THE LAND — SEPTEMBER 18/SEPTEMBER 25, 2020
www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”
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City or country, housewives had their struggles with meals It’s a busy time of year on the farm. for morning and afternoon They worked hard — thus needing But is there ever a time on the farm lunches. But I didn’t realplenty of food for fuel. when we can really say the work is ize that supper was often “City women have it ‘easy’,” one caught up? Each season has its own priserved too. woman wrote. “No cows to milk, no orities and busy-ness. But right now, as I One woman had written churning, no vegetables to gather, no look at the work staring me in the face, a letter wondering how poultry to care for, no chickens to run all I can say it’s going to be a busy couple necessary it was to serve down, dress, etc. She just steps down of weeks. an evening meal after the to the telephone and in a short time That garden, which was going to work of the day was done. everything is delivered to her back FROM MY decrease in size this year, somehow did Her letter garnered plenty door.” FARMHOUSE not. Even though the rains have been of replies. KITCHEN There’s another side to story, lacking, a few strategic days of watering Some were in agreement according to the city woman. By Renae B. has resulted in produce: beans of all — remarking on the fact “Cooking three meals a day for 365 Vander Schaaf kinds; tomatoes of all sizes and colors; Photos by Renae B. Vander Schaaf days a year would not be one-fourth that if they finished at okra (it’s hibiscus-like flowers are not just for beau- your place early harvesting, the Okra blossoms (above) are the trouble if I didn’t have to pamper ty sake); grapes (if we get them before the birds); whole crew moved on Breakdowns or not just limited to good looks, the appetites of my family. But it’s no Aronia berries (which the birds leave alone until the uncooperative weather may have while a tray of colorful toma- wonder! Here we are cooped up withgrapes are gone); and apples (but who cares if only toes awaits processing. caused issues so that no evening out fresh air, sunshine or exercise. half the trees have apples on this year). And so it meal was needed; but the meal had My country sister has no worries, for goes. already been prepared. her family will eat any wholesome There is no need for Covid isolation rules as the food set before it. They have fresh One person wrote she has known of trail from the garden to my kitchen becomes my fruits and vegetables by simply stepwomen whose health suffered from only world. ping into the garden. Then too, preparing so much food in stifling, creamy milk, good butter, meat and Out of curiosity, I looked at The Iowa Homestead non-air conditioned kitchens over a poultry can all be had right there on newspapers of one hundred years ago to see what very hot wood stove. She thought the the farm.” farmwives were busy with. men should spend a few days in the kitchen to know what it was really The city woman also often found It seems like there was a quite a debate on the like. that when she phoned in her grocery necessity of feeding the threshing crew when it was order, she got so many inferior prodyour time to have the threshers at your farm. Others felt it was privilege to send ucts or was short-weighted, she went the threshing crew with a full stomThe whole family was busy then. There seemed to to doing her own marketing. Which meant changing ach and that the men had labored in hot, dusty be plenty of stress to make sure you were ready from a house dress to a street dress, walking one fields. After all, in 1920, would most of the threshwhen the threshing machines came to your farm, and a fourth mile to possibly wait in line at the ing crew have walked home? and that there would be plenty of food to feed the market to make her purchases before walking back crew. The other debate was whether city or farm women home with a heavy basket, according to the article. I always knew a huge meal at noon was prepared had it easier. The farm wife had to prepare 1,095 All these women have legitimate opinions and good, nutritional meals a year for hearty appetites. and served; and plenty of sandwiches and cookies concerns, and I do find them interesting. It will sure give me something to think about as I’m laboring over my not-so-hot stove in my air-conditioned house. All the while thankful that storms, locusts AD COPY INSTRUCTIONS Please read attached email my garden thus far this and pestilence have avoided year. B. Vander is anLAND independent CODE AND REP NAMESRenae ALREADY ON Schaaf AD THE 3.7461writer, x ” author and speaker. Contact her at (605) 530-0017 ST. PAUL — Farmers and Minnesota nonprofit involved in the project. v and educational organizations focused on testing SustAg grants have funded a wide range of proj- or agripen@live.com. new ideas in sustainable agriculture are encouraged ects; such as exploring farm diversification, cover to apply for a Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration crops and crop rotation, conservation tillage, and Grant by 4 p.m. Dec. 10. input reduction strategies and alternative energies SustAg grant projects explore farm profitability, like wind, methane, and biomass. energy efficiency, and environmental benefits of susProjects are published annually in the tainable agriculture practices or systems. Grantees MDA’s Greenbook, which provides a summary of each must be willing to share what they learn with others. project along with results, management tips, locaProjects last two to three years and may be funded tions of previous projects, and other resources. at up to $50,000, with applicants providing a dollarFor more information and to apply, visit www.mda. for-dollar match on amounts above $25,000. A total of state.mn.us/sustagdemogrant. $200,000 is available this year. Applications from This article was submitted by the Minnesota Minnesota farmers receive priority, but the program Department of Agriculture. v also funds Minnesota nonprofit and educational organizations if Minnesota farmers are meaningfully
Funding available for sustainable agriculture projects
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