My Edible Yard Urban Homestead

Adventure of the Week

2011-06-09T16:10:00.000-04:00

I've taken to scanning Craigslist a couple times a week for anything I think might be useful on the farm. Tools. Vehicles. Compost. Livestock. All of these things will be needed. On Tuesday morning as I did my perusing with a hot cup of coffee in hand, a Chevy van jumped out at me as looking like a good deal. I knew it had to be a Chevy, because that's the engine Mickey prefers on American-made vehicles. He was a used car mechanic for 17 years. And it was a 6-cylinder, so that gave it a star, too, with regard to better gas mileage. Now, if it was just what the Craigslist ad said it was. I jumped over to the Blue Book website to see if the price was in the correct range for it's age and condition. It was. Now to call the phone number listed in the ad.

Yes, the van was still there. It had just been listed the day before. The gentleman gave me the address and was willing to give me directions, but I told him I had a GPS and would call if I got lost. Oh, I forgot. The van was in a used car lot in Valdosta, Georgia. Actually, Valdosta is only 60 miles away from the farm, about the same distance to Gainesville. And from what I can tell, prices for lots of things are cheaper in Georgia. At least vehicles and gasoline. Similar vans were averaging $2000 more in Gainesville. So I talked handyguy Charlie into making the trip with me, just in case I needed someone to drive the van to the farm, and off we went.

It took about an hour and 15 minutes to get to Valdosta, a straight shoot up I-75. And just as the salesman promised, the van was there and waiting for me. He even let us take it for a spin without asking for my license or first child. It was exactly what he said it was. What do you know? A truthful salesman. I still insisted on him running the Carfax report for me, just in case he had not been told the truth by the owner. But even that turned out well. One owner, 1 small fender bender, no frame damage. The only thing that could make this better would be if I could get the salesman down in price. And I did just that. A whole whopping $300, which equated to a 7.5% drop in price. Not too bad for my first time negotiating a car deal on my own, huh?

The end result? Why, our first farm vehicle, of course.

It'll be used first and foremost for delivering produce and setting up for market, but it should prove useful in many other ways, too. Now for van driving lessons for me.

Chicken Rustling on the Urban Homestead

2011-06-03T07:13:00.000-04:00

We've been robbed. Really. Our urban homestead has been visited by chicken rustlers. I originally ordered 36 meat birds. The hatchery sent us 40 chicks. They all survived. I counted them numerous times when they were babies and still corral-able, if that's a word. There were 40 chickens, roosters and hens alike, but 40 chickens in total.

This past Tuesday was the day they were scheduled to be readied for the freezer. As directed, Mickey had fed them their last meal on Sunday evening and they received only water from Monday forward to make sure they didn't get dehydrated. Not feeding the chickens for 24 hours makes for a cleaner and much easier processing. Tuesday, Mickey and the husband of the friend whom I had bartered with to perform the freezer readiness duties did their jobs transferring the 12-week old chickens into cages and getting them to my friend. It was a several-part transfer because the cages weren't large enough to hold all the birds, but it worked out well because she would be working on the batch she had just received while they guys were transporting the next batch.

And then I received a Facebook chat message from my friend asking me how many birds there were again. I responded quickly with the 40 I knew it to be. She said she had counted twice and there were only 34. I didn't know what to say to her. All I could think was that while I've been up in Lake City readying the farmhouse for move-in that some of the birds had passed and Mickey didn't have the heart (or the guts) to tell me. He was having a rather tough emotional go of it with the purpose of the day, and I decided I wouldn't ask for a day or two, giving him time to get past the situation.

So here's what appears to have happened. One day a couple weeks ago, Mickey came home to find our backyard gate open and a bicycle he had never seen before lying in the walkway between our home and our neighbor's. He thought it was odd, but let it go and continued into the backyard to count the hens who roam freely and might have escaped. All 10 were there. He noticed some feathers in the yard, but again let that go knowing that all 10 hens were safe. It never crossed his mind that it might be the meat birds because they were safely locked in our homemade chicken tractor. He could see them. And the tractor was locked. There were lots of red chickens. About an hour later, he went back outside and the bicycle was gone.

My guess is that someone in the neighborhood was hungry. And I'm okay with that. I've always told anyone stopping by to see the garden or the chickens that if they want something all they have to do is ask. I often give egg customers fresh produce from the garden when they stop to pick up their egg orders. What goads me is this person didn't ask. I would have given them the chickens. I would never knowingly let someone go hungry if I have the means to feed them a meal.

So the missing chicken mystery is solved. We've got chicken rustlers in Pembroke Pines. Beware.

What Is It About Laundromats?

2011-05-22T07:11:00.001-04:00

What is it about laundromats that give me the creeps? Is it because they're usually in the worst parts of town? That they're hot and stuffy? That they always feel dirty to me? I've been twice now since I got up here to prepare the new farm for living in. The first visit was exactly what I remembered my experience to be in my early 20s on first moving to south Florida. Hot. Dusty. Dingy. Stuffy. Uncomfortable. Almost creepy. This one was located right next to a liquor store in the not best part of town, so there were lots of people in and out of the parking lot who didn't look to be walking straight. They probably weren't driving straight either, now that I think about it.

Always good to be able to pick up a bottle while doing laundry.

My second trip to the laundromat I looked for a step up and found it. A newer laundromat, newer machines, and air conditioning. Well, sort of. It was definitely cleaner, less dingy, and cooler. The A/C was running with the doors open to let out the dryer heat. The seating wasn't any more comfortable. Metal chairs as opposed to wooden benches. Would it hurt the owners to supply a cushion or two, or do they want you uncomfortable on purpose so you get out of there more quickly? And the cost. Do they really need to charge $1.25 a load? My gosh! Somehow I remember 50 cents almost 30 years ago.

Looking forward to having my washer, dryer, and clothesline up here on the farm.

No Idle Hands on the Urban Homestead

2011-05-15T06:49:00.000-04:00

Up here in Lake City getting the house ready to move into, I've been trying to keep busy even in the evenings while sitting in front of the computer watching TV.

Simple garter stitch dishcloth.

True homesteader spirit, eh?

Investing in Efficiency on the Urban Homestead

2011-05-07T16:39:00.000-04:00

Well, we've done it. Yesterday we purchased our first piece of farm equipment. An Earthway Precision Seeder. A friend of mine and fellow fledgling farmer, Crystal at HeartSong Farms, was selling hers and I was able to pick it up for a great price. Brand-new, they usually sell for between $90 and $109 plus tax and shipping, and I was able to get this once-used Earthway for $65. Period.

Earthway Seeder

Seeders are a great tool not only for the small farmer, but for urban homesteaders, too, because they furrow, plant, cover seeds, and mark the next row for planting all in 1 pass. Just think about how much time (not to mention backache) you could save by using one. The Earthway Seeder comes with 6 plates for different size seeds (sweet corn; radish, leeks, and spinach; carrots, lettuce, and turnips; beans and small peas; jumbo peas; beets, okra, Swiss chard) and has an optional plate kit for other size seeds (carrot; broccoli; cucumbers; popcorn; lima beans).

Here's a video of the Earthway in action:

Have you used a seeder before? I'd love to hear about your experience.

DIY Projects

2011-05-04T09:38:00.003-04:00

Be sure to take a look at my DIY Projects page in the upper left corner of the blog. I've been adding tons of great new DIY ideas to save you money and help make your urban homestead more efficient and productive.

Happy urban homesteading!

Staying Focused On The Goal

2011-05-03T08:37:00.001-04:00

I've ignored the floors for 3 days now. Saturday was spent at the Sustainable Homesteading Expo at Magnolia Farms. A useful and educational day. Sunday was supposed to be spent as a rest day, but instead it ended up an errand day. A productive day. And yesterday was spent vegetating. Some days my body says, "Stop. Listen to me. Rest." So I did. I didn't waste the day. I simply got work out that had to get out and then stayed at the computer all afternoon searching out information on future farm projects.

But the goal is to be able to move in to the new farm as quickly as possible and that can't be done unless I stay focused. And the floors are the one big thing I'm doing myself to get us moved in.

Today is a floor day.

Magnolia Farms Sustainable Homesteading Expo

2011-05-02T14:21:00.001-04:00

What an incredible day I had on Saturday at Magnolia Farms' Sustainable Homesteading Expo in Live Oak. Just a short, 15-minute drive from me here at 3 Rivers Farm in Lake City, I got the chance to explore the neighborhood and drive a direction through town I haven't yet ventured. The weather was perfect for a day filled with workshops and learning, clear blue skies, and not too hot as long as you sat in a shady spot.

Beautiful peacock.

One heck of a turkey!

On pulling up in the driveway and getting out of the car, I was first met by a beautiful peacock, followed quickly by a fantabulous turkey. He is something, isn't he? He struts around the property making the usual gobble-gobble sounds we've been told they make, but he also kept making this loud thumping sound, much like a drum beat, that I later was informed is a mating call to female turkeys.

One of the several goat feeding stations on the property.

Magnolia Farms is all about dairy goats. And I mean lots of goats. Over 80 of them and most of them Nubians. So it was fitting that the first workshop given by co-owner, Darlene McElwee, was about goats. She gave us an information-packed talk on the raising and care of goats and demonstrated both manual and machine milking, as well as offering herself up for assistance if any of us intending to raise them needed help in the future.

Chevre (herbed and plain) made out of fresh goat milk.

The second workshop continued along the same theme ... goats, that is. Goat's milk to be more specific. Darlene demonstrated how to make chevre cheese out of fresh raw goat milk. It looks fascinatingly easy with her simple directions, not to mention tastes delicious. In the picture above, I've got it on a cracker topped with homemade tomato preserves from Marie's Home Canning in White Springs. The lemon peel and hint of ginger in the preserves compliment the tanginess of the goat cheese perfectly, making this a snack that could easily become addicting. I can't wait to try my hand at cheese making myself.

Next was lunch and Darlene and Mike (Darlene's husband and co-owner of Magnolia Farms) walked us down to a beautiful field set up with picnic tables and a covered area where they had set up lunch buffet style. What a fabulous farm-to-table spread they put out. Pumpkin soup, bean soup, salad with loquat dressing, a wrap stuffed with mushrooms, onions, and zucchini that was scrumptious all by itself, but when dipped in the loquat dressing ... OMG! As if this wasn't enough to fill any one's belly, dessert was one heck of a kitchen sink dump cake made with locally grown blueberries and strawberries.

Darlene McElwee, co-owner Magnolia Farms (foreground); Phenie Sawyer, owner Preferred Organics (background)

And then on to the soap making workshop by Phenie Sawyer, the owner of Preferred Organics in Jacksonville. I had no idea how easy it was to make cold-processed goat milk soap. At least she made it look easy. The biggest thing to remember about soap making is making safety a priority. Make sure to wear goggles or glasses (we are dealing with lye here), long sleeves and gloves. And never pour the liquids into the lye; it should always be the lye into the liquids. If you follow these simple guidelines, making soap for your urban homestead will be easy as pie.

Next, there was a great discussion on organic gardening led by a woman who up until recently had a 200-acre organic production farm. She explained to the group that our National Organic Program's definition of organic in the world of farming is:

“Organic production. A production system that is managed in accordance with the Act and regulations in this part to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.”

The problem is, when dealing with the food brought into this country to feed us, the words "according to the rules and regulations of each specific country" should be added to that definition. What we consider organic here in the United States is not necessarily what China, Mexico, or Guatemala considers organic. So, when we buy something labeled organic in our grocery stores, we don't necessarily know what that means. To ensure that you know what you're feeding to your family, it's always better to buy from local farmers either at the farm directly, through a CSA, or at a farmer's market whether they are certified organic or not.

Not a good picture of Ethel, but the shade was taking over.

Of course I came home with quite a sampling of the goodies.

Although there were a couple other workshops throughout the day, the last workshop I attended was the canning workshop led by Ethel from Marie's Home Canning in White Springs, Florida. Her mother started the business in 1960 and supported their family after her father was injured in a construction accident. Ethel and her sisters have run the business since their mother retired, and though 2 sisters have since retired, Ethel continues the family tradition. She says her first "job" at 4 years of age was chief jar washer because her little hands could fit into the jars to get them clean. If you've not tried her goodies, you should. Her tomato preserves are to die for, and the pear relish I turned into a salad dressing last night was pretty darned tasty, too.

chevre. If you'd like more information about Magnolia Farms or just like to see some great pictures of it, they are also on Facebook.

From the Neighborhood Farm to Your Kitchen Table

2011-04-29T07:16:00.001-04:00

I have taken the liberty this morning of reprinting an article about CSAs written by Jeanette Hurt on April 28, 2011 for the website SecondAct. It is the best description I've found defining what a CSA is and how it puts you in touch with your food and local farmers.

From the Neighborhood Farm to Your Kitchen Table

If you're trying to eat more locally harvested foods or introduce more and varied vegetables to your diet, you might want to join a CSA this spring.

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and a CSA is a partnership between a local farmer or groups of farmers and consumers. You pay a "share" before the growing season starts and receive a weekly box of fresh vegetables throughout the summer and fall.

"When you first join a CSA, it can feel like Christmas, but instead of a stocking filled with candy, you're receiving a basket of beautiful vegetables each week," says Angela Rester, executive director of Wellspring Inc., an organic farm and education center in Newburg, Wis.

CSAs cropped up in the 1960s in Japan after a group of mothers became alarmed at the amount of imported foods their families consumed. The women began a cooperative with a local farmer, calling it "teikei," which translates to "putting the farmer's face on the food." The concept spread to the United States in the 70s and 80s, and within the last 10 years, CSAs have become more popular as the "locavore" movement has exploded.

It's now pretty easy to find a CSA locally, whether you live in a Chicago suburb or in the hill country of Texas. The Local Harvest website is a good place to start your search, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture offers some helpful pointers, too.

Here are some things to consider as you look for a produce package that's a good fit for your family.

1. Organic or not.

CSAs can be certified organic, grown organically without certification, biodynamic or conventional. A farm that's certified organic has to go through a verification process to show that the crops are not grown with pesticides or herbicides. Some farmers grow their crops organically but they aren't officially certified because of the expense involved. A farm that's biodynamic approaches agriculture holistically, and it must be certified to call itself biodynamic. If growing conditions are important to you, then ask before signing up. Even if you choose a farm that's simply conventional, you're not only helping your local economy; you're also getting fresher and more delicious produce than if you pick up an organic head of lettuce or bunch of grapes grown in South America.

2. Cost.

CSA shares typically range from $400 to $600 for the entire season, which breaks down to about $20 to $30 a week for 20 weeks. Sometimes this includes a transportation charge, but other times, that's an extra fee. Some CSAs offer worker shares -- free vegetables if you work one day a week on the farm -- or reduced costs if you work one or two shifts per growing season. A less costly option: Some CSAs also offer half shares -- a smaller box every week or a box every other week.

3. Size of box.

A typical box of vegetables, in the heart of the growing season, is bountiful, and might be more than your family needs in a week. That's where half shares can be helpful, too, or you might want to split a share with friends or neighbors.

4. What's in the box?

No matter what CSA you join, you'll probably get introduced to some unfamiliar vegetables. That's part of the fun. But if you don't like surprises, "ask the farmer 'What crops are you intending to grow?'" Rester advises. "If I want to have salad every week, then I want to know that my farmer is growing lettuce every week." Some farmers offer trading boxes -- where members can discard or trade unwanted vegetables.

5. Ask for recipes.

Many farms are happy to share. Some farms even offer cooking lessons or demonstrations, which will help you prepare that bumper crop of kohlrabi. "If you don't know what to do with a vegetable, don't be afraid to ask," Rester says. "Sometimes, those of us who are really into vegetables don't always realize that not everyone knows what we know." And don't be afraid to be adventurous in the kitchen -- some of your biggest "experiments" might turn into family favorites.

6. How the box gets to you.

Some farmers drop off boxes at a store or school, and a few offer home delivery. You'll want to find a CSA with a drop-off or pick-up location that's convenient for you.

7. The extras.

Some CSAs offer fruit, dairy, egg, meat, bread or even fish shares. If you'd like to have these extras, look for a CSA that brings most of your grocery items to you. Some also might sell you a bushel or two of tomatoes, in season, if you want to preserve them for the winter.

If you want to join a CSA, start looking now. The most popular CSAs fill up early, but many have openings into May, with deliveries starting at the end of May or the beginning of June. At the end of the season or sometimes part-way through the year, many CSAs invite members to visit the farm for a festival or a potluck dinner.

"That's a way [to] not only put a face to your farmer, but put a face to your farm," Rester says.

For a direct link to the complete article, including a delicious-sounding recipes for sugar snap peas with mint and lime, click here: From the Neighborhood Farm to Your Kitchen Table.

Learning To Live Without On The Farm

2011-04-24T20:21:00.000-04:00

I just heated up 2 biscuits from last night's dinner in the oven. I haven't done that in years. Not since I purchased the one and only microwave I've ever owned. I wrapped them in a half sheet of damp paper towel and then wrapped that package in foil and popped it in the oven for 10 minutes. I also reheated the other parts of last night's dinner leftovers for lunch in a frying pan on the stove earlier in the day with a splash of water, a lid, and an occasional stir. Imagine that. I survived without the microwave.

Since coming up to the farm to oversee construction so we can move in officially, I've begun to learn to live without. Little things mostly like a bed that doesn't deflate every 6 hours (the brand-new air mattress I'm sleeping on does just that). My hemorrhoid pillow that I have now forgotten twice to pack, since I spend so much time sitting in a chair in front of the computer for work and play. A television. A dishwasher.

I honestly haven't missed them. I was worried I'd miss the TV the most, but that's been the absolute furthest thing from my mind. I either take a book or local newspaper to bed with me to read to wind down before drifting off at night. I listen to NPR in the car going back and forth to town for bigger news or read papers on the web. I'm rather enjoying not having the TV, finding that I accomplish more in a day, and hoping that I can navigate the move without bringing the TVs with us. Mind you, I'm a little suspect about the hubby handling this idea well.

The dishwasher hasn't been a problem at all. I've emulated my mother-in-law by using a dishpan in 1 side of the sink filled with hot soapy water to soak dirty dishes in, so when I do my twice daily quick swish they're basically already clean. Granted, I'm not cooking as much as I usually do because it's just me here, so the verdict on this one might yet change once the kitchen gets going in full swing.

For the hemorrhoid pillow, I've been substituting a pillow from the bed and it's working fine, though I do have to fluff the pillow a couple times during the day to redistribute the pressure on this skinny old bum of mine.

And as far as the air mattress is concerned, since I don't often sleep for more than 6 hours in a stretch, it's not the biggest deal in the world. The worst that happens is when I wake up for my nightly bathroom trip, I turn the pump on for about a minute before I climb back into bed. It's not worth trying to totally deflate that thing, pack it up in the original box (which I think would probably take 8 hours to fold properly), and drive an hour and a half to the nearest Target to return and replace it.

It's all working out. And that 20-something-year-old microwave I mentioned? It decided to heat up it's last leftover last Thursday. I informed the hubby that I thought it was rather poignant that it would die in front of me seeing as I've had it longer than I've had him, and didn't think it was worth buying another one. His face paled a bit as he started jiggling wires in the back of it, mumbling something about fuses and fixing it. This too, I'm sure will pass. I'm thinking he may take a bit longer to adjust to farm life than me.

My How The Meat Birds Have Grown

2011-04-18T08:27:00.000-04:00

We've definitely got some roosters in this batch.

I do believe they've at least doubled in size 2 weeks.

Oh my gosh! I cannot believe what a difference 2 weeks makes in the size of these birds. The meat chickens have had an outrageous growth spurt. They've at least doubled in size in the 2 weeks I've been up at the new farm. While I haven't yet heard a crow out of any of the roosters, I was hearing new chicken sounds this morning that I've not heard before. I can't wait to raise a batch of meat birds up at the new farm where I can let them free range like the laying hens. We just don't have the room on the urban homestead.

Farm Progress: The Domino Effect

2011-04-17T08:49:00.000-04:00

At moments, it feels like no progress is being made, yet I know it is. It's just the domino effect in action. The subfloor is almost finished. Just the master bathroom to finish off. But that can't be finished until the flooring is down in the other bathroom so that we have a working toilet. And the flooring in the other bathroom can't be put down until I can begin to lay the floor, which I can't do until the final sanding is done on the drywall mud. I can't ship the rehabbed antique stove in till I finish the flooring in the kitchen and the French doors are up so that we can fit the stove through the door. The French doors can't go in until the back deck is done, and I can't have the gas company set up the propane tank until the stove is here so they can hook it up. I think you get my drift.

The backyard deck is started and could have been finished yesterday but for the rain and the fact that the handyguy's 2-week-new compressor blew up on on him, so he left mid-afternoon, frustrated and not accomplishing what he wanted to accomplish for the day to take care of his compressor problem.

Framing of the back deck with temporary posts.

Back deck just started.

Back deck with permanent posts.

Perimeter decking down.

Handyguy makes some nice cuts, doesn't he?

The 2 colors of decking material. Shutters will be painted in a matching "red."

We bought a riding lawnmower to mow the 2-foot high weeds and I spent a good 2 hours outside yesterday getting a good start on that and feeling like I was accomplishing something, until the rain started and I had to stop. And then, when it was dry enough to start again, the brand-new, just-delivered-yesterday-morning lawnmower decided to take a poop with a big pop and a spark. Oh well. It's just the way life goes.

Today I head home for Passover for 4 days and a much needed visit with my dogs, chickens, and husband. I'll stop at Lowe's on the way out of town and ask them to come and pick up the dead lawnmower and either fix it or replace it. I'll order a few things the handyguy needs to tide him over till I get back on Thursday, and then I'll start down I-75 to head home to start cooking for Passover.

Dominoes. I never really played them as a child. I know why now.

Swallowtail Farm Spring Festival 2011

2011-04-11T10:25:00.000-04:00

I had the distinct pleasure yesterday of attending the 2nd Annual Swallowtail Farm Spring Festival 2011. If you live within driving distance or happen to be in the area at the time of next year's festival, all I can say is do everything you can to attend. It was a blast!

It was such an action-packed day, I'm not sure where to start, so I guess describing my experience from start to finish will have to do. Technically, I got there late. It started at noon. I didn't arrive till 2 p.m., just in time to grab a scrumptious lunch from the Jones Eastside booth (I had a grilled beef and vegetable skewer, quinoa salad, and just-picked lettuce salad complete with tahini-ginger dressing) and scoot over to the Bee and Honey Workshop run by Noah Shitama (owner, Swallowtail Farm) and Charlie Lybrand (owner of a local bee farm). Noah and Charlie led an extremely interesting and educational workshop describing the basics of bee keeping, the reasons for having bees on the farm and where they fit into the "eco-cycle," so to speak. They described the 2 different kinds of man-made beehives and the pros and cons for each (Top-Bar hives are more natural, closer to what a bee would make in the wild, and less work; Langstroth hives are more for honey production and require more attention). If I remember correctly, Swallowtail Farm uses only Top-Bar hives because their goal is not to produce honey for sale, but to produce healthy bees that integrate naturally with their biodynamic farm. At the end of the workshop, attendees were treated to a taste of honey and honeycomb from one of the Swallowtail hives. Delicious!

The Bee and Honey Workshop demonstration hive.

A hive I found wandering around the farm.

Immediately following the Bee and Honey Workshop, I ran over to the Information/First-Aid booth to work the 2-hour shift I had volunteered for. It gave me a chance to meet people, sit in the shade, people watch, and listen to some great music from the 15 or so local bands that played a delightful assortment of music, including folk, rock, reggae, etc. It reminded me of a mini-version of Woodstock. Just fabulous!

View from the Information/First-Aid booth; band stage, Festival attendees.

Swallowtail Farm Spring Festival 2011 attendees.

A Slip and Slide was provided for the kids (and adults), as well as face painting.

Swallowtail Farm barn and The Jones Eastside food booth to the left.

After my volunteering stint, I walked around the farm for about 2 hours, mingling with the crowd, taking pictures, and enjoying the music. I also fit in another trip to the The Jones Eastside food booth, this time getting a veggie skewer and more of that delicious quinoa salad. What can I say? The gorgeous weather and Festival activities made me hungry!

And then it was dinnertime. And what a dinner it was. For the Farm to Table Dinner, 3 chefs from local restaurants made a 4-course meal out of this world. The majority of the produce was supplied by Swallowtail and literally harvested from the garden as needed. Talk about fresh and local. Just as described, we ate by candlelight at dusk "out of the garden, in the garden." We started with an appetizer of a goat cheese-stuffed squash blossom, delicately battered and fried, sitting atop a bed of lightly sauteed julienne of zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots accompanied by a divine roasted beet vinaigrette. The next course was a delicious green salad with homemade croutons, roasted beets, and citrus (I believe grapefruit, but it was too dark to see with my 48-year-old eyes). Our entree was an outrageous buckwheat blini with garlic sauteed squashes, and other vegetables. I want this recipe badly! To be honest, I wouldn't mind having all the recipes. And then there was dessert. Suffice it to say, had I been at home and not in the company of strangers, I would have licked my plate. I'm not even sure what it was called, but it was a heavenly concoction of goat cheese cheesecake rounds with macerated strawberries and some sort of crunchy cookie crumble that was to die for. Freshly baked rolls were served throughout, along with unending wine and chilled water. All in all, I think it was the best meal I've ever had the opportunity to experience. We dinner attendees ended the evening with a standing ovation for the chefs, sous chefs, and servers. And without saying for Noah, his interns, and all the volunteers who helped pull this day off. It was truly remarkable.


Setting the table for the Farm to Table Dinner

The finished table.

A closeup view of the table.

A lovely bouquet of squash blossoms adorn the table.

Some of the freshly-harvested produce that made up dinner.

Our appetizer course, just waiting for the fried goat cheese squash blossom to be added.

Outrageously delicious buckwheat blinis.

Random Views of Swallowtail Farm

One of the many vegetable beds that encompass 3 acres.

Another vegetable bed.

A gorgeous turnip.

Someone found a great place to take a nap.

The solar panels that powered the whole extravaganza.

One heck of a rainwater collecting system.

Farm Progress In Pictures

2011-04-09T10:31:00.000-04:00

Before


Living room.

Living Room

Kitchen

Hallway leading to office, guest bathroom, and guest bedroom.

My office.

Guest bathroom

Guest bedroom. Hoping to put bunk beds in here for interns.

Master bedroom.

Master bathroom.

In Progress

Adding new layer of subfloor after repair of old.

New subfloor and drywall.

Handyguys at work.

Charlie, head handyguy, and repairing outside.

Outside.

First Night on the Farm

2011-04-07T07:36:00.001-04:00

I started out late on Sunday. I meant to get an early start. Plans change. Things happen. And I didn't get out the door till 1:30 p.m. But I made good time. Until I got to Leesburg, that is, where I arrived at the scene of a bad accident blocking both lanes of the Turnpike. It clearly had just happened as the State Troopers arrived after I did. That was actually good news. I could tell the accident wasn't too far in front of me, just over the hill. Fifteen minutes later, drivers in cars backing up for miles turned their engines off and started getting out to stretch their legs and trying to find out what was going on. A nice young man, freshly tanned and relaxed, was trying to get home after Spring Break. An older gentleman was returning from dropping friends off at the Orlando Airport. He was trying to get 6 miles down the road to his wife waiting with dinner. He called her and told her to hold off starting the chicken. A young couple was on their way home to Atlanta from a vacation in the Keys. Someone had called the Turnpike Traffic Hotline and discovered that it was a U-Haul truck flipped over a mile in front of us. We saw a State Trooper helicopter overhead and commented that we were glad it wasn't an air ambulance. We heard an ambulance arrive from the other direction. Then 2 tow trucks arrived and we knew traffic would start moving soon. And 30 minutes into the wait, traffic started slowly creeping past the truck. Fifteen minutes later I was on my way again. I was glad I didn't have to be at the farm till Monday morning. I was glad I was still going to arrive with a little bit of daylight left so I could get the car unpacked. I was glad I had filled up with gas in Orlando and had taken a restroom break. I was glad I wasn't 15 miles back.

I pulled into the driveway at the farm about 7:30 p.m. The sun was starting to go down, but I thought if I moved quickly I could get the car unloaded. I hadn't noticed in my 2 previous trips up here that the outside light wasn't working and made a mental note to pick up light bulbs. It dawned on me that I forgot a flashlight. I hoped the rest of the lights were working in the house. They were. A tall lanky gentleman with a heavy Boston accent and a head thick with white hair sauntered over from the property immediately to the east of ours. He introduced himself as Peter and welcomed me to the neighborhood. Said I should come over any time if I had questions or needed something. How nice. That would never happen in Pembroke Pines. He carried in the box with the card table and chairs that I planned on using for a dining room table and desk. I got everything piled into either the kitchen or the master bedroom. I was hungry. I realized I didn't know what time town closes up and I better get there if I wanted to get anything to eat for dinner. I figured I could call Mickey from the restaurant to tell him I was here. I could blow up the air mattress when I got back.

As I drove the 10 miles back to town I realized I should pick a place close to I-75 so I wouldn't get lost in the dark. It was going to be hard enough to get back home not knowing the roads and having limited light sources. Rural areas don't have the street lights that cities do. I ended up at Bob Evans and had a chicken pot pie. Remind me not to do that again. I'd much rather have a quick PB&J at the house. I know it would taste better and I'm pretty sure it would be more nutritious. I called Mickey. I ran to the 24-hour Wal-Mart on the other side of I-75 to pick up a few things to eat and some cleaning supplies. I made it back home. It was 10 p.m. I was beat from the long day. I set up the table and chairs and put my computer on the table in the kitchen. I blew up the air mattress and crawled into bed. I needed sleep.

I woke up at 5:30 a.m. Monday morning. It was still pitch black outside, but I felt like I always do in the country. Relaxed and at peace. I made a pot of coffee and started putting things away and cleaning the kitchen. It's amazing what a little baking soda and vinegar can do to freshen up a place. I got the sink and countertops clean. I wiped down the fronts of the kitchen cabinets and wiped out the insides of some of them so I could put the few dishes, pots and pans I brought with me away. I wiped down the stove and refrigerator. I needed to soak the removable parts of the inside of the refrigerator, but I couldn't find a stopper for the sink. I grabbed a notebook and started making a list of things to pick up at Wal-Mart. Sink stopper. Dish pan. Dish drainer. Light bulbs. I poured a second cup of coffee. The sun was starting to come up and I decided to sit on the front steps and watch it finish.

Kimchi Workshop at Little River Market Garden

2011-03-28T12:56:00.000-04:00

In the northeast section of Miami called Little Haiti, just across the street from the railroad tracks, sits a truly charming, year-old market garden owned and run by Muriel Olivares called Little River Market Garden. This past season was her first year of running it, complete with CSA shares, and she's done a remarkable job. She recently posted on her blog that she's been able to expand the garden through the kind offer of a friend 5 miles away.


One section of the garden.

The difference between the garden when I first visited last October for the Market's first seedling sale and today is downright incredible. Muriel has clearly been working her tush off. The wood-burning oven her father had just started in October is now finished, functional, and fantastically beautiful. Do you sense the note of envy in my voice? Her compost pile makes me a little green, too. It's at least double the size it was since I last visited.

Wood-burning oven Muriel's father built.

Today I attended a Learn to Make Kimchi workshop held at Muriel's Market Garden and had a blast of an afternoon. About 25 of us sat in chairs set up in front of the wood-burning oven and were thankful that Muriel had been quite thoughtful about scheduling the workshop at 3 p.m.--we had lucious shade to sit in.

Muriel Olivares speaking to Kimchi Workshop attendees.

Muriel demonstrating how to make chili paste at kimchi workshop.

Muriel slicing radishes and turnips for kimchi vegetables. Volunteer adding veggies to kimchi tub.

Muriel and volunteer mixing chili paste into kimchi vegetables. Note both are wearing gloves for protection.

Finished kimchi mixture.

Two beautiful speecy spicy jars of kimchi.

Happy Little River Market Garden Kimchi Workshop attendees.

We finally meet! Marian Wertalka, author of Redland Rambles blog.

You want a recipe, do you? I know you do. Muriel just finished posting it on her blog, so here goes:

Little River Market Garden Kimchi

Makes about 2 quarts

Wash and coarsely chop 2 cabbages (the traditional type of cabbage is Napa and it’s my personal favorite, but any variety will do, including bok choy, savoy cabbage and regular green cabbage; they each give you a slightly different result in terms of flavor, color and texture).

Soak chopped cabbage in a salt brine either overnight or for a couple hours. Salt brine is made by adding 2 tablespoons of salt per quart of filtered or spring water.

After soaking, dump out brine and rinse cabbage 1 or 2 times with filtered or spring water. Drain cabbage.
Wash and cut off any bad parts of either 2 medium daikon radishes or any combination of radishes, turnips and or carrots. Chop into thin strips or rounds and add to drained cabbage.

Now make a chili paste!

Add to a food processor:

2 quartered onions (any type)
1 cup of peeled garlic
half cup of peeled ginger (I like a lot of ginger)
about 5 fresh hot peppers, such as cayenne (5 will give you a pretty spicy paste, use less if you like)
1 cup chili powder (Note from Ara: I don't think this is regular chili powder - I'm thinking this is more along the lines of cayenne pepper or Ancho pepper powder - and you could always grind up dried assorted chili peppers in a spice grinder.)
a couple teaspoons salt
a teaspoon of paprika
quarter cup of vinegar (my favorite is apple cider)
teaspoon of honey
tablespoon of olive oil

Blend until the consistency is smooth and everything is thoroughly mixed. Add about 2 cups of chili paste to the vegetables and store the rest in the fridge. It keeps indefinitely and can be used as a seasoning in many different meals.

Stir the vegetables to coat evenly with chili paste and it’s done!

Stuff the kimchi into glass jars and let it sit on your kitchen counter with the lid slightly unscrewed. Make sure to place a shallow bowl under each jar because the veggies continue to release liquid and it will likely spill over. It’s also likely to get bubbly, as well, which is a good sign of fermentation. It can be eaten fresh the day it is made and in fact, you should taste regularly to check for flavor development. After about 1 or 2 days, screw the lid on tightly and store in the fridge for up to a year. The kimchi continues to mature and evolve into a more sour flavor as it slowly ferments in the cold temperature. Everyone prefers their kimchi at different stages. I can personally eat a quart every couple of weeks and the flavor gets really good the second and third week.

Don't think twice about playing with the amounts of spices, types of vegetables (you could use broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, purple cabbage, cucumber, zucchini, yellow squash), perhaps try toasted sesame oil instead of olive oil in the chili paste mixture or adding a dash of fish sauce or anchovy paste, varying types of peppers (habanero, Scotch bonnets, or Thai bird chilis for the spicy-minded folks; poblanos and jalapenos for those who prefer a milder spice). Use your imagination and have fun!

Talk About Reusing

2011-03-26T06:27:00.001-04:00

Planting in old toilets. Why not? I think they're rather pretty.

Update on the Meat Birds

2011-03-25T06:26:00.000-04:00


Our version of a chicken tractor.


We put some corrugated plastic sun shade on the top to help reduce the heat of the afternoon sun.


An overall view. It's 4' x 4' x 12'.


Two weeks old, eating like hungry chicks, and starting to feather out.

Cute as buttons, but not real happy with the camera.

The Meat Birds Are Here

2011-03-11T11:31:00.001-05:00

Cute little buggers, aren't they?

Peep, peep, peep. The back of the house is filled with an undulating cacophony of melodic peeping interspersed with sporadic eery silences for 10-20 seconds and then back to peep, peep, peep. Our meat birds have arrived! I almost forgot they were coming with all the excitement of buying the farm, getting ready for closing next week, beginning to pack, and making list upon list of things to get done.

Having never ordered chicks myself (I've always shared someone else's order), I was totally surprised when the phone rang yesterday morning at a few minutes after 7 and it was the Post Office telling me to come pick up the chicks. I quick threw on some clothes, brushed my teeth, and set out to pick them up. The 2 ladies working the counter at the Post Office seemed to be just as excited as me, asking me to open the box so they could play with the chicks. I decided against opening the box for fear I wouldn't be able to close it all the way and might have chicks jumping around the car on the drive home. I made a quick detour to the local feed store before heading home because I wanted to pick up a couple extra feeders and waterers so I'd have enough for the 30+ birds in the box. I was out of the feed store 5 or 6 minutes later and home 10 minutes after that, setting up a snugly nesting box for the babies.

I can only say how pleased I am with the purchase from S & G Poultry in Clanton, Alabama. The chicks arrived healthy, and obviously well cared for in a timely manner. I did request that they be sent Express Mail at my expense because I think the shorter trip helps in their survival, but I would do that anywhere I placed an order. I decided to go with S & G because it is owned by a husband and wife team and I've always thought that supporting small business is better than supporting big business, they are relatively local, and I like the fact that their birds are not the usual factory Cornish Rock Crosses, the meat birds sold at most hatcheries and the ones you get in grocery stores. These chicks will take a couple extra weeks to finish growing so will cost a bit more in feed, but I truly believe they will have fewer health problems (no heart attacks or broken legs from too much weight gained at too fast a rate) since they are bred to be foragers and not bred to sit in cages for the duration of their lives. They might even be tastier. That I'll have to let you know when we cook up the first bird.

Change Is Coming To The Urban Homestead

2011-03-07T07:13:00.001-05:00

We did it. We're doing it. We will no longer be urban homesteaders. We will be farmers. We bought a small 5-acre farm in north central Florida. We close on it in just a couple weeks. We're very excited. We're very scared (at least I am). Mickey doesn't seem to be scared, but he doesn't overthink things like I do. Then again, maybe he didn't notice we signed the contract because he hasn't yet brought home a moving box to start packing. Hmmmm. I need to think on that more.

It's beautiful. The farm, I mean. It's in an unincorporated part of Lake City (Suwannee County), close enough to 3 or 4 highways that we can get anywhere we need rather quickly, yet it still takes a 1-lane dirt road and possibly a 4-wheel drive vehicle to get to the property. I'll be using an alternate route (2-lane dirt road) to get to the house as I don't back up well (at all) and I'd be scared to death to be halfway down the road with a vehicle coming from the other direction. And it's surrounded by 3 rivers, the Chattahoochee, Ichetucknee, and Suwannee (I think there's song about this, isn't there?), so we've decided to call the farm "3 Rivers Farm." Aren't we original? Well, actually we must have been because there wasn't another farm with this name in the state, so we grabbed it.

Quick picture of the property and some pear trees.

The property already has a pear orchard on it, a rather neglected pear orchard, that is. But that's okay because that means it hasn't had a lot of chemicals dumped on it in recent years. Plans of course swirl through my head like sugar plums, but there are the necessities first. The backyard has to be fenced in for the dogs. A deck has to be built so that the dogs can get to the fenced-in backyard on their own. That means a ramp as my dainty little dachschunds don't navigate steps well (at all), and I don't want to be lifting 3 dogs up and down all day long. The back door leading out to the new deck needs to be widened as in French doors (preferred) or sliding glass door so that we can get our newly rehabbed antique stove in the house (I'm not going without it), and all carpeting has to be replaced with some sort of new floor (I'm not a carpet person and youngest dog thinks that all carpet is a big wee-wee pad). And all this has to be done before we can move in! This might not be difficult if one is moving somewhere within an hour driving distance, but this is 5-1/2 hours away so getting there to get things done is going to be on the tough side. We'll make it happen, though. I think an air mattress is in order.

Then there are the farm plans, those ideas that have been swirling through my head morning, noon, and night since we saw the property the very first time. Clearly, we have a crop to start with. The pears. I don't even know what kind of pears they are or what kind of care they need, but I guess I'll find out soon enough. I think our second "crop" will be eggs. We can order chicks as soon as we get there so that we can put the larger flock of chickens out to pasture on our intended first vegetable beds, giving the beds a good boost of healthy fertilizer. If we take care of the soil, everything else will fall into place. And I'm making rather quick inroads into the local food/farming community. I think this may be more important than knowing what types of pears are on the property at this point, though it's going to drive me nuts till I know. I'm hoping for more than 1 variety, of course.

So more farm plans. We need a barn. We need an area to wash and pack produce (I'm thinking the back porch for starters). We need to design and build a large portable coop for the larger flock of chickens. We need a shed of some sorts for all the tools. We need farming equipment - not tons, just the basics to get us going (some sort of tilling instrument, a seeder, electric fencing for the chickens and other livestock - hoping to get some Nubian goats for milk, cheese, and soap). Goodness, we need a lot. I know if we take it slow and work on 1 thing at a time, we're going to get there. Especially if I don't overthink it.

My Chickens Share

2011-03-01T06:42:00.001-05:00

There were actually 5 in the nests at once.

Heirloom Tomatoes

2011-02-28T06:32:00.000-05:00


17 pounds of organic, mostly heirloom tomatoes harvested this week.

To Trademark Or Not To Trademark

2011-02-17T07:45:00.000-05:00

I don't know how many of you have heard, but the Dervaes family in Pasadena, California of Path To Freedom fame, whom I greatly admire for their accomplishments, have trademarked several phrases, 2 of which are "urban homestead" and "urban homesteading." In addition to trademarking the phrases, they have begun to send out Cease and Desist letters to blog owners, non-profit organizations, for-profit businesses, etc. that use those phrases in their titles, asking them to change their names, and, yesterday, they had Facebook take down every page that used the phrase "urban homesteading" in its page name.

Needless to say, this has caused quite a stir in the urban homesteading community. I think it's safe to say that they have outraged a large portion of their fan base.

Some facts. While the Dervaes Institute trademarked the phrase "urban homesteading," the trademark examiner only allowed it to be put on what's called the Supplemental Register. While this is still a trademark, it is a much weaker trademark than that found on the Principal Register because it means the Federal Trademark Office doubts that it will hold up in court (my words, not theirs). The examiner even commented on the fact that urban homesteading is a way of life, not an entity to trademark. It means that the term can still be used by anyone and the Dervaes Institute will have to decide if they think it's worth it to attempt to enforce it in court. To enforce it, they would have to prove that they are synonymous with the phrase--that when someone uses the words "urban homesteading," they immediately think of the Dervaes family.

My thoughts on the matter. I think what they should have trademarked was the phrase "Path To Freedom Urban Homestead." That's it. That's what we all know them as. They claim on their website that they did it to protect the term, that they felt that some people were abusing it just to make money. If this is the reason they did it, why then would they ask urban homesteading bloggers and non-profits to take down their blogs and websites? Why would they have Facebook take down the pages of the people who are living and teaching the lifestyle Path To Freedom promotes? In their own words, taken from a blog post from Anais yesterday:

"We are a nonprofit group that has promoted urban homesteading and asked that people use our urban homestead example in their own lives. However, as with most any book and/or publication, and as stated on the bottom of all our websites, the information and content contained on our online book is copyrighted."

So what exactly is it that the Dervaes family does differently? Are their raised beds different from mine or anyone else's? Did they create organic gardening? Do they plant seeds differently? What exactly is it that they are claiming ownership of?

So what do you think about this?

Urban Homestead Stove Update

2011-01-19T06:13:00.000-05:00

So the stove is done. Here are some pictures!

Before

After

Closeup of burners

Closeup of ovens

If you ever need any antique stove restoration work done, please contact me and I'll put you in touch with Dream Stoves. Christian and his team have been wonderful!

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