From Scratch Magazine April/May

From scratch {life on the homestead}

April/May 2013

Spring Issue

The History of Homesteading The Buzz on Beekeeping Community Supported Agriculture The Magazine for the Modern Homesteader

Contents

Want Goats?

Start here

The History of Homesteading

page 28 The Farmstead

page 6

righteous bacon

Kids on the Homestead

page 42 essential oils: a primer

page 56 holy shittakes!

decisions, decisions: how to choose the right vegetables for your garden

page 134 2 • from scratch magazine

page 94 goatpacking in the back country

page 70 page 84

Letter From The Editor

“

Spring is in the air.”

S

Spring is springing! Finally after a long winter (does winter ever seem short?) the fun is beginning. The garden is in the works. Tiny seeds are sprouting in the greenhouse. We have added lots of ducks and chickens to the flock and are building a pen for some new pigs and extending the goat and chicken pens.

With the overwhelming success of the premier issue we are so blessed to have so many wonderful readers. Thank you so much for reading along!

Photo by: Erika Tracy

This issue is filled with lots of informative articles. And since Mother’s Day is right around the corner we have lots of great photos of kids around the homestead.

Speaking of kids, we know how hard it can be to get them to help out! No fear, we have some great tips to get the kids engaged.

We hope that you are enjoying these longer days and that your homestead is filled with love!

Melissa Jones from scratch magazine • 3

Contributors

Thank You

chris mclaughlin Gardening Editor A Suburban Farmer

lisa steele Chicken Columnist Fresh-Eggs-Daily

renee henry Keep Your Memories in Your Shoes

emily mcgrath our little coop

jennifer burke

carol alexander

1840 Farm

Lessons from the Homestead

Melissa Jones From Scratch Publisher/ Editor

4 • from scratch magazine

Lesa Wilke Better Hens And Gardens

Steven Jones From Scratch Associate Editor

from scratch magazine • 5

everything you need to know to get started

6 • from scratch magazine

want goats?

Start here By: Lesa Wilke

T

hink you’re seeing more goats lately? Well, it’s not your imagination. After chickens, goats are the fastest growing livestock animal in the US today. They’re increasingly popular on small farms and homesteads because they’re easy to care for and so useful. Goats don’t require pastures, are easily handled and housed, and can provide meat, milk, fiber, fertilizer, and brush control. Goat milk and meat are preferred over cow in most of the world, and folks in the US are starting to catch on in a big way.

Goat breeds are divided into three types: meat, dairy, and fiber – with several breeds readily available in the US within each type (see goat breed chart).

Any of the breeds can be used for both meat and milk, but they’re classified according to their main usage. The meat breeds are taller and stockier, the dairy breeds lighter and more refined, and the fiber breeds typically fall somewhere in between. There’s also one breed within each type that’s considered miniature (the Pygmy, Pygora, and Nigerian Dwarf), and that can be kept in suburban settings (if local zoning allows it) because of their small size.

from scratch magazine • 7

goat breeds Breed

type

buck Doe weight weight (lbs.) (lbs.)

270 210

Boer

Meat

Kiko

Meat

200

130

Fainting Spanish

Meat Meat

140 175

80 130

Pygmy

Meat

75

55

Angora

Fiber

105

85

Cashmere

Fiber

150

100

Pygora

Fiber

85

70

Alpine

Dairy

170

135

Saanen Oberhasli

Toggenburg

Dairy Dairy Dairy

170 150 150

135 120 120

Nubian La Mancha

Dairy Dairy

175 170

135 130

Nigerian Dwarf

Dairy

95

75

Comments

Good for drier climates.

Suitable for wet climates.

Usually very hardy.

Good for small spaces.

Produce mohair fiber.

Produce Cashmere fiber.

Good for small spaces, produce Cashmere or mohair fiber.

Leading breed for milk production.

Oldest known dairy goat.

Can be noisy.

Calm and docile.

Good for small spaces, known for high quality milk.

goat breed comparison (weights are averages and can vary significantly) 8 • from scratch magazine

Choosing a breed Choosing a breed comes down to what you want the goats for — will it be primarily for milk, meat or fiber? What breeds are available in your area, the cost, and breed size?

If milk or meat consumption is a primary goal, then tasting that breed’s milk or meat is important. Taste can vary substantially from breed to breed.

If fiber is the goal, then it is important to make sure the breed you are interested in produces the right fiber.

Next, it should be determined whether purebred goats are

from scratch magazine • 9

desired; it is easier to sell their offspring, but if they will just be used for meat or farm milk, it may not make sense to invest in purebreds.

Finally, you will want to make sure the breed is readily available within travelling distance, is in your price range, and fits your size constraints.

The miniature breeds are increasingly popular because they often cost less, fit in small spaces, and are very easy to handle (like a medium size dog).

Once you have chosen a breed, it’s best to visit several reputable breeders, look over their goats, check out the

10 • from scratch magazine

housing arrangements, ask lots of questions, and make sure you will be happy with the support they’re willing to supply.

Information and experienced veterinarians for goats can still be hard to find, so having a willing “mentor” can be invaluable.

There are also several serious goat diseases that should be avoided, and reputable breeders will be willing to show evidence that their herds are free from these diseases.

It’s a good idea to avoid goats from auctions, as they may bring hidden problems or diseases with them.

Housing for goats Housing for goats ideally includes a barn with room for the goats and their kids, water, feed storage, lights, and a separate area to milk in (if you’re going to be milking).

However, all that is absolutely required is a shelter that will keep them dry and out of the wind. Goats do need protection from predators such as coyotes, mountain lions, wolves, and stray dog packs; so housing them in a barn often makes sense. It’s also much more comfortable for humans and kids (baby

goats), particularly during kidding season and while milking. Goats need a minimum of 10’ to 15’ square feet of protected space per goat, if they also have access to outside space.

Goats prefer wooded browse to pastures (they prefer to reach up to eat rather than down like sheep or cattle), and will happily eat things we consider nuisances like poison ivy and brambles. In addition to browse, they need good hay, goat minerals, water, and grain (when pregnant or milking). If an area for browsing can’t be provided, goats will do fine on hay alone for

from scratch magazine • 11

roughage. Besides food and water, they generally require regular hoof trimming, a couple of semi-annual vaccinations, and worming to prevent internal parasite infestations.

Fencing for goats Fencing for goats is a very important, as they tend to be escape experts.

12 • from scratch magazine

There are many fencing options available, but woven wire fencing that’s at least four feet tall and supported by sturdy wooden posts is highly recommended. Welded wire fencing should be avoided because the goats will rub and stand on the fencing causing the welds to break.

Many owners combine woven

“

fencing for goats is very important, as they tend to be escape experts”

don’t get caught as readily and the miniatures can’t slip through).

Goats are social animals, a herd should start with at least two.

And since goats multiply quickly (usually producing at least two or three kids per year), a herd can build quickly starting with just a few does (mature female goats). Many wire fencing with electric start their herds with two or strands at the top and bottom three doelings (baby does), (on the outside). The electric and build from there. Male at the top keeps the goats off goats (bucks) are very smelly the fence and the electric at during the mating season, the bottom helps keep preda- and many goat owners choose tors out. Woven wire spacing not to keep any if there are of 2” x 4” rather than 4” x good quality bucks in the area 6” is recommended if horned that can service their does. If goats or miniature breeds are a buck is kept, it should genbeing fenced (so the horns erally be penned separately from scratch magazine • 13

Meat nutritional comparision Cooked Portion (3 oz.)

Goat chicken beef pork lamb

Calories

Fat (G)

122 162 179 180 175

2.6 6.3 7.9 8.2 8.1

Sat. protein Fat (G) (g) 0.79 1.7 3.0 2.9 2.9

23 25 25 25 24

Cholesterol (mg)

63.8 76.0 73.1 73.1 78.2

USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 14 (2001)

from the does, and also needs a companion (another buck or wether (castrated buck)).

Bucks are housed separately from does so that the buck smell does not affect the milk, and so that it’s known when the does have been bred.

For those interested in meat goats, many people find that goat meat (chevon) is easier to digest than beef or pork, and it’s low in fat (see Table 2), making it an excellent meat source for small farms and homesteads. In addition, the markets for meat goats include those for goat meat, show goats (4-H or FFA), breeding stock, and pack goats. Today, the meat goat industry is the fastest growing livestock industry in the US, primarily because there is so much ethnic demand for goat meat. For delicious milk,

14 • from scratch magazine

it’s important to buy does from good milking bloodlines since milk production, butterfat, and protein content can vary widely even within breeds. Milk production and butterfat content also vary widely from breed to breed, and higher butterfat content milk is generally preferred for drinking (see Table 3). Excess milk can be made into yogurt, cheese, and butter for home use; but selling goat milk or milk products from the farm can be difficult. Many states prohibit the sale of raw milk, or it’s against the law to sell milk unless you’re a licensed “Grade A” dairy. However, excess milk can often be sold as “baby” food for breeders (to feed to puppies, kittens, etc.) and some owners sell “goat shares” so that others can obtain raw goat milk.

When planning to market goat milk, it’s best to check the rules in each state carefully and proceed cautiously. There are; however, ready markets for dairy goat milk soap, breeding stock, and show goats.

Homesteads with fiber goats can process the fiber into roving, yarn, batts, and knitted products for extra farm income. In addition, the market for fiber goats is growing so there’s also good demand for breeding stock and kids.

Beside all the practical reasons for keeping them, goats are typically gentle

milk production by breed breed

yearly milk production (lbs.)

butterFat (%)

protein (%)

typical milk comments

Alpine

2396

3.3

2.8

Milk Taste can vary

La Mancha

2246

3.9

3.1

nubian

1835

4.6

3.7

Sweet tasting milk

Oberhasli

2256

3.5

2.9

Stronger tasting milk

Saanen

2545

3.2

2.8

Toggenburg

2047

3.0

2.7

Stronger tasting milk

nigerian dwarf

729

6.1

4.4

Richest tasting milk

ADGA (American Dairy Goat Association) Breed Averages (2010)

from scratch magazine • 15

creatures that are just plain fun to have around. They are very social, and if handled regularly from birth, form loving bonds with humans. And, there is no place happier than the goat barn during kidding season – goat kids are irresistibly cute and just add joy to life!

16 • from scratch magazine

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from scratch magazine • 17

Time for a picnic

Vintage Picnic Basket, 86home $60

Colonial Girl Quilt, LallyBrochFarm $100 18 • from scratch magazine

Cutlery Roll, FruteJuce $23.30

Table in a Bag, From Scratch Finds $37.40

buzz worthy

Bumble bees in a honeycomb... Mini clasp purse, EmenGeeDesigns $28

The Bee’s Knees Print 8x10, theblackapple $16

Honey Bee Necklace, J0sephines $19

The Beekeeper’s Bible, From Scratch Finds $21.08 from scratch magazine • 19

In the Garden

Twenty Packets of Heirloom Seeds, MoonlightMicroFarm $45

Reisetomate Heirloom Tomato Seeds , cubits $3.75

Paper Pot Maker, LeeLeesCloset $20 20 • from scratch magazine

Herb Garden Stakes Set, BeachHouseLiving $39.50

“grow” handmade wood sign, OhDierLiving $42

Trespassers will be Composted - Garden Sign, OurWeatheredNestFinds $10

1923 Harmful Insects Agriculture Pests Color Lithograph , CarambasVintage $16

Veggie Garden Plant Pot Row Markers, LJsGarden $29.98

from scratch magazine • 21

to the market

1.

2.

3.

4.

1. Berry Baskets | 10ct, From Scratch Finds $6 2. Farmers Market 11x14 Print, thewheatfield $25 3. Basket Bolga Market Shopping Tote , From Scratch Finds $42.97 4. Schwinn Women’s Wayfarer 700C Bicycle, From Scratch Finds $208.96

22 • from scratch magazine

butcher block 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1. Farmers Market - Traditional Butchers Style Cotton dish towel, mountainlodge $9.95 2. John Boos Reversible Maple Cutting Board, From Scratch Finds $75.78 3. ProAccurate Insta-Read Professional Meat Thermometer, From Scratch Finds $9.99 4. Master Cutlery 9-Piece Knife Set-Piece, From Scratch Finds $89.96 5. Butcher Kitchen Print, OldEnglishCo $32.62 from scratch magazine • 23

Kids on the homestead

2.

3.

4.

7.

8.

9.

10.

1.

5.

6.

12.

11.

13.

14.

1. Harvey McNaron from NC 2. Cadence from Rolling Fog 3. Little Greene from TX 4. Samuel from West Virginia 5. Shae on the tractor 6. Madison and Abbi from MO 7. Kaylee from NC 8. Payton and her BFF from TX 9. Nathan from NC 10. Photo submitted by Kimberly Riggs 11.

Cody sitting with Flossie from Myrtle Beach 12. Charlene Carrano 13. Austin from Mabe Farm in McKenney Virginia 14. Emma playing with the chicks.

24 • from scratch magazine

15.

17.

18.

19

20.

21.

Reader photos

16.

15. Submitted by Tammy Barani of Our Neck of the Woods 16. Dana Adkins of Jacksonville, NC 17. Submitted by Donna Claar from Union City, Michigan 18. Submitted by Michelle from Northeast Georgia 19. Submitted by Michelle from Northeast Georgia 20. Submitted by Rose Garten 21. Submitted by Amanda Schmitz

from scratch magazine • 25

for mother 1.

2.

3.

5.

4.

1. Green Scarf Wrap with Pom Pom Fringe, SewEcological, $32 2. Three handmade decorative polymer clay pears, SkyeArt, $32 3. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Amazon, $10.87 4. Flour Sack Tea Towels, quotesandnotes, $18 5. Mother’s Ring - 5 Birthstones Set in Sterling Silver, bddesigns, $265

26 • from scratch magazine

God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.

-Rudyard Kipling

from scratch magazine • 27

History of Homesteading by: Steven Jones

H

omesteading, as seen through modern eyes, may appear to be a recent invention, but evidence exists that the ideas espoused through homesteading -self-sufficiency, a return to the land, a desire to live simply -- have been in existence since the birth of civilization. These ideas have continued to influence people through the dominance of the Roman empire, into the middle ages and through the birth of America.

28 • from scratch magazine

What is homesteading?

Homesteading has been variously defined throughout history as legal, political and personal philosophies.

Even today, with the weight of a modern movement propelling the idea forward, there are many different definitions of the concept. For some, growing a modest vegetable plot in the backyard makes them homesteaders. For others, anyone not fully prepared for a doomsday scenario cannot call themselves homesteaders.

“

The Modern Homesteading Movement includes A desire to increase personal self sufficiency, at least a basic concern for the origin of the food they eat and a love of simplicity and the closeness to family this provides.�

A few concepts, however, can be broadly applied to the movement: A desire to increase personal selfsufficiency, at least a basic concern for the origin of the food they eat and a love of simplicity and the closeness to family this provides.

It is self-evident to homesteaders that these desires should be considered universal to self-reflective people everywhere.

Pre-history

almost be considered universal. At the advent of agriculture in human history, small homesteads were the norm. Commercial farming did not exist: All farms were homesteads!

As farming grew, and the population grew with it, homesteaders were considered integral to civilization. Taxes, paid in the form of farm products, financed the Egyptian empire, the Greek empire and the Roman empire.

Modern Homesteading

Since the advent of agriculture, homesteading concepts could Homesteads were romanticized as from scratch magazine • 29

early as the beginnings of the Roman empire. Cincinnatus, one of the first Roman dictators and a hero of the early empire, was summoned to his new position, according to the story, from the fields he plowed on his small plot of land.

(Early Roman dictators were elected by the Senate to serve short terms in times of national emergencies.

They were expected to give up their broad powers as soon as the crisis passed. The modern equivalent may be the establishment of martial law in times of disaster.)

Yeomen farmers -- small, free landholders who farmed their own property -- grew to be respected members of society through the

30 • from scratch magazine

middle ages. England eventually started using the word yeomen to refer to ranks within royal households. From the 14th to the 18th century, some of the most important people in the world and the United States hailed from the yeoman class: Isaac Newton, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, to name a few.

For these people, and many others, the yeoman class held a path to what was then considered a higher, more gentlemanly class, which fit right in with the New World’s increasing emphasis on the “selfmade man.”

For Jefferson, this burgeoning yeomen class in the New World was

integral for the success of the newly formed republic. These “plain folk” -- or yeoman as Jefferson preferred to call them -- were different from larger, plantation style farms in that they worked their own land.

Jefferson considered their self-reliance to be necessary for the new country to function.

The concept was so powerful it was a driving force behind the Homestead Act of 1862.

The idea behind the act was to increase the number of small farmers, or homesteaders, to increase the numbers of “virtuous yeomen.”

The law required homesteaders to reside on their land for 5 years, improve the property and provide

evidence of said improvements.

More homestead acts followed: The Southern Homestead Act of 1866, the Timber Culture Act of 1873, the Kinkaid Amendment of 1904, the Stock-Raising Homestead Act of 1916 and the Subsistence Homestead provisions under the New Deal in 1930.

Land grants under the homestead acts ended in 1976 with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. Exceptions were made for Alaska, which allowed homestead claims until 1986.

While the government was enacting Homesteading laws through the 20th Century, individuals and organizations continued to experiment

from scratch magazine • 31

with what modern eyes may view as homesteads. While published in 1854, Walden was and is probably the go to guide for modern homesteading.

The ideals written by Henry David Thoreau are as close to a modern definition of homesteading as it is possible to get: “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.”

-- Thoreau

32 • from scratch magazine

During the 1800s and into the early 1900s, religious organizations, private individuals and like-minded groups experimented with these ideas.

Shakers separated themselves to be closer to God. The Oneida Community attempted to make themselves perfect and free of sin.

The Home Colony was founded in 1895 by anarchists. The Twin Oaks community, started in the 60s, continues to thrive based on the values of cooperation, egalitarianism, non-violence and sustainability. Ganas, a community in Staten Island, was built around rules against violence, freeloading, illegal actions and “non-negotiable negativity.”

While communes were and continue to be a part of the homesteading culture, the modern emphasis tends to incorporate homesteading ideals in a more mainstream form.

In the 90s and into the new millenium, the homesteading movement grew to incorporate the principles of self reliance into urban and suburban environments.

An influential voice in the modern/ urban homesteading movement, author John Seymour emphasized small-scale farming and domestic arts in his definition of homesteading before his death in 2004.

Into the future Homesteading does not appear to be waning.

As much a part of the human landscape as it ever was, publications

(like this one) and websites are growing to help modern homesteaders navigate the perils and joys of the movement.

From raising your own chickens, to planting kitchen gardens to full-on, off-the-grid living, homesteading can be expected to grow well into the future, hopefully allowing us to “live deliberately” and raise happy, healthy families.

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from scratch magazine • 33

Culinary Herbs for the Non-Gardener By: Lisa Steele

I

will be the first to admit that I am not a gardening expert, not a Master Gardener, not a self-taught guru. In fact, I probably would be classified as barely proficient. Don’t get me wrong, I love gardening. I enjoy spending time outdoors feeling the warm sun on my back as I prepare the soil for planting, love picking out seeds, starting them indoors and watching them grow

34 • from scratch magazine

on the windowsill. I love planning where everything will go and setting the seedlings and small plants in the soil. And that’s sort of where things start to go downhill. I quickly lose interest in the constant weeding and watering, I never remember to pay attention the sun or soil requirements, and don’t know anything about companion planting. Which is why I love herbs.

“

Starting and maintaining your own culinary herb garden requires very little time, money or space and in addition to being fragrant and visually attractive, will elevate your home cooking to a whole new taste level.”

Herbs are extremely easy to grow.

They don’t seem to care about soil type, how much sun they get, or even if you water them. Our resident bunnies and deer don’t eat them, and bugs don’t generally bother them because many are natural insect-repellents. Herbs produce all summer long and with regular snipping, they won’t get leggy or go to seed. Herbs also smell wonderful. Just brush-

ing against one in your garden causes a burst of heady aroma.

Another nice thing about herbs is that you never have to wonder if they are ripe, as you do with other fruits and vegetables. With herbs, if you see leaves and they are large enough for your purposes, go right ahead and snip away.

Herbs don’t take up much space either. Years before I moved out to the country or even had a yard,

from scratch magazine • 35

before a farm was even a glimmer in my husband’s eye, I grew herbs in a small greenhouse on my kitchen window in my tiny apartment in New York.

Cooking with fresh herbs makes a good dish great and a great one superb. If you grow more than you can use, just pick the leaves, spread them out in a single layer on paper towels on cookie sheets and let them air dry, then crumble and pack them in glass jars. Unlike canning or preserving excess fruits and vegetables, ‘preserving’ herbs is just that simple.

36 • from scratch magazine

Here are a few common culinary herbs and some growing specifics (that is, if you’re not comfortable with my arbitrary method of randomly planting them whenever, where ever).

Basil

Basil is best grown from small plants, although it is possible to start seeds. Seeds don’t transplant well however, so they are best started outdoors in sandy soil once the soil has warmed sufficiently.

Basil does best in full sun and likes

warm conditions. While certain other herbs can tolerate temperatures briefly dipping below freezing, my basil turns black the first time a cold breeze heads our way, so just prior to the weather turning cold, I harvest all the remaining leaves and make pesto, which I then freeze in ice cube trays.

Dill

Parsley

Parsley is extremely hardy. We had a mild winter here in Virginia this year and I have been picking parsley nonstop since late last spring.

Parsley is a biennial, meaning it generally lives for two years, and will also self-seed. I mean, really, is there nothing cooler than a plant that replants itself?

I tell you, this is my kind of gardening!

Parsley likes full sun and soil that drains well.

Seeds can be started indoors and the seedlings transplanted, but the seeds take a relatively long time to germinate, so start them at least 6-8 weeks before you plan to move them outside.

Dill is a personal favorite of mine.

Not caring much what type of soil in which it is planted, or whether the soil is dry or wet, dill seeds do best if planted where they will grow, since dill doesn’t transplant well either. The seeds should be planted in early spring. Although my dill wilts and seems to die off in the extreme heat of our southern summers, as soon as fall arrives and the weather cools Rosemary a bit, the dill makes a miraculous Rosemary can be grown from comeback. seed indoors and then transplanted but should be started 2-3 months before you plan to plant Oregano Oregano is my favorite kind of it outside. Rosemary is technically herb - a perennial. Buy or grow an evergreen shrub and therefore it once and it keeps coming back a perennial in areas that don’t get year after year. Oregano can be too cold. Rosemary loves full sun started as seeds or a plant and and is drought-tolerant, meaning loves full sun and well-drained it’s okay if you forget to water it. soil. Oregano doesn’t need much Trust me on this, I’ve done it. water and will do just fine if left to its own devices for the most Thyme part.

Thyme is one of the easiest herbs from scratch magazine • 37

to grow. Extremely forgiving, although it prefers full sun and dry, sandy soil, it will grow in almost anything and is drought-resistant as well. Thyme is a perennial and best started as a small plant. If started as seeds, be aware they can take a very long time to germinate and therefore should be started extremely early in the year for spring transplanting.

Most herbs are easy to grow from seeds, either starting them indoors on a sunny windowsill using potting soil and plastic wrap over the top to retain the moisture and heat, or sowing the seeds

38 • from scratch magazine

directly outdoors in early spring. All can be started as small plants which is even easier, some are perennials, which is easier still. They like full sun but will tolerate some shade, and don’t need fussy attention in the form of fertilizer, nutrients, plant food or even regular watering.

Starting and maintaining your own herb garden requires very little time, money or space; is fragrant and visually attractive; and will elevate your home cooking to a whole new taste level.

from scratch magazine • 39

Chicken Chicken Columnist Columnist

talking chicken scratch with lisa Lisa Steele Fresh Eggs Daily

Q.

I live in north central WV where we have all four seasons and summers are HOT while winters are FRIGID.... Which breeds would you choose? I want to start off with 6 and thought 2 of each breed would be neat.

A.

We have that type of climate here too in VA. It gets really really hot and humid in the summer but cold and damp in the winter with temperatures below freezing.

40 • from scratch magazine

Overall, most breeds of chickens have a much easier time handling the cold than the heat. It’s also easier for you to help them keep warm — using straw for insulation on the floor and along the walls of your coop, employing the deep litter method, feeding scratch and providing a nice dry, draft-free coop and a run with shelter from the wind and elements — than to cool them down, so if you’re dealing with both extreme heat AND cold

I would focus on heat-tolerant breeds. Breeds that are lighter in color tend to do better in the heat, as do the lighter weight breeds.

Some heat-hardy choices might include Ameraucanas (the blue egg layers), Andalusians, Hamburgs, Lakenvelders, Leghorns, Minorcas, and Rhode Island Reds.

Naked Necks are also extremely heat tolerant. I love your idea of two of each breed, by the way, so you can enjoy their different appearances and personalities, not to mention egg colors.

Q.

Do I need a rooster to get eggs from my hens? Our town doesn’t allow any roosters.

A.

No, you do not need a rooster. A hen will lay an egg about every 26 hours with or without a rooster present in the flock. Without a rooster, however, the eggs will not be fertile and will never hatch into a chick.

Lisa Steele from Fresh Eggs Daily The resident From Scratch Chicken Expert.

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from scratch magazine • 41

Farmer profile 42 • from scratch magazine

Righteous Bacon By: Melissa Jones

Diana Prichard of Olive Hill Farm

hog farmer, writer, blogger, speaker, photographer, and social media guru.

A self proclaimed guacamole addict, Diana spends her days on a hog farm deep in the heart of Michigan farm country. As a farm, food and political blogger she shares her exciting life with a captive audience.

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photo by: Diana Prichard

When you were young your mother told you that you should marry a hog farmer? What made her come to that conclusion?

Yes, an Italian Hog Farmer to be precise.

I’m not sure, exactly, but suspect it had something to do with my unique ability to put away a plate of spaghetti that weighed more than I did and my tendency for having champagne tastes on her beer budget.

She must’ve been under the impression that hog farmers make a good living. She was wrong, but the benefits are paid in bacon so I keep at it.

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Tell us about Olive Hill.

I joke that it’s my quarter life crisis. I was working full time and taking more than full time credits in my pre-med program in college when I decided to be a farmer instead. In hindsight it was probably more of a miniature mental breakdown than a purposeful decision making process, but it’s led me in an amazing direction so I can’t complain. Worn down and feeling lost, I’d gone AWOL from classes for a week. I was on a trail ride with a good friend in the back forty, the fall breeze ruffling the soy beans beneath our mares’ bellies. As I vented about my sched-

ule my friend planted a seed, suggesting I might be happier doing something else. Shortly before that I’d undergone a battery of tests for what looked like at the time to be ovarian tumors. They turned out to be cysts and nothing serious, but during the process I’d written a bucket list that had included “raise chickens for meat”.

My mare’s name was Olive and, as they say, the rest is history.

Since then the farm has gone through several incarnations. We began with those chickens, just for ourselves. The next season we raised more and then more again later in the season, selling first to family and friends and then friends of family and friends of friends. The third season it kind of ballooned into this thing with a mind all its own. It was all a wonderful experience, but I’m enjoying the more refined nature of the operation now. These days we have just the pigs, raising heritage breeds and their crosses on paddocks and in dirt and deep-bedded pens. We sell pork locally, direct from the farm, and we’re looking into wholesale opportunities for later this year.

You recently visited Africa with ONE (a grassroots campaign of more than 3 million people committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable diseases).

What was the experience like? How did it change the way you view the world?

You know, I went into the experience very much expecting to be changed, but I think I just came back stronger and more rooted in who I already was. I’d like to think that means I had a strong sense of self and perspective before I left. I never felt like those things came easily growing up so it’d be quite a triumph for me at this stage in life. All the same, it was an amazing experience that I will never forget. When I first came back I wrote that I wasn’t so much moved to give as I was moved to do, to take action. That feeling has really stayed with me throughout the journey of re-entry and re-acclimation to our western ways. The people of Ethiopia gave me a tremendous amount of hope for the future and renewed my faith in our ability to make the world a better place.

The programs that are working on the ground in Africa, and Ethiopia specifically, are making tremendous strides and all in ways that empower the people to do for themselves. It’s not all drop shipping food and water like is so often purported. The initiatives they have for educating farmers were, of course, especially interesting to me. Like all of their programs it’s really a full-circle effort, teaching everything from farming techniques to educating families on ways to prepare the new crops from scratch magazine • 45

they’re growing so as to maximize the nutrition. Above all, I’d say the people of Ethiopia taught me a lot about resilience and joy; two things on which you simply cannot put a price tag.

You do a lot of work helping farmers connect to their communities with social media. What advice do you have for farmers who are trying to get their message and products online?

Patience and persistence. Bringing up a social media presence is kind of like bring up livestock. They can’t fend for themselves at first.

You’d never throw a chick or a calf or a pig out in a field and expect it to survive without a little help.

You can’t throw your social media presence out there and hope for the best either. It takes time and you’re not going to net any results until you’ve at least raised it up to market age.

What is a typical day in the life of a woman hog farmer/writer/ photographer in the middle of Michigan farm country?

One of the really great things about being a small operation is that we’re not doing the same 46 • from scratch magazine

thing every day. Our chores are still cyclical. Some are static, of course -- feeding, watering, bedding, general tending -- but things like farrowing, weaning pigs, castrating, and shipping pigs to the processor are all intermittent.

I tend to write and shoot in the down times.

When we’re busy with those “extras” there is less writing and less photography happening, and when we’re slow with just the everyday tasks I spend a lot of time behind the macbook and camera.

What advice would you give other women who are taking a similar path?

Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.

I see a lot of new farmers wanting to completely reinvent the wheel just for the sake of reinventing the wheel.

It can cause a lot of headaches.

You don’t have to agree with everything someone does to get something out of what they do.

Pay attention, dig until you find the ‘why’, that’ll tell you something about how to go about change if change is what you desire. And you may just find that once you understand the ‘why’ change isn’t the goal so much as refinement.

As for change, I’d like to see more of our prominent food and ag voices coming from farms.

Right now most of our big food and ag names are people who are writing from behind desks in NYC, Berkeley, and so on and so forth.

I’m really excited about what I They’re sitting in urban centers, see happening in the food movesurrounded by concrete with no ment right now.

There seems to be a greater sense real life experience in fields and barns. of cooperation emerging, more That’s a big problem and aside willingness to listen and learn. from my farming aspirations, it’s These are the conditions under which real innovation comes about something I’m really trying to and that makes me very hopeful. change.

How do you see the food movement in the United States? What would you like to see change?

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photo by: Diana Prichard

What do you see as the future of Olive Hill?

tices, and economics is our first priority in whatever we do.

I’d like to do more wholesale, more farm tours and ag education. I’d love to open an on-farm shop and classroom to facilitate that. We’ll see.

Right now we’re just focused on the hogs, turning out the best pork we can and growing smart rather than fast.

Quality is important to me.

Balancing flavor, production prac-

What people/experiences have inspired you the most?

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My Grandpa, who we called Poopsie, hands down. He and my Granny had a whole herd of kids, as was customary of German Catholic farm families of their time, and the family lore is that he ruled with an iron fist.

“

I’m really excited about what I see happening in the food movement right now.

There seems to be a greater sense of cooperation emerging, more willingness to listen and learn. ”

I never saw it and I guess I’m happy about that. It allows me the luxury of seeing him through a smitten child’s eyes forever. He was the main cook in the family long before feminism made engaged fathers a thing.

He was a gardener and I remember the smell of his musky cologne and tiny tomato plants filling the back porch of their farm house whenever we went for a visit in the late winter and early spring. He passed away when I was a teenager.

I was far too cool to ask him about his gardens and recipes at the time and I regret not having had that chance a bit.

Follow Diana Prichard’s blog, Righteous Bacon, to read more about life as a hog farmer in Michigan farm country.

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A few of Diana Prichard’s Favorite Things What are some of your favorite farm books?

I’m one of those really nerdy people who choose to read things like ‘The Nutrient Requirements of Swine’ for fun. I also waste inordinate amounts of time digging through dusty boxes in antique shops hoping to find farm manuals and cookbooks from decades ago. Unfortunately, this makes me absolutely worthless at recommending books that people can 1) find and 2) will find at all entertaining. A few that I’ve enjoyed recently have been ‘Food In History’ by Reay Tannahill; ‘Blood, Bones, and Butter’ by Gabrielle Hamilton; and ‘The American Way of Eating’ by Tracie MacMillan. Not exactly farming books, but related.

What music are you listening to right now?

Favorite Bacon Recipe?

Barton Hollow by Barton Hollow

What are your favorite blogs?

• My friend Karen Walrond of Chookooloonks inspires me on a daily basis.

• The folks at Frog’s Leap Farm fulfill my tomato lust.

• I visit What Katie Ate regularly just for the photography. Her ability to capture texture in food photography is unrivaled.

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Bacon Cabbage Homefries. I love

warm, hearty fare. If it can’t be eaten with your fingers I prefer it to be something best suited to a bowl.

Planning a Market Garden with GrowVeg.com By: Melissa Jones

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rowVeg.com is an online Garden Planner which helps you grow fruit and vegetables tailored to your gardening zone, whatever the size or shape of your garden or plot.

We used the software to plan our market garden this year. Before we got started we watched the instructional videos, which were well produced and helpful in learning how to use the software. First, we decided on what we were going to plant. Our garden includes a wide variety of vegetable and herb plants and GrowVeg.com had every variety listed from their comprehensive plant index. Then we entered the dimensions of the garden into the software. We outlined our grid which was modified to conform to the Square Foot Gardening method. We drew our beds and inserted our digital plants. When you sign

up for the software you insert your zip code, so it will automatically populate your plant’s sow, plant, and harvest times.

And it will email you to let you know when to sow, plant and harvest each plant! No more excuses for not getting the plants in the ground on schedule!

It’s a must-have for your planting season. The software is free for the first thirty days when you sign up for a free trial and is $24.95 for an annual subscription. Check out GrowVeg.com for more.

Plan Your Vegetable Garden Planting reminders, crop rotation & more

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Homeschooling on the Homestead by: carol j. alexander

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hands-on learning helps the child retain the needed information much more readily than simply reading a text and answering a few questions on a test.”

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f anyone knows what hard work is, the homesteader does. Raising your own food on the family farm is back-breaking, timeconsuming work. No doubt about it. So is homeschooling your kids. (Well, maybe not back-breaking, but it is time-consuming.)

Do you count yourself among the ranks of those trying to get all your farm chores done, and the schoolwork too? Ever go out to milk and collect eggs before starting your homeschool day and the next thing you know it’s time for lunch?

Welcome to the crowd.

I’m here to tell you that living the homesteading/homeschooling lifestyle can be done. All

Homeschool Corner

it takes is a little planning, ingenuity, creativity, and help from your friends; and I am one of those friends. So if you have any questions regarding homeschooling, send them to me at the email address below and I will answer them in this column.

For this month’s question, Sheila asked: What is a good way to measure the work we’ve been doing in first grade; he reads well, his writing is great, his math skills are ever-improving, and

we have lots of “reallife” lessons on and off the farm - but how shall I definitively “prove” this?

Do I need to?

Sheila, proof of progress is important to some folks. In fact, most states require parents to prove educational progress each year in order to continue exercising their right to homeschool.

The most obvious way to prove progress is with testing. However, testing is stressful (especially for a from scratch magazine • 53

young child) and, I believe, not the most accurate way to gauge what a child has learned.

You’ve heard the saying the “proof is in the pudding.” Well, if I were to tell you about my mouth-watering chocolate pudding, would my writing an essay describing it satisfy you? I doubt it. How about if I answered a list of multiple-choice questions about my pudding? No. In light of this example, Sheila, I think you answered your own question with: “he reads well, his writing is great, his math skills are ever-improving.” In other words, your son’s pudding has already

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been proven.

In all fairness, I have to say that testing is the most convenient way for a school to evaluate its students. But homeschoolers are not in a school and you only have one first grader that you want to evaluate.

I would be remiss if I did not address the legalities of what I am saying. If your state requires testing, so be it. But most states have options. In both of the states I have homeschooled in we had the options of standardized testing, evaluation by a certified teacher or

Follow Lessons From the Homestead For More Homeschooling Information.

Homeschooling for 18 years and homesteading for 12, Carol J. Alexander looks for the lessons in every aspect of her family’s homesteading lifestyle.

She is the author of a series of e-books entitled Lessons from the Homestead which help parents find those lessons as well.

psychologist, or keeping a portfolio. Now, what about you? Have any I have done all three, depending on other questions about homeschoolthe age of the child and abilities of ing on the homestead? the child.

If you have any questions for this For a first grader, keeping a note- column, email Carol at carol@lesbook with copies of his work sonsfromthehomestead.com throughout the year as a portfolio, in my opinion, is plenty.

I am not here to advocate lawlessness; but I like to tell parents that there are many creative options for compliance.

No one knows your first grader better than you, Sheila. I would relax and do the least that is required.

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Kids on the Homestead By: Melissa Jones

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nyone who has grown up on a farm will tell you the same thing: “Growing up on a farm is hard work!” There are always fences to build and mend, animals to feed and water and gardens to tend.

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Special Kids on the Homestead Section

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owadays, the competition for a child’s time is pretty fierce. Extra curricular activities, video games, the internet and television all tend to get in the way of farm chores. from scratch magazine • 59

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o how do you get the kids motivated to help? How do you prevent chore meltdown? How do you make living on the farm fun?

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Special Kids on the Special Kids onHomestead the Section

Homestead Section

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7 ways to have Happier kids on the homestead By: Melissa Jones

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peaceful home. One with happy parents and happy kids. No yelling, no begging for chores to get done. Everyone respects each other and there is no fighting. It is what we all want but achieving this homesteading utopia is a tall order. In fact, I am not sure it is entirely possible.

Having a farm or a homestead is hard work. There are always a million things to do and there a lot of things that have to be done everyday whether you feel like it or not. So, how do you take kids 62 • from scratch magazine

from today’s fast food society and help them thrive in a home environment that is dedicated to selfsustainability? There really isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer but here are some tips to make the kids on your homestead happier:

1

Make a plan.

This is the parent’s responsibility.

Figure out what a good day looks like.

What has to happen? What chores have to be done everyday? Make a schedule and establish a homestead vision.

Special Kids on the Homestead Section

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Raising kids on a homestead is such a rewarding experience.

Homesteaders give their children a gift - A childhood full of memories and experiences that enrich their lives.�

What are you trying to accomplish? Are you living this lifestyle because it is closer to your values?

If so, make sure your children know that.

Explain the importance of growing your own food and caring for animals.

Instill a work ethic that is healthy and will benefit them later in life. Show them the fruit of their labor. It is important to communicate with your children on what you expect. Children are not mind readers and you have to be

very specific when outlining their duties.

2

assign responsibilities.

Once you have made a plan it is time to divide and conquer. Show them everything that has to be done to make the operation work.

For example, we sat down with each child and asked what they enjoyed most. Was it working with the animals? Working in the garden? Do they prefer working inside or outside? Once we got feedback from each kid (all eight from scratch magazine • 63

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of them) we made job descriptions and assigned each one a specific job. Then we sat down with them again and explained each chore they are responsible for and the consequences for not completing it in a timely manner.

The most effective consequences in our experience is taking away electronic privileges. No access to computers or portable electronics if they don’t complete their chores. It starts with one day and then is increased another day with each additional infraction.

3

hold family meetings.

We hold a mandatory monthly family meeting. I must admit that my experience in corporate America really helped me with this task. I prepare a power point presentation, hook my computer up to my television and go through each slide. In our last family meeting we had twenty slides. Each one was full of information about planting, animal care, chore lists, home renovation plans and anything and everything that is affecting the homestead.

Communication is vital to ensuring that everyone is on the same page and understands the vital role they play in the homestead’s success.

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reward a job well done.

Positive feedback for a job well done is essential for keeping atti-

tudes positive. We use a chart with stickers. When someone goes above and beyond the call of duty they get a sticker.

With stickers they earn special treats or privileges.

I firmly believe in saying “Thank You.” When I encounter positive behavior that is motivated by the child, I make a point to say: “Thank you for doing such a great job. No one asked you to do that but you knew it had to be done and did it!”

This encourages self-motivated kids and it makes everyone feel good about the contributions they are making.

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don’t expect perfection.

It may be necessary to remind yourself that these future adults you are raising are still, in fact, kids.

I find myself having to do just that several times a day. Constant supervision is imperative until you know that they are performing their chore to the best of the abilities.

This is especially essential when dealing with the care of animals.

A child might not understand the dire consequences of not giving fresh water to the animals every day.

Supervising and accompanying the children when they perform their chores is a must do on my to do list. It is also a great opportunity to spend important parent/child time. from scratch magazine • 65

“

how do you take kids from today’s fast food society and help them thrive in a home environment that is dedicated to self sustainability?”

6

be a good example.

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have fun!

On our homestead Saturday night Your children will mimic your is Family Fun Night. Last month we behavior. If you are a yeller, they played charades, watched a movie, will yell. If you are quick to anger, played a board game, and had a they will be quick to anger. On the marshmallow roast. other hand, if you are patient, they These family fun nights need not be expensive. The only requirement will be patient. If you are calm, is everyone having fun together. they will be calm. Really evaluate Make it a regular routine. Invest in your own behavior. Are you as a everyone having a good time. It is parent/role model doing the absoso important to laugh hand have lute best you can? Start listening fun together and create lasting to yourself. Instead of yelling try memories that everyone can look back on and smile. Raising kids taking a deep breath and communicating in a calm but firm manner. on a homestead is such a rewarding experience. Homesteaders give Envision the family life you want their children a gift - A childhood and work hard to obtain it. It won’t full of memories and experiences be perfect, it might not even be that enrich their lives. half perfect but the effort you apply Make sure to take a moment and be proud of the home you have will have its rewards. And you will created and the family that you be a calmer/saner person because share it with. of it.

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Make your Own Lavender Wands By: Angela England

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ears ago, lavender wands were used to freshen up fabric.

They were tucked inside stored linen to keep it smelling fresh and may have even helped repel bugs. Today, lavender wands are just as fragrant and useful—and they might even double as a fairy wand for a little one or an addition to a flower arrangement for a special someone.

A Lavender Wand will supply fresh smelling lavender for years to come!

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Step by Step Instructions

1.

With an uneven number of lavender stems, leave the flowers at the top intact and clean off any little leaves or buds along the bottom half of the stem.

Work quickly, before they become dry and brittle. Some lavender varieties have round, thick flower heads while other lavender varieties have long, thin flower spikes. Both will work for lavender wand weaving. Hold them with the flower heads even with each other, and tie a long, narrow ribbon around them at the base of the flowers. I would leave the length of the ribbon extra long so that you don’t wind up running out. The tail of the knot can tuck right into the bunch of stems. Tie this nice and tight so that it doesn’t come loose or undone.

Taking two stems at a time, fold them down over the knot and wrap the long end of your ribbon around them (this is why you need them to bend but not break). Bend two more stems down, but this time on top of the ribbon. Again, fold two down and wrap the ribbon on top of them. Keep folding the stems and weaving the ribbon this way—over, under, over, under—until you have folded them all down. The last fold will be three rather than two, but it will mark your place and work itself out in a minute.

2.

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3.

4.

On the next row, alternate them. If you went over on a pair, go under. If you went under, go over. This will create a pretty pattern as well as secure them tightly. under, go over. This will create a pretty pattern as well as secure them tightly. Circle around for a few rows, and then switch to going over and under single stems rather than pairs. Keep the ribbon as close to the row above as possible, and the flowers inside. By pulling the ribbon progressively looser toward the middle and tighter as you get to the end of the stems, you will create an oval shape. Fold the stems down as you weave the first row.

Weave every two or three stems for the first part, then weave every other stem where the middle is larger over the thickest part of the flower heads.

Toward the end, switch back to weaving over and under pairs instead of single stems.

When the flowers are gone and you arestems back to stems only, the wrap Keep folding the and weaving the ribbon around a fewunder— times ribbon this way—over, under, over, tightly and them then tie off. The until you have folded all itdown.

The tail can now be cut and the knot last fold will be three rather than two, but inside the stem.

If you’d it will markpushed your place and work itself out like, you can tie an extra bow in a minute. with long tails, or them. stems If wrapped On the next row, alternate you down the length of the wand. went over on a pair, go under. If you wentJust make This sure will it’s secured that under, go over. create asopretty the sprigs don’t pop tightly. loose. Secure pattern as well as secure them the end with tight wrapping and a knot. You could also secure with a drop of hot glue or crafting glue if you want. We usually don’t. And there you have it! Your lavender wand will dry this way, and you will have fresh-smelling lavender that will last for years. from scratch magazine • 69

Decisions, Decisions: How to Choose the Right Vegetables for Your Garden By: Chris McLaughlin

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or anyone planting a vegetable garden for the first time, perusing all those seed catalogs, garden centers, and the internet just might have your head spinning.

Where does one start?

The beauty of doing a little bit of planning before purchasing and planting is that you’re apt to choose those vegetable varieties that will thrive where they’re planted -- and you’ll end up with a productive and successful vegetable garden.

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Ask Yourself Some Simple Questions: I don’t want to get all stuffy on you by suggesting you need a strict plan, because you certainly don’t. That said, there’s a tremendous advantage to taking a little time to think about what you’d like to grow, where it will go, and how you would like to use it.

The answers to these questions become a custom information base for you, which makes future garden plans and decision-making easier.

“

The beauty of doing a little bit of planning before purchasing and planting is that you’re apt to choose those vegetable varieties that will thrive where they’re planted -- and you’ll end up with a productive and successful vegetable garden.”

1

What is your family eating now?

In order to get the most out of your veggie garden, you’ll need to make a list of every type of vegetable that you would purchase today from your grocery store’s produce section. These are the vegetables to grow in abundance.

Sit your entire your family down

for just 15 minutes and make sure that you know what they like -- then ask everyone what they’d enjoy growing that you don’t purchase regularly.

Throw some new or fun options out there.

This simple list-making task will save money and insure that your family actually eats the vegetables that you grow. Keep in mind that many crops don’t have to be used right away.

Some can be stored for some months such as potatoes, onions, and carrots. from scratch magazine • 71

2

(Basically) Understand your zone

Which part of your yard gets the most sun (full/6 to 8 hours)? The least? In-between? You should know at least this much before you start a garden bed. Most vegetables will need full sun, but there are exceptions such as lettuce, spinach, kale, peas, Swiss chard, and many herbs that will tolerate shadier places.

Every location has a general “growing season” that you’ll need to factor in when choosing your vegetables. The determining fac-

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tor of the length of your growing zone is the frost dates. Frost dates are the estimated last hard frost of spring and the first hard frost of fall or winter.

Your local cooperative extension office can give you some pretty precise dates as well as what’s currently going on in your growing corner of the world. Some years call for date changes and your extension office can alert you to these changes.

Nature being who she is, of course, these dates aren’t exact; they’re approximate. However, we can get pretty close to each area’s frost dates by averaging them as they’ve occurred throughout the years. The length of your season

The shabby chic look blends well with our country decor. Other pieces that work well for storage are antique wardrobes, jelly cabinets, or wooden crates.

Furniture is not the only item to be repurposed. Get out your vintage linens and put them to use. Consider using an apron for a small curtain or a tea towel for a table runner. Think outside the box and don’t be afraid to try something new.

Art need not be framed

vintage seed packets, or handwritten recipes.

Hang a small variety of items together as a grouping.

Before pounding holes in the wall however, play with your items on a flat surface such as the floor to get the arrangement you like.

Another way to repurpose items is to hang them on the walls: pretty plates, baskets, quilts, and antique farm tools will provide warmth and a rustic Bring out atmosphere. If you do your jars choose to use framed pieces but don’t want to go to great expense try framing postcards, Those of us who can

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will not only affect which vegetable varieties you plant but also how many crops you’ll produce.

It’ll serve you well to not only figure out what vegetables you’d like to plant, but which varieties will grow well in your zone. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides a zone hardiness map as a general guideline for what will grow in each gardener’s particular area. It’s important to understand that these are very general guides. No map can guess the specific microclimate in your city, neighborhood, or yard.

In fact, the USDA hardiness zone map is most helpful when discuss-

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ing perennial plants, trees and shrubs. This is because any annual can be grown in any zone as long as there are enough warm days for that plant variety to reach harvest. Perennials need to be able to over-winter where they’re planted. So some argue that this map is irrelevant when planting vegetables. I disagree, I believe that knowing your growing zone is a helpful, general guide no matter what you’re planting.

Another general guide, which is even more helpful to you than the USDA map in the case of annual vegetables, is the American Horticultural Society’s (AHS) Plant Heat Zone Map. This guide

is based on the average highs instead of the lows of plant survival. This map tells you the average number of days that temperatures are 86 degrees and above is indicated.

For instance, if you’re planting a vegetable (say a pumpkin variety) that requires 100 days of warm weather and your area has an average of 120 days of warmth or more, you’re in good shape.

However, if you discover that you live in a growing zone that has only 60 warm days, you need to choose a variety that harvests closer to that amount of time.

reasons. In urban areas buildings (or lack thereof) can have a huge effect on the immediate area.

They may act as wind barriers or create wind tunnels.

If you have a large body of water nearby, such as a lake or the ocean, this tends to moderate the air temperatures of nearby inland areas.

Topography certainly plays a major role for microclimates.

Do you live on a hill?

Are you high up or deep down in a valley?

Warm air is lighter than cold air, so if you live in a valley you may have more frost problems than someone living higher up.

On which side of the hill do you

reside?

A northern slope is slower to

warm up, but a south-facing slope

Got is a mixed bag.

Microclimates? The southern side warms up fast-

3

Microclimates are those areas within a larger general region that may have different climates than the whole.

They can be created by a number of things such as physical structures, extra windy areas, topography, or large bodies of water.

For example, you may find that your zone is said to be prone to heavy frost, but become confused when your plants rarely succumb to an icy death.

Your zone might not act as it seems your zone should for many

er, but if plants begin to bloom, they could be set back if a sudden frost hits.

Other factors that can affect microclimates are rainfall, soil types, mulching practices, paved surfaces, fences, walls, raised beds, cold frames, hoop houses, balconies, and rooftops.

So if you think that a number on a map has the last word on your garden, think again.

Clever gardeners will manipulate their microclimate to their advantage. from scratch magazine • 75

How much space

do you have and need?

4

This will depend upon which type of veggies you want to grow and how many. One thing is for sure, you absolutely do not need what usually is referred to as “land” to plant a vegetable garden. Not 76 • from scratch magazine

even close. Raised beds, trellises, and containers go a long way in helping the modern homesteader produce crops year round.

There are successful ways to keep even sprawling veggies like pumpkins and other squash confined to a raised bed. One way would be to “train” the vines by physically aiming them in a direction and pruning them to keep only several

vines. Another technique is to gar- (not all garden centers are nurserden vertically; think up instead of ies) where they’re actually growout. ing the plants -- the proof is in the pudding. Don’t forget to make use Some veggies take to containof the Master Gardeners at your ers with ease such as carrots, local cooperative Extension Office. beans, peas, peppers, lettuce, etc.

Tomatoes usually do well in conFinally, don’t let any of these factainers, although if you let them tors overwhelm you! Consider dry out to the point where the soil these questions the best that you pulls away from the sides of the can and it’ll soon become clear container, they may never forgive which vegetables are right for you and are likely to produce less your family’s garden. fruit.

Are you going to

have help from

family members?

5

Think about how much you can feasibly do by yourself versus if you have backup from helping hands. Be honest with yourself because vegetable plants are geared to produce and when everything goes well -- there’s can be a fair amount of work involved if you bite off more than you can chew (so-to-speak).

6

Still confused about which varieties to grow?

You can get some big clues by checking out the plants available at your local garden center. What’s even better is to visit a nursery

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the buzz on beekeeping By: renee henry

T

he latest “buzz” is about backyard beekeeping as interest in this smallscale agricultural practice is spreading, much in thanks to its suitability to both rural and urban environments. There are numerous reasons to get involved in starting your own apiary,

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and whether your motivation is cultivating a food source, environmental stewardship, or generating income, the thought of those jars of sweet, delectable, golden honey in your hands can be inspiration enough to get started!

So why all this interest in bees? Humans have built a rela-

tionship with bees over thousands of years based upon two key factors: honey and crop pollination. Honey is a natural source of energy rich sugars, and many practitioners of homeopathic medicine recommend consumption of locally produced honey as a treatment for seasonal allergies.

“

Humans have built a relationship with bees over thousands of years based upon two key factors: honey and crop pollination.”

Bees are a primary agent in the pollination of food crops, and the recent decline in their numbers due to Colony Collapse Disorder is a cause of alarm to many who believe the drop in bee population could lead to widespread crop failure and a global food crises. The pollination activity of a beehive can be invaluable to the production of backyard vegetable gardens and can be a real asset to homesteading operations relying on garden production for consumption and market/ farm stand sales. Set up a hive on your

property and you could soon add jars of honey and beeswax products to your homestead sourced sales. Starting your own hive is a real “can-do” project, once you’ve done your research. Always be sure to check first with local officials to find out what regulations exist in your area regarding beekeeping. Next, determine if you have a space that is sufficiently clear of neighbors, pets, and activity where both humans and bees can coexist peacefully? Experienced beekeepers will tell you that success depends from scratch magazine • 79

largely upon location.

Choose an area relatively free of traffic and noise, where the hives will have sufficient amounts of sunlight year round (as well as some shade), and will be protected from flooding and high winds. Nearby food and water sources are also essential. You’ll need to be able to easily access your hive with as little disruption to their

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process as possible.

Using some sort of screen, fencing, or trees and shrubbery can work to keep both the hives and your neighbors out of each other’s paths and happy.

Once you’ve selected your location, you’ll need to set up the hives themselves.

There are a variety of styles available, but keep in mind that regulations do exist

regarding what kinds are permissible in certain areas. The gracefully shaped woven bee-skeps pictured in literature and found at fleamarkets are perfect for decorating your living room, but are bad choice for modern beekeepers because they require the destruction of the hive in order to harvest honey, often killing bees in the process.

“

starting your own hive is a real can do project, once you’ve done your research”

The Langstroth Hive is widely used and recommended for beginners and are available through many beekeeping supply sources. Langstroth hives come in two standard varieties: 8 frame and 10 frame. Your choice of frame will depend largely upon the amount of honey production you are aiming for and your own physical abilities. An 8 frame deep

hive body (commonly used as the base for the hive) can weigh up approximately 72 lbs when it is full!

Retailers offer many options for purchasing the components to build your hive with, and a basic starter hive will cost in the range of $150-200.

Some suppliers sell kits for beginners that come complete with hive bodies, frames, suits, and tools, ready

for you to place in your chosen location and add your bees to get started! You will also want to consider building a hive stand to keep your hive body off of the ground to prevent damage from water and pests such as mice and skunks. Many beekeepers build hive stands using concrete cinder blocks and boards and recommend keeping the

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hives a minimum of 2 feet off of the ground.

A word of caution: beekeeping experts will highly recommend that you NEVER purchase used hive equipment to begin your apiary with. Bees are extremely susceptible to a number of diseases such as American Foul Brood and parasites like the Varroa mite, and a used hive carries the potential risk of infection to your new bee colony. Sadly, if a hive is found to be infected with AFB or another serious disease the prescribed method to deal with it is to burn the hive and equipment to destroy the infectious spores that spread the disease.

One key supply suggested for all beginners is a bee suit to keep you protected from stings and enable you to become more readily at ease working with bees. A

honey is one of the oldest food sources known to man and It doesn’t spoil.

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suit can average around $100, depending on the style you choose, and many suits now use a zipper to attach the veil or helmet to protect your head. Additional equipment that you’ll need to get started with include: a feeder, pollen cakes ( a readily available food source to start your bees on), a hive tool, a smoker, a bee brush, a frame grabber, and a good reference book such as The Backyard Beekeeper by Kim Flottum.

Once you have got your hive set up, read your reference material, and suited up- you are ready to bring home the bees! There are a few options for obtaining bees to colonize the new home you’ve provided. Some intrepid apiarists will search out and relocate a swarm, while others will choose the retail route and purchase bees from a supplier. Packages of bees

are typically sold in 3 lb packages, and contain approx. 10,000 worker bees and a queen. These arrive in a wooden box supplied with a feeder, ready for you to transfer into the waiting hive body.

The other option is to purchase a nucleus colony (NUC) which is a readymade colony already in production and consisting of a few frames filled with honeycomb, brood, pollen, and a laying queen all ready to transfer to your hive box.

Before your bees arrive and you done the suit and veil, it is a good idea to make contact with an experienced local beekeeper to help guide and advise you. There are a wide array of beekeeping clubs and associations which offer classes for beginners and will help you get in contact with helpful apiarists in your area. Check with your area’s cooperative extension office and community colleges for offerings.

Additionally, there are many sites on the internet where you can garner much information and education. Being properly prepared can make all the difference in creating a successful, productive hive and an enjoyable experience in becoming a modern beekeeper!

Cardinal Acres Home of the sweetest alpacas found anywhere!

Our All Things Alpaca Gift Shop is open daily, featuring a fine variety of alpaca wear items, hand knit accessories, gifts, yarns, and fibers.

Visit Cardinal Acres on Facebook from scratch magazine • 83

Goatpacking in the Back Country Story and Photos by: Teri Page

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A

cool breeze blows as Rose and I bask in the sun atop an alpine ridge, high in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. A stunning view of the Three Sisters, a trio of 10,000+ foot peaks is our reward for a steeply uphill climb. We are both hungry, so I munch on an apple while Rose grazes on some bear grass and lichen. Rose is an American Alpine goat, and she and I have packed ten miles into the backcountry on a three-day

backpacking trip.

My fascination with goatpacking began with John Mionczynski’s book The Pack Goat. My husband and I are avid hikers and backpackers; when we met, our first “dates” were morning hikes to watch the sunrise. Having raised Alpine and Nubian dairy goats for a few years, we began to wonder if our affectionate dairy goats would be willing to carry a light load into the backcountry. We began daily training walks around our forested, hilly property, first

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without a pack, and gradually adding a saddle, panniers, and then weight. While we were prepared to guide them on the trail with collars and lead ropes, we found that the goats willingly followed us on the trail, only pausing for 86 • from scratch magazine

an occasional snack from their surroundings.

Our first backcountry adventure was full of trial and error.

Lacking a proper livestock trailer or pickup truck, we piled into a friend’s Volkswagen Vanagon, with Rose

and her yearling Lupine in the back, and a Nubian doe named Hazelnut in the passenger area.

Packing the goats’ panniers with a small bag of grain, water bowl, leashes, ropes, and tarps, we kept their load light for this

“

Packing with our dairy goats has allowed our entire family to experience the backcountry together.”

trial hike. On trail, the goats eagerly followed us for about five miles. At this point, Hazelnut, the Nubian decided enough was enough, laid down on the trail, and refused to continue until we enticed her with a bit of grain. A few miles

later, we reached our destination - a beautiful rocky ledge overlooking an alpine lake.

The goats settled in on the warm rocks, chewing their cud, and resting with a dreamy look on their faces. It seemed as though the Alpines were espe-

cially content, perhaps feeling at home on the high rocky slopes.

With a successful trip under our belts, and confidence in our goats’ packing abilities, we continued with twice yearly summer backcountry adventures. Breakfast from scratch magazine • 87

granola and hot coffee with fresh goat milk were just a few of the perks of bringing goats along. My husband and I continued to carry our own backpacks, but gratefully accepted the help that the pack goats provided. And the goats’ antics and companionship brought much fun and laughter to our adventures.

Fast-forward a few years: I was seven months pregnant and desperately wanting some prebaby backcountry time, but it was increasingly difficult to carry a fully loaded pack around my 88 • from scratch magazine

growing waist. It was time to ask our goats to carry a bit more weight, which they willingly did.

We now filled the goats’ packs with our tent, food, and cookware. Reducing the hiking mileage to three to four mile days kept everyone happy!

Our family has now grown to four people, and we continue to enjoy backcountry adventures each summer, with the help of our goat companions. With two children on our backs, we rely on three to four goats to carry our personal gear. Base camp life can be a

little hectic with so many beings to tend to, but we have learned a few tricks to keep things manageable. Most importantly, we keep the goats away from the camp area and all food preparation. By tying a rope between two trees, and using a carabiner with a three-foot leash, we allow the goats safe access to browse and water, while keeping them out of camp.

We have found that morning and evening milking is best accomplished with a team of three people: one person to hold a bowl of grain, one person to keep the human kids occupied, and one person to milk. Enjoying warm, sweet goat milk in the backcountry is still one of the best rewards of the effort it takes to get there.

Our family is frequently stopped along the trail and asked about the goats. It is truly a gift to wit-

ness the looks of astonishment and joy upon fellow hikers’ faces when they see our herd of pack goats approach on the trail. Their bright red packs and shining wood saddles do make for quite an attractive image, and we are often asked for photo opportunities.

We use our interactions as an opportunity to educate people about dairy goats, goat packing, and homesteading, and as a chance to connect with people who share our love of accessing wild places.

Packing with our dairy goats has allowed our entire family to experience the backcountry together.

My children, ages 2 and 5, get to enjoy some of the most pristine and remote wilderness areas in our country, and my husband and I continue to feed one of the passions that first brought us together – being in the outdoors.

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ducks By: Lisa Steele

“

ducks tend to lay well through the winter, can tolerate extremely cold temperatures as well as heat and enjoy rainy days as much as -- or even more -- than sunny days.”

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ducks are gaining in popularity due to their relative low maintenace and large eggs that are perfect for baking.

B

ackyard ducks, while not quite as popular as chickens, are steadily gaining in number partly due to their comical antics, hardiness, relatively low maintenance and large eggs that are wonderful for baking. Ducks can be raised alongside chickens in a mixed flock and various breeds of ducks also generally get along with each other.

Regardless of which breed (or breeds) of ducks you choose to raise, you will discover the joy and satisfaction of keeping a good-natured and productive flock. Ducks are easy to please, content with fresh food, clean water both to

drink and in which to play and swim, a safe place to sleep and plenty of garden scraps and weeds.

Ducks tend to lay well through the winter, can tolerate extremely cold temperatures as well as heat, and enjoy rainy days just as much as, or even more than, sunny days.

Both the AFLAC duck and Donald Duck are Pekins, but Pekin is just one of several breeds that would make a wonderful addition to any backyard flock. Here are a few of the more common domestic breeds: Pekin Originally from Beijing (once called Pekin), Pekin ducks are a calm, friendly breed. They make wonderfrom scratch magazine • 91

Maintenance is fairly lowkey and much of it can be managed by their owners

Mallard duck ful pets and laying ducks, managing between 150-200 large white eggs each year. Too heavy to fly, they are content to forage on the ground for grass, weeds, bugs and worms. Pekins sport pure white down and feathers with orange bills and feet and have beautiful dark blue eyes. They are considered “heavy” ducks, weighing between 8-9 pounds, and are the most common ‘meat’ or ‘table’ duck breed.

Indian Runner Indian Runner ducks originated in Indonesia where farmers used them to control insects in the rice paddies. Active and energetic, Runners are friendly and extremely good foragers. Standing and walking almost upright, they move 92 • from scratch magazine

more quickly on land than other breeds. They come in various colors including black, buff, fawn, white, gray and chocolate. Fairly light, Runners typically weigh 3 to 5.5 pounds and lay 150-200 greenish or white eggs per year.

Mallard Mallards are a small breed, weighing only about 2.5 pounds, and are excellent flyers, so if you choose to raise them, a covered run is recommended.

The females are brown with blue wingtips, while the males have the distinctive greenish head. Mallards don’t produce as well as other breeds, laying only 60-120 eggs each year, but their eggs are a beautiful greenish-blue. Mallards tend to be broody and will hatch duck-

lings if you let them.

They are highly energetic and “talkative”, more gregarious than other breeds, but very good-natured.

Mallards love to swim and will happily paddle around all day in a small pool or pond.

Khaki Campbell Khaki Campbells were developed in England in the early 1900s by crossing the Runner, Rouen and Mallard breeds, and by the 1940s were a recognized breed in the United States. Khakis are light brown with a bluish-green bill and brown (female) or orange (male) feet.

Drakes have greenish heads, a nod to their Mallard blood.

Not known for being broody, Campbells are excellent layers of more than 300 white eggs per year.

Considered a “light” breed, Campbells have limited flying ability and generally weigh 3.5 to 5.5 pounds.

Swedish Originating in Pomerania, which comprised areas of

northern Europe and Scandinavia under the control of Sweden, Swedish ducks first arrived in the United States in the late 1800s. Blue, black or silver (splash) with white bibs and slate bills, the Swedish breed is attractive and popular for exhibition.

They are very calm, extremely hardy and good foragers. The females do have a tendency to go broody and sit on nests. They are considered a “heavy” breed and generally weigh between 5 to 6.5 pounds and lay 120-180 white eggs per year. .

Why not add a few ducks to your backyard flock if you already raise chickens, or start your flock with a few ducks?

You won’t be sorry you did. Once you have the opportunity to watch them playing in a puddle, quacking to each other, or get a taste of their rich, fatladen eggs in some home-baked goods, you won’t know how you got along without them.

“

why not add a few ducks to your backyard flock if you already raise chickens, or start your flock with a few ducks?”

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An Essential Oil Primer By: Jill Winger

I

’m a skeptic by nature, so the first time I heard someone mention essential oils, I rolled my eyes and changed the subject.

I mean, how helpful can a bottle of liquid from a plant really be?

Little did I know how quickly I 94 • from scratch magazine

would change my tune. A friend gave me some oils to try, and after watching how they rapidly relieved one of my husband’s asthma attacks, I was intrigued.

I went from essential oil skeptic, to devoted essential oil enthusiast in a very short amount of time.

Not only are essential oils useful for creating homemade cleaning and body care items, they can also be used for medicinal purposes as well. I’ve experienced great success using the oils for everything from a dog bite wound to various colds and flus.

Essential oils are very simple to use, although it is important to use a measure of common sense when applying them.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

Only use high-quality oils that are specifically labeled as safe for therapeutic use. Essential oils come in a variety of grades, and if you plan to use your oils for medicinal purposes, you must make sure they are free of contaminates and adulteration.

Unfortunately, many cheaper oils are often not pure, and labels don’t always tell the full story. I recommend taking a bit of time to research a company before purchasing any of their oils.

Understand how and when to dilute oils. Some oils, such as cinnamon or oregano are quite hot and they can burn the skin if they are applied neat (undiluted). It is important to use a quality carrier oil, such as coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or avocado oil if you are planning on using them on your skin.

Dilution is also important if you

plan to use the oils on children, or someone with particularly sensitive skin. A good dilution rate to begin with would be one teaspoon of carrier per 2-5 drops of essential oil.

Don’t place oils in your eyes or inner ear.

For the most part, high-quality oils can be used anywhere on your body. However, you should always avoid putting oils in your eyes or inside of your ear. (Oils may be applied around the outside of the ear, just don’t place them in the ear canal.)

Catch issues early.

I have personally had the best results in treating maladies when I have caught the issue early on.

When my husband was bit by a dog last year, we washed the wound and immediately treated it with oils. We repeated this protocol continually for the next several days with great success. It’s much easier to be proactive than to try and play catch up later on.

Follow Jill Winger of the Prairie Homestead as she inspires others to return to their roots.

Visit her blog to find out how to receive a FREE e-book on essential oils. from scratch magazine • 95

Raising Peafowl Story and Photos by: Marissa Carabin

R

aising peafowl may seem “too exotic” and impossible, but it’s a fantastic hobby with many rewarding results.

What are peafowl?

“Peafowl” is the generic term for peacocks (the male of the species) and peahens (the female).

Peachicks are the offspring.

Most peafowl are not what you would consider tame. They tend 96 • from scratch magazine

to be fairly wild in temperament and are more difficult to keep than chickens. Peafowl come in a vast variety of colors from White to Emerald. The easiest coloration to find is India Blue. Peafowl can live up to 40 years in captivity (zoos, breeding facilities, etc.), but only about 20 years in the wild.

Housing Peafowl are like any other bird: They require shelter and room to

facts about peacocks - A peacock’s tail is known as its train - The name of a group of peafowl is an ostentation, or a pride - Peafowl are part of three distinctive subspecies: The Indian Peafowl, the Green Peafowl and the Congo Peafowl - Peacocks were once eaten by members of royalty as a display of wealth, along with swans.

run. If you plan on keeping peacocks , you will need to allow extra room in their housing and run for their ever growing tail which can reach up to 5’ long.

Ideally, the housing for the peafowl will be tall with a tall roost to accommodate tail length. Do not use metal roosts in your peafowl’s housing. Using metal roosts can result in severe frostbite and toe loss in the winter. Wooden roosts are the best choice. You can use an untreated 2x4 with the short

side of the board facing up.

You should also be aware that some peafowl are more cold sensitive than others. Many Java Green owners, for example, will use heat lamps in the winter.

When building the run, you must consider two things – peafowl like to run and peafowl love to fly. Your run must be completely enclosed and a top net is absolutely required. After a few months, you may choose to let your peafowl wander your propfrom scratch magazine • 97

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erty, but it’s not guaranteed they will always return home. Clipping a wing -- or both wings -- is not enough to keep a peafowl within a 5’ fenced area. Peafowl have excellent flight abilities and can easily fly up and over treetops.

While that it is truly majestic sight, you’re also watching your time, money, efforts, and love fly away.

The run should be built in a dry area, ideally. If you know a spot on your property where the rain drains away from well, build there!

Muddy and wet conditions can cause tail feathers to break and result in illness. For some extra fun and exercise for your peafowl put roosts of various heights throughout your run.

Food and Water As with all animals, water is vital to survival. Peafowl need access to clean water daily. You may use tubs, water troughs, or other containers for water. For young peafowl, use shallow water containers to prevent drowning. I would not recommend chicken waterers for adult peafowl due to their size as they may have trouble getting enough water.

Peafowl require more protein than chickens and should be fed accordingly. Game bird or pheasant feed is more appropriate than chicken feed. You can also mix in a bit of dog food into a peafowl’s main food source or use dog food from scratch magazine • 99

as a treat for extra protein. You can also treat them with any vegetables/scraps that are appropriate for a chicken. Watermelon is a favorite among my flock.

Breeding and Incubation Peafowl mature sexually between 2 and 3 years old.

They do not breed all year like chickens.

Instead they have a breeding season that starts in April through May which continues to about September.

A peahen can lay up to 20-30 eggs a season if eggs are collected and artificially incubated. If eggs are not collected, a peahen will lay a clutch (5-7 eggs) and incubate them herself.

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It takes 28 days to hatch peafowl eggs at 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can check eggs for fertility after 1.5 weeks of incubation. On the 25th day, or when you first notice any eggs pipping, you can stop turning the eggs and wait for the peachicks to begin hatching.

Caring for Peachicks Caring for peachicks is similar to caring for chicks.

Peachicks need to be kept in a brooder until they feather out or until the brooder temperature meets the outdoor temperature.

Each week that a peachick is in the brooder you should lower the brooder temperature by 5 degrees.

This will ease the peachick into

lower temperatures with the least amount of stress possible.

Peachicks should have access to clean water -- chick waterers can be used at this point -- and feed.

Game Bird Starter is the recommended type of feed for peachicks.

When moving a peachick out of the brooder, you will need a covered run and shelter.

It is not advisable to mix peachicks with your mature peafowl.

Your peachick is likely to get picked on.

Sexing your peachick is nearly impossible for the first year.

You can get DNA sexing for $30 - $50 online.

Otherwise, you need to wait -- sometimes more than a year -- to have an idea of the peafowl’s gender through its tail length.

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Community Supported Agriculture Community Supported Agriculture

C

By: Sonja Twolmby

ommunity Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a long name for a very simple idea.

Delicious, fresh, and often organically grown fruits and vegetables supplied directly from your neighbor’s fields to your family’s table. The CSA concept has been around for over 25 years, but recent concerns over genetically modified organism (GMO)

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crops in recent years (among other factors) have contributed to dramatic increases in participation in CSA programs across the country. What exactly is a CSA? What are the benefits? What are the risks? How do you know if joining a CSA is the right choice for your family?

What is a CSA?

Basically, a CSA is a system where

farmers arrange to sell their crops (usually in weekly portions called “shares”) directly to their customers, instead of to a grocery store or other “middle-man”.

The customers who purchase CSA shares are often neighbors living in the same community. CSA pro-

grams may also offer options to buy flowers, eggs, fresh farm cheese, and meat.

The customer’s share can be delivered to their home, but it is more common for the share to be picked up at the farm or another delivery location.

CSA programs differ from farm to farm.

Some offer year round shares and include winter crops. Others offer shares for only a 16 to 20 week growing season.

Rates can vary in cost from as little as $20 per week to as much as $50 per week.

Some CSA programs require payment in full before the beginfrom scratch magazine • 103

ning of the season. Others request a down-payment and offer convenient payment plans. Many farms offer the option of reduced rates in exchange for assistance tending crops, but it is not usually required. Since each plan is different, it is important for customers to understand what is included in the CSA program they are considering for purchase.

What are the Benefits?

Belonging to a CSA has many benefits for the customer and the farmer. Some advantages for the farmer include upfront cash for seed and equipment purchases at

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the beginning of the growing season, the ability to better anticipate revenues, and the joy of meeting the people they are providing food for. CSA customers receive the best, freshest food available, picked at the height of seasonal freshness. Also, customers are more informed about how the food they’ll eat was grown because they have a relationship with their farmer. Buying local foods from local farms financially supports the community and adds to its fiscal health. It helps to bring communities together; the burden of a bad harvest is shared by all and a good harvest is celebrated by all.

“

csa customers receive the best, freshest food available, picked at the height of seasonal freshness.”

the desire to leave a smaller footprint, eat healthier foods, and be more connected in our communiBuying a share of the farmer’s ties rises, CSA programs are gaincrop means both investing in its ing in both popularity and availsuccess and its potential failability. Finding one to suit a your ures. Although the farmer will preferences is no more difficult strive to reap a bountiful harvest, than a call your state’s agriculinclement weather in the form of ture department or performing an droughts, excessive rains or natu- internet search.

As with any purchase, it is imporral disasters can destroy entire crops. Typically, customers are not tant to understand the details of reimbursed in the event that crops what you are paying for. If you choose to purchase a CSA share, do not produce as expected. having a clear understanding of If the guarantee of “getting your what the CSA offers will minimize money’s worth” is more imporany possible issues and maximize tant than having a vested interest your enjoyment of delicious, fresh in “your farm”, a farmers’ market food grown in your community by your local farmer. might be the better choice. As

What are the risks?

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“Your homestead is your safe haven from the outside world.”

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Quick, Easy, and Inexpensive Ways to Decorate the Home on 1.

Your Homestead By: Jennifer Cazzola

A

s homesteaders we garden, we care for our livestock, we bake from scratch, we sew, cook, and can leaving us very little, if any, time and resources to focus on the inside of our home. But the home interior should not be neglected.

It provides us, and those with whom we share it a safe haven from the outside world. It should be a beautiful place: calm, peaceful, and reflective of whom we are.

But beautiful does not need to be expensive, and time invested does not need to be exorbitant.

Following are some quick, easy, and inexpensive ideas to beautify your home.

Bring the outdoors in Whether it is a basket of produce from your garden, a bouquet of wildflowers, or even the pruned branches of a budding shrub, bring the outside elements of your homestead inside.

A table centerpiece is the most obvious place for display, but what other areas in the home could use freshening up?

How about a bedroom night stand, the kitchen windowsill, or the corner of a bookshelf? And don’t forget utilitarian areas like the laundry room.

They deserve a nice touch and will make your every day chores a pleasure.

“

most of us value the homesteading lifestyle for its simplicity allow this simplicity to carry over into your interior spaces as well.”

get more tips from jennifer at black fox homestead from scratch magazine • 107

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curtain or a tea towel for a table runner.

Think outside the box and don’t be afraid to try something new.

Art need not be framed Another way to repurpose items is to hang them on the walls: pretty plates, baskets, quilts, and antique farm tools will provide warmth and a rustic atmosphere.

If you do choose to use framed pieces but don’t want to go to great expense try framing postcards, vintage seed packin our back hall servRepurpose what you have ing double duty hold- ets, or handwritten recipes. Hang a ing canned goods as well as a charging sta- small variety of items together as a grouption for cell phones.

Before purchasing. Before pounding The shabby chic look ing something new, holes in the wall howblends well with our is there any way to ever, play with your country decor. Other repurpose something items on a flat surface pieces that work well you may already for storage are antique such as the floor to have? We recently get the arrangement moved into our home, wardrobes, jelly you like. cabinets, or wooden and since we built as crates. Furniture is simply and inexpenBring out not the only item to sively as we could, we did not have a be repurposed. Get your jars kitchen pantry. What out your vintage linwe did have was an ens and put them to old antique bedroom Those of us who can use. Consider using dresser. It now stands an apron for a small have them in great from scratch magazine • 109

numbers: Mason jars in every shape and size available. Free up some of your storage space and bring out your jars. Use large ones to hold wooden clothes pins or antique buttons.

Set out on a shelf or counter top, they serve their purpose while looking pretty.

Fill various sizes with flowers and/or candles and group together on a tray or in a window sill. Use them on 110 • from scratch magazine

your counter in lieu of canisters and fill with pasta, dried beans, and rice. For entertaining, add a touch of down home chic to your table. Use them as glassware or to hold the silverware at a buffet table.

Less is more.

In choosing the decor of a room, keep in mind that clutter creates visual noise not

to mention extra work when it comes time to dust. Consider keeping extra accessories to a minimal. Try to select items that serve a function apart from just looking pretty. If you have the time and the storage space, rotate accessories on a seasonal basis.

Most of us value the homesteading lifestyle for its simplicity – allow this simplicity to carry over into your interior spaces as well.

Spring Lemons BY: Jennifer burcke

H

ello Spring, how I have missed you! I have been counting the days until spring’s return since the first snowflake fell last fall.

We live in New England, so I have been counting those days longer than I would care to admit.

Happily, Spring has finally returned. The snow has been replaced by muddy earth. I know that it will soon give way to soil ready to welcome the heirloom seedlings we have been tending inside the farmhouse.

While spring has returned, it is still a relatively sleepy time for our gardens. The first crop of lettuces and radishes are still a work in progress. It won’t be long before the first raspberries are also ready to be harvested.

During raspberry season, we’ll be enjoying fresh pies and crumbles, ice cream and fresh jam. But we still have weeks to wait before the first berry is ready to be plucked from its thorny bed. Until then, I need to find a flavor to represent spring that doesn’t come directly from our garden. Enter the from scratch magazine • 111

“one bite of this cookie and winter will be a distant memory” lemon, which is synonymous with spring in my book. First, there’s the brightness of the lemon’s yellow color. Then there is the innate freshness of lemon when its tartness is perfectly matched by just enough sweetness to deepen its natural flavor. For me, there’s just something about lemons that brings about thoughts of spring.

After months spent indoors, I need something bold to shake off the constraints of winter. I can always count on fresh lemon to do the job. This recipe is one of 112 • from scratch magazine

my favorite ways to marry the bright, tart flavor of lemon with the earthiness of great vanilla extract and just enough sugar to sweeten the cookie without masking the lemon’s acidity. One bite of this cookie and winter will be a distant memory. The old saying goes, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

I enjoy lemonade as much as the next person, but I’d much rather make lemon drop cookies with lemon buttercream to mark the arrival of spring. Wouldn’t you?

lemon drop cookies with lemon buttercream

Cooking with 1840 Farm is as simple as making a cup of tea.

Home brewed extract has an You don’t need fancy kitchen equipment to make these beautiful intense aroma and flavor, lending cookies, but a few simple tools will both to every recipe it is added to. help to ensure that your cookies • 1 cup sugar are both flavorful and beautiful.

• Zest of one large lemon While you can use a simple • 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, box grater to zest the lemon, softened a microplane grater makes the • 2 Tablespoons freshly task even easier. A set of simple squeezed lemon juice yet effective rolling pin rings will • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ensure that the dough is rolled to • 1 large egg an even thickness. The resulting cookies will bake evenly and have • 1 large egg yolk • 3 cups All-purpose flour a beautiful appearance.

• 1 Tablespoon baking powder • ½ teaspoon salt Great vanilla extract will elevate • 4 ounces (1 stick) butter, the flavor of these cookies in the softened most wonderful, earthy way.

I have been making my own vanil- • 3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice la extract for over five years with • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract excellent results.

• 3 cups powdered sugar Brewing your own vanilla extract

makes 2 dozen 3” cookies

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• Wash and dry a large lemon. Using a fine grater or microplane, remove the zest from the lemon, taking care to remove only the zest. Leave the white pith intact as it can be incredibly bitter. Place the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl. Mix the sugar and zest together by rubbing the grains between your fingers. Mixing the sugar and zest in this manner will infuse the sugar with the essential oil from the lemon peel.

• Using an electric mixer or food processor, cream the butter and sugar mixture until it combines completely and makes a smooth paste. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Mix to combine. Add the egg and egg yolk and mix until completely smooth.

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add these dry ingredients to the batter and mix briefly to fully incorporate. Take care not to over mix as this will result in a dough that is tough instead of light and delicate.

• Remove the dough to a sheet of parchment paper or freezer paper. Cover with a second sheet of paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 1/4 inch thick. Using rolling pin rings can make the task of roll-

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ing out the dough evenly much easier. Dough that is an even thickness will yield cookies that bake evenly. Refrigerate the dough at least 2 hours or until firm enough to cut cleanly using a cookie cutter or sharp paring knife.

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick Silpat liners or parchment paper. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and cut into your desired shape.

Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets approximately 2 inches apart.

• Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 14 to 16 minutes or until they are firm to

buttercream can be stored in separate, airtight containers at room temperature for several days.

Note: This dough works very well when stored in the freezer. Simply prepare the dough as directed above, chilling the rolled dough in • To make the buttercream, comthe freezer instead of refrigerator. bine the softened butter, lemon juice, and vanilla extract using a Once the dough has frozen solid, it mixer or food processor. Slowly can be moved to a freezer bag for add the powdered sugar and mix long term storage. When you are ready to bake the cookies, remove until the buttercream is comthe frozen dough from the freezer pletely smooth. and allow it to warm slightly as the oven preheats. Cut the dough into • Buttercream can be piped or your preferred shape before transspread on the cookies as soon as they are completely cool. Two ferring them to the oven. Frozen cookies will require an additional cookies can be held together 3-5 minutes in the oven, but taste with a layer of buttercream to identical to those made from freshmake a delicious lemon drop ly made refrigerated dough. sandwich cookie. Cookies and the touch. Rotate the trays halfway through the baking time.

Do not overbake. Remove the trays from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool completely.

Hello from our homestead to yours!

Introducing the launch of the new farm line.

Coming Soon. jams. quilts. scarves. art. aprons. market bags. wallets. candles. and many more beautifully hand made items. visit us on Facebook. www.sunshinesistersfarms.com from scratch magazine • 115

Discover Discover Microclimates in your Microclimates own in Your Own Backyard By: Gretchen Stuppy Carlson

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W

hether you are setting out as a first time gardener, or are simply ready for a fresh perspective on your garden space, it’s time to take a close look at the microclimates in your yard. While every region has a general climate, your yard may have pockets that are dramatically warmer, colder, wetter, drier, or windier. This means that with just a little know-how, you can grow crops you never thought possible. These little microclimates may be the reason your pepper plants never produce a single pepper, while your neighbor gets a basketful each year.

With a little planning, and a little tweaking, you can identify and even create microclimates in your yard and garden.

Knowing Your Climate Before you start to look for microclimates, it’s a good idea to get a sense of your regional climate.

Most gardeners start with their growing zone. You can find your USDA growing zone by searching for a zone hardiness map. When you are selecting crops or plants for your garden, make note of the suggested zone in gardening books, on seed packets, or on the plant container. While microclimates may allow you to grow something in a slightly different zone, you will not be able to grow a zone 10 plant outdoors when you live in zone 3.

Another important climate factor to consider is the first and last frost date. This is the average day each year that your area experiences the last frost in spring from scratch magazine • 117

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and the first frost in fall. In any given year the weather can be dramatically different than the typical climate for your area.

So when you’re getting ready to plant seeds in the spring, remember that there is a 50% chance that a frost will occur after the last frost date. When in doubt, check the extended forecast and plant a few days later to give yourself some room for error.

It’s no fun transplanting all your little seedlings only to have then hit with a frost 2 days later.

Finding Microclimates Once you’ve determined your regional climate, you get the fun of discovering the microclimates around your yard. The first factor to consider is elevation. High areas tend to be windier and dry out more quickly, while low pockets or areas at the bottom of a hill will collect cold air as it settles on calm nights. These low areas will have colder temperatures and an earlier first frost and later last frost.

Next, look at what parts of your

from scratch magazine • 119

yard get the most sun. While southern facing areas often get more, remember that the sun may end up blocked by buildings, trees, hills, or other obstructions.

Areas that receive the most sun will be the warmest and driest and the shadier areas are generally cooler and wetter. A sunny, protected area in front of a fence or a wall, such as your house or a barn, will be noticeably warmer than other parts of your yard. If you’re trying to grow plants that are a zone or two warmer, try planting them in this protected area. Decks or balconies can offer concentrated heat making them wonderful for growing heat-loving crops. One of my favorite ways to find microclimates when you live in a colder climate is to look where the snow melts first and where it is left the longest.

Keep in mind that things may change a bit when the trees have leaves, but it may help you get started. Another way to take note of potential micorclimates is to look carefully over your yard several times throughout one day, and make observations of what areas get the most sun. Keep in mind that these areas are likely to change throughout the seasons.

It’s also important to remember that not all sun is the same.

Early morning sun is more gentle than the hot scorching afternoon sun.

Creating Microclimates Finding the microclimates around your home is just part of the fun.

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“

You can also use supplies you have around your home as a wind break or a backdrop to warm up a space. Any extra rock, wood, straw, hay, or a woodpile can be used to redirect sunlight or decrease a strong wind.”

Once you understand the principles, you can create your own.

Some common methods used to create microclimates include creating structures such as cold frames, hot frames, and greenhouses or using row covers or hoop houses.

You can also use supplies you have around your home as a wind break or a backdrop to warm up a space.

Any extra rock, wood, straw, hay, or a woodpile can be used to redirect sunlight or decrease a strong wind.

Remember that heavier materials such as rock or brick will hold the heat longer throughout the night.

You can also try growing heat loving crops up a trellis and planting lettuce or other cool loving crops in the resulting shade.

When you start to explore the microclimates in your garden, you unlock a whole new world of possibilities and as a gardener, that’s where the fun begins.

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blogger profiles farmhouse 38 kate richards los Angeles, CA

A Little Farmhouse in the City

W

e have longdreamed of greener pastures (or any color pasture!), but until a move to the real, live country is actually in the cards, we are doing what we can with our postage-stamp Los Angeles homestead. When we bought this previously abandoned 100-year-old house, with its pleasant farmy bones, it had seen better days. It was a dilapidated, lonely mess, so we put a little countrified love into renovating it back to life. As we neared completion, we realized we needed to put the ‘farm’ in farmhouse and decided to add 122 • from scratch magazine

some chickens to our otherwise suburban menagerie of animals (two dogs, five cats, and one smarty-pants parrot). The chickens, in all their fluffy, egg-laying glory, have really opened our eyes to the locally-sourced food movement; this spring, we are taking the next step and scrapping our useless, water-guzzling lawns to jam our 7500 square foot lot as full of sustainable garden space as we can possibly manage. It’s all the chickens’ fault. Our little rurally-challenged farm is a non-stop adventure in the art of trial and error, but we are loving every minute of it.

Special: blogging from the farm

the backyard farming connection gretchen stuppy Carlson

saratoga county, NY

I

live with my husband and 3 young children on an emerging 2.5 acre homestead in Saratoga County, NY. We made the decision to homestead as a way to improve our quality of life and connect with the people and world around us. Over the years we’ve added a series of raised gardening beds, fruit trees and bushes, chickens, bees, 2 pygora goats, and 2 angora rabbits. Our homesteading mentality affects every part of our life from the animals we raise, to the food we cook, to the resources we use.

We find that homesteading

alongside our children creates an even deeper level of enjoyment. The Backyard Farming Connection was created to celebrate this lifestyle and connect with others on a similar journey.

The site has two missions: to build a community where homesteaders share, learn and inspire, and to strengthen family, community, and the earth through the practice of farming.

Throughout the week you can find me writing about my own experiences as well as sharing the experience of others.

I invite you to join me and find your way to connect. from scratch magazine • 123

happy days farms penny ausley & brittany may burlington, nc

I

n 2012, we introduced ‘Happy Days Farm.’ We both love our animals and Penny recently expanded her home to include a chicken coop in the backyard which houses our much loved chickens! We hand raised them from babies. In addition to our coop, we have our security team, also known as free-range guinea fowl, a precious bunny, and an ever expanding vegetable garden. A couple of years ago, we traced the source of migraine headaches that Penny has to sodium nitrite, nitrate, and MSG which is located in many foods that we eat.

This led us to begin a semi-organic eating style. We learned to avoid eating out in restaurants which use these ingredients, and we also starting shop124 • from scratch magazine

ping in Whole Foods for some of our meats and cheeses. This led us to find a local farmer to purchase eggs and vegetables from, and eventually we decided a chicken coop was for us!

Brittany started the blog while we were building the coop, and recently added a facebook page to highlight daily life on our ‘farm.’ The rest is history.

Now, we both can cater to our love for animals, gardening, and cooking when we are not at work! We both work for Ausley’s Chevelle Parts, selling restoration car parts. Penny owns this business with her husband. So, we are extremely busy, but we have realized that even though it is a lot of work, our animals, especially our chickens are a great stress-reliever and a source of much joy.

Special: blogging from the farm

The Anderson Family “Farm” Project tina anderson northwestern, oh

T

he Anderson Family “Farm” Project isn’t quite the farm you would expect. We don’t have sprawling acres, fields of corn, tractors or meandering livestock. So, what exactly do we have?

We try to make the best of what we’ve got in a small space in the country. Our flock of 11 hens grace us with fresh eggs and abundant entertainment.

I love to tweak recipes for the hens and they enjoy our new creations. Our attempts at gardening last spring weren’t completely a loss, but I’m ready to tackle this next spring with a

new and improved game plan!

With a lot of knowledge shared from blogging friends and a little bit of luck, we should have plenty of fresh veggies and herbs for our entire family -human, feathered and furry.

Our hearts are in it to be more self sufficient and enjoy our time spent together as a family, in and outdoors. We personally get a lot of joy from our little homestead and we hope that you will find plenty here to learn from and even more for you to share with us.

Share our experiences in small space gardening, raising layer hens, and more! from scratch magazine • 125

timber creek farm janet garman maryland, chesapeake bay region

A

long a river in Eastern Maryland, we are farming a large family tract of land.

The tree farm property has been in the family for generations and we have added the animals and vegetable gardens. We are raising Pygora fiber goats, Border Leicester sheep, Black Angus cows, chickens, ducks and turkeys.

Our fiber from the sheep and goats is processed into yarn by local fiber processing companies and spun into beauti-

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ful soft yarn. Our chickens and ducks supply eggs for our family and many of our neighbors, too.

Every day brings a new challenge as we work towards being self sufficient in our food needs.

Our jouney towards self sufficiency is hard work, but it’s work we love. Our mission, through the work on our farm, is to be able to provide food for our family and to encourage others in their journey into their own farming projects, big or small.

Special: blogging from the farm

abundance farms marissa carabin texas

A

bundance Farms works on breeding exotic poultry and mammals in the big state of Texas.

Some of our chicken breeds include Yokohamas, Ohikis, Sussex, and Malays.

We also breed Jacob sheep, Angora goats, and peafowl.

Like many farms, we also have a handful of critters that we just really enjoy the company of!

Abundance Farms is a run by a husband and wife team.

We have both traveled the world and experienced many different adventures, but we

have decided to settle down and enjoy the farm lifestyle.

Through our blog, you can follow Abundance Farms as we live, learn, and love!

Whether you enjoy cooking, creating, or raising, we’re bound to have something you’ll enjoy.

Horseback riding and training, building and converting chicken coops, cooking up something a little different, and professional photographs make their way into our blog posts.

It’s been an amazing journey and I can’t wait to see where it leads to!

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How to Make Your Own Painted Sign

By: Emily McGrath

I

recently saw a little boy wearing a T-shirt that read “Lettuce, Turnip the Beet” in black, with a small peace sign on the sleeve.

I was in love. Anything that has to do with produce and music is something that I need in my life. So, I got to thinking: There is a wall in my kitchen that has been blank since the day we bought our house 5 years ago and I never could find anything I liked enough to hang in the spot.

A piece of plywood, three tubes of acrylic paint, and $1.68 later, my kitchen has a new accessory! Here’s how I did it.

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follow our little coop

Step by Step Instructions:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Find an old piece of wood. I started with this old piece of plywood, but any kind of wood will do.

Pick your colors.

I used Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint in Kings Gold, Bahama Blue, and Tuscan Red and applied them in that order. Make sure you use the brightest colors first.

Starting with Kings Gold, I applied enough paint so that the color of the wood was not showing. This doesn’t have to be perfect and a little of this paint goes a long way.

Next, I used Bahama Blue. I sparingly dripped the paint randomly over the board and worked it around, brushing the paint to the point of the brush almost being dry. Less is more. from scratch magazine • 129

Step by Step Instructions: Final color, Tuscan Red. I used the same technique as with the blue. Start with a little and add more if you want more coverage. Finished product, all three colors applied.

5.

Pick and print your lettering. I used Academy Engraved LET, font size 450. You will need to cut and tape a little to make this work for your board. Not all of your words are going to fit on one sheet of paper, so try and trim as much as you can to ensure that there is uniform spacing between your letters.

6.

Flip over your first word and use a white grease pencil to color the back of each letter, paying close attention to coloring OUTSIDE of the lines.

7.

8.

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Flip your word back over and outline your letters using a pencil. It helps if you use short scratchy lines rather than one continuous line to better transfer the color onto the plywood. When you bear down with the pencil the white grease from the grease pencil will be transferred to your board.

Is that not fantastic?!

Letter transfer done.

9.

10.

11.

To paint the letters I used a stiff angled brush. Again, the key is to use the paint sparingly. Start with a little and try and stretch the paint as far as it will let you. It will help give it that aged look.

If you’re planning on mounting your board to the wall you will need to screw a bracket to the back. I used a tie down bracket.

The finished product!

12.

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Holy Shiitake!

Alabama Artisan

How to Grow Delicious Mushrooms in Your Backyard. by: Steven Jones

“Helms painted a series of paintings patterned after handmade rag rugs” Story and Photos by: Julie Thompson- Adolf 132 • from scratch magazine

1.

I

’m not much of a risk taker.

It’s sad but true. I don’t plan to scale the highest summit or cage dive with sharks. But in the garden? Now, that’s a different story.

I’ll plant varieties considered outside my USDA zone, push the envelope of sun verses shade recommendations, and squeeze just one more tomato plant into a bursting bed.

Yep, I’m living on the edge, brandishing my trowel with the swagger of a swordfighter. The prize? A lush, ripe delicious heirloom tomato for dinner.

Although our ancestors thought them to be poisonous, today we know that tomatoes are safe. Not much risk there. But mushrooms?

Now, that’s upping the gardening — and eating — ante.

There’s something subtly sinister about mushrooms. As kids, we’re warned not to touch mushrooms or play with snakes. As adults, we respect and covet the foraged fungi, salivating over morels and paying a fortune for truffles. Whether gourmet delicacy or cause for demise—mushrooms walk a fine line.

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So, when I attended a mushroom growing session led by the owners of Mushroom Mountain, I definitely stepped outside my risk-averse comfort zone. After all, the speaker was a brilliant guy — part genius scientist, part fearless farmer, part educator extraordinaire, part foraging foodie enthusiast. I was hooked.

Armed with my knowledge and a

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bag of plug spawn, I took a walk on the wild side: I began a mushroom garden.

I’m not certain that “garden” is the proper term, but “garden” sounds safe, don’t you think?

Typically, shiitake mushrooms grow on portable, easily relocated fresh hardwood oak or sweetgum logs, approximately six inches

“

Growing shiitake mushrooms seems complicated, but here’s a secret: it’s not.”

in diameter and about three feet long. Of course, I don’t believe in easy.

Because my husband and I are tree-huggers, we won’t cut a tree unless necessary.

However, we needed to remove a partially rotted tree.

Down went the tree, and with a few extra cuts—we had a forest of thick, round logs. Much thicker in diameter than recommended and nearly impossible to move, I

was determined to turn the gathered logs into a shiitake producing machine.

Somehow, the stumps were very reminiscent of Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree.

Anyway...

Growing shiitake mushrooms seems complicated, but here’s a secret: It’s not. Don’t tell anyone, from scratch magazine • 135

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though. When people hear about the scrumptious shiitakes you harvested for dinner, they’ll think you possess amazing gardening powers.

Here’s what you need:

 Plug spawn from a reputable source. I highly recommend Mushroom Mountain. The plug spawn I purchased from them is cultivated on 3.4” dowels. The spawn can be stored in a refrigerator and remain viable for up to a year. Remove the plugs from the refrigerator a day prior to use.  Logs or stumps, freshly cut from a living tree.  5/16-inch drill bit and drill  Canning wax, melted using a double boiler method. (Bottom pot contains boiling water, top pot contains wax and small amount of mineral oil to help prevent the wax cracking and drying out. Submerge top pot into bottom pot to melt wax.)  Clean paint brush

How to Inoculate

Inoculation is the process of inserting the plug spawn into the log or stump—planting the mushroom “seeds.” The log needs to be inoculated within six weeks of cutting and should be dry and free of dirt.

Drill holes 1-1/4 inch into the log to create an air pocket below the plug. The holes should be drilled in a diamond pattern on the log or stump, approximately five to six inches apart. from scratch magazine • 137

Hammer the plugs firmly into the holes and cover them with a thin coating of melted wax using a clean paint brush. The wax prevents insects from entering the holes in the wood.

After plugging and waxing the log, soak the logs overnight. In my case, with our crazy forest of stumps, I ran a sprinkler to soak the wood.

Hopefully, when your first mushroom appears, it will look like a shiitake. Our first mushroom looked...odd. I harvested it, took a photo, and sent it to Mushroom Mountain to confirm that it was, indeed, a shiitake.

Additionally, with the thick logs I used, I buried part of the wood in the ground to help with moisture retention.

As I awaited a reply, I watched “The Today Show.” Ironically, Nicholas Evans, author of The Horse Whisperer, appeared on the show, discussing the accidental poisoning of his entire family—by serving them mushrooms. They all required kidney transplants after ingesting foraged mushrooms.

And then ... you wait.

What?!?

And wait.

Nervously, I threw away the mys-

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tery mushroom. It turns out, I discarded a perfectly safe, delicious oyster mushroom. Somehow, a stray oyster spore found its way onto the log.

But then, a few months later, a mushroom appeared on a log.

Then another. And another.

Soon, dozens of mushrooms filled the logs -- and they looked exactly like shiitakes.

Of course, do you think I ate them without first sending photos to Mushroom Mountain for a proper ID? Not only am I risk-adverse, but I also try to keep my family healthy and poison-free.

Fortunately, the very kind folks at Mushroom Mountain confirmed that my mushrooms were “beautiful shiitakes,” and I should happily feast on them.

That night, as I prepared dinner, I noticed that my husband waited until I took a bite of the risotto ai funghi before he tried it.

He knew that if even I would venture to eat homegrown mushrooms, then they must be safe.

As for my gardening status? Yep. I’m pretty much a mushroomgrowing rock star now.

And I might even attempt to forage for morels. On a supervised expedition. With the pros of Mushroom Mountain.

from scratch magazine • 139

Risotto ai Funghi Ingredients • 6 cups organic chicken broth, divided • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 2 pounds shiitake mushrooms, fresh or dried (rehydrate prior to use) • 2 shallots, diced • 1-1/2 cups Arborio rice • ¾ cups dry white wine • freshly ground pepper to taste • sea salt to taste • 3 tablespoons chopped chives • 4 tablespoons butter • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

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Note: Make sure to have all ingredients ready before you start. You need to stir continuously to avoid burning, so you don’t want to hunt down ingredients in the midst of cooking.

directions 1. Warm the broth over mediumlow heat in a saucepan.

2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the mushrooms (fresh or rehydrated) and cook until soft, approximately 3

A Great Recipe for your home grown shiitake mushrooms

mushrooms with liquid, butter, chives, and Parmesan, stirring well. Season with salt and pepper 3. Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a to taste. skillet, and add the shallots. Cook 5. Serve alone or as a side dish.

1 minute, stirring frequently. Add Makes approximately 6 servings. rice, stirring to coat it with the olive oil. When the rice is golden Visit Growing Days to in color (about 2 minutes), add chat about growing wine. Stir continuously until wine is absorbed. And ½ cup broth gardens, growing kids, to the rice, stirring until broth is absorbed. Continue adding ½ cup growing green, growing broth at a time, stirring continulocavores, and growing... ously, until liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente, approximately 15 one day at a time to 20 minutes.

4. Remove skillet from heat. Add minutes. Remove mushrooms and liquid, and set aside in bowl.

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In the spring, at the e of the day, you shou smell like dirt.

-Margaret Atwood -Meister Eckhart

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end uld

from scratch magazine • 143

thank you for stopping by! the next issue is May/june

In the meantime, keep in touch: facebook, blog, pinterest, twitter & store

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