Monday, September 7, 2009
New Blog
We have finally chosen a farm name! We have a farm email and new blog for that name. Please continue to follow our farming adventures at bluebirdfarmnc.blogspot.com
Friday, September 4, 2009
Working in the Garden
We have arrived in Morganton!
The last two days have been spent working in the garden. Larry, Victor, and Vivian kept a very nice garden so we arrived to minimal weeds, nice tomatoes, and gorgeous peppers. One of the highlights of the garden are four huge basil plants. As I write Marie and Vivian are making some pesto. They have more basil than they know what to do with and you can't even tell that the plants have been harvested from!
Today we planted carrots and greens. The carrots are an experiment to see if we can squeeze in a fall harvest. If not, they should be an early spring crop. We planted a first round of lettuce mix, stir fry mix, spinach, and arugula. It is wonderful to have my hands in the soil and work with seeds. Seeds are such wonders. Each seeds contains all the information for a new plant with its own set of fruit and some more hundreds or thousands of seeds. Amazing to think about.
Being back in the east is a little bit of a shock for us. Everyone has been remarking how cool and nice the weather has been. But as we work our shirts cling to our bodies and our pants are damp from sweat--dry? Of course in the west sweat evaporates immediately, so we are adjusting.
The last two days have been spent working in the garden. Larry, Victor, and Vivian kept a very nice garden so we arrived to minimal weeds, nice tomatoes, and gorgeous peppers. One of the highlights of the garden are four huge basil plants. As I write Marie and Vivian are making some pesto. They have more basil than they know what to do with and you can't even tell that the plants have been harvested from!
Today we planted carrots and greens. The carrots are an experiment to see if we can squeeze in a fall harvest. If not, they should be an early spring crop. We planted a first round of lettuce mix, stir fry mix, spinach, and arugula. It is wonderful to have my hands in the soil and work with seeds. Seeds are such wonders. Each seeds contains all the information for a new plant with its own set of fruit and some more hundreds or thousands of seeds. Amazing to think about.
Being back in the east is a little bit of a shock for us. Everyone has been remarking how cool and nice the weather has been. But as we work our shirts cling to our bodies and our pants are damp from sweat--dry? Of course in the west sweat evaporates immediately, so we are adjusting.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Red Wriggler Worms
In bear country outdoor composting for food wastes is not an option. Bears don't need any encouragement around here to raid your yard for food. In addition to bears, there is the issue of everything freezing solid for about 6 months of the year around here. So this winter we composted right in our living room.
We didn't just throw our food in the corner and hope for the best. We enlisted the help of an incredible creature, Eisenia Foetida, also known as red wriggler worms. Our composters live in a Rubbermaid tub in the corner of our living room and happily devour our food wastes. They will consume up to half their body weight in food--everyday!
The worms' home
Worm food!
The worms aren't too picky. We just mix shredded newspaper with our food waste and make sure it isn't too wet or dry. The result is a sweet smelling, black, crumbly substance known as vermicompost, castings, or worm poop. Every few weeks we sort the worms out and put them back in the container. We then take the castings over to our vegetable plot where our spinach and lettuce very much appreciates the amazing food they get. And its no wonder, worm castings contain higher nutrient levels than the soil ingested. Additionally, the castings contain many beneficial microbes that help to build a biologically active soil. Finally, the castings contribute to the improvement to the physical structure of the soil.
worm castings-high quality soil food
More information is available at:
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/vermicom.html
and
http://www.vermiculture.ca/transform/worm_castings.htm
Worms will eat just about any food waste. However, extremely bulky or hard foods like citrus peels or egg shells take so long that they begin to decompose and smell. It is also not recommended to feed worms meat or dairy. While they will eat it there are many odor issues (and in our case there would be dog issues as well).
Using worms to compost food waste is an easy and effective method for closing waste loops. Roughly 1/3 of the waste that currently enters our landfills is decomposable (this includes both yard and kitchen waste). While it is impractical to try to feed a tree branch to worms much of our organic matter could be removed form the traditional waste stream and returned to our yards though composting. Worm composting is one composting tool ideal for people in cold climates, cities, or with wildlife issues. Besides, the worms are fun!
We didn't just throw our food in the corner and hope for the best. We enlisted the help of an incredible creature, Eisenia Foetida, also known as red wriggler worms. Our composters live in a Rubbermaid tub in the corner of our living room and happily devour our food wastes. They will consume up to half their body weight in food--everyday!
The worms' home
Worm food!
The worms aren't too picky. We just mix shredded newspaper with our food waste and make sure it isn't too wet or dry. The result is a sweet smelling, black, crumbly substance known as vermicompost, castings, or worm poop. Every few weeks we sort the worms out and put them back in the container. We then take the castings over to our vegetable plot where our spinach and lettuce very much appreciates the amazing food they get. And its no wonder, worm castings contain higher nutrient levels than the soil ingested. Additionally, the castings contain many beneficial microbes that help to build a biologically active soil. Finally, the castings contribute to the improvement to the physical structure of the soil.
worm castings-high quality soil food
More information is available at:
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/vermicom.html
and
http://www.vermiculture.ca/transform/worm_castings.htm
Worms will eat just about any food waste. However, extremely bulky or hard foods like citrus peels or egg shells take so long that they begin to decompose and smell. It is also not recommended to feed worms meat or dairy. While they will eat it there are many odor issues (and in our case there would be dog issues as well).
Using worms to compost food waste is an easy and effective method for closing waste loops. Roughly 1/3 of the waste that currently enters our landfills is decomposable (this includes both yard and kitchen waste). While it is impractical to try to feed a tree branch to worms much of our organic matter could be removed form the traditional waste stream and returned to our yards though composting. Worm composting is one composting tool ideal for people in cold climates, cities, or with wildlife issues. Besides, the worms are fun!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Fridays on the Farm
With the long summer days I been working four ten hour days in my job as an electrician's apprentice. It makes for a long day, but a free Friday is a great treat. Of course, that Friday didn't stay free for long.
I have been able to help out at Indian Ridge Farm and Bakery, the farm where I spent the last two growing seasons, on Friday mornings. It makes for an early day leaving in time to arrive at 6:30 am. But the early mornings are beautiful and the day of farm work is well worth it.
Indian Ridge Turkeys
I don't do anything spectacular or unusual at Indian Ridge. I just help out with chores and a project or two so they can get off to the Telluride farmers market on time. It isn't glamorous, but it is fun to be active in food production. Perhaps the most enjoyable part is talking with the other interns about their agricultural experiences ranging from food to farming. The wonderful part about being an intern is the opportunity to have an outsiders view of a farm. Sure one is generally fully immersed in farm life for a season, but it is usually only one season at a particular farm and so the intern is free to make observations without the economic constraints of actually running the farm. It is an ability I hope to be able to carry over into my own techniques as a farm manager-always stay open minded and inquisitive.
From the farm I generally race back to Telluride to catch the tail end of the farmers market (kind of ironic to race to Norwood early so they can make it here on time, then to race back to try to catch the market myself). Sometimes I am tired and don't really feel like going to the market. But every time I do I am rewarded for my efforts.
In his book Deep Economy Bill Mckibben discusses how on average a shopper at a farmers market has ten times the number of conversations as a shopper in a super market. This is what I love about the market. It is a community activity with vendors and buyers alike happy to be there and excited about good food, new flavors, and delicious smells. It is really amazing how different the simple act of buying food can be at a farmers market compared to the grocery store. At the market people are smiling, talking, enjoying the outdoors, and making plans for dinner. When was the last time you heard a group of strangers laughing together in the grocery?
I look forward to our farm being a similar focal point for curiosity, exploration, good food, and laughing. See you there!
I have been able to help out at Indian Ridge Farm and Bakery, the farm where I spent the last two growing seasons, on Friday mornings. It makes for an early day leaving in time to arrive at 6:30 am. But the early mornings are beautiful and the day of farm work is well worth it.
Indian Ridge Turkeys
I don't do anything spectacular or unusual at Indian Ridge. I just help out with chores and a project or two so they can get off to the Telluride farmers market on time. It isn't glamorous, but it is fun to be active in food production. Perhaps the most enjoyable part is talking with the other interns about their agricultural experiences ranging from food to farming. The wonderful part about being an intern is the opportunity to have an outsiders view of a farm. Sure one is generally fully immersed in farm life for a season, but it is usually only one season at a particular farm and so the intern is free to make observations without the economic constraints of actually running the farm. It is an ability I hope to be able to carry over into my own techniques as a farm manager-always stay open minded and inquisitive.
From the farm I generally race back to Telluride to catch the tail end of the farmers market (kind of ironic to race to Norwood early so they can make it here on time, then to race back to try to catch the market myself). Sometimes I am tired and don't really feel like going to the market. But every time I do I am rewarded for my efforts.
In his book Deep Economy Bill Mckibben discusses how on average a shopper at a farmers market has ten times the number of conversations as a shopper in a super market. This is what I love about the market. It is a community activity with vendors and buyers alike happy to be there and excited about good food, new flavors, and delicious smells. It is really amazing how different the simple act of buying food can be at a farmers market compared to the grocery store. At the market people are smiling, talking, enjoying the outdoors, and making plans for dinner. When was the last time you heard a group of strangers laughing together in the grocery?
I look forward to our farm being a similar focal point for curiosity, exploration, good food, and laughing. See you there!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Broiler Chickens
Gisella, Larry, Vivian, and Victor have received the first broiler chickens of the farm! On Friday the 1st 75 chicks arrived in the mail. They are now living in the attached greenhouse at Bluebird drive. The farm is slowly coming together!
Monday, July 27, 2009
King Corn
Today on the local radio station I heard a great piece from the program A World of Possibilities. The program was focused on the central part corn has played in agriculture since its domestication. The program highlighted the place of corn in the industrialization of modern agriculture and the corresponding environmental, social, and economic impacts. Check it out at:
http://www.aworldofpossibilities.com/details.cfm?id=312
http://www.aworldofpossibilities.com/details.cfm?id=312
Monday, July 20, 2009
Waiting to see the chickens
On Saturday Larry picked up our first 25 layer hens! They are a batch of 16 weeks old Golden Comet pullets. Vivian reported that they were in the pen "squawking and everything." The latest update is that she already has found an egg! It makes me want to drive over to see our birds! These ladies will be providing our winter eggs and hopefully some extra for sale.The
The Golden Comet is a hybrid red, sex-linked, brown egg layer. The red refers to the color of the adult female. Sex-linked means that the cross between two pure breeds produces an offspring whose color is genetically linked to color. This eliminates much trouble in separating day old hens from cockerels.
In the future we hope to breed our own sex linked layers. In preparation we have ordered to two parent stock breeds-female Barred Rocks and male Rhode Island Reds. These will produce a black sex link, brown egg layer. Interestingly, it matters which parent breed is male and female. The reason to breed a hybrid rather than two pure breeds is that they display a trait known as hybrid vigor. Hybrid vigor is a phenomenon whereby the offspring of a cross between two pure breeds exhibits greater health, size, and overall vigor than either parent. In our case that means more eggs. The disadvantage of hybrids is that they will not breed true. There is no second generation of Golden Comets. One has to continue to breed the two parent breeds.
It is fun to know that we officially have animals! I only have to wait out about 6 more weeks until I get to start working with them.
(the photograph is not ours, although it is a Golden Comet)
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