that we can draw from it, drink from it, and live in harmony with it. It saddens me when I think of how many years that I've wasted never realizing all of what God's creation holds. I feel that I should have been living this life always. I'm grateful to God that I've awakened. It's as if I have come alive for the first time. My old eyes feel like a child's exploring this habitat. <br />
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A touch of sadness appears on my cheek. I pray that the Lord gives me as many years to give back to the Earth that I spent thoughtlessly taking from it. Every farmer's creed should be to leave the land better than you found it, not worse for you having raped it.<br />
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Take a walk through the woods sometime this week. Collect some leaves. Research and learn a little bit more about what grows naturally in your region, what may have been planted by settlers, and how each member in the forest does it part. As you walk through, do not just admire the leaves. Admire the ground beneath your feet. Man cannot devise a carpet more lovely than the forest floor.<br />
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Be blessed...and leave it better than you found it!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-25185966638581255232013-09-19T22:43:00.000-05:002013-09-19T22:50:08.853-05:00The Cycle of Life<br />
With every beginning comes an ending. This week, my cousin had a heart attack and did not recover. She passed away at her home in Louisville at the young age of 51 years. I was dropping off furniture for my older sister when the call came that she was gone. We had not been able to visit the last two years. I was in Canada and she was in Louisville. The new farm puts me closer to the Louisville side of my family and she had priority on the list of visits to make. <br />
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Indeed, she will be my first visit. Instead of laughing and cutting up about when we were young, I will pay my last respects and walk her to that final resting place. I came home a little too late. In nature, we witness the last breath of Autumn, the cold and dark places of Winter, await Spring's rebirth, and bask in the adolescence of Summer. We spend all Winter waiting for our friends to join us next Spring! <br />
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If only humans were flowers that we might renew ourselves each Spring! Alas, we are alike yet different. The spirit of regeneration is given in place of renewal. We are here for a time then gone. Hopefully, that souls crosses over to a life eternal in a glorious place where one day every one will meet again.<br />
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Managing the cycles of life for the creations and creatures in your care is ninety percent of the job description. Farmers are God's caretakers. It seems easy when discussing cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, and the like. Yet, so difficult when the life cycle of a loved one ends. One is never ready to part with family. Every other instance can be reasoned away but this human loss.<br />
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Life becomes more precious when it rests in your hands. Cradling the head of a lamb while helping it feed or nuzzling open the mouth of a tiny calf who refuses to latch onto the mother or a feeder. One day, that life will be gone too. While it is here, it is our job to give God's creature the life that it deserves. Humans also should strive to help one another lead the lives that they deserve. Going forward, I will do what I can to help others attain what is right, not what is left, ever mindful of the cycle of life.<br />
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<i>In Loving Memory of Anita Rose Mitchell DeSpain</i><br />
Blessings!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-30364732321022939792013-09-12T23:00:00.000-05:002013-09-13T00:39:04.212-05:00A New Beginning: Brookhill Farm of Ghent, Kentucky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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BROOKHILL FARM, GHENT, KY </div>
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It's been a long journey but we found the perfect farm for us. We closed on a fantastic property consisting of 130 acres of rolling hills and pasture, two stocked fishing lakes, fruit and nut trees, vegetable plots, and two grape arbors. The farm rests on the county line between Gallatin and Carroll counties in Kentucky making it convenient to Louisville and Cincinnati. <br />
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The woodland is abundant with first, second, and third growth trees making a lovely home for white tail deer and wild turkey. This woodland also provides lovely shade and repose for the pigs that we will be rearing. The lush pasture is perfect for rearing sheep, cattle, broilers, and this same salad bar is perfect for laying hens. <br />
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This is an ideal habitat for sustainable living and farming. We are honored to own it and continue the management of this already well maintained property. The previous owner was comforted in knowing that his farm would not become a real estate development. It will remain a farm for future generations.<br />
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<br /><br />According to title search, this land first belonged to George Rice and is referenced in his will dated 1822. Records indicate and locals estimate this farm dates to 1810 or earlier. His family farmed it for generations until it was sold to the O'Neal family then to the Griffin family. The previous owner, Flannery, sold it to us. We look forward to working through the Winter in preparation for Spring. Our small beef herd and chickens have a new home. We are adding other animals this Spring and planting our garden.<br /><br />I will be blogging about what's going on at Brookhill Farm as time allows. We hope you stay tuned!<br /><br />God bless!<br />
<br />Tina (and Richard) Boutall<br />Brookhill Farm<br />Ghent, KY<br />
USA<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com7Ghent, KY 41045, USA38.7375625 -85.05828350000001638.712790000000005 -85.098624000000015 38.762335 -85.017943000000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-22009283162441317322013-03-19T14:03:00.000-05:002013-03-19T14:15:35.216-05:00Four Season Harvest: Is it Right for You?<br />
Spring has yet to spring this year. Reports from my friends in all parts of North America are riddled with groaning of more snow, damp cold, and a dreary sky. Everyone is itching to get outside, dig in the dirt, go hiking, or just be able to take a nice leisurely stroll after supper without fear of slipping on ice. I spoke with my sister yesterday who is a lifelong gardener. I envy her green thumb for she can make anything grow. She can revive a plant that I would toss in the rubbish bin. <br />
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I enjoy gardening. At the moment, I'm researching and making plans for my first cold frame garden. An expert gardener, Eliot Coleman, has been producing food year round for about thirty years. Of all the places, Eliot Coleman and his wife, Barbara Damrosch, tend this garden in the state of Maine. Their story sparked immediate admiration within me. <br />
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The state of Kentucky does enjoy all four seasons. Unlike the frosty prairies of Manitoba, we have a recognizable Spring preceding our hot and humid Summer season. We slip slowly into Autumn with a slight break that the old timer's called 'Indian Summer'. A slight reprieve from the impending cold that will soon dampen our spirits, Indian Summer is that last great opportunity to enjoy the warmth on your skin. Greet a brilliant sun each morning and enjoy sipping tea on the back porch as the coolness creeps into the night breeze beckoning us all to peaceful repose beneath the starlit sky.<br />
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Gardening is a great pastime in my state of Kentucky. It always makes me smile to see the ladies out in their gardens on that first nice day, arms glistening with oil, turning the ground over and preparing for another bountiful year. The first frost is always a tad depressing as 'Ole Man Winter' sweeps in and takes the last morsels of life, leaving it to die beneath the icy rain and patchy snow. The mad rush in between to can and freeze every last ounce of freshness is what makes up most of your Summer outside of backyard parties and picnics. <br />
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Eliot and Barbara have done away with all of that nonsense. Wouldn't it be nice to benefit from your gardening toil all year? Having your plate change with the seasons, not because your garden is gone, but because your Spring/Summer harvest has been replaced with a bountiful Autumn/Winter harvest! Foods that yes, need sunshine, but fair much better in the cooler temperatures. Coleman and Damrosch claim that the gardener's greatest enemy is the biting winter wind. Sheltering your garden delights inside a cold frame protects them while they grow into gorgeous salads and lovely winter vegetables that you can enjoy no matter how much it snows!<br />
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Plans for our four season vegetable garden are under way. My construction list is almost complete. If you live in a climate that also enjoys its seasonal changes but would like to harvest and grow your food all year round, I encourage you to take a look at Eliot Coleman's site. He has a variety of books available that can answer the questions of a beginner to expert gardener. <br />
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You can find the DIY instructions to build your own cold frame at <a href="http://myoutdoorplans.com/garden/free-cold-frame-plans/">www.myoutdoorplans.com</a>.<br />
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Based on our moving dates, I may be looking at my first Autumn/Winter garden before I ever think of Spring planting. Next, I will research good and reliable sources for heirloom seeds.<br />
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I'm enjoying the journey. Will you join me?<br />
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Be Bountiful,<br />
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Tina<br />
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Sources:<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1890132276/fourseasonfar-20" target="_blank">Four Season Harvest</a> by Eliot Coleman<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Organic-Grower-Techniques/dp/093003175X/ref=pd_sim_b_2" target="_blank">The New Organic Grower</a> by Eliot Coleman<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Four-Season-Farm-Gardeners-Cookbook/dp/0761156690/ref=pd_sim_b_6" target="_blank">The Four Season Farm Gardener's Cookbook</a> by Barbara Damrosch<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-22186758195296195802013-03-12T23:21:00.000-05:002013-03-12T23:21:06.283-05:00<br />
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Tell Congress to Dump the Monsanto Rider Today!</h2>
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Direct quote:<br />
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<div style="background-color: #f9f8f4; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The biotech industry has quietly inserted a dangerous policy rider into the Continuing Resolution (CR) now being debated on the Senate floor.</span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This dangerous rider was not included in the House-passed CR, and we are extremely disappointed to see that the Senate has included it. Though wrapped in a “farmer-friendly” package, </span><b style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">this Monsanto-driven rider is simply a biotech industry ploy to continue to plant GE crops even when a court of law has found they were approved illegally.</span></b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #f9f8f4; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The provision undermines USDA’s oversight of GE crops, unnecessarily interferes with the U.S. judicial review process, and could be unconstitutional. It is also completely unnecessary and serves only to offer “assurance” to biotech companies like Monsanto, not farmers.<br /></span><b style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tell your Senators to demand that Appropriations Chairwoman Mikulski pull this dangerous and unconstitutional rider, and support any amendment that would strike the rider from the Continuing Resolution.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: x-small; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Click <a href="http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1881/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9982" target="_blank">here</a> to tell Congress to dump the Monsanto rider today!<br /><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-33519151737803668242013-03-12T07:11:00.000-05:002013-03-12T19:51:24.423-05:00The Quest for the Perfect Farm<br />
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EVERYTHING RISES AND FALLS ON STEWARDSHIP</h2>
<i>Servant-Leadership and Land Management in Sustainable Farming</i><br />
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The quest for the perfect farm begins after a great hiatus in Canada awaiting my husband's immigration to the United States. Sitting here, I must admit that we are blessed despite the long wait. We have had the pleasure of being on honeymoon almost two years. Life on the prairies of Canada is rather peaceful except during seeding, haymaking, and harvest time. <br />
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Even those weeks of hustle and bustle are tame compared to the city life to which I am accustomed. We have been afforded the rare opportunity of uninterrupted time together. Rising each morning, breakfasting together, and planning our day accordingly without the slightest threat of intrusion.<br />
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Life before marriage had a strict schedule. While all farmers maintain a schedule, there is no brutish foreman tapping his fingers on the time clock waiting for you to arrive. You are your own boss. The weather dictates when you rise or lie down. When the snow plow rolls out or the hay rake gets attached to the tractor. During Summer, the rooster wakes us to the smoky blue and vivid pink hues of mixing air and rising sun that make Manitoba such a special place. <br />
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Occasionally, the Lord will brighten your day with a double rainbow before the fiery orange disk settles in the distance. Low hanging clouds mimic the mountain ranges so common in the southern States. Alas, it is but an illusion. The clouds must laugh at all the newcomers here. The TV hums softly after supper and the coffee is always fresh. Daylight when it is warm lingers until almost ten o'clock each evening before the moon decides to grace us with her presence. <br />
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Yet, when the snow comes the world becomes a blank page should a white-out occur. In the evening, the moon is your only light as the wind cuts through the prairies depositing and drifting snow without care while we remain inside and warm. The morning after a good snow, the prairie's pristine countenance is displayed so pure and true that one might think the vestige of God lies before him. Yes, we have been blessed. <br />
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These past months were filled with Internet queries, perusing real estate listings, researching sustainable and organic farm practices, learning more about food safety and agricultural legislation in the United States. Each state in the Union has the right to make their own food safety laws in addition to the rulings of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). <br />
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For instance, one state may allow the sale of raw milk direct to the consumer while another state strictly prohibits such transactions between the farmer and end user. Learning the rules and regulations for the state in which you plan to operate is crucial.<br />
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The question arose whether we wanted to be just a sustainable farm or certified organic? If possible, we would love to be a certified organic farm but that poses some difficulty. Unless you purchase a farm that is already certified organic, the waiting period is three years due to contamination in the soil. When regular crops have been planted in the soil, chemically fertilized, and sprayed with different cocktails of weed killing solution the ground is contaminated by default. Whatever it renders in the next few years will contain a measure of chemical. This is why ground must be worked without chemical fertilizers, weed killers, or pesticides for three years. The land must have time to recuperate and return to its original state before one can apply to receive certified organic status for their farm.<br />
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There are organic farms for sale. The ones that we located were either too far from where we wish to be or lacked enough acreage for our business model. Most sustainable farms are grassland based, which seemed easy enough to locate. At least, I thought it was easy! The challenge is finding the proper acreage to fit your model. And...it must lay right. If you are interested in sustainable farming, please go to <a href="http://www.feedtheworld.org/">www.feedtheworld.org</a> for information on how sustainable farming can end world hunger.<br />
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For example, a hill farm may offer spectacular views but unless you keep sheep and goats exclusively, you will run into grazing issues with other livestock. If land is inaccessible to an animal, it will not be grazed. Then, it must be cut for hay or tilled into cropland to remain useful. If the hills are too steep to operate a tractor safely, the farmer's only recourse is to let the sheep graze it down.<br />
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Being raised in hill country but never farming, I could not comprehend the importance of this in the beginning. After much tutoring from my dear husband, I have come to understand why the lay of the land is so important to a farmer. My initial response was, "Oh, then we should just buy flat cropland." Again, I had the wrong answer. This city girl was so confused. The cropland is plowed up; grass would have to be sown. The L&N rail line below crosses the Banklick Creek near my former home. The hills of my home were too steep for our farming model. We learned quickly that a move further south into the state would be necessary to meet our objectives.<br />
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Trees provide shade for livestock during the warmer months. On cropland, they are few. So, cropland was not the answer despite its flatness because it lacked enough wooded area for the pigs, temporary shade for the cattle, the chemicals in the soil went against our principles, and turning it back into grassland was cost prohibitive. The mix of cleared and wooded areas as seen in the small farm located in Independence, Kentucky depicts an ideal sustainable setting below.<br />
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To the commercial farmer those chemically treated crop acres are worth a fortune evidenced by the price tags on most for sale. This baffled me as my inner accountant tallied up the cost of commercial/conventional farming exclusive of the damage it does to our landscape and the environment. The conventional farmer spends his life paying off his mortgage, financing equipment purchases to work the land, buying seed to plant in the land, repairing machinery as it fails, and paying seasonal workers to harvest the crop. He spends his nights worrying about the weather and his yield. He spends the morning surveying and hoping for rain or sunshine, whichever he needs that day. He has a mortgage that will either be the ruin of him or the haunting of him until he retires. Only in retirement does the commercial farmer really get paid for his life's work. How sad to toil all those years and have to relinquish it to make it really pay. This should not be! When sustainable farming methods are used, the farmer is not only more productive. The sustainable model ensures record revenues per acre while keeping operating costs low. In many instances, the sustainable farmer is making more annually on fewer acres than the commercial farmer is making with thousands of acres after expenses.<br />
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Progress and ingenuity birthed the tractor. The large Shire horses were unhooked from the plows and horse power became an engine specification. Even organic farmers employ machinery unless they prefer the more Victorian farming methods, which are being practiced on a few farms right now. Machination preceded the feed lot system, however, which was the greatest disservice ever fostered against man and beast. The sustainable farm can be effectively run with slightly more manual labor but greatly reduced machine time and fuel expenditure while it replenishes the land and adds inches of precious top soil over time.<br />
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An in-depth series on the <a href="http://www.yidio.com/show/ken-burns-the-dust-bowl?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Search&utm_campaign=ken-burns-the-dust-bowl-CANADA-CUSTOMCMPGNppca&utm_term=ken%20burns%3A%20the%20dust%20bowl&sf_campaign=CANADA+-+Broad+Show+List&sf_adgroup=ken-burns-the-dust-bowl-CANADA&sf_adid=22287895211&sf_keyword=ken%20burns%3A%20the%20dust%20bowl&sf_type=b&sf_placement=&gclid=COmk-vz99rUCFaUWMgodpmIAUw" target="_blank">Dust Bowl</a> aired in 2012 that opened my eyes to the true horror of this 1930s agricultural disaster. Now, the irrigation methods used to keep that soil yielding have greatly depleted the water table in the West. The Colorado River Basin is at risk. How much longer can this type of farming in the prairies be sustained? When the prairies become a desert, the Earth will render its verdict. We will have no hope of appeal with Mother Nature. A report dated December 12, 2012 from the U.S. Department of the Interior bears the grim news of projected water imbalances between supply and demand. Once it is gone, we have no more. <br />
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You can read it here: <a href="http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/secretary-salazar-releases-colorado-river-basin-study-projecting-major-imbalances-in-water-supply-and-demand.cfm" target="_blank">Salazar Press Release</a><br />
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Instead of giving back to the soil and enriching it, the plows came through and raped the land. Never more would bison and cattle pass through to graze and fertilize most of those pastures. Some have been put back into grassland but the majority of this land remains in crop. Land that should have never been plowed from the beginning. Chemical fertilizers were born to replace the manure, which gave back to the Earth and kept it fertile. Species no longer lived in harmony in the farm yard. Operations focused on single species production and placed them in large and poorly ventilated structures with inadequate waste systems. Dead walks came into being as daily inspections for deceased animals were necessary given the cramped living quarters that resulted in higher livestock fatality rates. One look at the suffering and diseased chickens inside this factory chicken farm operation tells us all that we need to know as Americans, consumers, and most of all: human beings.<br />
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<a href="http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1338609.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Sick+and+deformed+chickens+suffering+inside+a+chicken+factory+farm" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1338609.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Sick+and+deformed+chickens+suffering+inside+a+chicken+factory+farm" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Diseases became more prevalent. Antibiotics swept onto the scene. Living conditions continued to decline until someone decided to take a stand against these atrocities committed in the name of profit and fast food. Organic farming is more labor intensive than conventional farming. However, the cash outlay for equipment is much lower than conventional farming. We are going back to the old ways. The ways that produced healthy food. Twenty years ago, green beans had 43% more calcium than they have today. So, are these commercial farming methods really better? They are faster and easier but the quality is much lower. The raped soil cannot render the quality that we once enjoyed unless we nourish it. We cannot do this via conventional means and arrive at the same result. <br />
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I have learned that a return is absolutely necessary to provide nutritious food and remain a faithful steward of the land. The first principle in farming according to George Henderson, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Farming-Ladder-G-Henderson/dp/144650879X" target="_blank">The Farming Ladder</a>, is "...to leave the land better than you found it." This is our mission and the reason why finding the right farm is so important in our quest. Not just any farm will do. It must be the right farm for us that we might give back a portion of what we have been given. Always giving thanks for what the good Lord has given us to care for and ever looking forward with hope that others will take this journey with us. To nourish the land and make it prosper is a farmer's high calling. May we never forget it.<br />
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Be blessed!<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com0Cardale, MB R0K, Canada50.237053 -100.3209810000000224.715018500000003 -141.62957500000002 75.7590875 -59.012387000000018tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-9599460967870280082012-01-12T00:34:00.001-06:002012-02-09T01:35:25.251-06:00The Silent Killers, Part 1: Excitotoxins<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Sadly, the <strong>Silent Killers</strong> have to be discussed in parts due to there being so many of them. </span><br />
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The first that we will cover is the <em>excitotoxin</em>. While very small amounts of these agents occur naturally within the body, triggering your natural reward system, in larger and more concentrated amounts these excitotoxins can cause a host of neurological problems, medical issues, mental illness, and even death as we each absorb things differently. <br />
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<strong><span style="color: blue;"><u>Recommended Reading</u><em> </em></span></strong></div>
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<em><strong><span style="color: blue;">EXCITOTOXINS: The Taste That Kills</span></strong></em></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7qMK0TSd6JY/Tw5y9ctqfrI/AAAAAAAAAEE/6DWFtmq10AY/s1600/excitotoxins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7qMK0TSd6JY/Tw5y9ctqfrI/AAAAAAAAAEE/6DWFtmq10AY/s200/excitotoxins.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click here to Purchase: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Excitotoxins-Taste-Russell-L-Blaylock/dp/0929173252" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Excitotoxins-Taste-Russell-L-Blaylock/dp/0929173252</a></td></tr>
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The following videos are loaded with shocking truths. Truths that the FDA did not want Americans to know. Some conspiracy theorists assert that the addition of excitotoxins into our foods is part of an elaborate plan devised by the U.N. and the elitists who run the world to accomplish two principal objectives.<br />
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<li>The dumbing down of society making us easier to govern if the majority has a lower IQ after years of toxic consumption leaving few left with a high IQ to figure it all out.</li>
<li>The reduction of the world population by 80%.</li>
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<strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">YOU DECIDE...</span></strong><br />
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Dr. Mercola</div>
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If the conspiracy theorists are correct, then the contamination of the U.S. food supply was carried out in hopes that most would expire and those who remain would be more pliable, easier to govern, and too stupid to resist even the most objectionable legislation.<br />
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So, let's start with the average American fast food meal, which usually consists of a "meal deal" of sorts. We have a burger, fries, and a soft drink. Given the U.S. consumes over 4 billion gallons of diet soda annually, we will discuss artificial sweeteners along with high fructose corn syrup.<br />
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This next video addresses glutamic (MSG) and aspartic (aspartame) acids in your meal. The MSG will be found in your burger's components and your fries, along with other chemicals that we'll discuss in Part Two. The aspartame cocktail is, of course, your diet soda. (See the video after the 3-part series on aspartame for a quick look at high fructose corn syrup if you drink regular soda).<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/g-pnzj0c06Q?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<a href="http://www.bewellrx.com/">www.bewellrx.com</a></div>
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Aspartame deserves an in-depth look having 92 documented side effects including brain lesions and tumors. I encourage to view these three videos and drop your diet soda like yesterday's flat one.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/JkS1adbM8Po?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Part I</div>
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Part 2</div>
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Part 3 </div>
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Now, on to a discussion of high fructose corn syrup!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/5oHmZOoxk2s?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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The High Fructose Corn Syrup Conspiracy - CBN.com</div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><strong>So, how do we fight back?</strong></span> <br />
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<li>Stay away from GMO foods, high fructose corn syrup, chemical cocktails (additives), and artificial sweeteners. <em>Make better choices. Read nutritional and ingredient labels before you buy!</em> </li>
<li>Opt for better alternatives to sugar like Stevia extract, which is plant derived. If you opt for sugar, make sure it says CANE SUGAR on the label. If not, you're just purchasing corn syrup solids or crystals made to appear like granulated sugar. Either real cane sugar or stevia is best. </li>
<li>Get your BRAIN POWER back! Check out Dr. Mercola's 7 Surefire Ways to Get Back Your Brain Power. </li>
<li>Do not fall back into bad habits. Just because MSG-laced foods taste good and diet soda has always been your crutch doesn't mean it will kill you any softer or be kinder as it dumbs you down. Seriously.</li>
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Dr. Mercola, 7 Surefire Ways to Get Your Brain Power Back!</div>
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Folks, it's time to take our right to wholesome foods back. After this eye-opening bit of research, I feel sort of dumb. Is it okay that the government is partly to blame for that? Or am I without excuse again? LOL :)<br />
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Be blessed (and don't be fooled)!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-38707015455973415712012-01-11T04:14:00.001-06:002012-01-12T16:44:14.432-06:00The Silent Killers, an Introduction<br />
About 14 years ago, I was diagnosed with celiac disease after being <em>misdiagnosed</em> from the age of sixteen. I was comforted, in that, I had finally found a doctor who cared enough to find out what was really wrong with me because I had suffered most of my life. Along with that diagnosis, he recommended a book for me to read called <a href="http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/book/the_book.htm" target="_blank">Breaking the Vicious Cycle</a> that explained my condition in more detail. It also gave real accounts of not just adults but children whose conditions were so severe that the symptoms were not so late in surfacing as mine. Frankly, this was all so new to me that my family would not have picked up on it anyway. <br />
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We were simple folk; we ate simple food. The fourth of five children, our meals were based on budget. To my mother's credit though, she did her best to always have a protein on the table, two vegetables, potatoes often, and usually some kind of homemade bread, biscuits, or cornbread. By any standard, she did right by her children. We did not have soda or cola in the house; potato chips were a treat for picnics only. As a result, desserts usually molded on the counter. Mom was the one who usually liked the cake and Dad loved pie or cobbler, which I always hated. We were the typical middle class family on a budget. <br />
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It was never my mother's choices because she always tried to make a healthy meal despite the occasional beans and cornbread with loads of butter, biscuits, milk gravy, and sausage so common to our region. No, it was what lurked behind the scenes that moms everywhere had no clue about: chemical additives in canned or processed food.<br />
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When I share my diet restrictions with folks, they always compartmentalize it by saying to me, <br />
<br />
<em><strong>"Wow, that's too bad you can't have that stuff. I love gravy and sauces, McDonald's, and pizza. I'll enjoy some for you!" They laugh it off and just go their way thinking, "It doesn't bother me like that so it is okay for me to eat it."</strong></em> <br />
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Well, the longer I have read nutritional labels and studied most of these "ingredients" the more that I have learned that it DOES impact others. While my disease also makes me unable to tolerate things such as wheat (and its derivatives), corn (and its derivatives), and soy of all sizes there is an additional chemical sensitivity that plagues me. <br />
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Actually 25% of all children who lived during the 1970s have chemical sensitivities due to the heavy use of MSG during that decade not only in our foods but in our vaccines (as a stabilizer). Yes, it was even in our school vaccinations! The chemicals in our food are lethal but few people are talking about it even though other countries outside the U.S. refuse to put these additives in their foods (and will not import food from the U.S. that contain these deadly substances). Yet, the U.S. continues to produce and provide for mass distribution foods containing additives that cause sterility or reduced fertility, can lead to blindness, can cause psychosis and nerve damage, brain damage and sometimes brain cell death. These chemicals have been linked to obesity since the 1960s and studies from then until now continue to reinforce these truths.<br />
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How did this happen? Folks, it happened because we are too many generations removed from the farm as a society. Progress came and folks left the farming life for jobs in the big city. The general store who had a direct relationship with local farmers was replaced by the supermarket who was in partnership with large processed food producers. People learned to rely on the grocery or supermarket for all their food needs. The general store went away. Towns grew. More jobs were created that had nothing to do with farming. Families sold off their land and moved to the city full-time. <br />
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In my family's case, I am two generations from the farm really. My great-grandfathers both farmed but my grandfathers did not farm. They only worked on farms and lived a fairly rural life. My father was fortunate to work on his grandfather's farm each summer or any time that his parents would let him visit the farm. My father's family although not farmers had a few chickens, grandma kept a garden, canned every season, fattened a hog for the killing season, etc. The other small family farm down the road from them had a cow. They bartered eggs for fresh milk daily. It was my father's job to milk that cow and bring the pail home each morning. The neighbors came and got eggs as they needed them. No one ever kept a tab; it was a handshake agreement that worked quite well. They only lived on a small acreage outside of town, not on great grandpa's farm, but my father still grew up eating safe, home grown foods, and fresh raw milk. <br />
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When my Dad was 14, his father moved from Louisville and left his job as a butcher for a well paying factory job in Cincinnati. The rest is history. No one in my family ever returned to the farming life. I will be the first one to go back in time and try to do things the way my great grandparents did. I'm unsure how much damage has been done from what I have ingested in this life before learning all these things. I only hope that turning around and doing it right will extend the rest of the life that I have and ensure that my nieces and nephews will take note, eat well, and live long happy lives with this information. <br />
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My great-grandfather William Clark lived to be 89 years old. He died after slipping on ice on his way to pick up the morning mail. His skull was fractured and he lived just a few days after the fall. Everyone wonders how long he would have lived given his good health despite his years. This man farmed 290 acres of tobacco every day until he was 86. Then, he sold the farm and moved to town to care for his sick brother, Ike, then 83 years old. He ate biscuits, gravy, fried eggs and chicken, had his whiskey every night, and smoked a pipe full of the tobacco that he grew. He did everything that medical professionals today will tell you not to do.<br />
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So, I kept thinking, how was he unharmed by his lifestyle? He outlived three wives and was engaged when he died! He would dance an Irish gig for anyone who asked and on special request he would walk around on his hands for the grandchildren. How did he live so long, never sick a day, and full of life until the end? Well, for starters, his food was not processed. Everything that he ate was either raised on pasture right there on the farm or he grew it out of his own soil. He made his own whiskey. He grew his own tobacco, pure, not laced with chemicals like today. His life was pure and unadulterated; his food was the way God intended it to be.<br />
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There are a few chemical additives for discussion in the next blog complete with resources for your own research. I hope you enjoy these installments as I share with you why I have worked so hard to get closer to my food (and why it is equally important for everyone to get closer whether they have a condition like celiac, or not). The longevity and the quality of your life depends on it. Really.<br />
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Be blessed!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-35967590456038425352012-01-09T23:35:00.001-06:002012-01-12T16:43:02.212-06:00Pork Production Then and Now: Interview with a Farmer<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Pork Production Then and Now</b></span><br />
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<i>Richard Boutall</i></div>
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<i>Cardale Park Farm</i></div>
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<i>Cardale, Manitoba</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise in Cardale, Manitoba</td></tr>
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<b>Q: What is fundamentally different about pork production today versus production 100 years ago worldwide?</b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Basically, pork production has become an industrial factory type process. You aren't so much producing a pig to be killed for pork as producing a commodity to be sold for food. Even as little as 50 to 60 years ago, pigs were predominantly reared outdoors or in barns but on a much smaller scale. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">My father, for example, had an 80 sow herd, which in 1970 was considered a fair sized operation. Today an operation of that size would be laughed at by most pig producers. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Barns now are giant concrete structures housing thousands of pigs separated in to small pens on slatted floors. No thought is given for the comfort of the pig, the paradigm is; "How can we grow it faster, fatter, bigger and cheaper? The only time the pig is allowed to express it's physiological distinctiveness is by eating, other than that it's life is far removed from what it would be like in nature.</span><br />
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<b>Q: Curing. When did this process transition from simple salt and brown sugar to a chemical cocktail?</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The use of saline solution injection in to the meat to cure bacon started as long ago as the early part of the 20th century. As time has gone on and mass consumption of pork has grown the process has become more widely adapted so that today it is hard to find bacon cured in the original way. Saline solution, now with other added chemical preservatives (which really are not necessary), is the norm for bacon curing because it is easier for processors to make the bacon with. That does not follow that it makes a better bacon of course, though I guess that is up to the individual consumer to decide. It would be nice if the consumer was offered the choice though between naturally cured and chemically cured.</span><br />
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<b>Q: Pigs. What is the best thing for the animal? </b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The best thing for the pig would undoubtedly be for it to be able to live in the most natural way that it can. Putting a pig in a 18x24 pen with a concrete slatted floor filled with a bunch of other cell mates does not seem to me to be the best thing for a pig to endure. If you crowd the animals they have little room to move, to keep clean (something in nature that the pig actually excels at), to gain exercise and to express their physiological distinctiveness. I am not of the opinion that factory farming of pork is going to change anytime soon as the rule but I would suggest that it ought to.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">A pig has a plough on the end of its nose for a reason and it is not so we humans can lock it up in to a pen with other pigs and give it a concrete floor to live on. Pigs need to root for food, they need to make wallows to bathe in because a pig has no sweat glands which is why they like to take a mud bath in the outdoors, something denied to them in a hog barn. To paraphrase the words of a farmer who I much admire; Mr Joel Salatin. "A pig is not just a piece of inanimate, protoplasmic structure to be manipulated however cleverly hubris can imagine to manipulate it. I would suggest that a culture that views its life in that kind of disrespectful, arrogant, manipulative fashion, will views its citizens the same way."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Think about that last quote for a second, to deny the truth of that statement is to be living in blindness as far as I am concerned.</span><br />
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<b>Q: Explain pastured pork versus pork raised in hog barns.</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Ah, one of my favourite sights is to see a herd of pigs outside in a pasture savannah doing all the things that a pig loves to do best. Before I get to that though I'd better explain the alternative which sadly is the norm for a pigs life. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">A pig will be born along with about 10-12 other piglets, the birth event is called farrowing. In a barn situation the mother, known as a sow, will be confined in a "farrowing crate" which is a cage like structure which is designed to prevent her rolling over and killing the odd piglet by mistake. While this does occasionally happen in nature, if the sow was given plenty of room and lots of bedding it minimizes the risk to the piglet and is a lot more comfortable for the sow as in her crate she can barely move. The piglets are given injections for iron, vitamins and antibiotics. The piglets will be weaned at 2 to 3 weeks old, sometimes even earlier than that and are then moved to a nursery pen with lots of other piglets. Later they are moved to growing pens and then fattening pens as they age and grow. All the pens are concrete and crowd the pigs in so they have little exercise and no room to express their physiological distinctiveness. The air temperature is kept constant in the barn via fans and vents hooked up to thermostats, all the pigs are fed a ration of grain which is often corn,wheat and soy based and the feed is medicated to control illness in the pigs. Without the antibiotics and medications the pigs would likely never survive to be killed due to the overcrowding and atmospheric conditions within the barn. I'm not sure my description is adequate but if I put it like this; if the average consumer could see the inside of a factory production hog barn, they would never want to eat pork again, in my opinion. Thankfully, there is an alternative.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Pastured pork is very different: The sow may or may not be brought in for monitoring during farrowing but will not suffer the indignities of a farrowing crate. Once farrowed the piglets will be allowed to suckle for at least 6 to 8 weeks, sometimes more, in an outdoor setting. After weaning, the pigs are still outside on a pig pasture which is often open spaced woodland with lots of grass in it. The pigs are fed a ration of grain but this is not the only food they have for unlike the pigs in a factory barn, the pastured pig has many other things to eat such as grass, acorns, nuts, roots, insects, worms etc. which they dig up while rooting through the soil. These foods are full of protein and nutrients and give the pig plenty of exercise while working to find them. If the pig gets hot it makes a wallow out of mud to bathe in and it can also lie in the shade under tree branches. The pigs need no antibiotics and medications because they are not crowded together in an atmosphere full of airborne pathogens, they need no vitamin and iron injections because they get all they need from their food and from rooting in the soil which provides the iron they require. Because they are able to express their physiological distinctiveness or their "pigness" they are happy and when you see pigs in a pig pasture there is no doubting that they do indeed have a happy life.</span><br />
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<b>Q: Is pastured pork nutritionally better for you? What do we lose nutritionally when we confine a hog? Besides the animal suffering, how does the consumer suffer, if at all?</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Nutritionally, pastured pork is far better for you. Now there are many proponents of the factory hog barn system that will show studies showing leaner pigs, lower fat profiles, nutrition profiles etc. What these studies fail to take in to account is that the pork is tasteless, spongy meat that actually is not that nutritionally good. For a start pork is not supposed to be "The other white meat", actually pork produced properly is a red meat with a far more succulent texture and superior taste to it than anything produced in a hog barn. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The pork produced on pasture sometimes may have a little more fat but the profile of the fat is very different to that of a hog barn pig, the meat profiles differ enormously too. Pastured pork, like any pastured animal, contains higher amounts of protein, vitamins, omega-3 and of conjugated linoleic acid all of which adds up to a very healthy food. Because the pastured animal is not fed a diet of antibiotic feed it will not have antibiotic residues in its meat and the heath of the meat overall will be far superior to that of a hog barn pig. </span><br />
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<b>Q: Butchering now versus 100 years ago, for instance. What did we lose in industrializing or automating this process? What happened to the old-fashioned butcher shop?</b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Alas, butchering is a dying breed, almost extinct in North America actually. Certainly, any old chap can learn how to use a band saw and chop up a animal but where did the art of butchering go? Unfortunately, with the industrializing of food manufacturing and farming came the industrializing of the processing too. The paradigm was to find a way to chop up an animal as fast as possible, get it packaged, and sent out to a supermarket. When I was a kid, you didn't often see meat in a supermarket, you went to the butcher for it; now, there are few traditional butchers left. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">What we have lost with the industrialization of meat packing is traditional cuts of meat that made for wonderful meals and we have lost artisanal curing of meats and bacon. Don't get me started on the tasteless so-called sausages that are available in a supermarket today. Suffice it to say, that it is criminal that todays generation cannot try the huge variety of flavoured and spiced sausages that I and generations before me were privileged to have known.</span><br />
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<b>Q: What can the average consumer do to procure quality pastured pork?</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">If a consumer wants to buy pastured pork then they will have to do a little digging but it is so worth the effort. It is not generally available on a supermarket shelf, however, it is available from many farmers around the country. You may find it at farmers markets, farm shops, farm produce buying groups and CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture groups) . Use Google to find farm shops or markets in your area. Use <a href="http://www.eatwild.com/">www.eatwild.com</a> which lists organic and sustainable pasture farmers in your area. Don't be put off because you have to do a little work to find it, what is more important in your life? What you feed your body with or spending another hour watching some stupid reality show on television? (Seriously, they get dumber every week!) </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The process can be fun and if you get the chance, visit the farm where your pork is going to be coming from. Ask to see how the animals are looked after - if the farmer is transparent and has an open door policy then you know you are on to good food that is produced well. Seeing pigs in a pig pasture and knowing that their lives are happy makes a huge difference when you actually come to eat them. Knowing where your food comes from is always a good thing and you can make new friends in the process. Buying your food outside of a supermarket environment becomes a fun, social thing to do. How many people have a fun time shopping in a supermarket?</span><br />
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<b>Q: How can others help to spread the word and educate others about how important it is to get close to your food source: the farm where it was raised?</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The bottom line is that in reality (at least for now) most people are not going to change where and what they are buying. It's like quitting smoking - you have to WANT to change. That said, look back 50 years and see how many people have quit smoking that would never have believed they would (I include myself in that). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The good news is that there is a growing movement of people who are concerned about what they are eating. The key to spreading the word is enthusiasm for the subject, the more enthusiastic you are, the more people want to know why you are so enthusiastic and happy so that they may find that enthusiasm and happiness also. Talk about food, cook it and have people over for dinner so that they can taste the difference, emphasize the positive things about sustainable food. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">It can be an uphill battle at times trying to get people to understand that knowing where their food comes from is important. We, as humans, have become remarkably complacent and trusting of our food sources. Even I, as a farmer, have had my eyes opened tremendously in the last 10 years as to what really goes on behind the scenes in the food production model of factory farming and food processing. It is not a pleasant epiphany when you find out the truth but it is remarkably rewarding when you find there is an alternative and it is a good one for both animals, farmers, and consumers.</span><br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com2Manitoba, Canada53.7608608 -98.813876348.951596800000004 -108.9212983 58.5701248 -88.7064543tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-18948319327839557732012-01-08T02:29:00.000-06:002012-01-12T16:42:34.350-06:00For the Love of Bacon (and an English Hog Farmer's Son)!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.</span><br />
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Mom said so and I believed her. When Richard and I met, I began stuffing my husband. Yes, you heard me and no, it was not taxidermy! It was down home Southern cooking. We hadn't known each other very long until he enjoyed the comforts of homemade fudge, biscuits and milk gravy, waffles loaded with fruit and cream, beans and corn bread, real fried chicken, kale greens, chicken and rice stew, cajun sweet potato fries, and thanks to me his first omelette just to name a few things that graced his plate. All these "stick to your ribs" meals were complimented by more desserts than you can imagine.</div>
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I was crazy about him. He loved southern food. So, sweetening him up was absolutely necessary you see (at least, that is what my mama always told me). Or maybe I'm just old-fashioned and there was some deep part of me that desperately needed to declare my domestication. It had been in a dusty old trunk in the attic cubby to that I will attest. A single girl's cooking never exercises culinary skill. Unless, of course, you count the graceful way one deposits a tray into the microwave as a plus.</div>
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One morning my darling husband asked for a "fry up" by which I deduced he must mean something from a skillet. Translation skills and culinary expertise. My tool belt definitely needed a few more loops! So, after a brief exchange the American determines this is fried eggs and whatever else. I begin frying what I know to be bacon. However, this was not what my dashing Englishman had in mind at all. My husband pleasing radar was in good order though as I did not fry the strips crispy. That would not have done at all but since it was more on the chewy side but well done husband smiled through breakfast as we made cow eyes at each other. Then, he breaks the news.</div>
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"Darling, in England this is not proper bacon. It is what we call streaky bacon. A proper bacon is back bacon. We may flavour a recipe with streaky but we would never serve it with eggs."</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZrrpE3-j4sk/TwlLkGhYl-I/AAAAAAAAADc/cAidwuiUysI/s1600/220px-Bacon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZrrpE3-j4sk/TwlLkGhYl-I/AAAAAAAAADc/cAidwuiUysI/s1600/220px-Bacon.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sliced English Back Bacon<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<i><b>Utter and irreversible culinary failure!</b></i></div>
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"There's more than one kind. I mean, well, there is Canadian bacon," I started.</div>
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"No, darling. That is not bacon either. I don't know why they call it bacon for it most certainly is not bacon. It is gammon or what you call ham."</div>
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"Oh," I said voice trailing into the distance. </div>
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For heaven's sake, I needed a recovery and had none. </div>
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"Do you mean fat back? Salt pork? Jowl bacon?"</div>
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"It is part of the back, yes, but the meaty portion."</div>
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"Oh, my mother uses fat back to season beans. You wouldn't want to eat it fried though that would be pretty gross."</div>
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All I could do was apologize. There was no such thing in the grocery stores that I had graced. At least, until, my husband and I discovered <a href="http://www.junglejims.com/" target="_blank">Jungle Jim's</a> the ultimate foodie paradise, which boasts a section containing all things English including back bacon! (And I knew in that moment that there was a God above who loved me because He led us to find what my husband really wanted to eat!). </div>
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American bacon is essentially pork belly while English bacon is cut from the back, not the belly. It is remarkably lean giving off very little grease when cooked. It is meant to be cooked well but not crispy to retain its succulence. This was an education for me. And, I started feeling a little duped. Why are we eating pork belly when a proper butcher's guide tells you different? I even happened on a British girls' blog living in America who asked, "Where can I find real bacon? I found the streaky pork belly and fat off the back but what did they do with the meaty round portion? What did they do with the rest of the pig?" Interesting, eh?</div>
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<b>First...</b></div>
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For the health conscious reader, I was amazed to learn that each slice (what husband calls a 'rasher') whether American or English will cost you about 100 calories (calories will vary on slice thickness, of course). However, the English bacon contains 5 grams of protein per slice drastically defeating its fatty opponent that only has 1 gram of protein per slice. I humbly admit that America doesn't have everything if we can't get a butchering facility in our nation to slice a proper piece of bacon. Folks, we've been hoodwinked.</div>
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At first, I was skeptical too but marrying the son of a hog farmer who also operated a chain of butcher shops in England left me with little argument. They know the anatomy of the animal better than I ever could. A followup trip to an old-fashioned butcher shop complete with a huge poster naming all the pork sections proved his case. My question still remains though, "Why is the land of opportunity only cutting pork belly fat for us? If the three big killers are heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer then why aren't they providing healthier options for the people?"</div>
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<b>Second...</b></div>
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It's not only the fattier portion but so chemically infused that it defies the word 'curing'. Real bacon, just like it was made years ago in this country, was cured with salt and brown sugar. It was not infused with brine, dextrose, nitrates, and nitrites. Bacon in Britain is still cured the old-fashioned way, which is much healthier and truer to the beast. I hate to admit it because I love American bacon. The grease definitely has its uses too in southern cooking but the truth is they have sold us chemically infused fat and told us it was bacon. Yes, it is a bacon of sorts but Europeans only chop this in bits and use it to flavour dishes (lardons) and the Italians do much the same and call it <i>pancetta</i>. It is a flavouring not a meat portion cured with salt and brown sugar, not a chemical cocktail.</div>
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<b>Third...</b></div>
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Pork is NOT the other white meat. Pork is a red meat if it has been properly raised on pasture or in the woodland, not fattened in an 18x24 space with about 20 other pigs bumping into it with its only diet being corn and confinement. That is not how a pig should be raised. If they are raised the right way, they are also one of the cleanest animals. If they put all of us shoulder to shoulder in a feed lot, we'd smell pretty special too after awhile. </div>
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So, the flesh is whiter because they are...malnourished, cheated, cheaply fattened on corn, duped just like the folks they are bred to feed. In 1991, the media took off with that slogan. In March 2011, the Pork Board changed their slogan to: "Pork. Be Inspired."</div>
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What's wrong with this picture? I mean, why not stick to that 'white' lie? </div>
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<i>Advertising Scenario:</i></div>
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<i>The pork has lost its flavour and color due to commercialization and confinement with no grazing. Folks may notice. Let's drum up a national campaign for pork as a white meat and tell the whole world it is just as good as chicken! </i></div>
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Pork sales rose 30% in 1991 due to that advertising. Right in line with the new lie about corn sugar....I'll save that for another blog.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1xS4ClJ4b0U/TwlMaadhJdI/AAAAAAAAADk/ABu1Bv1BKjQ/s1600/largeblack1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1xS4ClJ4b0U/TwlMaadhJdI/AAAAAAAAADk/ABu1Bv1BKjQ/s1600/largeblack1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large Black (Devon) Sow on Pasture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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This was my first discovery on the road to getting closer to my food. There's more. Tons more. </div>
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Every greasy bit is open for discussion too. If you would like any links, let me know. Otherwise, Google away because the information is out there. Most of us just don't google pork production on a daily basis. We watch TV and catch every commercial though, and we believe them.</div>
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<i>Next up: Pork Production Then and Now (with guest, Richard Boutall)!</i></div>
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Be blessed!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1357333132485604443.post-25037559472652287612012-01-07T19:39:00.000-06:002012-01-12T16:42:07.393-06:00A Fresh Perspective<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Going from corporate to country wasn't easy. </span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></b>I didn't see a bright shining light nor did I see any shiny things. It was a slow process that gently accelerated when I met a farmer. Fortunate for me, he liked this city girl and we tied the knot last August. Getting married is a life changing experience for anyone.<br />
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In my life, however, EVERYTHING has changed. I didn't just have to adjust to married life. I had to transition from corporate to country. Life in the fast lane ran right up on a tractor proudly touting its slow moving vehicle sign. In many ways, it rocked my world. Confusion led to aggravation before education brought on enlightenment. <br />
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There is more to farming than I ever dreamed possible. The girl with a degree had to ask questions, dig deeper than the soil, and return for more question and answer. I still don't know half what I should but that doesn't intimidate me. It challenges me. This blog is a journal between me and anyone who wishes to know more about agricultural life from the city girl's perspective.<br />
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Some things are downright funny while some entries will be rather serious. For starters, the redneck meets the redcoat in this household. Second, no subject is off limits because I'm a naturally curious sort who believes the day we stop learning is the day that we all die. I will not become roadkill on the information highway. I prefer the fast lane...even in a country setting.<br />
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The city girl is going to talk about how far folks are from their food. No, I don't mean how many miles that you are from the supermarket. I am talking about how far removed the family has gotten from the farm: the source. How has that distance impacted our society? We know, in part, how these things occurred. The part most do not know is what happened later, is still happening today, and what is intrinsically wrong with being that far removed from your food.<br />
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When my seven year old niece came home from school last month, she told me about her day. Earlier that week, the class had taken a field trip to a nearby farm. My niece milked a cow for the first time. And I am proud to say she was the only child who volunteered! (Yay, for my little girlfriend!) The teacher quizzed the children about that trip to gauge what each learned. <br />
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She asked one girl, "Where do eggs come from?"<br />
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My niece said, "Aunt, do you know what she said?"<br />
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"No, what dear?"<br />
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"She said 'from the grocery store'! So, I turned around and said, they do not; they come from chickens!"<br />
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The little girl grimaced and said, "Ewww! I'll never eat an egg again!"<br />
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Country folks, I hope you read along but this blog is really for the city folks who, like me, are many generations removed from their food. Some terminology is old hat to a farming family. The old hat is new gig for city folks so I will bring it down to laymen's terms the way my husband explains things to me.<br />
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Until I met a farmer, I had no idea just how removed that I was from my food. Food was my life and livelihood. I managed a bakery when I met my husband. Then, I went on to managing a grocery store. In the mid-90s I worked for a grocery procurement cooperative of supermarket retailers. I was well versed in marketing strategies, private label management, creative services related to brand design, logos, etc. I worked for a company whose quality department was a test kitchen. I was trained in food safety; I taught food safety. I also had five years in produce and floral while serving as the comptroller for the 1800flowers.com out of Chicago I thought that I knew everything there was to know about food and related perishables.<br />
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I was never so wrong.<br />
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Hope you stick around until we talk turkey (and chicken). With a few companion blogs from my brilliant better half, we are going to discuss cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, and even rabbits if there is an interest. What happens in nature and how the farm should mimic that same process. How far should we be from our food? Not very...if you want to know what you're eating.<br />
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Be blessed!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><div id="widget-container" style=" border:1px solid #345;width:200px;float:left;"></div><script>var category_id=75;var toplist_id="";</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ontoplist.com/widget/widget.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.ontoplist.com/">Online Marketing</a></noscript></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05215108472653545252noreply@blogger.com6Manitoba, Canada53.7608608 -98.813876348.951596800000004 -108.9212983 58.5701248 -88.7064543