Heritage Swine and Small Farms Prey to CAFO-pressured DNR?

First we aren't allowed to determine what we will drink and now a government agency will decide whose herds are "safe" and will do away with any that they deem suspect.  If feral swine are a concern then do away with feral swine on a case-by-case basis.  Attacking heritage breeds on small farms is not acceptable.  Blanket laws that do not delineate between  small, organic farms with well-maintained, effectively-contained animals and fly-by-night operations or wild animals are damaging.  We need the diversity of heritage breeds to avoid mono-culture that will require ever-more chemical measures to sustain and run the risk of being wiped out all at once should nature move faster than we can - which we know can happen.
The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund reports on this and other attempts to tamp down our whole-food alternatives.  Please consider both sides when big government issues alarmist reports - there are too many factors to consider just one side or the other.  Become an informed consumer (literally - I mean you are putting these things into your body daily!) and make your voice heard based on what you discover.

I passed a delivery truck for one of our local pork-producers yesterday.  It was running but rusty.  The local farmers are fighting to feed their families, not keep their lobby dollars.  They are farming via their beliefs, not fishing for votes.  These people are not in it for the money, prestige or influence.  They simply want to be independent, self-sustaining, consumer-pleasing and left alone.

Hunger Games? or Real Life?

When I read the books I said I wouldn't go see the movies so I wouldn't be just like the audience in the Capitol, gawking at these kids killing each other for "honor" and "tradition" (public reasons) and dumb-down entertainment for the mindless herd and a reminder threat to the oppressed (real reasons).  Half-way through the movie I remembered my vow and felt like a hypocrite but my husband said it was a good reminder to see it, and indeed it was.  Control is a corrupting and slippery slope - the more one has at stake from being in a position of power (money, control, celebrity) the more s/he will be willing to cross ethical and moral and spiritual lines to maintain it.  This is not simply a fictional account - there are examples of it every single day in our world.  Someone's son or husband or mother dies or gets a little sicker so that someone in control can still be treated to an expensive trip or so his company can continue to profit from building defense machines or so we can buy cheap gas or so the drug money won't dry up (and I don't necessarily mean drug lords or war criminals, but people we see on CNN too).  I have heard it said that the next conflict affecting this country will not be about race or nationality - it will be about poverty and greed.  Our food supply is going to suffer because fewer control more of it and it does not have the strength of diversity.  Government should not be in control of how we nourish ourselves.  This is not the business government was meant to be in and the constituents never approved the USDA or other groups who have control, supposedly for the public good but undoubtedly in the pockets of big money agriculture.  This hits your family right on the dinner table and in the bodies of your babies.    The Hunger Games are not as far away from reality as you might think. Click the link above - take the quiz - learn more.

New Life

Thankfully spring has sprung, and just in time.  I was feeling old after a back injury and a broken tooth.  This week, however, the chickens started laying full-force, the seeds from Southern Seed Exchange arrived and our cow Daisy showed off her brand new calf, Myrtle Ann! This is nature's way of saying, "Wake up! Make the most of each breath!" Even though I will only be able to work short shifts preparing and planting this spring I am still going to do it and try and make the farm that little bit more productive just as I strive to every season. I am blessed to have strong guys here to help with the heavy work. I'd love your help as well - if you have tips for "working smarter, not harder" in the agricultural arena, please share them in the comments.

Patience

It's been quite awhile and many little victories have amassed - I grew a whole patch of pumpkins and despite the squash bugs forcing me to put chickens in my patch and pluck several bugs off-plant and into water bowl for the chickens I did get 2 dozen pumpkins ranging from small to medium. I also harvested acorn squash, tomatoes and cukes. The best day this fall was not any of these though, it was the day my husband, Todd, harvested his first honey!!! You have to understand, this is the third year he's kept bees and the fourth colony he's raised - so we joke that it is $400 honey but it is a deep gold and as delicious as any I've ever tasted. We worked together to extract it and bottle it and though we got just enough to share with a few family members and for our pantry it was amazing to finally harvest it.

Finally a Sincere Pumpkin Patch

After three years of little or no fruit I had soil tested, amended and Voila! Finally a small but serious patch of a couple dozen hearty pumpkins! This may seem insignificant to some but it is a big improvement over the frustration of seeing the flowers and vines but no fruit season after season. Our little farm is also rocking the acorn squash this year, along with a few tomatoes and cukes and hopefully some sweet potatoes...

The hens have stopped laying - Hmmmm - molting, earthquake (8/23/11 at 1:51 p.m.), hurricane (8/27/2011) or not enough light (my son is in charge of them and a late sleeper - not an excellent combination). We may be starting with a new flock next year...

The honeybees have come through this year! We should have several pounds of honey in the next few weeks! Like the pumpkins, this has been awhile in the making but we're starting to get the hang of farming!

Wal-nots? F-duh, US-duh and other unhealthy alphabet soup...

Walnuts are Drugs Says FDA
It is heartening that people are trying to get back to whole food - food that energizes and builds your systems and fuels you for good works. It is also obvious that we must work at this individually, locally and with a discerning attitude.

I spotted a saying yesterday:

Real eyes
realize
real lies

It is time to stop looking to (or if you are already working toward self-sufficiency, allowing)the administration of this country to tell free citizens what or what not to do. I don't mean traffic signals or fraudulent contracts - there certainly is a place for building infrastructure and judging acts that violate civil liberties (with appropriate due process, not via an agency designed to skirt the people's voice in lawmaking). But the public servants of the U.S. government (the government being the people) are so desperate to be indispensable they entrench themselves in areas that should be left to each individual, family and community. If I wish to obtain and eat a walnut, or even gather and sell them then I should have the freedom to do so. If I do not do my research then yes I might become ill or I might be creating an opportunity for some other easily led soul to become ill. I will suffer the natural consequences either way. Is it easier to pay a behemoth administration do the research and caution me - probably - but if I give up my responsibility I also give up my freedom and leave my future to the agenda, which may or may not be in my best interest, or others. The odds for a meaningful and fulfilling existence are better if I take care of myself, if my family makes it's own food choices and if my local community reaches out face to face with those who cannot do these things for themselves. We must strive, through research, education and our own hands-on experience to cultivate real eyes so we can think and act for ourselves. Easier said than done? Sure. Are we up to the task? More than we know. Worth it? Definitely.

Isn't water a miracle?

One of my favorite chores is watering. Not only is it sheer pleasure on an August day in the south but there is something so satisfying about providing the animals with clean, clear drinking vessels. They know it too. As soon as it is filled, the chickens flock to their trough, dipping their beaks and raising their feathered heads to throw back the cool drops. Even when the dogs have more than half a bowl I rinse and refresh it - I know the treat fresh water is in my glass and I'm sure they prefer it fresh also. A shower is better than morning coffee to me and cleaning is so much easier when water can wash away the impurities. I'm afraid we take it for granted because I know there are many on this earth who struggle for clean water. Water is life!