Tuesday 21 January 2014

Eating what we produce

It's pretty amazing to eat a meal made from ingredients grown or produced within 100 meters of your table.  Now that's local food!  We hope to can less and less of our harvest in future, which might be the opposite of what the general homestead thinking model is.  Canning/bottling of any kind requires a lot of energy (largely of the fossil fuel variety) and I'd like to rely far less on energy inputs to preserve my food (and store it for that matter).   We are looking at building a large solar dehydrator in addition to improving our long term cold storage options.  Variety is the end goal (as in not having all our "eggs" in one basket).   If we have say, berries both frozen AND dehydrated, chances are, if we incur major loss of some kind (due to long term power outage or a flood for example), at least ONE method of storage will hopefully remain viable.  As with anything, diversity is the key to success, right?




Every day, we strive to eat as locally as possible.  Over the last 4 years, we've grown quite a lot of food for our table.  The rest we source from local producers.   Every bite of it is valuable because of the effort and energy extended to grow it, harvest it, preserve it or source it.   It is our hope to produce much more of our future caloric intake through the development of our land using permaculture principles.   Aside from taking an incredibly informative Permaculture Design Course through Rob Avis of Verge Permaculture, I've been researching how other people apply permaculture design strategies to their own land in colder climates (and to what end).  

Ben Falk is a brilliant man who has learned a great deal through 10 years of trial and error on his Vermont farm.  I'm smart enough to learn from those who have trail blazed before me and I humbly bow down to those who possess the courage to try new things (and make mistakes along the way).  Ben's work is very inspiring to me and I highly recommend that you get a hold of his new book The Resilient Farm and Homestead.  It's FULL of information and experience regarding the practical application of permaculture principles in a climate with a cold winter (gained through the ever effective teachings of "trial and error").  This book is of immense value to me having successfully broken down considerable mystery and uncertainty on several topics.  



Do check out Ben's site as it's eye candy of my very favourite kind :)


Enjoy!




12 comments:

  1. Hello Sherri, I'm new to your blog, coming via Simple Living Forum. Looking forward to having a good read about your way of doing things.

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  2. We have a similar philosophy. Canning is energy intensive so its good to have other options. I'd love for you to guest post on my blog, i'm running a series on permaculture. Email me on eight.acres.liz at gmail dot com if you (or anyone else) is interested.

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  3. I also try to buy local on as much as I can....I have always enjoyed reading your blog.

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    1. Thanks, Meggie. I always enjoy your photographic tours (especially on your recent travels) XO

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  4. Sherri we are so fortunate here in Australia to be able to grow so much produce year round. I wish you well in your quest.

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    1. Yes, Chel - you sure are, but from my understanding, Australians face very hot temperatures and frequent drought (which balances out those warm growing temps).

      Here in Alberta, we have very long days in summer which gives us a distinct growing advantage (which helps us grow so much in so little time). As well, although our winters are very cold, we usually have clear skies which translates into good solar gain.

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  5. Thats a great website to look at, thanks! Your right about not canning everything, having a good store for fruit and roots is one of my long term aims, but I want to do so without using any power if I can help it. If the power was turned off tomorrow we'd struggle here I think!

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    1. Yes, us too, Kev. We are looking at building a solar dehydrator this year. Something large with a lot of racks so we can dry more food. Depending on fossil fuel for preserving food has bothered me…

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  6. Hi, my name is Sara and we have recently moved at our own hobby farm and have some animals of our own. We are in southern Alberta and I have a few specific questions for you about your chicken feed. Mostly, I would like to know where you get it so I can get my hands on it too!!! My email address is sara_hnatuk@hotmail.com of that's a better way of communicating. Your blog has been so helpful as a resource for setting up our own systems around here. Thanks!!

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    1. Hi Sara! I emailed you but wanted to reply here too… Find a local organic grain farmer and ask to buy screenings. That's what's left after the grain is sent for cleaning in preparation for sale. Get a mix of grain and supplement grit for calcium (oyster shell, etc). We also supplement our hens' diet with worms from our worm farm in winter as they have no ay of getting them when the ground is frozen solid!

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