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Discovering Permaculture in Jordan: A Video Diary

On a trip to Jordan last year, Emma visited two permaculture projects, this is a brief video diary of what she saw.  For more information about the permaculture projects visit: Jordan Valley Permaculture Project and CARE- Jordan

Also, an article about CARE's permaculture project from Jo Magazine. This article is a couple of years old, but gives a very nice overview of their work.

 

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May 27, 2010   |   1 comments
Tags: Environment, Farm, Middle East and North Africa, Travel
Food for Thought
What is Permaculture?

The effects of human activity on the Earth are profound, and the question comes up more and more - can we find ways to live that will allow all 6 billion plus of us to fruitfully sustain ourselves? About 30 years ago, Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren developed a system of growing food called permaculture, which integrates ecological principles, ancient indigenous knowledge, and systems thinking into the design of gardens and farms. Since its beginnings, permaculture has evolved to encompass all aspects of sustainable/renewable living. For more information visit: www.permaearth.org/


-John Burket

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May 27, 2010   |   0 comments
Tags: Environment, Farm, Food Production
Recipe
Goat Bolognese

The point of this dish was to take a classic Bolognese and make it with the meat of ruminants: goat, lamb, and beef. To add to the rumination, we also used goat milk instead of regular milk and a Pecorino for finishing off the dish. We love a lot of tomato flavor, but it is up to you how much you will want to add.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter or goat butter

1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 stalk of celery, peeled and roughly chopped

½ onion, peeled and roughly chopped

½ lb ground lamb

½ lb ground goat

½ lb ground beef

1 cup white wine

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup goat milk

1 cup grated pecorino romano

400 g dried fettuccine or tagliatelle

Salt and Pepper

Chop the vegetables in a food processor until almost a puree, but with still a bit of texture.
Heat up the oil and butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan.
Add the vegetables and sweat until translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the ground meats and stir. Cook until the meat is well browned. 
Pour in the wine and simmer until the alcohol has evaporated.
Add the tomato paste (you might have to adjust the quantity according to how tomato-y you would like it to be) and the milk and bring to a simmer. Cook at a very low simmer for about an 1 hour.  Bolognese sauces can take anywhere from 1-6 hours.  The longer the better, but 1 hour will produce a delicious sauce just the same. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Before you drain, scoop out about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Drain the pasta and pour back into the pot. Pour in the cooking liquid to moisten the pasta and prevent if from clumping. Add the meat sauce and toss well.
Serve with the fresh pecorino on top.

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April 10, 2010   |   0 comments
Tags: Europe, Farm, Goat, Local, Meat, Pasta & Risotto
Cooking Show Video
Learning from Experience

Farmers used to learn how to farm by growing up on a farm. As the number of food producers in our country dwindles, this is less and less often the case. For a young person to learn how to farm they now have to  seek out a mentor or internship program where they can intensively study. Tyler Jones, of Afton Field Farm in Corvallis, Oregon, went through Joel Salatin's intensive year-long internship program at Polyface Farms in Virginia. We speak with both of them at a Field Day hosted by Tyler and his wife, Alicia, at their farm in Corvallis.  Read more about Afton Field Farm on Alicia's blog: http://highheelsinthebarnyard.wordpress.com/

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March 6, 2010   |   0 comments
Tags: Environment, Farm, Food Production
Food for Thought
Resources for Beginning Farmers

Farm Beginnings

Land Stewardship Project (Upper Midwest)

Year long program including 36 hours of seminar time as well as farm tours, mentorship, & access to revolving livestock loan program. $1500. Expanded to IL, NE & MO.

http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/farmbeg.html

 

Beginning Farmer & Rancher Opportunities

Center for Rural Affairs (Nebraska)

Includes Land Link service, financial planning services, advocating for innovative tax law, providing information about innovative production & marketing strategies, and estate planning services.

http://www.cfra.org/resources/beginning_farmer

 

Growing New Farmers

New England Small Farm Institute (Massachusetts & Northeast)

Online directory of over 200 public, private & non-profit organizations working to support new farmers in New England, through technical assistance, access to land, access to capital & financing, and access to markets.

http://growingnewfarmers.org/

 

PEPA – Program Educativa Para Pequeños Agricultores

Agriculture and Land-based Training Association (ALBA) (Salinas, CA)

Non-profit program providing 6 month mulit-lingual classroom training in organic agriculture production and farm management. Students graduate from program onto ½ acre parcels of land to begin farming independently. ALBA provides infrastructure for lease, including walk-in cooler, tractors, irrigation, etc. for collective use.

http://www.albafarmers.org/

 

New American Agriculture Project (NAAP)

MercyCorps NW (Portland, OR)

Non-profit providing a suite of services to immigrant farmers in Portland area, including: technical training, access to IDA accounts and loans, business planning, seeds, tools, and access to leased land.

https://www.mercycorpsnw.org/mercy/corps/info/new_agriculture_project/

 

Central Illinois Farm Beginnings

Collaborative effort between University of Illinois Extension and
the Land Connection. A one year program that relies on the Land Stewardship
Projects curriculum and materials.

http://central.illinoisfarmbeginnings.org/

 

Beginning Farmer Center

Iowa State University

Formed by legislative mandate in 1994 to specifically provide services to beginning farmers and to help make land links between aspiring and retiring farmers. The center:

  • Coordinates education programs and services for beginning
    farmer efforts statewide.
  • Assesses needs of beginning farmers and retiring farmers.
  • Develops, coordinates, and delivers targeted education to
    beginning and retiring farm families.
  • Provides programs and services that develop skills and
    knowledge in financial management and planning, legal issues, tax laws,
    technical production and management, leadership, sustainable agriculture,
    human health, the environment, and leadership.

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/bfc/

 

Cultivating Success

Washington State University Small Farms Program, University of Idaho Extension & Rural Roots

Offers educational programs to increase the number and foster the
success of sustainable small acreage farmers and ranchers in Idaho and
Washington.

http://www.cultivatingsuccess.org/

 

NY Beginning Farmer Resource Center

A project of Cornell University Cooperative
Extension and New York Farm Viability Institute, which is an independent,
farmer-led nonprofit organization that directs and funds farm-level research to
increase profits, reduce costs and other barriers, create jobs and encourage
practical innovation on the farm. The institute is funded by the New York State
Department of Agriculture and Markets.
The center provides support for beginning and diversifying farmers by offering
a farmer forum, FAQs, farm planning support/templates, and access to a network
of farmers.

http://beginningfarmers.cce.cornell.edu/

 

Many thanks Zoë for providing this list of resources!

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March 1, 2010   |   1 comments
Tags: Farm, Food Production
Cooking Show Video
Zoë Bradbury of Valley Flora Farm

Valley Flora Farm is located in Langlois, a tiny town on Oregon's Southern Coast.  Zoë, her mom, sister, and two big draft horses named Barney & Maude, grow the full range of produce for local restaurants, and members of their CSA. Visit www.valleyflorafarm.com for more information and recipes!

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March 1, 2010   |   0 comments
Tags: Environment, Farm, Food Production
Cooking Show Video
Getting the Garden Ready

When we arrived in Marcola, the back field was so overgrown that it was hard to imagine we would ever get it under control. A garden emerged bit by bit as we persevered through the weeds.

So far we have planted: heirloom tomatoes, a huge variety of sweet and spicy peppers, eggplant and cucumbers (all kindly started by our friend Nancy), red russian kale, lacinato kale, baby bok choi, multi-colored carrots, lavender, epazote, shiso leaves oregano, tarragon, basil... to name a few.

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June 25, 2009   |   1 comments
Tags: Farm, Food Production, Healthy, Local, Summer
Cooking Show Video
The Barefoot Farmer

The key to making a really good kimchi or sauerkraut is using really good ingredients. For nearly 30 years Jeff Poppen, also known as The Barefoot Farmer, has been practicing organic and biodynamic gardening at Long Hungry Creek Farm in Red Boiling Springs, TN.

Each year his farm produces 70-80,000 pounds of fresh vegetables for the community. In addition to farming he writes a column in The Macon County Chronical and mentors younger farmers in biodynamic practices. To learn more, check out his book The Best of the Barefoot Farmer.

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April 9, 2009   |   0 comments
Tags: Environment, Farm, Food Production, Local
Blog entry
Futuristic Farming

Just read an interesting article about the vertical farm, a proposed way for densely populated cities to feed their population and reduce the carbon footprint of its food supply in the process:  http://greenprophet.com/2009/03/02/7250/skyscraper-farming/

Basically the idea, developed by Dickson Despommier a professor at Columbia University, is to create a 30 story buildling that grows enough food and houses enough livestock to feed 50,000 people year round. It's also supposed to be essentially carbon neutral.

Sounds good too good to be true in a way, but also just sterile and missing the point enough that it will probably work.

Read more at Despommier's website: http://www.verticalfarm.com/

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March 23, 2009   |   0 comments
Tags: Environment, Farm, Food Production
Cooking Show Video
Growing a Local Food Movement

San Miguel fosters a lively local food culture. Meet Cristina Gerez of El Capricho; Gonzalo Martinez Cardenas- executive chef of Casa de Sierra Nevada; Jorge Catalan of Natura health food store; and Pascal Monzie of Banco Vivo. As small-scale independent food producers and distributors, they work together to form a strong support system for a sustainable local food movement in the area.

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March 16, 2009   |   1 comments
Tags: Cheese, Environment, Farm, Food Production, Latin America, Local, Travel