A Little Reading

This week I had little time to read or do much research. That not withstanding, I do have a few reading suggestions for this week.

My first suggestion is highly rated on Amazon and I have leafed through it at my local book store. You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Start & Succeed in a Farming Enterprise by Joel Salatin is a wonderful book, full of information and empowerment. This is definitely a book worth reading.

Another book that looks good is Small Scale Livestock Farming: A Grass-Based Approach for Health, Sustainability, and Profit by Carol Ekarius. With good reviews, this book covers topics of interest to the small livestock farmer who wants to operate a grass-fed system.

My last recommendation is Five Acres and Independence by Maurice G. Kains. This looks to be a beautiful and functional book about the entire back-to-the-land movement, highlighting self sufficiency and the mechanics of making it all work..

Happy Reading!

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I Want To Farm

So, here I sit with a pretty cool domain name and I have no idea what to do with it any more.

It is a nice domain name: www.iwanttofarm.com. I operated a portal there for a while, but there are quite a few not-so-nice people out there and they defaced the forum with advertisements for all sorts of things not related to farming in any way. That is, unless the bull has an erectile dysfunction.

Right now, I am decommissioning the site; taking it down for now. So, if you go there for a peek, you might not see much.

So, what to do? Please! If anyone has any ideas, please leave a comment.

Saving Energy

I read an interesting Letter to the Editor in the September 2007 Successful Farming magazine. It was about saving energy by not preheating an oven too long before the item you want to cook is ready to go in. That little letter, by Rita Kayser seemed to fire my synapses.

There are a lot of little things we could do, farmer and townie alike, to save energy. They don't involve major lifestyle changes, and may only save a little bit of money on your power bill, but will definitely make a difference if more & more people do some of these little things.

• Turn off the lights when not in use. This was drilled into us in grade school. In high school, we were told to just leave them on because florescent bulbs use more energy to turn on, rather than to just leave them on. A recent Myth Buster's episode busted that one. When you aren't using them, turn them off. Period.

• Keep your tires properly inflated. This can be a challenge if you live in the desert or in places where the thermometer dips below 20 degrees F. According to some studies, proper tire inflation can save you hundreds of dollars a year in gas. That equates to what? Five gallons?

• Replace your incandescent light bulbs with Compact Florescent or even LED lights. Yes, they may be more expensive that incandescent, but they typically last longer and use lot less energy.

• Prepare your house for winter. You can do as little as check the doors for air leaks & plug them, or go all out and seal everything with plastic sheets. Whatever you do, every little bit helps. Just don't wrap your entire house in plastic. That can be dangerous.

• Don't let your laptop hibernate; shut it down. I am guilty of this one. Just shutting a laptop's cover does not typically shut it down. It probably goes into something called 'hibernation mode'. It is still using a little electricity. Go ahead, save your work and do a complete shutdown before you close it up. You will be saving energy AND increasing the lifetime of your laptop.

• Unplug those Wall Warts. Yes, those little things that seem to proliferate on the walls of most houses, apartments, garages and even barns. Those little transformers and power supplies that we need to charge our cell phones and operate our computer printers and do other little things, suck up energy when not in use. That is really unnecessary. Just unplug them from the wall when they aren't in use.

• Eat fresh food from your local farmer's market. This one isn't terribly obvious but is important. Not only is eating fresh food from your local market probably more healthy, that food requires a lot less energy to transport and store. It probably won't save you much money, but you may feel better knowing that your salad didn't have to travel 3,000 miles to get to your plate.

These are just a few minor ideas, and I am sure there are a good deal more. Do you have a good energy saving tip? Please leave a comment!

Harvest Time

Well, it is the beginning of harvest time in the midwest. I don't seem to remember it starting this early but then again, I haven't farmed in over two decades. Seems as if I have quite a bit to relearn.

After locating the USDA's Crop Progress report, I see that I am not terribly wrong. The eighteen major corn producing states are Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.

According to the report, typically by mid to late September, only 65% of all corn has matured. This year, 80% is mature. However, overall the farmers seem to be following the trend in harvesting. Typically only 14% has been harvested by this time, whereas this year, they are only at 22%. Maturity has moved up 15% whereas harvesting has only increased by 8%. According to what I have read, this harvest delay is probably more due to the wet weather these states have been having, than anything else.

Illinois, however, is above the trend. Typically 77% is mature and 16% harvested, but this year 97% is mature and 46% harvested. So, my feeling is correct. Harvest time has moved up considerably from what I remember.

Other crops like soybeans, sorghum and rice also show similar changes. Cotton, peanuts and winter wheat seem to be operating in reverse and are a bit behind.

Early or late. It's ok. I am looking forward to it either way.

Time Certainly Is Slippery

Please pardon this poor excuse for a farming blog entry. I have two pieces in the works but they just aren't well done yet. Rather, they are quite rare at the moment.

These last few days time just seems to be slipping through my hands. Maybe it is just how life is sometimes. Work at the office and time at home as been rather demanding. My daughter is now gainfully employed at the age of 17, thank goodness. BUT, that means more work for me. She is at school all day, then home in the afternoon for a bite to eat and homework, then off to work. She doesn't drive and has no set schedule yet, so here 'taxi driver dad' sits.

The thought that I must also get a little part time job is a little pressuring as well. If I plan to attempt my plans, I REALY need to get out from under this financial rock. I am going to lay no blame here... Just going to state that I am newly divorced. 'Nuff said.

I was pleased to read on http://www.agriculture.com/ that corn harvesting in the midwest is proceeding well. I don't honestly remember corn harvesting this early. Well, my memory isn't faulty. According to USDA statistics, general corn harvest is slightly ahead of schedule. Illinois corn harvest is considerably earlier than the average harvest time.

While I do not necessarily plan on farming general commodities like corn and soybeans, I think it is still good to watch the market and remain educated. I have read that as organic beef and pork and chicken become more popular, organic animal foodstuffs will also increase in necessity. If that is indeed correct, well, organic commodities like corn, soybeans, oats and hay may well become profitable to the small farmer.

Well, stay tuned. I will have a better post tomorrow. Promise.

A Little Reading

Reading used to be a big part of my life as a teenager on the farm. I still remember reading lofty works from Plato, Aristotle, Thoreau, Sandberg and Emerson, among others. I fell away from that for quite a few years, well, decades. I just wanted to thank my friend Cindy for piquing my interest in this sort of literature.

I think on Sundays I will post about books that touch on rural life, nature, agricultural technology and sustainable and frugal living and farming. I hope you enjoy some of these. Links to some of these books will be at the bottom of the post, just in case you may want to purchase and enjoy a copy.

A book that my friend Cindy recommended to me, is The Life and Times of Michael K by J.M. Coetzee. This is a beautiful work that describes a man who owns almost nothing, yet survives so many hardships. It is a short book and well worth the read.

I remember reading Walden's Pond by Henry Thoreau as a teenager, but I have it on my list to read again. I may have forgotten most of it, but I do remember it as being a very nice book

Living the Simple Life: A Guide to Scaling Down and Enjoying More by Elaine St. James. This is a very nice book about simplifying one's life, whether you live in the country or the middle of New York, Chicago or LA.

It's a Long Road to a Tomato: Tales of an Organic Farmer Who Quit the Big City for the (Not So) Simple Life by Keith Stewart and Flavia Bacarella. This one is definitely on my reading list for this winter. Mr. Stewart's goals and feelings seem to be SO similar to mine. A New York city dweller who trades it all for a farm life. Highly rated on Amazon.

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Life and Times of Michael K

You Can't Go Back to the Farm Again

Here it is. Ah, the wonders of technology! If you are so inclined, you can use Google Earth or MapQuest or Microsoft TerraServer or what-have-you, to take a look yourself. It is at -90.98202 41.28180 That's Longitude, Latitude for those sitting there, scratching their heads.

This is where I grew up; where I lived until I was 16 years old. The picture here is from terraserver.micrsoft.com. The original farm was roughly rectangular, following the edge of the image. The dark spot to the center right is the pond my dad built. The field to the north (top) was typically planted in corn, oats or hay. The south (bottom) was typically planted in hay or corn.

Once my dad planted soybeans in part of the north field. Honestly, I don't remember what the yield was, or what happened, but I only remember him doing it once.

He typically used Open Pollinated seed corn, like http://www.greenfieldfarms.org/ Hay, if I remember correctly, was typically seeded as ½ tall clover, ¼ alfalfa and ¼ grass. I have no idea if this was optimal, but that is what we planted.

We stored the oats in a grainery I helped build. We fed most of it to our hogs and cattle, but left enough to use as seed for the following year. I think we only bought oat seed once.

I see the owners have cleared a good amount of trees from the southern part of the farm. That's too bad. I remember walking there in the woods, looking at the little stream, contemplating life. It was peaceful.

They have also removed the old barn. That is probably a good thing. It was nearly 60 years old when I lived there, and not in very good shape. That not withstanding, it held some special memories of doing chores at 4:00 AM in the middle of winter, or the time I helped a sow deliver a litter of pigs, or even the first and only time I have been in a hayloft with a girl.

Microsoft LiveEarth has a more recent satellite image and, well, it makes me a little sad. If I am looking at it correctly, they have done something with the pond. Maybe they emptied it or filled part of it in. That was a place of peace. There is nothing quite like floating on a pond all alone in a boat with no one around. The scents and sounds so subtle yet sublime.

Perhaps some day again I will know the simple joy of harvesting a field of oats or building a grainery or walking in the woods or floating all alone in a boat in a small pond.

Or perhaps, even, the simple pleasure of a kiss in a hayloft.

Perhaps...

Do What It Takes

I am going to admit a deep, dark thing that has been a part of my life now for more that 25 years. Children, please shield your eyes. Adults, please be prepared. It's not pretty. You were forewarned...

I... Am... A...
Computer... Programmer...

There. I said it. I have come out of the digital closet. I feel SO relieved!

That being admitted to, tongue firmly implanted in cheek, I must be honest for a moment. I have successfully provided for my family for nearly twenty years practicing this profession. I am not embarrassed by it, and I have been told that my programming ability is fairly sharp.

Why do I want to farm? Because that is who I am.

Sitting down to work on the financial planning for this little venture, it comes as no surprise to me that the numbers are tight. Well, not just tight... blaring, glaring, rosy, crimson red. HOW will I pay my start-up costs? I have little savings and certainly not enough to run out and buy a chunk of land with a wad of cash.

Credit? Ya, right. I am lucky to receive credit card offers that have less than 30 percent interest! So, HOW???

Well, I have one, maybe two years before the big relocation. I have thought about pushing aside my profession for my goal of living in the country, but I firmly believe these two can live in harmony. It is simply a matter of balance. Work as a computer programmer while I work on building my farm. Programming will support my little farming excursion.

Should my farming venture become profitable enough that my employment as a programmer is no longer necessary, all the better. If that doesn't happen, and I must be a programmer for another twenty years or so, well, so long as I live in the country, I think I would be OK with that.

So, for now, I have a ton to study and plan and do. Computer books on one side of the room and agricultural books on the other. I get to dive right in the middle with a large thermos of coffee.

There's gold in them thar hills!

Well, that's what my ex-wife jokingly said about an outting her and some friends are attending. They will be driving off to the Arizona desert to search for gold. Don't laugh too loudly there. A member of the local prospecting club has been able to find more than five pounds of gold in the last four years.

So I started thinking of finding green gold. The little nuggets on the farm or out in the country that really pay off. Maybe, just maybe, that is one of many keys to a small farm's financial sustainability.

Those little green gold nuggets. Those ideas that are like gold. Sure, individually they may be cute and somewhat profitable. Put them together in a bucket and you have a nice little unique pile of money making green gold.

I read of a woman who years ago bought goats to sell the milk. She didn't research enough and discovered selling her goat's milk simply couldn't happen, given the local laws. What did she do? She learned how to make soap and created her own line of natural goat's milk soap.

One year on the the farm as a teenager, my dad was short on cash. He found a person who bought scrap iron. We spent a month stripping apart old, irreparable farm equipment scattered here and there. My dad made a little cash that way, but he happened onto an idea. He started offering a service to haul away old inoperable farm implements. We would strip and sell the metal as scrap and use the things we could.

It wasn't gold mine, but a nice little nugget. I only wish we had a cutting torch then. Busting apart an old corn picker with wrenches, hammers and cold chisels can be a rather physical activity!

Cars, cars everywhere.

Well, I am a bit behind in my blogging today. I had written part of two entries yesterday but didn't have the time to finish them. SO, this fine morning while driving to work, I decided to do a little non-scientific study and post about it.

I drive about twelve miles to work every morning and the same back in the evening, right up and down Boulder Highway. Anyone familiar with Vegas will probably know that Boulder Highway is less of a highway and more of a four lane city street.

Anyway, on with my study.

I was curious; how many people commuting to work were alone in cars or trucks, riding with someone else, riding a bike, or on a motorcycle. So, as safely as I could, juggling pen and cigarette, I watched and recorded. I even sacrificed my morning drive coffee for this study! Ah... What one must give up for the sake of scientific research.

Just for full disclosure, I did not count vehicles like semi-trucks, taxis, school kids on bikes, and vehicles that seemed to be business related.

Here are my un-scientific counts:

• Single people in cars: 169
• Multiple people in cars: 52
• Motorcycles: 4
• Bikes: 2

Personally, I felt this to be a low motorcycle and bike count today. I have no idea why.

So 169 people are burning up a LOT of gas, going to and fro. Another thing that bugged me was the fact that so many were driving Hummers or large pick-ups. Those things get what, ten miles to the gallon, if that?

Food for thought - what if only ten of those single passenger vehicles were motorcycles or mopeds. Not only would there be significant gas savings, but chances are good that the vehicle and insurance would cost less.

Yes, I admit that I was a single vehicle in this study. Soon, yes soon I hope to change vehicles. It will be either a small motorcycle or a horse. But, if the horse is required to wear diapers for me to ride on the street, forget it. OK. Motorcycle it is!

Recipe: Classic Dill Pickles

OK, so I am in a 'pickle' mood this week. Here is one I found at the bottom of my filing cabinet. It has been quite some time since I had home-made dill pickles. Really, I think this is close to the pickles I used to enjoy back on the farm. Well, minus the garlic.

8 pounds sliced pickling cucumbers

4 cups white vinegar

12 cups water

2/3 cup pickling salt

15 cloves of peeled, coarsely chopped garlic

8 sprigs fresh dill weed (rinsed)

5 heads fresh dill weed, cut into smaller pieces (rinsed)

1 T mustard seed

Wash & slice cucumbers. Place in sink or a large container with plenty of water and ice.

Soak for six (6) hours, replacing ice when needed.

While those soak, prepare the other items and sterilize eight (8) one quart canning jars. Large mouth are best.

In a large covered pot over medium-high heat, combine vinegar, water, mustard seed and salt. Boil.

Evenly distribute the pickles, dill weed and garlic in the jars. Don't stuff the jars with pickles. Leave about 1 inch of room at the top of the jar for the pickles to move around in the salt-water.

Fill the jars with the hot salt brine.

Carefully (but quickly) wipe down the rims of the jars and seal.

Boil the closed jars in a water bath for about 15 minutes.

Store the pickles for at least two months before eating. That gives the ingredients time to do their delicious chemical magic. These pickles can be stored for two years and even more with no problems.

FarmerKen notes: I like dill pickle spears, so instead of slicing, I would probably quarter smaller cukes into spears. The boiling water bath is not specifically necessary but should be done to ensure all the nasty bacteria is killed off.

Hard Work

Some twenty five years have passed and I still remember a little postcard my dad had pinned to the wall of our back porch: “I love hard work. I could sit and watch it all day.” That is one of those goofy little memories that make me smile from time to time.

About six years ago I 'came out of the barn,' so to speak. I told my programming cohorts... er... coworkers that I want to be a farmer; that I don't want to still be working behind a desk full time in ten years. Oh, the smiles and chuckles and interesting comments and questions still make me smile. Now, occasionally at work, I am affectionately referred to as FarmerKen.

One of my programming compatriots made the razor sharp observation that farming is hard work. “How are you going to do all of that? That is seriously hard work!”

Yup. How does one respond to that statement? It can be hard; damned hard. I remember waking at 4AM to get the pigs back in their pen; the 6AM and 7PM chores; fighting a water heater in single digit temps at 10 PM; putting up hundreds of hay bales in 80% humidity and 95 F weather; and the twenty hour days during harvest time. Hell yes, it is hard work. I know. I have been there, and I am going to be there again.

But hell. If I am going to be working my ass off for the rest of my life, I would much rather be doing something I want to do. And, well, the view from an office cubicle just doesn't suit me.

Research Day

Well, not entirely all research. I did work on some other necessities, but I made it a point to do a little reading. Not only was it an interesting exercise, but educational and enjoyable as well.

I had NO idea Collinsville, Illinois is known as the Horseradish Capital of the World! The horseradish farms there produce nearly 60 percent of the world's horseradish. Every year they have a festival to celebrate the pungent root crop, and honestly, it looks like a lot of fun! Bloody Mary contest, eh? Hmmm... http://www.horseradishfestival.com/

I read some information on the PawPaw, Sugar Maple, Shallots, Amaranths, Fox Tails, Celeriac, and even more. My research is solely focused on alternative crops that lend themselves to the environment in Illinois. Perhaps I will look into alternate crops for other locations later, but for now... I am focusing and enjoying.

Alternates

I was raised on a classic 'old-school' sort of farm, replete with outhouse, old barn, corn crib and pond. To my father, alternative crops included oats, soy beans and the occasional patch of sweetcorn, popcorn , green beans and pumpkin. Yes, he was 'old school.' Corn and hay and cows and hogs encompassed the bulk of his agricultural domain.

I am certainly not putting him down! He did a helluva job raising five kids there until his death in 1983. He did what he knew. He knew his style of farming well. When times were tough, he operated a bulldozer and even worked in a brass foundry. And all of this while having heart disease and diabetes!

It seems to me that many farmers continue doing what the know. That's not necessarily a bad thing for them. Many are very good at it. The concept of farming thousands of acres of corn or soy beans is an amazing concept to me. Admittedly, not very attractive either.

Classic agriculture is indeed a minimal option in my plans, but a difficult one to swallow. Profit margins are narrow, and breaking into classic farming can be a large challenge for one with little savings and no land.

Alternative farming has some interesting opportunities. As the public moves away from more commercialized (and likely less healthy) foodstuffs, they look for alternatives. This may be a golden opportunity for new and old farmers alike to increase their profits and make a little difference in the world. A person wishing to farm no longer needs 200 acres to be marginally profitable. I have read of some having merely five acres and living solely from their own labors.

Here are some alternate crops and ideas I plan to explore:

• Alpaca Wool

• Organic/Free Range Eggs

• Duck Eggs

• Specialty Herbs

• Mustard Seed

• Sunflower

• Barley

• Hops

• Sorgum

• Sesame

• Wheat Grass

• Tree Seedlings

• Pheasant

• Rabbit

• Goats

The list of alternative crops and ventures almost seems endless. Take a look at the USDA website at http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/altlist.shtml for some great ideas. Another great place to browse to, is the Missouri Alternatives Center at http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/ These are extraordinary places to start any research into alternative agricultural ventures.

It is all limited to your available marketing, land, laws of your state and your determination. Milkweed is an alternative crop??? WOW! If I only knew that as a kid while taking a machete to acres of them!

Little Things

This morning I actually stopped to watch a baby bird making its awkward way through the air between two palm trees. He fluttered and flapped and flew one way and then the other. Typically loosing altitude, he ungracefully landed on the trunk, climbing to the apex of the tree and then launching himself towards the other tree.

I watched this for probably ten minutes. It was all I could spare. It was beautiful. The bird's parent in one of the trees, just siting there watching. Sun rising over the mountain range to the east.

If we could all just shut-up and listen to nature, she has so much to teach.

Oh, glorious barn!

Barns Are Beautiful! Yes, I think I want that as a bumper sticker. I love old, well built barns. The huge hayloft; the wooden beams; the red exterior. To me, old barns are are a wonderful expression of strength and peace and productivity and solitude. They are the flagships of the rural lifestyle.

Now here is an idea - remodeling a barn into a house. Sound tough? Perhaps, however it is probably easier than my other construction idea; a castle-like farmhouse!

So, here are a few links to barn remodeling info on the net:

This Old House
Home and Garden TV

And, as recommended by me... Barns and Back Buildings by Donald Berg.


Unfortunately, there don't seem to be many resources on the internet for this sort of renovation project. All the better! Adventures on a road less traveled are much more enjoyable and exhilarating.

Ideals, Convictions and Goals

I read a very good cautionary tale, written by Mark Lichtenstein on the newfarm.com website (here, at www.newfarm.com). It reminded me that ideals are just that... Ideals. Mark attempted to create and operate a new organic dairy in rural Pennsylvania. After two years he closed up shop. He was introspective and objective enough to document his errors. I personally thank him for this article, and I think many others should as well.

I have a friend who is a vegetarian. That is her conviction, and has been since her teens. It is unwavering, but further, it is attainable. Her diet, lifestyle, goals and ideals are all in harmony.

Be careful to not let convictions and ideals and goals grow in vacuum. They might look nice there but once exposed to the real world, they will likely unravel.

One's ideals must be tempered with the attainable goals within that ideal. Want to operate an organic farm? Break it down.

1. Land, rented or purchased
2. Labor
3. Marketing
4. Housing
5. Financing
6. Emergency plan
7. Equipment

You must have good productive and preferably inexpensive land available to you. Purchased land may be best, but if you can't buy, would you rather rent a nice ten acre plot? Hey, even that sounds better than going back to a windowless cubicle.

You must include labor in the calculations. Will you grow organic watermelon? If so, plan on hiring some help or being very ingenious. Take into account your own labor as well. There is nothing wrong with working your life's dream with no income... so long as someone else is paying!

As distasteful as marketing is to me, this is a key to what is feasible to raise.. This is the keystone of any specialty or organic farming venture. Your ideal may be to raise organic radishes and garlic. Without a market that can support your produce, you will be eating a lot of healthy, albeit odoriferous, produce that you will not be able to sell. Research, research, research...

You really do need to live somewhere. Are you comfortable in a small camper trailer? Do you need a house? Maybe an apartment in a nearby town or village would suffice. Tent maybe? Just remember that winter can get mighty cold.

Financing wraps all of these items into one final answer; the bottom line. If the bottom line is too close or below that red line, try again.

All farming operations, as within all lives, an emergency plan should exist. What will you do if your lucrative organic edamame crop is completely flooded out? What will you do if a drought threatens your celery crop? Think about it. If you don't, you may be caught with your pants down.

All farms need equipment. It is a necessity. Some require nothing more complex than baskets and a spade while others require huge megaton tractors. Weight it all in with your financing. And if one of your proposed crops require a piece of machinery, be sure you know how to operate it.

And in all of your planning, remember your ideals, convictions and goals. Let them guide you, not control you.

Recipe: Sweet Pickles

Sweet pickles is a wonderful way to preserve those great summertime vegetables. Cucumbers are typically easy to grow in most locations and this recipe doesn't require them to be pretty or large. You can even use those end-of-season cukes. Don't have a garden? No problem! Most of the ingredients for this wonderful mixture can be purchased from your local farmer's market! Enjoy!

4 quarts sliced, un-peeled cucumbers
6 medium sliced and quartered onions
1 green pepper, sliced in strips (optional)
1 sweet red pepper, sliced strips (optional)
1/3 c. sea salt
3 c. white vinegar
5 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
3 tbsp. mustard seed

Slice all the vegetables into a large mixing bowl. Add salt and cover with ice cubes or cold water. Let stand three or four hours. Drain.

Combine remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Add pickles and heat until the mixture boils again. Put in sterilized jars to seal hot pickles. Makes 6 to 8 pints.

FarmerKen Notes: This is a great way to preserve those summer cukes. Unfortunately I have had little chance to experiment much with this recipe. The peppers are optional but personally, I prefer them. They add a little 'twang' to the pickles and the added color is wonderful.

Welcome!

Farmer Ken's little blogging outpost on the internet is here! One more step to living and working in the country again!

Sometimes introspective, sometimes eccentric, sometimes practical, sometimes just silly. This blog will be a daily excursion into my hopes, plans and dreams of living the farming life again. Enjoy, comment and most of all, pursue your dreams.