A little of this/A little of that: Sap, Cows and The Garden Begins

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”

- Rachel Carson

 

I have been most delinquent with my responsibility of the blog. I’ve thought about it. I’ve jotted notes. I’ve even taken pictures thinking “This would look great on the blog!” but alas, it’s been many weeks. And even though there has been so much going on family wise, we haven’t forgotten that there are 3 DAYS left until EARTH DAY and our official kick off. Eek!

Let me fill you in on what you missed.

MAINE MAPLE SUNDAY:
March 27, 2011

Having never braved the lines (or cold) before, Nate and I thought it would be appropriate to make an effort this year, so off we went to Harris Farm. Even at 8:45, the line for pancakes strung around the corner and as the wind found its ways in through out jackets, we decided to try the sugar house instead.

By some small miracle, there was barely a line and we quickly scooted inside to watch and learn about maple sugar. The system of making maple syrup is far more complicated than I thought. Tap the tree, out comes syrup, right? Silly me.  Basically, after tapping the tree and collecting all of the sap (on the right day after the right temperatures), it must be boiled down in multiple stages. Harris Farm has quite the system of sap stage boiling and it was fascinating to see the different steps.

Traditional Tree Tapping

Frozen Sap

Steamy Sap Boiling Goodness

And although we didn’t get any syrup, I ate the best maple sugar donut I’ve ever had. As a matter of fact, I’m still dreaming about it.

FARMERS GATE MARKET
April 2, 2011

A major part of our preparation has been working hard to locate local sources of food, and in our research, we were led to a brilliant little butcher shop in Leeds, Maine. Farmer’s Gate Market is a small, but well-connected local butcher shop committed to the ethical, human and sustainable production and consumption of meat. Owner Ben Slayton could not have been more welcoming and so up we went, family of 5, in the little red Yaris to Leeds, Maine. The unassuming building is set off from the road and we were shocked when we realized we had driven past it many times and not noticed it was there. Ben welcomed our family in, even to the back butchering room, and showed us around. With a Masters in Environmental Policy, Ben then traveled to Italy where he apprenticed with a Butcher. Returning to Maine, he found a small butcher shop owned by Leon Emery (retiring butcher of Farmers Gate Market) and the two began to work in collaboration. Ben spoke thoughtfully and carefully about his families choice to settle in Leeds and transform the shop into a proverbial gateway to local meat sources. Working side by side with farmers, FGM is committed to only working with farms and farmers who meet their specific standards…”(1) pasture-based farming; (2) humane treatment of animals; (3) environmentally sustainable farming practices; and (4) good and honest people.” Ben has also been allowed to visit the only slaughter-house in Maine to ensure that the animals are treated safely and ethically through the slaughtering process. The meat is then brought back to FGM where it is carefully and deliberately cut, packaged and sold.

I have to say, the experience of stepping into the walk-in-cooler and standing next to a hanging side of beef with the two big girls beside me was pretty amazing and Ben was fabulous, as he pointed out the different cuts of meat. Later, both girls agreed that it was the “grossest and coolest thing, all at the same time”.

We plan on ordering the majority of our meat from Farmers Gate Market and Ben is willing, as with all of his customers, to cut, package and freeze according to our needs. It’s a worth-while experience to visit and eat from FGM… the bacon was simply delicious and the hamburgers were as fresh as they come.

THE GARDEN!

We’ve gone back and forth on how to make the garden (raised bed? English style?), where to make the garden (containers? down the road on family property?) and when to make the garden (what do you mean you WAIT until May to plant?). After weeks of perusing the seed website of Johnny’s Seeds (which I strongly encourage you to visit!) we finally decided on a small order of about $100 dollars worth of seeds. (So much for that small first-year garden).

Within a few days our carefully sowed seeds began to look like this! (At this point, my previously described anxiety of not being able to feed my family slowly started to dissipate!)

At the same time, we decided to transform what was once a 14′x24′ granite lined, crushed gravel filled project that was never used by the phone companies on my mothers land into a 14′x24′ granite lined, 18″dug, quasi-raised bed garden. Please take note of the amount of crushed gravel!

So, doing what our family does best, we all pitched into make our garden…

 

Raking with a sleeping 7 month old. Hardcore…

2 hours later, winded and tired, we realized we hadn’t accomplished much.  (one corner of said 14′x24′ granite lined, crushed gravel filled soon to be garden).

So we decided to take the easier route and hired a local guy with a backhoe to dig it out for us.

Now, we’re getting ready to fill said dug garden with beautiful loam/compost mix from Blackrock Farm and hopefully begin planting and transplanting over the next few weeks.

I can’t forget to show the progress on our mushrooms. This is sort of Nate’s project but the bottom line is this– if it works out as planned, we’ll have Shiitakes, Pearl Oyster and  Phoenix Oyster mushrooms throughout the summer season. Holes were drilled and plugs were hammered in (with help from the girls!). Now we wait and see. (He’s also got some other crazy plan of growing mushrooms in coffee grounds- research based of course. I’ll keep you posted. I’m hoping those happen as fast as he says so that we can remove the buckets of coffee grounds from all over our kitchen!)

 

Inch by Inch

“A patent on seeds is a patent on freedom.”
- Ka Memong Patayan 

It never ceases to amaze me how often the world seems to come full circle. Or maybe how my life and the world often feel closer than 6-degrees of separation. Maybe it’s just ironic that my life and the circumstances in the world are feeling so parallel…or maybe not.

Less than a week ago, 22 agricultural associations, 12 seed businesses and 26 farms and farmers from around the United States filed a legal suit against Monsanto, a US-based agricultural biotech corporation. Monsanto, best know for its Round-Up resistant (yes, Round Up the Herbicide which has been banned in many countries for its impact on all creatures great and small) patented soy beans, corn and cotton seeds, has effectively and efficiently created a monopoly on genetically modified (GM) seeds. With this patent, other farms and farmers not using these seeds run the risk of being sued if the seed is found on their land, even if it was carried via wind, soil or bird poop and it is not beyond Monsanto to sue, threaten or harass small farmers right out of business should this happen. Their claim? Copyright infringement, seed stealing, etc,. This suit, which challenges Monsanto’s rights, would prohibit Monsanto from suing these small farms and seed companies, should they’re land/product/seed become cross-contaminated.  (visit http://www.percyschmeiser.com/ for more information on a real life example of the disastrous effects of this reality).

At the same time as all of this is transpiring, I am watching (with joy) as the  tiny seeds we planted last weekend have begun to unfurl. The heirloom tomato seeds…the pickling cucumbers…the lemongrass…all at various stages of bloom. Seed to dirt, water, sun, a little heat, some gentle coaxing and voila (!), my fears of failing my family begin to melt away. Such little effort and the fruits of our labor seem so close, I can nearly feel the sweat on my brow as I can a years supply of heirloom tomato sauce.  And though I have to believe that my tiny backyard garden will never be affected by seed-bullies like Monsanto, I struggle to understand what this really means for these farmers, the future of agriculture and food production as we know it.

The more and more I read and subsequently, the more and more I learn, I cannot help by feel discouraged by the direction our world is headed in . Naively, I thought I “got it” before we started this project, but I sheepishly must admit, I had no idea the scope or impact of what I would find. And though I feel ‘late for the game’, as it goes to talking about food production and sustainability, I have to say, I think the real conversations have only just begun. Leave it to me to equate singing songs to the tiny seeds on my windowsill with the impact of genetically modified seeds in rural Nebraska, but damn, I’ve gone and done it. And now you, well you’ve got to read about it. What’s your “6-degrees” or parallel process? What does food production mean to your family? And how does the proverbial “we” ensure that Round-Up resistant seeds don’t make it on to our kitchen tables, and into the bellies of our children, because right now, im pretty sure it’s closer than I want it to be. What’s on your table?

From Seed to Sprout (or how I try to convice myself I won’t kill the garden).

“The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway”
Michael Pollan

 

I guess there’s not turning back now. Our seed order (at a cost I shall not disclose) from Johnny’s Seeds (an employee-owned seed producer and merchant headquartered in Winslow, Maine) should be arriving any day. Being as this is my first “real garden”, I’ll admit that I am feeling a tad bit of angst as I think about us starting everything from seed.  Nathan says there’s nothing to be worried about and everything will be fine (though he stopped trying to convince me when I reminded him of his scraggly and sad-looking rosemary he grew from seed last year). I’m torn between such great hopefulness for the bounty of crops we will reap (picture this: tomatoes spilling off the stems, rows of crispy butter lettuce and stoic brussel sprouts rooted firmly in our beautifully mulched beds) and the scary reality that maybe this will just be a big flop. What if we can’t do it? What if the (cough) dollars of seeds we just bought don’t grow (ie: I kill them) and I can’t feed my family (for a year, no pressure)?! I’m being silly, I know. Plenty of people garden every day. There should be no reason why we can’t do it and reap that bountiful harvest. Right? For good measure, we’ve signed up for an introductory gardening class called “Grow an Organic Garden“, which will be taught by Helene Lewand of Blackrock Farm on April 6. (Ps. There are two spots left if anyone wants to join us. I’ll be the one taking vigorous notes and sweating at the thought of managing aphids with beneficial insects.)

 

I digress. Back to the seeds. Johnny Seeds is a great website and resource for local seeds. With plenty of options, we took our time going through each section and selected a great variety.  As soon as these blessed little seeds arrive will set of to work, which will ultimately leave our house looking something like an indoor greenhouse.

 

We decided to order our Heirloom tomatoes from TomatoFest for a variety of options for our sauces and paste. We had great success last year with our heirlooms we purchased from Snell Family Farm. This year, we’re going straight from seed, and we’re hoping for the best.

Aside from preparing our front beds to become our kitchen garden this year (which may have involved a small incident with the overgrown rose-bush), we also took some time this weekend to order our mushroom plugs from Fungi Perfecti. We’re both seriously excited for this:

We’re doing great locating lots of local vendors, and I have to admit that for a girl who’s lived in Maine her whole life, I really had no idea just how diverse and plentiful the farm and food options were. If I’ve learned anything thus far, it’s a solid reminder that Maine IS an amazing place to live. We’re enjoying networking and meeting new people and farms and are looking forward to a few upcoming field trips (stay tuned!). 

Finally, we’ve signed up for a food co-op (Thanks Danielle!) called The Crown O’ Maine, which “distributes locally grown produce across the length and breadth of Maine”. Our hope is this will be an “easier” way to access all of our favorite Maine products without adding to our own carbon footprint.

A (very) big thanks to all of the friends, family and farmers who have shared words of encouragement as we start this journey. With just a month to go until the big day, I’m already feeling a little angsty. When will we have time to make 3 loaves of bread, homemade pasta, yogurt and butter, soak the beans and pull the weeds? I have to say… all this planning is making me long for a life on the farm….kids running through the fields, wheat grass swaying in the breeze and me, hands and knees in the dirt contemplating carrot tops and beet greens.

The Rules: Taking It To The Streets

“Hell, there are no rules here – we’re trying to accomplish something”.
Thomas A. Edison

 

 

What about beer? What about sugar? WHAT ABOUT COFFEE???

As much as it’s possible to enjoy being a rule maker and breaker all at the same time, I am. So, to help guide us along we’re working on just a few “rules” to help us stay focused.

 

 

1. Eat food grown ONLY from the State of Maine OR within 100 miles from our Southern Maine Home

 

Living in the State of Maine makes us lucky for so many reasons- including the 8100 farms of which over 600 are considered organic. From potatoes  to chickens and everything in between- Maine has it. Our original idea of a strict 100-miles felt like we would limit ourselves to some of the best options Maine has to offer- Maine Sea Salt from Marshfield, Maine; Canola Oil from Aroostook County; Sunflower Oil and Tempeh from Albion; Honeymaker Mead from Portland- so we’re extending our diet to include all the goodness that Maine has to offer. The real challenge for us, as we learn more and more about local farms is not WHAT we’ll have access to but more about the preparation (i.e., making everything from scratch!)

 

2. Have fun & work together.

 

It didn’t take much convincing at all for the grownups to be on board with this project and plan, however, it’s taken some serious explaining to help the little ones understand the undertaking we’re about to embark on. For me, food is not just a necessity; it’s about family, creating, sharing, enjoying and more often than not, indulging- and it’s these very beliefs that I hope to raise my children with. Food has purpose, and it’s not just about helping you become “big and strong” (as they’ve heard me say so many times), but about coming together, slowing down and enjoying  the company of whomever may be at the table.

 

3. Document our Journey using our Family Blog.

 

Our goals for working together over the life of this project include creating, tending and utilizing our very first family garden; visiting farms across the State (and documenting these field trips) to see where our meat and produce come from and learn how families and individuals create a life and career around farming; and working together to prepare and cook our meals. We will use this blog to document the ups, downs and all that this journey has to offer and to share with our friends and family the process and progress we make!

 

In order to help explore the costs and benefits of this project we will also be documenting our Health and Finances. Nate will participate in a pre -and post- lab work up to see if a change in diet offers any health benefits (which we will share) and Sarah and Nate will keep track of our food spending for the year and compare to the last year, prior to this project. We hope to be able to better answer the looming questions we’ve always wanted answers for- Does a local diet provide for health benefits and Does it cost more to eat locally?

 

4. (So as not to be TOO rigid) Allow each family member 1 “indulgence” at a time…A bag of my favorite coffee… a box of those tasty Cheez-its…you get the point. We’ve gone back and forth about what “one” and “indulgence” really means, and depending who you ask in the family, we all might tell you something different! The important thing to remember is that our project isn’t about “limiting” or becoming too rigid so we’ll each be allowed one (1) indulgence of each persons choice at a time… (Remind me that this means I can’t have Peet’s Coffee AND a Toblerone bar at the same time!)

 

5. Get creative.

“Anyway, like I was sayin’, shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey’s uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that’s about it. “.

 

Yep- that’s about it.

 

 

 

Put ‘cho money where ‘yo mouth is…(or all the reasons why we SHOULD commit to the 100-mile diet)

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

— Dr. Seuss, from The Lorax

After a half-hearted attempt at convincing myself of all the reasons why we shouldn’t commit to our so-called fanatical, life-altering, tree-hugging experience of becoming (gasp) locavores, I realized it ultimately only encouraged us more. (But seriously, who am I kidding?  My first entry was really just an exercise to prove to all you nay-sayers and ”couldn’t be done-ers” (Mother) that we hadn’t thought through this plan.) Our reasons are extensive and far-reaching and it only makes sense to outline and talk about the benefits as we see them for committing to this lifestyle.

• We believe our world and resources are finite and the current practices of food production and food consumption are un-sustainable, un-ethical and down-right unhealthy. From wheat, corn and water to factory farms, fossil fuels and pollution all the way to heart disease, obesity and the disheartening link to poor and under-advantaged individuals and families, we believe our as-is methods have got to go.
• We believe that these practices and policies hurt our environment, take advantage of workers (locally and globally) and, in an effort to maximize profit, create a chain of  disturbing and disgusting “strategies” to increase food production and decrease cost. (Don’t worry, I’ll fill you in on all the gory details later).
• We believe in the power of the people, of local money and it’s impact on the local economy. We know that  ”Maine people spend $4 billion per year on food, most of which goes directly out-of-state (it’s the second largest consumer expense in Maine behind energy spending)” at the same time when our State is facing a $438 million dollar budget gap. Call me crazy (or just a naive social worker), but I can’t help but think about the positive impact us lowly Mainers could have on our own financial well-being.  Local farmers growing local food deserve local money.
• We believe that food doesn’t HAVE to be expensive and despite how much I love a good, crunchy red-dye #26 Dorito from time-to-time, it shouldn’t cost less to eat a bag of chips than a head of lettuce. With the rate of obesity growing (pun intended) and the cost of say, beef  (or sugar or fats) decreasing, we have to wonder about the equation of inequality. We believe that just because you’re poor(er) doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have the same rights to the food standards as the rich(er); poverty should not be a deciding factor in quality food consumption.
• We believe that food shouldn’t only taste good but should be good for you.  We believe that not only are Genetically Modified Foods scary to think about (mutant soybeans, what?!) but scarier to consume and wonder about the long-term impact of these on our bodies. What does it REALLY mean that soybeans are sprayed with Round Up or beef is drenched in ammonia? What is the connection between antibiotic use in animals (as a method of destroying unnaturally occurring bacteria) and antibiotic allergies in humans?
   
• We believe that animals are living, sentient beings and deserved to be treated fairly. We believe that there are humane ways to utilize animals for food and would rather know that Bessie the Cow grazed freely and was not slaughtered via production line. We understand the connection between animal cruelty and human rights violations (be they in our own communities and abroad) and believe that this correlation reflects the simplest of lessons to “do unto others”.
• We believe in the value of teaching and learning about our world and the decisions (and impacts) we make. We believe in being well-informed and well-versed consumers and know that these life-long skills of decoding, decrypting and deciphering mass media messages starts young and at home.
• Simply said, we believe it is the right thing to do.

There you have it. The beliefs we will carry as we practice, prepare (and persevere?!) into our year-long (ad)venture into the world of local food.  Stay tuned…the rules are yet to come! (Here’s where we learn how Mom gets to keep her coffee and the kids can still have pizza).