Sunday Walkabout 10-13

I really think I could drive M’brook Road with my eyes closed.

typical trip down M'brook Road
following one of the neighbors

Don’t worry, I won’t try.  Sure as I did one of Sam’s big ole cows (or the whole herd) would decide to break into RG’s cornfield in front of me…or a tractor/harvester/some sort of farm equipment would pull out.  Or, much more likely…a deer/skunk/raccoon would decide to cross the road about that time.

Suffice it to say, I’m more than a little familiar with Route 252-Mbrook Road.

You see, M’brook Road is the connection to town (and all points beyond).

…and we made NINE trips on the little two-lane through the countryside…this week…just this week!  I’m not sure, but that may be some sort of record for us.

That was four trips to Lowe’s and Wal-mart, too…(since it’s right next door), a stop at the bank, the feedstore, the vet , a trip to the scrap metal yard, the Staunton Post Office and THREE trips to the dump  …and then Saturday’s Market, of course.  Some of the trips overlapped, but needless to say…not a whole lot of farm work got done.  After Monday’s torrential rains (two inches before lunch) it was too wet to work outside much anyway.

…and it all started with a rat. (or maybe it’s a whole family of rats)

When we went out to do chores on Monday morning, we were surprised to find a lake/pond in the middle of the barn floor.  Rain was flowing under the barn wall.  Apparently, all the residents of the rodent persuasion had been busy tunneling under all the junk in the barn and had loosened the earth underneath.  The torrential rain and the loose soil made for our own little waterway through the center of the barn. 

Not the way to start the week!  

A trip to town for supplies would be in order….and, while we’re out… (well, you know how that goes…)

Barns tend to accumulate a lot of stuff.  Sometimes it looks too good to throw away…and you just never know when you’ll need another piece of fence, some stakes or an old bucket. But, the pond in the barn caused the Boss to reach the breaking point and he started cleaning with a vengeance. The truck was loaded for what would be the first dump trip of the week.  He also rounded up all those miles of aluminum fence wire and we dropped it off at the scrap metal yard, earning a whopping $14.40 in the process…certainly not much when you consider what we originally paid for all that wire…but, now he has some cash in his wallet…for a change.

Yes, he really did EAT it! 

With the barn cleaned and organized, the battle with the rats is about to get serious.  Since the dogs and cats will eat rats (Gus particularly likes the “gifts” the cats leave on the back porch…ewwww!) poisons are not an option. …and rat shot is getting hard to find.  So, the trapping will continue.

As we come down to the end of the market season, it’s time to focus on Winter sales.  That means organizing all the vegetable goodness in the freezers and making room for those last two loads of lambs and broilers that will see us (and our Winter customers) through to Spring.  The freezer re-organization/clean-out meant another couple trips to town.  But, now we know just how much good stuff we have to offer and there’s room for all the meat, too.  (Good thing, we pick up lamb on Monday and process broilers on Tuesday…and we have more (of both) to do in November!) Our Winter customers should be quite happy, there’s lots of good stuff in those freezers.

It was a beautiful trip to the vet
That's the Allegheny mountains in the distance

Gus added to the trip tally.  He had to go for another “well puppy” check-up and get another shot in the series.  The vet was quite impressed with him.  He gained 11+ pounds in the 21 days since his last visit! I can personally attest to this…he had to be carried into the vet…to the exam room…and back to the vehicle.  A visit to the vet almost always reduces our big, farm dogs to unmovable masses of frightened fur, particularly if there are any little dogs in the waiting room.

Right at the end of our lunch break on Tuesday, the phone rang. It was the Post Office…not our neighborhood post office that’s within walking distance (if you feel like a hike) but, the Post Office in Staunton.  The layer chicks had arrived from the hatchery and they didn’t have a truck heading this way until the next day…so, would I come get my screaming chicks out of their post office? (they actually made a nice request)

Well…there go my plans for the afternoon!  …and down M’brook Road I went again.

Layer chicks are cuter than broilers
22 weeks from an egg to egg layer...impressive

With the chicks settled, the freezers cleaned and organized, the dog vetted and the battle with the rats somewhat under control…it was time to get ready for Market. (Somewhere in there I actually got some hoophouse planting done and started more seeds…The Boss kept busy with unexpected repair jobs. All sorts of things needed his attention.) Time sure flies when you’re having fun!

Oh, did I mention that rain was a recurring theme this week?  After all the hot, dry weather of late September and early October, now we have cool, misty (downright rainy) weather as the “norm”. 

Saturday’s Market was dark and rainy.  But, there was a cool, new jazz group playing and the customers came out…so, there was no reason to complain.  Although, it did feel good to get back to the house where it was warm and dry.

It looks like the upcoming week’s battles will be with the weeds in the hoophouses.  Those tiny weed seedlings will take over the entire place if we’re not ever vigilant in our weeding endeavors.

green invasion

But, right now...it's a cool, rainy Sunday...and it looks like Gus has the right idea. 

 It's a great day for a NAP! 

Thanks for stoppin’ by!  Hope you have a great week!

Happy Sunday!

Rainbows at Sunset

Sunset 10-9-13

The world seems full of bad news lately.  Okay, the world is always full of bad news, but recently it seems that nobody can catch a break.

Our government is shut down and causing all sorts of issues for all sorts of people.  I’m sure you don’t need links to get you to that information. While it hasn’t affected us personally, we know folks who have been…and the whole situation is more than a little disheartening and frustrating. (to say the least)

The folks in South Dakota are facing a situation the likes of which defies imagination.  The ramifications of this early season blizzard will be felt for years.  You should read this. (the pictures are graphic and disturbing)   While we’ve faced animal losses over the years, nothing even compares to the horrific sights from those in the Black Hills.  It’s heartbreaking to say the least.  Want to help?  Here's how.

  

I won’t even get into the problems that the lack of a Farm Bill has caused so many producers.  Again, it’s not a personal problem…but, it is a matter of concern and frustration. (and ongoing conversation)

The whole Food Safety Modernization Act (see this post) is looming over my head like a big, black cloud.  Did you read this?

…and so on…

So, last night’s rainbow/sunset combo was a real gift. (although it doesn't show up in the photos...it was a double rainbow for a while)

A reminder that despite the clouds…

...the gloom and despair…

...there’s the promise of better days ahead…

...and something to give thanks for...

(even if it's just a pretty view)

Here's to a great and thankful Thursday!

Hope you’re following us on Facebook!  Check out https://www.facebook.com/HomesteadHillFarm and LIKE us if you haven’t already done so.  

At the Risk of Sounding Like Chicken Little

The sky may indeed be falling!

Is anyone paying attention?

The food system in the country is in for some big, really big, changes and I don’t think anyone is real concerned. Have you ever even heard of the Food Safety Modernization Act? The FSMA represents the absolute biggest changes in food safety issues in this country since the 1930's. It was signed into law by President Obama in January of 2011. This is supposed to protect us from the spread of E coli, Mad Cow disease, food poisoning and the like by allowing the FDA to regulate every facet of food production.

Now, I am all for safe food.  Absolutely!  I want to know that the food I buy is safe for us to eat.  I want our customers to know the food they buy from us is safe to eat.  But, one more piece of legislation is not going to keep any of us from getting sick. No way! And these proposals are fraught with problems.

Just a note here, many facilities are already under some sort of inspection.  In Virginia, our Department of Agriculture inspects Farmers' Markets and farms that utilize their kitchens for value-added products.  It is possible to sell without inspection, but those products must be labelled in such a way that the consumer knows that the producer is not under inspection.

Since this project has not been fully funded, maybe the whole government shutdown is a good thing.  Maybe it will get lost in the shuffle if Congress ever goes back to work. But, seriously...this needs attention...a lot of attention.

I promise…this is not a political post.  But, the legislation has been passed and is in the process of being implemented and it will affect every single one of us.  At least, those of us who eat. (and I'm pretty sure that's everyone)  It will affect Farmers’ Markets and CSA’s, Pick-your-owns and Food Hubs, grocery stores and the like…  If food is being produced and/or processed…this Act will have an effect on the way that is done. Decisions about production will no longer be made by the producers but the officials in charge of the program. It’s pretty much a “one-size-fits-all” kind of program.  All producers will be made to follow all the same rules, regardless of size or farming practice.

I have been watching this subject for quite some time.  Because…we produce and process food here on the hill…and well, I admit it, food is my life. While I don’t think of myself as an alarmist, this one has me more than a little concerned. So, I hope you’ll read on, get educated and take action.  Please take action before November 15, 2013.

In January 2013, the FDA released its 547 page document regarding the implementation of the Food Modernization Safety Act. As I stated before, the Food Modernization Safety Act was signed into law on January 4, 2011---so I am not jumping at shadows here.  This is going to happen…we just don’t know when, or exactly how. Presently, the FDA is open to comments…but only until November 15, 2013.

I must admit, when I saw the mammoth document, I totally flipped out.  I talked to a number of folks in the food-production community; I wrote emails to groups I thought would have further information.  I contacted our Representative in Congress. Nobody seemed too concerned.  Oh, and the Representative…despite the fact that he is the VICE CHAIR of the House Committee on Agriculture…never even responded to my email.

 Surely I was overreacting.

 Come on, this won’t affect the Farmers’ Market vendors!

There is an exemption for those who produce under $25,000 annually. I would like to point out that there are many Farmers’ Market vendors who produce MORE than $25,000 annually.  (apparently, that fact escaped a great number of folks) Any farm making $25,001 to $250,000 annually will have 4 years to comply with the rules...ALL the rules. Farms making $250,001 to $500,000 have three years.  Bigger operations must comply immediately. The rules include massive amounts of record keeping, labeling and repetitive water testing among other things. Farms will be subject to inspection at any time. The rules make it possible to consider even the small farms “manufacturing facilities”.

Now that time is getting short, a lot of folks are getting concerned about this topic.  My newsfeed is full of conversation about the topic.

  

Here’s an articulate and concise article on the subject. http://www.thenewamerican.com/reviews/opinion/item/16525-the-food-safety-modernization-act-a-war-on-food-freedom-and-family-farms

Here’s another… http://civileats.com/2013/10/03/dont-let-the-food-safety-modernization-act-burden-family-farmers

All the emphasis on LOCAL, sustainable, small farms of late will do nothing to protect these same farms from having to comply with an overwhelming of expensive requirements.  The whole KNOW YOUR FARMER, KNOW YOUR FOOD (a USDA program) will become meaningless if small farms are made to comply with the regulations.  It may mean the end for a great number of small farms. The cost of compliance will be prohibitive to new operations starting and may actually mean that there will be LESS choices when it comes to food.

Here is a list of what is seen to be wrong with the proposed rules:

Top 10 Problems with FSMA for Farmers and Local Food Businesses

1. They’re too expensive.
   The rules could cost farmers over half of their profits and will keep beginners from starting to farm.
2. They treat farmers unfairly.
   FDA is claiming broad authority to revoke small farmers’ protections without any proof of a public health threat.
3. They will reduce access to fresh, healthy food.
   Local food distributors like food hubs could close, and new food businesses will not launch.
4. They make it harder for farms to diversify.
   Grain, dairy, and livestock farmers could be denied access to emerging local food markets.
5. They will over-regulate local food.
   The rules could consider farmers markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture programs “manufacturing facilities” subject to additional regulation.
6. They treat pickles like a dangerous substance.
   The rules fail to protect a host of low-risk processing activities done by smaller farms and processors.
7. They make it nearly impossible to use natural fertilizers like manure and compost.
   Farmers will be pushed to use chemicals instead of natural fertilizers.
8. They require excessive water testing on farms.
   Farmers using water from streams and lakes will be required to pay for weekly water tests regardless of risk or cost.
9. They could harm wildlife and degrade our soil and water.
   The rules could force farmers to halt safe practices that protect our natural resources and wildlife.
10. Bonus: there’s at least one good thing about the rules.
    The rules take an ‘integrated’, not a ‘commodity-specific’ approach – meaning farmers won’t face over 30 separate rules for each kind of fresh produce they grow. FDA needs to keep this good decision in the final rules!

The new rules are repetitive, redundant, and in some cases, at odds with the current approved practices.  They have the potential to be incredibly costly and time-consuming.  The changes listed below are seen to be the most critical.

·    Allow farmers to use sustainable farming practices, including those already allowed and encouraged by existing federal organic standards and conservation programs. Specifically, FDA must not exceed the strict standards for the use of manure and compost used in certified organic production and regulated by the National Organic Program.

·    Ensure that diversified and innovative farms, particularly those pioneering models for increased access to healthy, local foods, continue to grow and thrive without being stifled. Specifically, FDA needs to clarify two key definitions: first, as Congress required, FDA must affirm that farmers markets, CSAs, roadside stands, and other direct-to-consumer vendors fall under the definition of a “retail food establishment” and are therefore not facilities subject to additional regulation. Second, FDA should adopt at least the $1,000,000 threshold for a very small business and base it on the value of ‘regulated product,’ not ‘all food,’ to ensure smaller farms and businesses (like food hubs) fall under the scale-appropriate requirements and aren’t subject to high cost, industrial-scale regulation.

·    Provide options that treat family farms fairly, with due process and without excessive costs. Specifically, FDA must clearly define the “material conditions” that lead to a withdrawal of a farmer’s protected status in scientifically measurable terms. FDA must also outline a clear, fair, process for justifying the withdrawal of a farmer’s protected status and for how a farmer can regain that status.

So, what to do?

Please read this.

http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5735/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=9861

Please sign the online petition. http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5735/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=8636

If you’re concerned about maintaining your food choices, then, by all means, email the FDA.  http://sustainableagriculture.net/fsma/speak-out-today 

If you want more information, contact ME...and I'll point you in the right direction.

…and THANK YOU! 

Thanks for taking the time to read…to understand…and to act.

If enough folks take action…maybe the FDA will produce a second draft for public consideration. 

...and then the sky might not be falling after all.

Sunday Walkabout 10-6

Well, it certainly doesn’t feel like October! The temperature here was in the eighties yesterday. I can’t believe I am going to say this…but, it’s HOT…and DRY! …and October! That’s a strange combination here in the Valley, for sure.  The weird weather patterns continue. We’re supposed to get some storms later today, bringing rain and cooler temperatures. Maybe then it will begin to feel like Fall.

leaving for the processor's

The big news around here this week was that we finally, irrevocably, got rid of “that black lamb!” (Did you read about our "mis-adventures"?) …and with fairly little difficulty, I might add.  She did manage to take the entire flock the wrong way THREE times before she headed the right direction and had to be physically removed from the truck when we got to the processor’s…but, to the best of my knowledge, the rest of the story was completely uneventful.  …and while it sounds twisted on my part, in this case…the best revenge will be EATING well. Lamb chops (and other cuts) should be ready in about 10 days.

After hauling the lambs, the Boss went to a nearby farm and picked up a small amount of alfalfa hay for “my girls”.  After the lambs arrive, we feed alfalfa hay to the new mamas for a short while.  This allows them to produce lots of good milk for the newborns, giving them a great start in life.  The ewes benefit from the extra nutrition and seem to really like the taste.  With that tucked safely in the hayloft, I feel just a little bit better about Winter preparations.

In other news, Tess finally headed outdoors.  It’s hard to be a mouser when you stay in the house all the time. And, she REALLY wanted to go OUT! 

She and Gus met for the first time…

and seem to want to play together. 



They ran back and forth for hours and ended up wearing themselves out.

I think he likes her

she's taunting him

one worn out kittie

one very tired pup

As the gardens wind down for the year, it’s sort of bittersweet.  I’ll be glad to say GOOD-BYE to the bugs and the weeds…(and picking green beans) but, I will certainly miss the squash and tomatoes. …and the thought that these little volunteer cucumbers won’t make it is more than a little sad.

  The broccoli is still producing and the Brussels sprouts are nearly ready. 

But, it’s time to focus on the hoophouses and all the hardy crops that will produce during the cold winter months.  I was very happy to see that removing the shadecloth last week made a great difference in the re-growth in time for Market harvesting.

view from the broiler pen at 5:30am
lights from brooder and barn

In case you ever wondered…THIS is what it looks like outside when I do chores on Saturday morning before the Market.  It’s funny how many Market customers do not realize that we get up long before dawn on Saturday mornings in order to get ready.








Actually, we always get up before dawn…

heading in for breakfast after morning chores

Saturday’s Market seemed a bit slow (there are a LOT of activities this time of year), but it was successful nonetheless. We had good music, too. It’s hard to believe that another Market season is winding down already. 
Only 7 more Market Saturdays before Thanksgiving and the start of the “off-season”.

Today, we’ll take the opportunity to relax and re-group for the upcoming week.

isn't this pathetic?

Layer chicks arrive this week, the potatoes need digging, among other things…and there’s always one more thing to plant in the hoophouses.

Sissie just hangin' out

Here’s hopin’ you have a…

                Happy Sunday!

Don't Mess with Mama!

I’m not into vigilante justice…not really.  But, there is a line that should not be crossed.

                    …and if it is…

…well, there is a reason my kids say “don’t mess with Mama!”  I can assure you, if I say I will do something…I will do it.  Really…

…just ask the groundhog.

A story? …oh yeah…there’s a story.

 I was minding my own business, really.  I had a few minutes to kill before doing a phone interview, so I walked down to the hoophouse to turn on the irrigation system.  It was a beautiful, bright Autumn day…the kind of day that the newly planted crops would surely need some water. I was concerned about the newly planted Hoophouse #2, but the hydrant and irrigation control is in #1. (In a matter of moments, I would be glad for the fact that I haven't gotten #1 fully planted.)

I walked in, put my hand on the hydrant…and then I saw him (or her). A big, fat groundhog…INSIDE the hoophouse. WHAT?  Again?  This is NOT funny! 
Did you read this?
Our ongoing issues with groundhogs have me feeling a little like Bill Murray in Caddyshack. Here, read this.

We had just “fortified” this hoophouse, so the hateful creature must have wiggled over the front threshold that is so high I nearly fall over it when entering the hoophouse.

see the furry thing behind the lettuce?

The groundhog and I eyed one another.
He was looking for an escape route.  I was looking for a weapon.  Because to my mind, there was only one way this encounter would end.  One of us wasn’t leaving the hoophouse the same way (or in the same condition) as we came in. …and I was standing in front of the door. I knew shutting the doors wouldn't work...there's a fairly large gap, even when they're closed. I couldn't continue to stand there...what could I use?

My choice of “weapons” was rather limited…a hoe, rakes, a couple of bags of humus…the hose…no real possibilities. I didn’t want to wound him and make him angry.  You do know groundhogs have big teeth and claws, right?

I needed reinforcements. I reached for my phone. Of course, my phone was sitting on the desk…in the house…where I left it when I ran out for “just a sec” to turn the water on in the hoophouse. Oh damn and blast! (yes, I really do talk that way…sorry)

Blasted creature…STOP eating my lettuce! You are NOT getting away from me!  I spoke aloud to the groundhog as he careened back and forth looking for an escape.  He grabbed the chicken wire side with his feet and teeth and tried to pull it down.  He galloped to the other side and tried to burrow out. Then he headed toward me.

Rrrrrr! (I was getting angry and I know I growled just a little)  I am gonna get you! You will not get out of here.  My only option was to detain the lettuce eating menace until I could get the Boss to come and dispatch him. I looked around for something to capture him.  The only thing I could find was the Boss’ big weed bucket. 

I headed toward the ‘hog with the bucket, hurrying through the freshly tilled earth, thankful I wasn't trampling seedlings.  He ran for the far corner.  As I got closer, he turned around and bared his teeth. (oh, now this was a development I hadn’t planned on!)  A couple of false starts and I finally got the bucket down over top of him. He actually bit the bucket repeatedly as I squished him inside.  Gosh, he was big! He was thrashing around inside the bucket, still looking for an escape.

Now, how to keep him inside?  I grabbed one of the storage barrels and stacked it on top of the bucket.  That should hold ya ‘til I get back.  (I was only concerned with him tipping the bucket over, I never considered he could go under it) I quickly headed for the house.  I was trying NOT to run (I didn’t want to be all breathless and weird sounding for this interview) but I really needed to hurry.

Thankfully, I heard the Boss open the back door about the time I reached the barn. I couldn't see him, but I knew he was heading my direction.

“Hey!  I need you and your pistol!”

Huh?  (why can’t men hear…I mean…really?!)

I need you and your pistol!

A pencil?  Why do you need a pencil? (seriously?  We’re going to do this? Now?)

Your Pistol…PISTOL! I need you to get your PISTOL!!

Oh, yeah…okay…why? I heard him open the door to get his firearm.

I had finally reached the back porch by that time so I quickly apprised him of the situation. “You trapped him with a bucket?  A bucket?! My weed bucket? That’s pretty good!”

Wait…take a picture…could you?  I held my camera toward him.

Nah, come on…you do it.

But, my interview…I only have a couple of minutes…

As we headed down to the hoophouse, he continued to laugh about how I had trapped the thing in a bucket.   He walks faster than I do so he got back to the hoophouse first.  

Oh…my…gosh!

What?

He escaped!

Seriously?!  He’s gone?

No, there he is in the corner…shhhh!

groundhog hunting with the Boss

In the short time it took me to get back to the house and get the Boss and his pistol (NOT a pencil) ---2, maybe 3, minutes tops---the groundhog had burrowed underneath the bucket and was again looking for his escape route.  ARGH!

  

the soft dirt made escape possible

See him standing up back there...looking for an escape?

                             BANG!

End of groundhog.

There is a reason I needed the Boss and his pistol...he's the best marksman I know! 

“I still can’t believe you trapped that thing with a bucket!  Good job, dear.  The girls were right…don’t mess with Mama!”

So, any other groundhogs out there…take this as a warning…a very serious warning…

               Don’t Mess with Mama!    (especially when lettuce is involved)


A special thank-you to the Boss for taking care of the lettuce-eating menace!  Hopefully, that's our one and only groundhog story of 2013.

                               **and I got back in time to do my interview.  Maybe I should have told the interviewer that story…**