Wishing for More snow

 

Growers who live in mild climates may not realize how important winter snow cover is to agriculture in more temperate zones. Here in NH we had an early thaw where a good portion of the snow melted leaving uncharacteristic (for this time of year) patches of bare ground exposed.  Recently we’ve experienced an extended period of subzero temperatures and it is causing some concern in the agricultural community.

First and foremost, snow cover insulates the soil surface from cold air in winter, decreasing the depth of frost and protecting perennial plants. This defensive layer not only shields plants but also safeguards innumerable species of beneficial soil microbes as well as agriculturally useful insects. When there is minimal snow cover this shelter is lost and the populations suffer.

Secondly, snow accumulates small but measurable levels of atmospheric Nitrogen and Phosphorus (the N and P of the famous N-P-K equation) and upon melting releases these important plant nutrients back to the soil. In addition, seeds frozen into the snow are redistributed during spring thaw allowing non-mobile plants’ progeny to take root at a distance from the parent plant, a critical technique for sustaining beds of self sowing annuals.

Finally, thawing snow replenishes ponds, rivers and numerous other water ways, increasing the local water table. Countless watersheds are significantly diminished in years when there has been reduced winter snow cover.

It is clear that a consistent, generous layer of snow is an agricultural boon for growers in zones with cold winters. They are forecasting snow showers for this afternoon, while commuters and shovel-ers are hoping against it; I’m joining school children and skiers everywhere in praying for more snow! 

Uncertain Peril

I just finished “Uncertain Peril: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Seeds” by Claire Hope Cummings. The book was an extremely comprehensive dissertation on the history of seeds, their cultural and agricultural significance, and the effects of genetic modification.

Cummings brings significant credibility in her writing to the topic as an environmental lawyer turned journalist and writes clearly and without succumbing to alarmist techniques. Despite the fact that she is not an alarmist, she definitely writes a disquieting treatise on how genetically modified seeds affect not just agriculture, but culture and food security itself.

All in all, this is a must read for anyone interested in the future of our food independence.

Does This Mean it’s Spring?

Buff Orphington Chicks - 1 and 2 days old

GMO’s

Glenn & I were recently asked by the director of NOFA NH to testify on the behalf of two bills that are going to be proposed in NH legislation this February. Both bills are related to the GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms.) We are pretty excited about this proposed legislation as it is an admirable step in the right direction for the protection of our local food sources. 

The first bill, HB 1172, pertains to the labeling of GMO’s. If passed, it would require any genetically modified seed or organism to be labeled with the following information:

• the identity and traits of the organism, plus any requirements for its safe handling, storage, transport, and use
• the name, address and point of contact for both the manufacturer and distributor
• the conspicuously printed words: “Contains genetically modified seeds or organisms.”

What a novel and fantastic idea – score one for the home team! I’m a huge advocate of this bill because it puts the decision to use or not to use GMO’s directly in the hand of the grower. It gives us back the power of choice, something I believe is our unquestionable right.

The second bill, HB 1388, is a bit more in depth but also very exciting. First and foremost, the proposed bill provides a definition of genetically modified seeds and organisms that states GMO’s are “any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology… that overcome natural physiological reproductive or recombination barriers and that are not techniques used in traditional breeding and selection.” 

To have a definition of GMO’s on the books that includes seeds and organisms is critical. It sets a legal precedent that future petitioners can use as a yardstick. I also am pleased that they are seeking a broad definition that encompasses not just plant life, but all living organisms. This essentially allows for legislation to include genetically modified livestock as well. 

The second half of the proposed bill relates to Private Action. 

• When label information regarding the genetic characteristics, the safety, the adverse effects, or the directions for use is omitted or misrepresented it shall be considered an unfair or deceptive act.
• Any farmer or gardener who sustains injury or damage through any person’s use of a crop that had an omitted or misrepresented GMO label may sue for damages.
• Any farmer or gardener “whose seed or crop becomes commingled, admixed or otherwise adulterated by any means with a genetically modified seed or organism” may sue any person who contributed to the damages. 

The italicized text in the third bullet point is the actual wording of the bill. This is an amazing point and fingers crossed that it goes through. Gene flow—also called migration—is the natural movement of genes from one population to another that happens all the time. Pollen drift occurs when the pollen (containing the genetically modified material) is transported any distance by wind, water, gravity and insect or animal distribution. Large biotechnology firms have repeatedly and successfully sued farmers for theft of intellectual property when their patented genomes have inadvertently contaminated non-GMO crops through natural methods. However, according to this bill, farmers whose crops have been contaminated with GMO would be entitled to compensation. To have legislation that favors the grower over multi-billion dollar industry is an enormous step in the journey to stabilize our food systems. 

The hearings for these bills are on the books for February. Keep your fingers crossed!

HB 1278-FN

Thursday, January 28, 10-11 AM.  NH Legislative Office Building (commonly called The LOB) Room 308.

HB 1278-FN

Help NH Farmers provide raw milk directly off the farm! 

Fifty Acres and a Poodle

Everyone has guilty pleasures – some gals read romance novels, others are obsessed with mysteries or thrillers. My weakness happens to be what I call “farm fluff.” I like to read stories about other people who farm. I read a lot of agriculture literature and a good portion of it is complex, intellectually stimulating, and thought provoking or specifically for educational purposes. However, there is something about the anecdotal farm story that I’m a sucker for.

Perhaps it allows me to relate to the human component of farming. I read a lot of agricultural books that concentrate on the topics of ecology, environmental impact, food systems, cultural significance, or the intricacies of horticulture and animal husbandry. However, no matter what aspect of farming you are interested in, there is always a human element that is often ignored. Ironically, you cannot have agriculture without humans – otherwise it would just be called nature!

I just finished reading “Fifty Acres and a Poodle” by Jeanne Marie Laskas. It’s a light, humorous narrative about city people who buy a farm. Laskas has an endearing way of poking fun at herself that sets the scene for a number of laughs and a few poignant moments. While the farm is clearly integral to the plot, we quickly discover that it becomes more of a backdrop. In reality the story concentrates on how the farm affects the people involved and their relationships to it and each other. (Which anyone who farms will tell you is significant!)

All in all it was a fun read. Perhaps not mentally invigorating, but entertaining nonetheless.

Homesteader News

 

The January issue of Homesteader News is online. Happy browsing!

Happy New Year

2009 is swiftly coming to an end. We had a pretty exciting year filled with lots of learning curves and laughter and I’m-never-doing-that-again’s, heavily laden with successes, friendship and happy memories.

Here are some highlights:

• 100 juvenile roosters sound like a bunch of stepped on frogs.
• Same said roosters as they hit maturity can cock-a-doodle-doooooooooooo for about 10 minutes straight without taking a collective breath. Directly because of this we did not sign a petition for a local noise ordinance when solicited.
• I’m ashamed to say that I’ve threatened a misbehaving pig with bacon. And pork chops. And eventually made good.
• Nero Di Toscana Cabbage is also known as Dinosaur Kale; it thrives in cool, rainy weather. Bipeds at MMF don’t actually like it; quadrupeds will trample anyone who gets in their way to have it.
• You can make some excellent, like minded friends by sitting in the rain for several hours at Farmer’s Market.
• Speaking of Farmer’s Markets – customers seem to think that they can get NH grown tomatoes, corn and cucumbers in June and lettuce in August. I’ll admit my thumbs are greenish (sometimes literally), but even I’m not that good.
• I’ve also discovered that the general populace doesn’t know what kohlrabi is and are illogically frightened by beets or radishes that aren’t red. What they are going to think of next year’s black tomatoes, I just don’t know.
• I’m obsessed with chickens. I have to have them in all their multicolored, feathered glory. Lots of them.
• Millions of peaches, peaches for me! Millions of peaches, peaches for free!
• By keeping to a hard and fast rule of not changing pre-named animals monikers I now have a large, black rabbit named Oprah, a white cow named Snowball and a spotted pig named Dolly (for her Dalmatian-like spots.)  Its ok, you can laugh.
• In 2009 we purchased: 8 sheep, 5 pigs, 2 heifers, 12 turkeys, 131 chickens, and 8 rabbits. We received free: 2 goats, 1 bull calf, 1 rabbit, and 16 chickens.
• There was a come-to-Jesus moment at a staff meeting when I caught a faint whiff of cow, and couldn’t be sure if it was my shoes or my boss’s.
• I’ve been run down by a flock of bossy sheep, had my foot trod on by a cow, repeatedly spilled the pig’s slop bucket on my shoes, had soil under my fingernail that just would not scrub out, found hay chaff in my hair in public, been pecked by chickens and scratched by rabbits, been more exquisitely exhausted than I’ve ever been in my entire life… and never been happier.

 

Here’s hoping that 2010 brings you and yours much joy and success!

What’s in a Seed

The holidays are more or less coming to a close and the New Year is upon us. Every gardener, serious or hobbyist, is starting to think about seeds. Glossy, full colored catalogs are arriving to snow covered mailboxes all over New England waxing poetic about exotic vegetables and fruits that would unquestionably be the pièce de résistance in any garden. I accept that I am weak willed when it comes to the marketing genius of seed catalogs; the books that have arrived thus far are already dog-eared and covered in enthusiastic circles of red ink marking the varieties that I absolutely must have…

To me, it is critical that I know where my seeds are coming from. It is not enough that I grow my produce in an organic, sustainable manner, but I insist that my seed purveyor is environmentally responsible as well.

In early 2005, Monsanto purchased Seminis, the largest developer, grower and marketer of fruit and vegetable seeds in the world. Unfortunately, this means that the majority of seed suppliers in this country are tied to Monsanto’s apron strings. Some New England suppliers, such as Fedco Seeds in Maine made the decision to drop Seminis as a supplier after their customers expressed their dissatisfaction with the link to the multinational biotechnology corporation, Monsanto. Others, like Johnny’s Selected Seeds, also of Maine, have chosen to slowly phase out their Seminis products, only after finding suitable replacements.

There have been any number of postings floating around the internet that denounce numerous well known seed providers as either owned by or supplied by Monsanto-Seminis. The reality is, none of these postings are cited or substantiated.

So how do we figure out where our seeds come from?  How do we keep our gardens safe from seeds produced by Monsanto-Seminis and other companies who are not aligned with our ideology? We have to do some research that’s a little more in depth than reading lists that have been copied and pasted around the internet. It involves a lot of reading, learning about the practice and philosophy of companies we may want to purchase from. Sometimes it is as simple as picking up the phone and directly asking a company if they are supplied by Monsanto, Seminis or any of their associates. If you don’t like the answer, keep looking!

It’s not just a question of keeping your garden safe from GMO seeds, but a issue of supporting corporations that are environmentally and socially irresponsible.

Here’s a short list (I’ve done the research for you on these ones) –  vote with your dollars by supporting seed companies that supply organic, open pollinated, heirloom seeds and that have corporate values that support wholesome food systems and cultural and agricultural preservation. These are some of my favorite companies to buy from:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
High Mowing Organic Seeds
Seed Savers Exchange
Seeds of Change

Happy gardening!

A Homesteader Good Night

*Written by and shared with permission by my friend LaMar

 

‘Twas the day before Christmas, and all ’round my farm
All the chillun are stirring, just trying to get warm
It’s time get firewood, and haul water in
There’s chores to be done, ‘fore breakfast begins
Eggs need to be gathered, and hogs to be slopped
The toilet needs emptied, the chores never stop
Then baked bread and fresh milk, we have for the day
The kids bundle up, the horses need hay
When chores they are done, we’re all pretty beat
Dad pulls out the guitar, kids sit at his feet
Ma starts up good song, we sing and we dance
Small presents are given, all made by our hands
Then out to the barn, where we stable our sheep
A miracle happens, a new lamb is asleep
We stand in the darkness, surrounded by love
Not much do we have, but a star shines above
We hold hands and we pray, thanks for our country life
Merry Christmas to all, and a homesteader good night!