Susan Sampson has written a great article about the problems small abattoirs are having. This of course affects every single small farmer out there. Many family run and organic farms rely on the small places to slaughter their animals. Unlike larger slaughter houses these places deal with very small numbers, such as one animal. Please read more of Susan's article...
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
NFU's Sustainable Farmer of the Year
Friday night we watched our friends and farmers Johanne and Maggie Kleinsasser win the Waterloo/Wellington National Farmers Union Sustainable Farmer of the Year Award. It is the first time this award has been given out. The judges had a really tough decision as the other nominated farmers were all excellent. The students from Erin High School designed and manufactured the award. All the meal was from local farms and cooked by students from Fergus High School. It was a truly community event!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Failed Sauerkraut
The first attempt at sauerkraut didn't quite work. Up until week four every time we would open the linen closet door there was the smell of fresh yoghurt. Around the five week mark it started to smell bad. By this week, week six, it had to go. Perhaps red cabbage shouldn't have been used? Anyone have any thoughts?
Not to be dissuaded though. Another cabbage has been purchased to try again. This one is green!Allotment society wants more permanent sites as ministers launch temporary plots (UK)
Gardeners will be able to grow fruit and vegetables in skips on building sites thanks to new Government "meanwhile leases", which allow communities to use private land from developers until builders are ready to move in when the economic downturn ends. NSALG acting secretary Donna McDaid said: "Why reinvent the wheel? The Government should enforce the 1908 allotment act to provide more sites. The sites provide no security of tenure. There is a lot of jumping on the bandwaggon now allotments are fashionable. The focus is on community gardening and not having your own plot." Horticulture Week story.
Picture: Hilary Benn at King's Cross allotment. Image: HW
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Scrufflechook Becomes a Chicken Again
The Scrufflechook saga is turning a new corner. She is now a very healthy and happy chicken living in the office. She has come from being the picked on, shunned chicken to a bright eyed, egg-laying chicken again. Of course we can't get rid of her now as she is a productive egg layer and friendly to boot. Unseasonably warm weather has prompted us to begin acclimatizing her to being outdoors again. Having a chicken in your office is fun for a while but I am sick of the shavings and the extra cage to clean every morning (the litter boxes are enough). She is a chicken after all. For the last couple of days we have tried to re-introduce her to her flock with mixed results. They will gang up on her in typical chicken behaviour, of course the boys think she's great. It is almost like watching a high-school movie. We will keep trying as I would like to be able to reintroduce her, but there is a reason it is called pecking order. So on Saturday we went to see a breeder about a couple of new chickens. Theresa is an 82 year-old woman who runs a farm just outside of Guelph. She is quite amazing. She is still raising birds of all sorts and has been on the same farm for 60 years. We have a number of chickens to choose from, she has crosses, Houdans, but the ones we were after are the Silkies. Now Silkies are a bit of an odd chicken, they look like walking pom-poms. Silkies have a sweet disposition, aren't know for flying, and are great broodies. As we are planning on hatching some of our Chantecler eggs this year this works out well. So these new little guys with their black bones and black skin should make great additions to All Sorts Acre. Oh, and are they ever cute!
Monday, March 15, 2010
All Sorts Acre courses for this year
It was such a thrill last week to see the Grand River District School Board Course Guide. I usually like to get them but this time is was extra special. this time I am actually in the guide! I am going to be teaching 6 courses this spring with them, two in Guelph and four in Fergus. Here they are:
GUELPH - Urban Homesteading
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn, Deb Quaile
Learn how to create a more sustainable and satisfying lifestyle. You will look at gardening models, small scale livestock, outdoor skills, home economics, and food storage. All sizes from condos to estate homes can be turned into an Urban Homestead. GUELPH - Urban Chickens
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
In many municipalities chickens are fast becoming urban residents. Learn about how to care, feed, and house your feathered friends to keep them happy and healthy. Find out how easy and rewarding urban chickens can be. FERGUS - Beyond Tea
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Have you ever wanted to do more with herbs? Herbal remedies don’t have to be hard or time consuming. There are many things you can buy at the supermarket and make yourself.
room with sinkFERGUS - Plant Your Own Indoor Salad Bar
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Learn the basic of container gardening by making your own indoor salad bar. This indoor garden is easy to maintain and lets you have fresh vegetable and herbs right at your fingertips. This will introduce you to interplanting, transplanting, potting, and a new way of eating. FERGUS - Wonder of Wool: Intro to Needle Felting
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Needle felting is a fast, fun and enjoyable way to paint and sculpt with wool. Using only a few shred of wool, a needle, pipe cleaners, and you imagination you will begin a unique and adorable animal or amazing image. Come and impress yourself with your talents. FERGUS - Needle Felted Purse
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Needle felting is a fun and easy way to customize a piece of clothing or accessory. You will learn how to needle felt a design on a felted purse so you can make your own unique statement.
Courses to be held at All Sorts Acre:
Intro to Permaculture: Making the Most out of Your Yard
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Nature is full of relationships that seem to work effortlessly. Permaculture helps bring some of those designs and systems into your own yard to make it more beautiful and less work. Learn about basic Permaculture ideas and principles by creating a basic Permaculture design for your own home. You will see the All Sorts Acre forest garden on site.
Urban Homesteading
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn, Deb Quaile
Learn how to create a more sustainable and satisfying lifestyle. You will look at gardening models, small scale livestock, outdoor skills, home economics, and food storage. All sizes from condos to estate homes can be turned into an Urban Homestead. Urban Chickens
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
In many municipalities chickens are fast becoming urban residents. Learn about how to care, feed, and house your feathered friends to keep them happy and healthy. Find out how easy and rewarding urban chickens can be. Plant Your Own Indoor Salad Bar
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Learn the basic of container gardening by making your own indoor salad bar. This indoor garden is easy to maintain and lets you have fresh vegetable and herbs right at your fingertips. This will introduce you to interplanting, transplanting, potting, and a new way of eating. Wonder of Wool: Intro to Needle Felting
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Needle felting is a fast, fun and enjoyable way to paint and sculpt with wool. Using only a few shred of wool, a needle, pipe cleaners, and you imagination you will begin a unique and adorable animal or amazing image. Come and impress yourself with your talents. The All Sorts Acre sheep will be providing much of the wool. Needle Felted Purse
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Needle felting is a fun and easy way to customize a piece of clothing or accessory. You will learn how to needle felt a design on a felted purse so you can make your own unique statement.
GUELPH - Urban Homesteading
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn, Deb Quaile
Learn how to create a more sustainable and satisfying lifestyle. You will look at gardening models, small scale livestock, outdoor skills, home economics, and food storage. All sizes from condos to estate homes can be turned into an Urban Homestead. GUELPH - Urban Chickens
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
In many municipalities chickens are fast becoming urban residents. Learn about how to care, feed, and house your feathered friends to keep them happy and healthy. Find out how easy and rewarding urban chickens can be. FERGUS - Beyond Tea
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Have you ever wanted to do more with herbs? Herbal remedies don’t have to be hard or time consuming. There are many things you can buy at the supermarket and make yourself.
room with sinkFERGUS - Plant Your Own Indoor Salad Bar
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Learn the basic of container gardening by making your own indoor salad bar. This indoor garden is easy to maintain and lets you have fresh vegetable and herbs right at your fingertips. This will introduce you to interplanting, transplanting, potting, and a new way of eating. FERGUS - Wonder of Wool: Intro to Needle Felting
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Needle felting is a fast, fun and enjoyable way to paint and sculpt with wool. Using only a few shred of wool, a needle, pipe cleaners, and you imagination you will begin a unique and adorable animal or amazing image. Come and impress yourself with your talents. FERGUS - Needle Felted Purse
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Needle felting is a fun and easy way to customize a piece of clothing or accessory. You will learn how to needle felt a design on a felted purse so you can make your own unique statement.
Courses to be held at All Sorts Acre:
Intro to Permaculture: Making the Most out of Your Yard
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Nature is full of relationships that seem to work effortlessly. Permaculture helps bring some of those designs and systems into your own yard to make it more beautiful and less work. Learn about basic Permaculture ideas and principles by creating a basic Permaculture design for your own home. You will see the All Sorts Acre forest garden on site.
Urban Homesteading
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn, Deb Quaile
Learn how to create a more sustainable and satisfying lifestyle. You will look at gardening models, small scale livestock, outdoor skills, home economics, and food storage. All sizes from condos to estate homes can be turned into an Urban Homestead. Urban Chickens
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
In many municipalities chickens are fast becoming urban residents. Learn about how to care, feed, and house your feathered friends to keep them happy and healthy. Find out how easy and rewarding urban chickens can be. Plant Your Own Indoor Salad Bar
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Learn the basic of container gardening by making your own indoor salad bar. This indoor garden is easy to maintain and lets you have fresh vegetable and herbs right at your fingertips. This will introduce you to interplanting, transplanting, potting, and a new way of eating. Wonder of Wool: Intro to Needle Felting
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Needle felting is a fast, fun and enjoyable way to paint and sculpt with wool. Using only a few shred of wool, a needle, pipe cleaners, and you imagination you will begin a unique and adorable animal or amazing image. Come and impress yourself with your talents. The All Sorts Acre sheep will be providing much of the wool. Needle Felted Purse
Taught by: Jennifer Osborn
Needle felting is a fun and easy way to customize a piece of clothing or accessory. You will learn how to needle felt a design on a felted purse so you can make your own unique statement.
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