wartime farm

Folks who have been following this blog for a while will probably know that I am quite a fan of the BBC shows Victorian Farm and Edwardian Farm, so I was happy to see the old gang back for Wartime Farm. After watching the first four episodes {of eight}, I am getting a new found appreciation of some of the perils that British farmers went through during WWII.

You can watch all eight episodes on Youtube and TVO will have all of the episodes on their website. Below is a preview:

   

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Sláinte!

Laurel

animal odd couples

This is an amazing episode of Nature:

Despite the odds, there are countless stories of the most unlikely cross-species relationships imaginable: a goat guiding a blind horse; a doe who regularly visits her Great Dane surrogate mother; a juvenile gibbon choosing to live with a family of capuchins, and so on. Instincts gone awry? The subject has mystified scientists for years. Now, NATURE investigates why animals form these special bonds. Informed by the observations of caregivers and noted scientists Temple Grandin and Marc Bekoff, the film explores what these relationships suggest about the nature of animal emotions.

Watch Animal Odd Couples on PBS. See more from Nature.


 

raising kids with religion

There is a post over at the Gaelic Folkway blog that inspired me to write a wee bit on this topic. The post is entitled Should Your Raise Your Kids in Your Religion? and is authored by Éireann. I have some pretty strong opinions on this {there is a theme here, eh?}, but I am probably not the most qualified to talk about this as I do not have any children myself. Although the better half and I did discuss this at great length when we were trying to have kids and I was raised for a time in a household of rigid religious dogma that was damaging. 

I suppose it would be fair to say that the way I view raising kids with religion would match what Éireann would describe as "liberal"; I do think that children should be given the freedom to decide for themselves what they believe, and this is probably best achieved by exposure to different belief systems and open dialogue. I also think that they should be able to decide if they wish to participate in any religious or spiritual activities and traditions. Probably the most important thing is that children should definitely be taught to respect other faiths and exposed to science and secularism. This would of course include respecting the rights of those who decide to be atheist and base their worldviews strictly on science.

The point of their post was to critique this liberal approach to the subject, and while there are quite a few things that I fundamentally disagree with, I do think that the critiques were thoughtfully delivered. And perhaps because we do share a similar faith, there are many things I also agree with.

No doubt parents/guardians will influence the children under their care, so certainly they have a responsibility to not only their kids, but to society in general. Wouldn't it be wonderful if more parents & guardians were instilling critical thinking, respect, and acceptance in the people who will be running things in the near future? Unfortunately I don't see that to be the case for many people who are raising kids in many of the more popular religions, and I certainly can relate to this from when I was growing up.

We owe it to kids to have a healthy view of themselves and their fellow humans, as well as the environment and all the other creatures who dwell on this planet.

Anyhow, please do feel free to add your own two cents if you like and if interested, you should give not only the post by Éireann a read, but the whole blog as well. Some great stuff over there!

Sláinte!

Laurel

Edit: Éireann has expanded on her position in regards to this topic which I wanted to add part of it here {it can be seen in full in the comment section} so there are no misconceptions on her position. 

"I noticed you wrote that you feel that kids should be free to choose what they believe. I wanted to clarify that I in no way feel anyone can -dictate- to another -what to believe-; -belief- is internal and personal and cannot be put upon another; it is impossible. So I want to be clear that I am not advocating for that." 

vandana shiva on "violent agriculture"

A pretty great presentation by Vandana Shiva on "violent agriculture". Enjoy!

Part One:
  Part Two:
Part Three:

Sláinte!

Laurel

the gmo film project

It looks like another interesting film is coming out!

GMO Film Project Sizzler from Compeller Pictures on Vimeo.

A little bit about the project {from the video page}:

The GMO Film Project (Untitled) tells the story of a father’s discovery of GMO’s through the symbolic act of poor Haitian farmers burning seeds in defiance of Monsanto’s gift of 475 tons of hybrid corn and vegetable seeds to Haiti shortly after the devastating earthquake. After a journey to Haiti to learn why hungry farmers would burn seeds, the real awakening of what has happened to our food, what we are feeding our families, and what is at stake for the global food supply unfolds in a trip across the United States in search of answers.

Go to the film's website to find out more information.

Sláinte!

Laurel

sad news, good news, gmos & asshats

Some good news first!

Funding for research of test tube pigs has finally been cut off here in Ontario:

After more than10 years, active research into the genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) pig called “Enviropig” is being abandoned. In late March, the hog industry group Ontario Pork decided to stop funding GM pig research at the University of Guelph and the university is now closing down its active research and ending its breeding program of GM pigs.

You can read the rest of the article over at Common Ground's website.

Some more GMO news, this time not so good:

Biotechnology's promise to feed the world did not anticipate "Trojan corn," "super weeds" and the disappearance of monarch butterflies.

But in the Midwest and South - blanketed by more than 170 million acres of genetically engineered corn, soybeans and cotton - an experiment begun in 1996 with approval of the first commercial genetically modified organisms is producing questionable results.

Those results include vast increases in herbicide use that have created impervious weeds now infesting millions of acres of cropland, while decimating other plants, such as milkweeds that sustain the monarch butterflies. Food manufacturers are worried that a new corn made for ethanol could damage an array of packaged food on supermarket shelves.

You can read the full article here.

Some fucking asshole decided to kill and desecrate an animal that is sacred to the Lakota people:

According to a Fox News report, the extremely rare and sacred white buffalo born last year has been found dead and skinned along with its mother.

Lightning Medicine Cloud, born May 12, 2011 on a stormy night at the Lakota Ranch in Greenville Texas, was a natural white buffalo—an extremely rare occurrence, happening an estimated once per ten million births. In June, a naming ceremony attracted over 2,000 visitors to the ranch, and a report on the proceedings cited beliefs held by some Lakota that the calf was the third white buffalo ever, and the first male in 150 years. Such a white buffalo is tied to the story of White Buffalo Calf Woman, and is the most sacred animal, perhaps the most sacred thing on the planet, to the Lakota people.

In March, the discovery that a ranch in Hunt, Texas offered the chance to kill a white buffalo for $13,500 sparked outrage in Indian country. A day after the news broke, the owner of the ranch told Indian Country Today Media Network that he would cease offering the white buffalo hunt. The buffalo being killed at that ranch and others, like those being born on a ranch in Bend, Oregon, are not natural white buffalo—as an expert told ICTMN in March, knowledge of genetics has allowed modern breeders to engineer white bison.

The rest of the story, along with updates can be read here.

And sadly MCA/Adam Yauch from the Beastie Boys passed away last week:

Adam Yauch, a founding member of pioneering hip-hop group the Beastie Boys, died Friday at age 47.

He died in New York after three years of treatment for cancer, his representatives said. He had been diagnosed with a cancerous salivary gland in 2009.

The rest of the article can be read here.

Sláinte!

Laurel

a few local events

Howdy folks!

For our readers that are in the North Bay & Sudbury areas, these events might be of interest to you.

Tonight there will be a free workshop on front yard design, hosted by the North Bay Heritage Gardeners. It is from 7pm to 8pm, at Discovery North Bay Museum {100 Ferguson Street}.

Some of the topics to be discussed are:

• Historical and cultural influences of landscape design
• Creating a site inventory
• Factors that influence which plant and building materials to use
• Determining the goal(s) you wish to accomplish (do you want to add more privacy?)
• Design elements and principles

A Master Gardener will be on hand to answer any gardening or plant related questions that you may have.

All of our education nights are free but donations are always welcome. Participants may also wish to participate in the twoonie raffle in support of Heritage Gardeners.

You find out more at the Heritage Gardeners' website.

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Tomorrow Greening Nipissing will be hosting a Green Screening featuring The Garden and a short film about Sudbury's Junction Creek renewal strategies. The event will be held at North Bay's Public Library {271 Worthington Street East} from 6:30pm-8:30pm.

You can find out more about the Junction Creek Stewardship Council at their website.

And about The Garden:

The fourteen-acre community garden at 41st and Alameda in South Central Los Angeles is the largest of its kind in the United States. Started as a form of healing after the devastating L.A. riots in 1992, the South Central Farmers have since created a miracle in one of the country’s most blighted neighborhoods. Growing their own food. Feeding their families. Creating a community.

But now, bulldozers are poised to level their 14-acre oasis.

The Garden follows the plight of the farmers, from the tilled soil of this urban farm to the polished marble of City Hall. Mostly immigrants from Latin America, from countries where they feared for their lives if they were to speak out, we watch them organize, fight back, and demand answers:

Why was the land sold to a wealthy developer for millions less than fair-market value? Why was the transaction done in a closed-door session of the LA City Council? Why has it never been made public?

And the powers-that-be have the same response: “The garden is wonderful, but there is nothing more we can do.”

If everyone told you nothing more could be done, would you give up?

Blurb from the film's website. You can also see a trailer there.

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On Saturday March 31st FarmON, The National Farmers Union Ontario North Local 333 & Eat Local Sudbury are hosting a Regional Meeting for New Farmers. It is an all day event being held at Tom Davies Square {200 Brady Street} in Sudbury.

The event costs $25.00 and is aimed at farmers who have been practicing agriculture for 10 years or less, as well as prospective farmers.

A bit more about the event:

The meeting will feature a full-day workshop on Direct Marketing by Ann Slater - an experienced organic farmer, Provincial Coordinator of the National Farmers' Union Ontario Branch and member of the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario.

There will be networking opportunities with other new farmers throughout the day (including over a lunch featuring locally-grown foods), and we will be presenting plans for an upcoming project to support new farmers in Northern Ontario.

The meeting will adjourn for a dinner break (dinner not included in registration fee) and plans will be made for a group dinner at a downtown restaurant for those who would like to participate.

After dinner they will be having a film screening of To Make a Farm:

To Make a Farm explores the lives of five young people who have decided to become small-scale farmers. They face daily challenges and set-backs, but their work and optimism inspires hope for the future. An intimate and practical exploration of farming and local food.

Here is a trailer:

You can see more trailers and find out more about the film at the To Make a Farm website and you can find out more about the Regional Meeting for New Farmers here.

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On Tuesday April 3rd to Wednesday April 4th the Lake Nipissing Summit will be taking place. It will be held at Nipissing University in the New Surtees Gymnasium. Space is limited to 200 participants, so early registration is encouraged.

Here is an outline of the agenda:

Day 1: Tuesday, April 3, 2012

9:00 - 9:15

Welcome

9:15 - 9:55

Plenary session with leaders

9:55 - 10:35

The History of Lake Nipissing
Speaker: Richard Rowe, Fri Ecological Services

10:35 - 10:45

AM Break

10:45 - 11:25

Climate Change
Speaker: Bharat Pokharel, Ph.D

11:45 - 12:05

Water Quality Blue/Green Algae
Speaker: Andrew Patterson

12:05 - 1:15

Lunch Break (lunch not provided)

1:15 - 2:35

Tourism
Speaker: Doug Reynolds

Economic Development
Speaker: Neil Fox

2:35 - 2:50

PM Break

2:50 - 3:50

The Management of Lake Nipissing: Anglers Perspective
Presentation by the Ministry of Natural Resources

The Management of Lake Nipissing: First Nations Perspective
Presentation by Nipissing First Nations

3:50 - 4:00

Closing

Day 2: Wednesday, April 4, 2012

9:00 - 9:15

Opening and Recapturing from Day 1

9:15 - 10:30

Speakers covering topics such as Aboriginal Treaty Rights, Ecosystem changes, Operating a Fish Camp, Water Level Management and Stewardship of Lake Nipissing.

10:30 - 10:45

AM Break

10:45 - 12:00

World Café

12:00 - 1:15

Lunch Break (lunch not provided)

1:15 - 3:00

What we heard: Pulling out themes and issues from the World Café

3:00 - 3:30

Closing remarks from the Leaders

You can find out more at the Lake Nipissing Summit website.

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On Saturday April 28th the 15th annual Powassan Maple Syrup Festival will be happening. The festival features demonstrations on how to cook with maple syrup Nancy Guppy of Chapman's Landing Cooking Studio{be sure to check out her wonderful blog!}, music, horse-drawn wagon rides, Scottish heavy games, and various food and craft vendors.

You can find out more information at the Powassan Maple Syrup Festival website.

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Sláinte!

Laurel

Media Mix

This is just a quick post to share some awesomeness that I came across recently in my webby travels.

1. A great article from Mother Earth News on small space gardening.
2. A neat and interactive virtual tour of Acy-Romance, a Gaulish Iron Age village. {thanks Seren for the heads up}
3. A pretty good interview with Paul Huson, author of Mastering Herbalism and Mastering Witchcraft.
4. And below is an interview with Andy Letcher of Telling the Bees. {I don't know what I love more, the 'stache or the beautiful music! ;) }
   
   
   
   
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   Sláinte!
   
   Laurel
   

Small Farm Rising

I originally saw this trailer for Small Farm Rising over at the Cold Antler Farm blog. This looks like a pretty neat film and there are some great resources on the film's site as well.

Sláinte!

Laurel

A Different Approach to Community Gardens

This is a neat Peak Moment episode featuring an interview with Judy Alexander {she was in another episode a few years back called How Much Food Can I Grow Around My House? which is definitely worth a watch also} from the Local 2020 Food Resiliency Action Group in Port Townsend Washington, US.

Her organization's approach to community gardens is probably a little different to the ones we generally think of here in North America. It seems to work quite well, and being so hooked on the idea of community, I really dig this "model".

Sláinte!

Laurel

Urban Cheesecraft

I saw this on Etsy. I hope you enjoy watching! :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Urban Cheesecraft from Etsy on Vimeo.

Standing Alone Trilogy

These are three interesting films that are about the Blood elder, Pete Standing Alone.

Sláinte!

Laurel

P.S. there is some footage of rodeos that I personally find very disturbing and cruel, otherwise I enjoyed the films.

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Circle of the Sun

This short documentary by Colin Low is an invitation to a gathering of the Blood Indians of Alberta - as the Sun Dance is captured on film for the first time. The film shows how the theme of the circle reflects the bands' connection to wildlife and also addresses the predicament of the young generation, those who have relinquished their ties with their own culture but have not yet found a firm place in a changing world.

Standing Alone

Pete Standing Alone is a Blood Indian who, as a young man, was more at home in the White man's culture than his own. Confronted with the realization that his children knew very little about their origins, he became determined to pass down to them the customs and traditions of his ancestors. This film is the powerful biographical study of a 25-year span in Pete's life, from his early days as an oil-rig roughneck, rodeo rider and cowboy, to the present as an Indian concerned with preserving his tribe's spiritual heritage in the face of an energy-oriented industrial age.

Round Up

This short film traces Pete Standing Alone's personal journey from cultural alienation to pride and belonging. As a spiritual elder, teacher, and community leader of the Blood Indians of Southern Alberta, Pete works with the youth to repair the cultural and spiritual destruction wrought by residential schools. At age 81, has come full-circle in his dedication to preserving the traditional ways of his people.

Cover Crops Workshop

Hi folks! I got this in my email and thought that I would pass it along here on our blog in case there are any Ontario farmers among our readers.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Managing Your Cover Crops for Healthy Soil: Summer & Fall Field Work Offered in partnership by the Ecological Farmers of Ontario (EFO) and FarmStart. Cover Cropping is one of the most important tools we have for building up soil organic matter and fertility and managing weeds on organic farms. This practical two-part workshop, led by Ignatius farm manager Lorne Jamieson, will introduce you to different kinds of cover crops and demonstrate how to do the required field work. From ploughing in an old hay field, to discing and cultivating and planting a variety of cover crops, this workshop will provide you with the knowledge you need to manage your own fields. If you have new land that you want to put into production or are looking to start using cover crops on your farm, this is the workshop for you! Part I: Introduction to Cover Cropping & Summer Field Work (July 9th) This first session will introduce cover cropping and the required tools and implements, and demonstrate typical summer field work. Topics will include: Why cover crop? Different cover crops and their specific characteristics Field equipment and when/how to use it Demonstration of ploughing down a hay field Demonstration of discing, cultivating and planting a summer cover crop (i.e. buckwheat) Looking at a variety of cover crops at different stages of growth Part II: Fall Field Work & Winter Preparation (October 15th) Come back in the fall to learn about the second phase of field work and preparing the ground for winter. Topics will include: Choosing the right winter cover crop for your needs Demonstration of working in summer cover crops (i.e. mow, plough, disc, cultivate) Demonstration of planting a fall cover crop (i.e. rye, oats) Discussion on frost seeding, compost/manure application, soil testing and amendments When: Part I - Saturday July 9 (rain date Sunday July 10),12:30pm – 4pm Part II - Saturday October 15 (rain date Sunday October 16),12:30pm – 4pm Where: Ignatius Farm, 5420 Highway 6 North, Guelph Cost: $120 (includes both days); $100 for Ecological Farmers of Ontario (EFO) members To register: Click Here For More information on FarmStart Programs please visit www.FarmStart.ca

A Great Interview w/ Professor Ronald Hutton

For our readers who might be interested, there is an interview with Ronald Hutton over at the Necropolis Now Blog. Enjoy! :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

A Few Nifty Field Guides {& Happy Belated Earth Day Too!}

I hope all you folks had a wonderful Earth Day and had a chance to get out to the great outdoors. :)

I was inspired by our friends over at Plant Trees, It's Self Defense to dig out the field guides that the hubby and I like to use on our outdoor travels and share them with our readers.

Flora

Edible & Medicinal Plants of the West by Gregory L. Tilford

The Wild, Wild Cookbook by Jean Craighead George

Trees in Canada by John Laird Farrar

National Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Familiar Mushrooms

Old Man's Garden by Annora Brown

Poisonous Mushrooms of Canada: Including Other Inedible Fungi

Ontario Wildflowers: 101 Wayside Flowers by Linda Kershaw

The Forest Trees of Ontario by J.H. White

The Book of Swamp and Bog by John Eastman

Mushrooms of Ontario and Eastern Canada by George Barron

Native Trees of Canada

Ontario Weeds: Descriptions, Illustrations and Keys to Their Identification

Fauna

Birds of Algonquin Park

Mammals of Algonquin Park

Animal Tracks of the Great Lakes by Ian Sheldon

Bird Feathers: a Guide to North American Bird Species by David Scott & Casey McFarland

Mammals of Ontario by Tamara Eder

Birds of North America

{And an honourable mention goes to The Robin Hood Hand Book by Bill Kaysing for few identifications it has in it. It is more of an overall bushcraft book.}

Sláinte!

Laurel

Canada Stops Playing With Food?

It's about time!

Food power to the people
by Jessica Leeder on April 17, 2011 for The Globe and Mail

The food movement has spoken.

Thirty years after a cross-country team of Canadian food advocates first convened in an effort to develop a national food strategy, a revamped and expanded version of that group will today issue a 27-page roadmap to food system change.

The People’s Food Policy Project, an umbrella group representing grassroots organizations and individuals from coast-to-coast, canvassed more than 3,500 Canadians over two years to come up with its findings. They are based on the concept of food sovereignty, the idea that people have a rightful say in determining how their food is produced and where it comes from. Not only does food sovereignty need to be restored in Canada, the project argues, policies at all levels of government need to be overhauled to enable it.

One of four civil-society efforts currently under way to develop long-term food strategies, the PFPP is the most comprehensive attempt to develop a truly national strategy. Some experts say, however, it is also the least likely to have a direct policy effect. Instead, the value of the project is in its galvanization of thousands of Canadians who have become attuned to how the food system works and which parts could work better if tweaked and aligned with policies on health and the environment.

By creating a sense of democracy around food – the term for that is food citizenship – the project is giving people the sense that they deserve to have more say in the way the food system is set up.

“Policy is almost always an experts-only conversation,” said Kenton Lobe, a PFPP volunteer and a founding member of the Manitoba Food Charter, a position paper that has been used to build support for grassroots food systems change in that province. “Public participation is one of the key parts of how you transform people’s understanding of issues like sustainable development. It becomes a tool of awareness that can only strengthen our democratic process,” he said.

Adding credibility to the PFPP, which would at one time have been considered a fringe effort, is the warm reception it has received from competitors-turned-collaborators. That includes the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. Representing agri-business interests, the CFA is developing its own national food strategy aimed at ensuring the sustainability of Canada’s food supply for domestic sales and international trade. The organization, however, keeps an open dialogue with the PFPP.

Both the federal Liberals and the NDP were involved in the PFPP process. Both parties have included food policies in their respective electoral platforms.

The commonalities between civil-society and partisan efforts lie in the desire to bolster Canadian agriculture and food systems by making changes that will enable farmers to sell a more diverse array of food not just outside of Canada but within it.

You can read the rest of the article here and find out more about The People's Food Policy Project here.

Sláinte!

Laurel

A Crack in the Pavement

I found these cute short docs over at the National Film Board {of Canada} webby and thought that some of our readers might enjoy them as well. :)

A Crack in the Pavement is a two-part video set that shows children, teachers and parents how they can work together to 'green' their school grounds and make positive changes in their communities.

A Crack in the Pavement: Growing Dreams This short documentary shows initiatives kids take to transform bare pavement into dream schoolyards. Some grow trees for shade, and vegetables for a food bank. Others build a greenhouse or a rooftop garden, while others yet construct a courtyard pond as an outdoor classroom and refuge for wildlife.

A Crack in the Pavement: Digging In This short documentary follows students from Toronto's Jesse Ketchum School as they take steps towards the greening of their schoolyard. Along the way they get how-to advice and inspiration from kids across the country; from Pauline Public School, where students raised $10,000, to Broadacres School, where a family of wild ducks found a home in their pond.

Sláinte!

Laurel

A 5 Minute Survey for Wonderfully Simple Folk

I found this survey over at the Plant Trees, It's Self Defense blog. It is a survey done by the Simplicity Institute which is aimed at folks who try to live a simpler lifestyle:

A Study on Simple Living, Downshifting and Other Low-Consumption Lifestyles in Affluent Nations

The Simplicity Institute is undertaking a multi-national study on people who have voluntarily adopted a 'simpler' way of life. The purpose of this study is to gain some empirical insight into those people who are choosing to move away from high-consumption, materialistic lifestyles and who are embracing simpler lifestyles of reduced or restrained income and consumption.

Who should fill out this survey?

This survey is intended for:

Those people who are living a 'simpler life' of reduced or restrained income, consumption and/or working hours.

(If you are a parent who has reduced or stopped paid employment to care for your children, or if you are a student, please fill out this survey only if you think your 'simpler lifestyle' is a long-term way of life.)

This study is not intended for:

Those for whom simple living is involuntary.

It took me about 5 minutes to do the survey. If you feel like you are a part of the target group and would like to participate, you can find the survey here.

Sláinte!

Laurel

North Bay 2011 Seed Exchange & Eco Fair!

Yay! :D

North Bay Heritage Gardeners, St Andrew’s United Church, North Bay Horticultural Society, The North Bay Master Gardeners, & Near North Locavores presents:

NORTH BAY SEED EXCHANGE & ECO FAIR

Come join us on Saturday February 26th, 2011 from 1 pm to 4pm at 366 Cassells Street/St Andrew’s United Church for North Bay’s second annual Seed Exchange & Eco Fair! This is a free event that has parking and public transit near by.

Gardening is a very rewarding pastime! It is a great way to be physically active while providing affordable fresh produce in your diet, creating habitat for wildlife, or simply beautifying your surroundings. We will have materials and information available for all types of growing situations and experience levels.

Get a head start on the 2011 gardening season at the Seed Exchange. You can trade seeds that you have saved (please make sure that you label your package with as much info as possible, including the variety name and how many seeds are in each package) or purchase seeds for 25 cents each package. Ornamentals and edibles are welcome.

Expand your knowledge at our free workshops for gardeners of all ages and skill-sets and there will be plenty of fun for children too with parental-supervised activities and crafts.

Stop by and visit the vendors at the Eco Fair to learn more about local organizations or get some shopping done at the various environmentally-conscious businesses that will be attending.

If you can’t find what you are looking for at the seed exchange, do not worry, as there will be vendors selling seeds, and other gardening supplies too! There will be commercial seeds to choose from and The Master Gardeners and The North Bay Horticultural Society will be selling seeds as fundraisers for their organizations.

For more info you can contact Monica of North Bay Heritage Gardeners at (705) 472- 4006 or heritage.gardeners(at)heritagenorthbay.com.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Luverly of the Week: Alexei Kondratiev

Photo from BBC

I was saddened to hear that the brilliant Alexei Kondratiev died of a heart attack last week. Alexei's writings have had a strong influence on neo-Pagan "Celtic" spirituality and Druidry. He is known for his book The Apple Branch , and for his contributions to Land, Sea & Sky.

Journey well, Alexei...you will be greatly missed!

Sláinte!

Laurel