Text 18293, 124 rader
Skriven 2008-12-22 17:18:57 av Ruth Haffly (1:396/45.28)
  Kommentar till text 18188 av Dave Drum (1:124/311)
Ärende: Natural Farms                                            [1]
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Hi Dave,

 DD> Cockleburr has been a going concern since the early to mid 1970s. I
 DD> have written of them here previously. Started as an experiment to see

 RH> Do they give tours? Sounds like an interesting operation to visit.

 DD> Not as far as I know. Although if one was to come across the owner at
 DD> the coffee shop and express an interest ....

If you knew what the owner looked like.  Probably the only one not
sportig the name of a big seed, farm equipment or fertiliser company on
his hat. (G)

 DD> split a 720 acre farm into two 360 acres smaller units and farmed one
 DD> with mega-equipment, single cropping, "modern" techniques. The other
 DD> (home) unit he went back to using smaller equipment, rotating crops,
 DD> sheep and goats, chickens, domestic geese and ducks, and guinea fowl.

 RH> Quite an assortment of critters there. Old MacDonald would be in his

 DD> At the end of 5 years they did the numbers and found that while the
 DD> absolute bushel-per-acre yields on the "traditional" unit were lower,
 DD> the bottom lines were nearly identical. And the traditional farming
 DD> technique gave better product, was kinder to the land, etc, etc, etc.

 RH> Of course but as the nation grew, the mega farmers took over.  Now they
 RH> produce enough wheat and such like that some can be exported. But, it's
 RH> not the same quality as the traditional farm raised so--good riddance.
 RH> (G)

 DD> Of course the mega-farms produce a surplus ... which drives prices
 DD> down.  Bv(=

Bad for the farmer but the consumer loves lower prices.

 DD> His entire operation is (and has been for some time) done with
 DD> traditional methods and non-mega equipment.

 RH> Plowing by horse or oxen?

 DD> Traditional to the early mechanised era. I don't think they even own
 DD> any oxen and no horses other than saddle stock ridden for pleasure.

I sort of figured but had to ask. (G)

 DD> I do know that their beef and pork and chookens, ducks, guinea fowl
 DD> are sold locally as hormone-free, naturally raised, free-range ... at

 RH> No surprise there; a lot of people are going back to good food, grown
 RH> in ways that will not harm either the environment or their health.  I'd

 DD> Which is a nice extra benefit to their bottom line ... over the break
 DD> even with mega-farmig techniques on the cash-grain side of the house.
 DD> It also make the traditional farm more monetarily more attractive than
 DD> the mega-farm operation.

 RH> It's definately a better way of living.

 DD> To quote one of the memorable things that Lloyd said about his
 DD> satisfaction with the outcome of the experiment (the one that has
 DD> stuck in my mind, anyway) "No farmer goes into farming for an easy
 DD> life. But, it's nice to know that my work is making my family more
 DD> comfortable in their life and not paying interest on huge machines and
 DD> huge fertiliser/herbicide bills to make some banker's bottom line
 DD> bigger."

 RH> Sounds like a right smart fellow.

 DD> He's no dummy. And he's helped his oldest boy buy an adjoining acreage
 DD> which they are/have getting converted to natural, non-mega practices.
 DD> Which takes about three years or maybe a bit more.

IIRC, it's 3 years of growing pesticide free, then a few more years of
growing organic before an application can be made.  Then it's a while
before it is approved, having gone thru a number of checks in the
interim. The farmer is smart getting his son in on an adjoining property
now.


 DD> Last recipe had wine in it (sorry - I usually screen those out for
 DD> you, knowing your prejudices) this one doesn't.

It's OK, I've grabbed a number over the years and made my own
modifications.  I do appreciate your concern and pre approving bfore you
post recipes tho.


 DD>       Title: Dutch-German Potato Salad
 DD>  Categories: Potatoes, Salads, Dressings
 DD>       Yield: 7 servings

This looks good--for warmer weather.  I don't know if we broke 50 today.
(G)

 DD>   2 1/2 lb Fingerling potatoes;
 DD>            +=OR=+
 DD>   2 1/2 lb Medium Yellow Finn potatoes
 DD>     1/3 c  White wine vinegar or
 DD>            - champagne vinegar
 DD>   1 1/4 ts Salt; more to taste
 DD>     1/2 c  Mayonnaise
 DD>     1/2 ts Lemon juice; to taste
 DD>       1 ts Dusseldorf or Dijon mustard
 DD>     1/2 c  Extra virgin olive oil
 DD>            Fresh ground pepper
 DD>     1/4 c  Minced red or white onion
 DD>       3    Hard-cooked eggs; shelled,
 DD>            - coarse chopped
 DD>     1/2    English cucumber (opt)

Yukon Gold OK here?  Now that I've bought and tried some, I may get them
more often.

---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly@earthlink.net  FIDO 1:396/45.28


... Even I don't understand what I just said...

--- PPoint 3.01
 * Origin: Sew! That's My Point (1:396/45.28)