farming

Saving Seeds.

Around this time of year many communities now celebrate Seedy Saturday a local exchange of seeds collected by backyard gardeners and small scale farmers. Only a few short years ago I remember Seed Saturday being a tiny gathering that likely meant a long day cooped up in some tiny community hall (the packing house in my hometown) with grandmothers who gardened to save on the grocery bill before it was the ‘in’ thing to do. Today it’s a highly publicized, busy event that hosts workshops, demonstrations and seeds from all sorts of people.

It is encouraging to say the least. Sort of. (more…)

Continue ReadingSaving Seeds.

Concerning Cows

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Food

I now know why cattle farmers never seem to particularly ‘like’ cows. It always struck me as odd that you would be engaged with an animal every day and seem to have no attachment to it. But now I get it. I don’t like cows. They are dumb and difficult.

Recently up at our practice farm a bull was dropped off. The intention being that he would breed with our milking cow so that we get a calf and milk next year. This was the thought and intention. The bull however within 10 minutes of unloading him had taken out about 6 of our fences and didn’t show any signs of stopping. (more…)

Continue ReadingConcerning Cows

Thought for Food

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Food

This is an excerpt from a very good book that anyone who cares about their food ought to give a read:

“Can you think of any sector of our culture that promotes its wares with a slogan like ‘we pile it high and sell it cheap’? Any other sector of our economy would commit suicide with such a slogan…except for food. Why is that? I submit that we as a culture completely disrespect the 3 trillion critter in our digestive tract that cry out for quality of life while we cram quantity of junk down their collective gullet.
(more…)

Continue ReadingThought for Food