Farm City

I started reading Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer today. So far a very good look at what we are trying to do. She starts with garden, bee's and egg chickens. Moving onto raising her own meat birds. I am not through with it yet, it is a fairly quick read I should be done with it in a few days. I really like the respect she shows to her animals with consideration to harvesting them. Harvesting an animal requires more work than harvesting plants but is essentially the same. Planning, growing, caring for and eventual harvest. We are considering raising our own meat birds. Novella Carpenters blog can be found at Ghost Town Farm. Jake and I have spent some years as vegetarians and knowing most tofu or soy products are grown in Brazil where rainforest's are cut down to make way for soy bean fields doesn't seem environmentally friendly. I've done some research on soybean's phytoestrogen's and frankly basing my diet around that is some what frightening. Our big push to eat locally grown, organic, humanely raised, meat seems our obvious choice. We ate our first local chicken a few days ago. The whole bird, because local doesn't mean just breast meat, it means you want chicken well here's the whole bird. Our's came from Rocky Ridge Ranch a farm about 25 miles from our house. They also sell grass finished beef and pork. Amazing people! We are treading lightly with meat eating preferring to eat mostly veggie and legume diet. But veggies are in short supply in the winter months. I don't wish to eat any fruit ripened with ethylene gas (yummy! it's also used for welding). Our food supply is truly frightening the more I look into it. Which is another big push to get as much as we can, including our meat from this back yard farm. Some links about Soy and ripening agents for produce.

Made From Scratch

I came across this blog while searching random green things called Cold Antler Farm. A wonderful blog about a woman my age and homesteading. This gal Jenna had written a book called Made From Scratch, so I picked it up at the library. A lovely book about her adventure into becoming a self sufficient woman.

Mostly her ups and downs about the reality of farm life. The chapter that really struck me was about the rabbits. She has to go through a tough experience putting down one of the rabbits. Truly eye opening because most of the books and magazines gloss over the reality of farm life. Like, what happens if your neighbors dog gets into your yard and starts a massacre of your free range chickens? Or your rabbit breaks its back and needs to be killed quickly?

Gardening, sled dogs (or pack dogs), and cooking are all topics she discusses. Made From Scratch, also goes into antiquing. Everything was made better back then right? Well why not go purchase it then, plus your buying something with history and supporting local businesses. I already garage sale, thrift and antique shop, but what a lovely way to get that idea out there to the general public. A great book, not very long it was was a rather quick read for me.

Oh, and Made From Scratch won the Books for a Better Life award under the green category.

I have many of those books on my to read list, if you scroll further down the page too all the finalist books are listed as well. So many great reads.... now if I just had more time.