Saturday, September 26, 2009
Your agriculture weather for last of September.
The Mesonet weather forecast for the last of September
Saturday, September 19, 2009
I am so happy that the USDA is starting to get it!!!!
Know your Farmer. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?
August Honey Report
Here is the latest USDA Honey Report. Time to kick the guys out of the hive. Don't need any men to feed this winter.
Ag weather for third week in September
Agriculture weather forecast for the third week in September.
Friday, September 18, 2009
I hate having to move my stuff.
Moving out of the big house back into the small house. Haven't had much to post.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
CSAs and the Peppermint Dragon
CSA sales scares the bejezus out of me. There's a young farmer over in Chelsea who came by my place and was telling me that last year he started a CSA and also had a great deal of low production. After taking their money and doing the best he could, he felt so bad about his lack of productivity that he just couldn't bring himself to try it again this year. His error stemmed mostly from trying to be heirloom-based only but as he was telling me how badly he felt, I almost repeated the same words as to why I cannot bring myself to do this.
As it stands today, I wanted to have a lot more variety this year and I had purchased some specialty melons and eggplant varieties that I intended for a particular restaurant in Sapulpa - and I just never got those items planted. Blackberry cleanup ate a great deal of time from us. And I feel bad enough disappointing one business let alone a whole passle of CSA investors.
I am not sure I can envision my ever feeling like it is ok for me to take money and feel ok about letting them all take the same hit I do for a crop failure or low production. That would sit double heavy on my shoulders and I'd be making refunds - guess I'll stick to the "here's what I have, come and get it" cash method instead of the "I'll promise you the moon (and stars) and full sacks of produce but if I screw up, you get screwed" prepaid method. So am I crazy for thinking this way? I know some of the younger growers can make this decision and let the consequences happen - but for me, it feels like gambling with the CSA money and I don't like what Wall Street did to the American public.
As it stands today, I wanted to have a lot more variety this year and I had purchased some specialty melons and eggplant varieties that I intended for a particular restaurant in Sapulpa - and I just never got those items planted. Blackberry cleanup ate a great deal of time from us. And I feel bad enough disappointing one business let alone a whole passle of CSA investors.
I am not sure I can envision my ever feeling like it is ok for me to take money and feel ok about letting them all take the same hit I do for a crop failure or low production. That would sit double heavy on my shoulders and I'd be making refunds - guess I'll stick to the "here's what I have, come and get it" cash method instead of the "I'll promise you the moon (and stars) and full sacks of produce but if I screw up, you get screwed" prepaid method. So am I crazy for thinking this way? I know some of the younger growers can make this decision and let the consequences happen - but for me, it feels like gambling with the CSA money and I don't like what Wall Street did to the American public.
Zuchinni Bread (again???) and more
Yesterday David finally completed the wiring in our produce building - he has one more task and then we get the electric turned on, lights working and the air conditioner running - I am so ready. Picking produce and filling my utility room is getting very frustrating. After having the truck stolen, people seem to think we don't have anything so they have stopped coming out. My tomatoes and squash are piling up so I may have to hit the road tomorrow and there's so much I need to do here that being away from the farm selling is not what I want to be doing.
In getting the job done - a licensed electrician friend of his from work came out and took a look - Byron Lentz is a mechanic at AA, a photographer and a bike rider. That's quite the combo - he and his wife Roxanne were given a bag of tomatoes, some summer squash and a zuchinni loaf as a thank you for their time. Had my computer worked, I'd have downloaded a few of his pictures but there's a glitch - maybe next time.
Here's basically that recipe for the zuchinni bread -
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups natural or brown sugar
1 tsp salt1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
4 oz nuts (walnuts or pecans)
Mix dry ingredients
2 cups zuchinni - I have also used pears, bananas either in replacement or mixed with the zuchinni
3 eggs
1 cup oil or butter melted
2 tsp vanilla1 cup oil or butter - that batch had 3/4s butter and 1/4 oil but most I have used the oil
Finish mixing and divide into pans - makes two loaf pans or can be divided to make smaller yet.
The air conditioner seems to be on the fritz too - all of a sudden. One more bad thing needs to happen to get this run of bad luck out of the way. I don't have a lot of superstitions - she said with a smile. I've never thrown salt over a shoulder or avoided a black cats path but it sure seems that bad luck comes in threes. Ooooo, oooo - maybe having the sign stolen with the truck makes two! Ahhh, I feel better already.
In getting the job done - a licensed electrician friend of his from work came out and took a look - Byron Lentz is a mechanic at AA, a photographer and a bike rider. That's quite the combo - he and his wife Roxanne were given a bag of tomatoes, some summer squash and a zuchinni loaf as a thank you for their time. Had my computer worked, I'd have downloaded a few of his pictures but there's a glitch - maybe next time.
Here's basically that recipe for the zuchinni bread -
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups natural or brown sugar
1 tsp salt1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
4 oz nuts (walnuts or pecans)
Mix dry ingredients
2 cups zuchinni - I have also used pears, bananas either in replacement or mixed with the zuchinni
3 eggs
1 cup oil or butter melted
2 tsp vanilla1 cup oil or butter - that batch had 3/4s butter and 1/4 oil but most I have used the oil
Finish mixing and divide into pans - makes two loaf pans or can be divided to make smaller yet.
The air conditioner seems to be on the fritz too - all of a sudden. One more bad thing needs to happen to get this run of bad luck out of the way. I don't have a lot of superstitions - she said with a smile. I've never thrown salt over a shoulder or avoided a black cats path but it sure seems that bad luck comes in threes. Ooooo, oooo - maybe having the sign stolen with the truck makes two! Ahhh, I feel better already.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
"They finally get it -- why buying from a local, family-scale farm is important,"
I think it might be the fact that I grew up on a farm that I am so connected to the seasons. I think I am the only one in my neighborhood that actually cans Tomatoes, Jams, and Jellies during the season. There are several things I will not buy out of season because they are very expensive and taste like crap. Reuters has a good article about community supported agriculture and people getting reconnected to the seasons.
Eating local.
I posted a link to a Studio Tulsa program earlier that mentions the problems with eating local. The Boston Globe has a good article about the limits of eating local. No civilization has ever been able to completely eat local produce. Since the beginning of cities and and the organization of human groups some of the things we consume have been imported. Caravans and movement of food go back to the earliest books of the bible. So grow and eat what you can locally, but enjoy that fact the you can add black pepper.
It seems there may be more to the story.
It seems there may be more going on with CCD in India then just Cell Phone Towers.
Colony Collapse Disorder????
Is it Cell Phone Towers or Not. The article from India caught me by surprise. This claim was debunked in the United States, and Europe some time ago. In fact I can't seem to find anything newer the 2007 debunking the "Cell Tower" theory. I can tell you about my own experience. Being in an Urban area, my hives are surrounded by Cell Towers, and other sources of electromagnetic energy. My Bees seem to be able to leave and return.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Saving Bees: What we know now.
I was over working in the yard of my Bungalow, and there were Chives in bloom from gardens long past. I notices several Honey Bees working the blossoms so I left the plants for the bees to utilize. The other day I was in the middle of downtown and I saw some insects flying around a elm tree in the parking lot of Trinity Church. After closer inspection I identified them as Honey Bees collecting propolis. I don't know if there is a hives downtown or the Bees are ferrel, but it is a good sign to see so many Honey Bees living in an Urban Area. My hives would be about two miles from where I saw the Bees foraging. I know they are not the right color to be from my Italian Hive, but could be from my Okie mutt hive. Here is a article from the New York Times updating us on Colony Collapse Disorder.
Agriculture Weather for second week in September
Mesonet weather forcast of the second week of September.
Why do we not have anyone with a brain here?
Ten ways to encourage Urban Agriculture. During the Mayoral candidate debate last week I did not hear any of the candidates mention any of these ideas. Bartlett did talk about planting 1600 Pecan Trees on urban renewal land he bought on the cheap. Guess that will benefit North Tulsa. He can sell you pecans.
People rediscovering their rooftops.
Fascinating article about garden entrepreneurs. I love stories about people making money off their dreams. I never thought about the effects of storm water runoff on the environment.
I have two of of these spiders living over my compose bin.
I have always called them Orb spiders. I guess in doesn't matter what you call them just don't kill them. The two living over my compose bin eat an incredible amount of house flies.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Truck with Farm Sign Stolen
Our truck was stolen yesterday morning - it's a 91 Dodge Ram 4 X 4 short, wide blue and silver in need of a new paint job truck. It was stolen off Alt 75 where you turn to come up the hill to our home - we had a sign in the back end to help people know we are here selling vegetables at the farm. The tag had expired in August, it is probably in some mud pit stuck - it gets lousy gas mileage but it was paid for and we need it back. Please keep your eyes open. We were planning on buying some 4 X 8 materials for the building, and we need it to haul off a few loads of trash - and it comes in handy when we can find time to go gather someone's manure - so we really need it for the farm.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
6 can Salad
Part of food security is being able to make a quick cheap dish or make things from what you have in the pantry. This recipe is made from things I always keep on hand. I know a lot of people have issues with canned vegetables but when you can them yourself like me then that is what you use. I also like the 5 for a dollar sales at the store. Here is my recipe for 6 can Salad.
1 can of black beans rinsed.
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of garbonzo beans
1 can of whole kernel corn
2 cans of green beans
1 medium onion
4 stalks of celery
Salt and pepper to taste.
Dressing:
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp dried minced garlic
1 tsp dried minced onion
1 tsp dried italian season herbs
1 tbsp dijon mustard.
Make dressing so ingredients will have time to rehydrate. Open can of black beans and dump in colander. Rinse well. Open the rest of the cans and dump into the colander with the black beans. Let them drain for 10 or 15 minutes or salad will be watery. Chop up onion and celery. Mix all ingredients together and chill before serving. The salad is better if made the night before and well chilled before serving.
1 can of black beans rinsed.
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of garbonzo beans
1 can of whole kernel corn
2 cans of green beans
1 medium onion
4 stalks of celery
Salt and pepper to taste.
Dressing:
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp dried minced garlic
1 tsp dried minced onion
1 tsp dried italian season herbs
1 tbsp dijon mustard.
Make dressing so ingredients will have time to rehydrate. Open can of black beans and dump in colander. Rinse well. Open the rest of the cans and dump into the colander with the black beans. Let them drain for 10 or 15 minutes or salad will be watery. Chop up onion and celery. Mix all ingredients together and chill before serving. The salad is better if made the night before and well chilled before serving.
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