Being a Lunatic Farmer

Posted on February 3, 2012 by admin

BOOK REVIEW by Maureen Lefebvre

I LOVED this book. In another life I would be a lunatic farmer too – one who respects the land, respects animals and handles both with knowledge and the understanding that we cannot abuse the system and expect to get away with it forever. In conversation-like fashion Joel Salatin tells of his family business raising cows, chickens, and eggs on a sustainable farm in Virginia. Joel travels widely helping to make people aware that it is possible to feed our country without resorting to chemicals, feedlots and monocrops, mega-acre farms. In this book he includes his philosophy, research and resources as well as practical how-tos. Each chapter concludes with takeaway points. For example, chapter one is titled “Growing Soil”. The takeaway points were:

Herbivores and perennials are the most efficacious way to build soil.
Tillage and annuals account for the lion’s share of erosion.
Depleted soil can be rebuilt and regenerated.
Carbon is the key to soil health.

You don’t have to be a regular farmer to appropriate the wisdom in this book. Taking it to heart will help you better care for any size urban yard you have and give you an appreciation of the process behind organic farming and encourage you to support local suppliers of this type of produce and meat.

Watch FRESH Online for FREE This Week

Posted on January 27, 2012 by publisher

I have just received an email from Alice Jongerden. She helps run Home On The Range, a buyer’s club in Chilliwack, BC. The movie FRESH is offering a FREE week of viewing from January 26 to February 1, 2012. Below is a link to watch the movie FRESH plus a letter from the FRESH team.

Watch FRESH online for FREE from January 26 to February 1, 2012.

Dear FRESH Supporter,

Here at FRESH, we’re always looking for ways to build the good food movement and reach a tipping point where sustainable food is the rule, not the exception. So, we’d like to continue spreading the word with an exciting new initiative: FRESH is available for viewing online for FREE! For a limited time (we do need to pay our bills after all), you can access the full-length film from your desktop. The movie will be available for one week, from Thursday, January 26th through Wednesday, February 1st, so don’t wait to watch!

Watch FRESH for FREE

We hope that you will take the opportunity to enjoy the film and share it far and wide, with your friends, family, coworkers, school, baking club, gardening circle and more. After accessing the movie online, you’ll receive an exclusive link to purchase a FRESH DVD for home use for just $14.99, 50% off our regular price! Consider supporting FRESH and our work by buying or gifting a copy to someone you care about.

Cheers,
Ana and Crystal
The FRESH Team

Dreaming in the New Year

Posted on December 22, 2011 by publisher

My family enjoys making homemade gifts for friends and family. Just for fun we made eatkamloops.org labels for our gifts.

Back in December 2009, I wrote:
I dream about a world where my needs can be met without those needs costing someone else dearly. I dream about food that will nourish the body and community that will nourish the spirit. I dream about producing food for our families in a way that won’t cost “the world”. I dream about a world where our children are surrounded by a caring loving community that thinks about our shared future.

How do we become more enlightened about our behaviors so we can live our dreams? How can we change our thinking so our actions will follow? Maybe we need to just “buy into” a new vision. Of course, this vision isn’t new but very old. Maybe we need to learn how to tame our technology and harness our brilliance. All the answers are out there, we just have to apply them.

How are you dreaming in the new year?

Traditionally, these long nights have been for resting, watching for the signs, and planning the new year. Beyond the action of planning is the action of envisioning. Beyond envisioning is the act of creation.

Many powerful forces have been working on me these dark nights. I cannot say what these forces will bring in the new year, but 2012 looks to be a very special time.

Erika enjoying her Christmas morning. We are still trying to keep Christmas simple.

Here are my projects for this winter:
1. I am working through the ten week program as outlined in The Presence Process: A Journey into Present Moment Awareness by Michael Brown. I sit twice a day and just try to be present.
2. I am working through the Wilderness Awareness School’s Kamana courses. I have joined their 8 Shield Village Online Community which seems like an oxymoron to me, but who knows, maybe it will work. I have found a beautiful “sit spot” near my home in the industrial park. I am spending some nights in my tent getting used to cold Kamloops nights.
3. I am converting my synthetic clothing to natural products. I haven’t been cold since I found a pair of Danish army surplus wool pants. I am learning about weaving, felting and knitting. I am trying to learn the fiber making plants in my bioregion.
4. I am doing research. I am watching the signs which lead my research to sometimes strange and wondrous places. I have found a number of traditional patterns: trade cloth dress, capote, and moccasins. I am reading every book I can find about Tom Brown and trying out wilderness survival skills.
5. I have convinced the family to take three days off each week. We are going to spend the time up in Sunpeaks. I have never wanted to downhill ski but the hill is a great opportunity to get outside in high elevation. The exercise, fresh air, and time off is the salve my family needs at this time.

Lastly, I want to share what has moved me. Occasionally, I go the Birken in Kamloops events. This month Ajahn Sona spoke on making your life into an act of art. (I will link to the dhamma talk when it is available.) I loved his talk. I was moved to tears.

Lastly, I would like to share my sister Christine’s 2011 Solstice Greeting. Rest, watch for the signs, build an artful life and don’t worry if no one notices.

Wise Tradition Beginner Video Series

Posted on December 9, 2011 by publisher

Good food starts with fresh ingredients from a source you can trust. Use whole foods and get curious about how your food is produced. Learn how to make bone broth for fabulous soups and stews. If possible, grow some of your own food.

Yeah, yeah, I know I am on holiday. But I just couldn’t help but post these links to a new series of videos for newcomers to the Weston A Price Foundation done by Sarah Pope. If you are having trouble deciding which video to watch first, I would recommend Tips for Limited Time and Limited Budget. I did a vary similar posting to this video a while back. One note about the video. We are fortunate that grassfed beef can be really inexpensive here in Kamloops. Just ask the rancher for an animal that has always been on pasture. You will have to buy the whole animal from the rancher and send the animal to a local butcher such as, Kam Lake View Meats. If cost is an issue, split the meat with your friends and family.

Here is the letter from Sally Fallon Morell giving this early Christmas present to newcomers to nourishing traditional foods:

We are pleased to announce that the Wise Traditions Beginner Video Series is now complete and available for viewing by clicking the “Videos” tab in the header of the Weston A Price Foundation website!

This 12-part series covers all aspects of Traditional Food Preparation and is an ideal starting place for the visual learner who is new to the teachings of Dr Price. Please feel free to use these lessons to introduce your friends and family to the the travels and research of Dr Price (see video #2) and the basic techniques of Traditional Cooking. Send someone a link to all or just one particular video. Thanks for sharing this information with anyone you can.

Note that beneath each video is a complete transcript which can be immediately translated into any language right on the WAPF website by clicking the “select a language” pulldown menu in the left margin.

Lessons include:
1. Homemade Baby Formula
2 . Introduction to Traditional Eating
3. Traditional Fats and Sacred Foods
4. Journey Back to the Kitchen
5. Pantry Intervention
6. Natural Sweeteners
7. Salad Dressings and Sauces
8. Fermented Foods and Beverages
9. Proper Preparation of Grains and Legumes
10. Stocks and Soups
11. Healthy Snacks
12. Tips for Limited Time and Limited Budget

We’d like to thank Sarah Pope, chapter leader and board member, for her good work on these videos.

Best wishes,
Sally Fallon Morell

Taking a Break

Posted on November 16, 2011 by publisher

Sometimes it's best to stop and take a rest to avoid falling off a cliff.

Here is a view from Mount Todd at Sunpeaks, BC. The best rest is with a view.

I am taking a break from weekly posts at eatkamloops.org. I was wondering if any LOCAL people would like to do a guest post? A guest post can be about:

discovering local, healthy food sources
learning about traditional foods and food preparation
experiences about cultivation of heirloom seeds and heritage breeds
becoming aware of regional and national food security issues
lobbying for freedom in food preparation and commerce

Back in February 15, 2009 I wrote a post called Vision of an Urban Homestead. Personally, I am still committed to this vision, but this vision needs to spread beyond the personal to the community to be successful. Here is my vision. Maybe it can be your vision too:

I see a city where in every neighborhood there is at least one person committed to knowing everything that is produced in the local area. That person would also be committed to teaching others how to produce a garden suitable for the local conditions and how to introduce animals and fowl into the urban landscape safely and without conflict.

Groups of people would join together to change local bylaws to bring local, un-sprayed food and free-range animals back into our individual control. This means overturning laws that criminalize people for producing food, trading or selling to neighbors.

Groups of neighbors would exchange the bounty of their yards with other neighbors. This community of interested people will be committed to safe, nutritious and local food. There are some foods that cannot be produced in the city and the community would support the local ranchers and farmers.

There will be members of the community that would not be interested or able to grow a garden or raise livestock. These ranchers and farmers will produce their food. The food the city person buys will keep the farmers and ranchers in business, along with keeping their knowledge alive for another generation.

I would like to see this structure spread from neighborhood to neighborhood, city to city and across the country.

Michael Schmidt Ends 37 Days of Hunger Strike!

Posted on November 4, 2011 by publisher

Michael Schmidt has met with Premier Dalton McGuinty ending 37 days of his hunger strike. Here is the full story:
Michael Schmidt meets with Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty

Thank you, to all the people who have written letters of support for Michael Schmidt. Michael Schmidt has not spoken about the meeting with Premier Dalton McGuinty. I will update this posting when more information becomes available.

Updated November 4, 2011: Here is a statement from Michael Schmidt about his meeting with Premier Dalton McGuinty:
“This hunger strike was about starting a dialogue with the leader of this province. I have been on this human journey for 17 years looking for constructive dialogue, and I have been dragged through the courts for a crime that has no victims. My aim was simple: to take this to the top and to begin a conversation with our leader, one-on-one. To meet, as equal human beings, not as Premier and Farmer. It was because of this that I undertook my hunger strike. And this morning, I met with Premier McGuinty, in his office, and we have begun our dialogue, and because of this, I am ending my hunger strike today.

I have always had my hand outstretched in an offer for dialogue and feel that today, for the first time in 17 years, this hand has been taken and dialogue at the highest level has finally begun. I truly hope that the government will refrain from any further attacks on farmers until this dialogue has had a chance to take its proper course. We will be working closely with MPPs over the coming weeks to table a private member’s bill.”

Dealing with Children, Societal Pressure, and Halloween

Posted on October 23, 2011 by publisher

This is the day after the celebration of the Day of the Dead. Maybe mothers could take back the holidays and make them into something healthy for our children.

As a parent dealing with young children, I have struggled with wanting my children to have the best quality food possible and living in a toxic food society. So what’s a mother to do? Should I be a killjoy or conform to societal norms and allow my children to consume industrial junk? I refuse to call this junk, food.

As I see it, if we had one or two holidays a year that indulged the consumption of industrial junk, it wouldn’t be a problem. If all children normally ate whole foods from a quality source, I wouldn’t be worried. Unfortunately, industrial junk has become the normal daily fare for children and adults alike. It is also possible that industrial junk, for special occasions, has been the wedge that has increased industrial junk consumption throughout the year. Some people believe industrial junk is addictive and giving it to children will lead to a lifelong battle. Please read Zapping Sugar Cravings.

It has been the policy in our household to allow our children to go trick-or-treating for Halloween. Since my children never eat industrial junk, I feel it is okay for them to have one holiday a year where they can totally indulge in industrial junk. In fact, I feel my children need to have some exposure to industrial junk as part of their education. Here is how our household deals with Halloween:

We allow the children to eat as much of the candy as they like for the one evening.
If they don’t like the candy, I encourage them to spit-out the candy and discard it into a pile of refuse.
After they have eaten their fill, the candy goes in the garbage. It is one of the few times I encourage wastefulness.

What I like about this policy is that I can conform to societal norms while at the same time feel confident I’m not hurting my children’s health. It’s just once a year, right? Unfortunately, after doing this program for a number of years, I have noticed a few negative outcomes, including lying and hoarding.

Every year my children agree to this arrangement around Halloween. They love dressing up and plan their homemade costumes for months. The act of going trick-or-treating and the excitement of the night is irresistible. When they get home, they are happy to spit-out yucky tasting candies and are grateful that I’m not worried about wastefulness. Within a few hours, the super sweet binge is over and the candy goes in the garbage.

Well, that’s the plan. But my children have dumpster dived for candy and even gone to the trouble of hiding candy at a friend’s home. I find the behavior of my children strange. Normally, my children don’t lie or hide a hoard, but candy seems to have the power to motivate them into less than ideal behavior. Even indulging once a year, these sugary treats have a powerful hold on my children.

I really don’t know what to do. As a mother I can only do so much. Our household is like an island in a sea of community. Without the support of other like-minded families, our battle with industrial junk is likely a losing one. In my mind’s eye, I can see our community change the nature of our holidays and make them fun and nourishing for our children. Jill Escher has some ideas about how Moms could transform Halloween.

One new idea I’m going to try this Halloween is to “trade” industrial junk for artisan quality chocolate. I would prefer to know and control the ingredients that are in their treats. My hope is that quality chocolate and confectioneries will educate my children’s pallet. None of my children have taken me up on this offer yet, but I am hopeful. Honestly, can a high quality organic chocolate or confectionery lose out to industrial junk? I will find out this year.

I find it ironic, that as I try not to buckle under societal pressure regarding Halloween, Michael Schmidt is into day 23 of his hunger strike, fighting for our collective food freedom. So what’s it going to be: trick-or-treat?

November 4, 2011: Both girls decided to trade their industrial junk for artisan quality chocolate, organic chips, organic mulberries, and organic nut butters. It was interesting to see what the girls wanted but the price tag was high. I spent about $150 on this experiment. We planned for a Bon Bon Fire but everyone was too tired by the end of an exciting Halloween day. I just gave away the industrial junk. My eldest daughter went to her first Halloween dance and enjoyed chocolate cupcakes and a few pieces of industrial junk. Yesterday, she ended up in bed with her first cold of the year. Some people believe sugar will suppress the immune system for a number of hours after ingestion. I am treated her with homemade Elderberry Syrup and local propolis for sore throat and Hibiscus tea for extra vitamin C. I make up a some soothing homemade chicken vegetable soup with extra garlic.

Weston A Price Foundation Urgent Raw Milk Action Alert

Posted on October 21, 2011 by publisher

I received this Urgent Action Alert from the Weston A Price Foundation. They are requesting all Weston A Price Foundation members and people interested in food freedom to commence a letter writing campaign to mobilize against government interference with property ownership rights and food freedom. A sample letter can be found in the comment section of this posting:

BACKGROUND
On Wednesday, September 28, 2010, the Ontario government won its appeal against biodynamic farmer, Michael Schmidt. The appeal reversed the former ruling, which confirmed cow share members’ right to obtain raw milk products. Justice Peter Tetley rejected Schmidt’s argument that providing raw milk to cow share owners who are aware of any health risks was his legal right.

Schmidt has been fighting for the right to provide raw milk at his Grey County farm ever since it was raided by government officials in 1994. The recent ruling convicts Michael on 15 of 19 charges and reverses last year’s lower court decision to acquit him of all charges. This latest judicial ruling basically endorses governmental interference of property ownership rights and violates basic human rights to food freedom.

Since this ruling, Michael has embarked on a hunger strike and faces imminent danger of another raid to his farm, as do other farms that participate in Cowshare Canada. He feels that our movement is in great danger and we must act in unison now!

Michael’s urgent message: “We must mobilize our forces throughout Canada and the US with an enormous public outcry. We need to put relentless pressure on legislators in both countries—national, state and local—and also on health authorities through a massive letter-writing and call-in campaign. We also need to organize face-to-face meetings whenever possible. Canada desperately needs US support in these matters, so we encourage all US members to send messages to key Canadian contacts as well.”

ACTION TO TAKE
It is imperative that we organize to a much higher level. We need everyone in our movement to participate. We need:

At the very least, all members (US and Canada) should write to Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario. Submit an email or send a fax to 416.325.3745.
US citizens to write letters and call local, state, and federal legislators in the U.S. and to write letters to Canadian members of the Provincial Parliament in Ontario and British Columbia listed in this alert.
Canadian citizens to write letters to Canadian members of the Provincial Parliament in Ontario and British Columbia listed in this alert.
All need to write letters and call your local health officials.

Michael is depending on us to back up his brave efforts for food freedom!

CANADIAN CONTACTS
Dalton McGuinty, Premier
Legislative Building, Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, M7A 1A1
T: 1.800.387.5559
F: 416.325.3745
Send an Email

Tim Hudak, Leader of the Opposition
Unit M1, 4961 King St. E, Beamsville, ON, L0R 1B0
timhudak@niagara.net
T: 905.563.1755
T:1.800.665.3697

Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
242 Piccadilly Street, London, ON, N6A 1S4
dmatthews.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
T: 519.432.7339
F: 519.432.0613

Andrea Horwath, Leader of the New Democratic Party, Hamilton Centre Constituency
Suite 200, 20 Hughson Street South, Hamilton, Ontario, L8N 2A1
ahorwath-co@ndp.on.ca
T: 905.544.9644
F: 905.544.5152

Randy Hillier, Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington Constituency
Unit 1, 105 Dufferin Street, Perth, ON, K7H 3A5
randy.hillierco@pc.ola.org
T: 613.267.8239
F: 613.267.7398

Jack MacLaren
2 Beaverbrook Mall, Unit 102, Kanata, ON, K2K 1L2
jack@jackmaclaren.com
T: 1.877.780.5225

Greg Sorbara, Liberal MPP in Ontario Constituency Office
140 Woodbridge Avenue, Unit AU8 – Market Lane, Woodbridge, ON, L4L 4K9
gsorbara.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
T: 905.851.0440
F: 905.851.0210

Larry Miller, Federal Conservative MP, Chair of Standing Committee on Agriculture in Ottawa
1131 2nd Avenue East, Suite 208, Owen Sound, ON, N4K 2J1
millela1@parl.gc.ca
T: 519.371.1059
F: 519.371.1752

Call To Action: Raw Milk and Food Freedom

Posted on October 16, 2011 by publisher

I received an email today from Barbara Schellentberg of the Weston A Price Foundation Vancouver Chapter. She is one of the shareholders with Our Cows, once called Home On The Range, a herdshare program in Chilliwack, BC. They are trying to get 10,000 signatures in the hope of stopping the government from infringing on their right to enjoy the products of their herd. If you would like to support this group’s right to drink raw milk from their own herd, without onerous government interference, please sign the petition:
Support Food Freedom Petition

Here is Alice Jongerden speaking at Occupy Vancouver about how she was once a farmer until the Government said “No!”:
Alice Jongerden Speaks out at Occupy Vancouver

Here is a link to a video about a Raw Milk Rally with Michael Schmidt on October 12, 2011. Michael Schmidt should be an inspiration to all citizens of Canada opposing oppressive bureaucracies. Michael Schmidt has been fighting the Government of Canada for over seventeen years trying to ensure you have food freedom. If you would like to learn more about his work please see this link.

Cheers,

Caroline Cooper
Weston A Price Foundation Kamloops Chapter
eatkamloops.org

Updated October 17, 2011: Here is an essay by Karen Selick of the Canadian Constitution Foundation about liberty and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. She says: “Totalitarianism is the name for a political regime in which virtually all aspects of citizens’ lives are subject to state control.”
The Courts Are Milking Their Power for All It’s Worth

Sugar Free Halloween?

Posted on October 15, 2011 by publisher

What do you think about a skeleton riding a bicycle? Would our children find Hallaween a deeper experience if it wasn't all about candy?

Could it be possible? Could we have a sugar free Halloween? This is the hope of Jill Escher of endsugaraddiction.com. She is the founder of the first annual Sugar Addiction Awareness Day (SAAD) which is happening on October 30, 2011. Jill says, “the point of SAAD is to enlighten as many people as we can about the reality of sugar and refined food addictions, and provide general guidance about overcoming them. Halloween is the perfect hook for this important message.“

Here are some of Jill’s ideas for a sugar free Halloween:

Make a sugar free Halloween poster and post it on your front door: “Sugar-Free Halloween House” or “This House Not Haunted by Junk Food”.
Instead of handing out candy at the front door give children: pencils, toys, books, glow-in-the-dark sticks, necklaces, masks, fortunes without the cookies, funny jewelry, small school supplies, quarters, or other fun alternatives.
Hand out custom made bracelets or buttons with sugar free messages such as: “I’m a Sugar-Free Kid” or “Say Boo to Junk Food”.
Find something your children want and make an exchange for your children’s Halloween candy. Find a local dentist who will “buy” Halloween candy. Offer to “buy” Halloween candy from your neighborhood children.
If permitted, hold a Candy Bonfire in your yard’s fire pit. Invite the local children to burn their junk food in the fire and watch. (warning: messy!)
Work with other families on your block to turn yours into a candy free street. Organize a Halloween block party with fun activities that don’t include junk food.
Take the Sugar Is Spooky Challenge and have your whole family go sugar free on Halloween and the following week.
Don’t participate in the Halloween tradition. Turn off the porch light and enjoy a quiet evening without adding to your local community’s sugar load.

October 30th is Sugar Addiction Awareness Day! Are you going to have a sugar free Halloween?

eatkamloops.org

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Category Archives: Urban Homestead