It's cold out there!

Just as it's supposed to be.
I took a little time to inspect the beds on the urban farm.
Well, black raspberries are coming back. . .so is oregano. The tulips are up. And well it's time for a new book case raised bed. And doggone it, if I couldn't find the plans I made on paper. Thank goodness for the blog.

Yep, I said that!  And that's hip!

Seedlings of faith

And so it begins. . .

Grow Your Own! Make Your Own!

Not so Urban Farm?  How about Yarn?

Some folks don't have their own urban farm, but that does not make them any less hip. In fact some people's urban farm is not a farm at all. . . . 

HUF, you say,  you've lost it!  What are you talking about?

Well, (sits in rocking chair, starts chewing urban straw) sit for a spell and I'll spin you a yarn about this not so urban farm and a brave woman willing to take risks don't be deceived, though her name really fits.

HUF:What do you grow on your urban farm?

Misfityarns:

I spin my own yarn out of wool fiber mostly. I used to belong to a fiber CSA through Juniper Moon Fiber Farm  and it was a lot of fun reading the blog and keeping up with the animals. Even though I do not belong to the fiber CSA anymore, I try to buy for small farms.

HUF: How do you feel about growing what you grow?

Misfityarns:

I enjoy spinning my own yarn very much. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and creativity. I enjoy trying to figure out knitting projects that will go with a particular pattern. One of my goals this year is to knit more projects with my handspun yarn.

HUF:Do you ever feel a sense of inspiration from growing what you grow?

Misfityarns: 

Yes. Just like I said in the last question, I am learning to pair up knitting patterns with yarn I spin. It’s fun to go through the yarns I spin and remember what I was thinking when I spun or dyed that particular yarn.

HUF:What does growing your own inspire you to do?

Misfityarns: 

be more creative with my knitting or dyeing. When spinning my own yarn, I can experiment with colors or experiment with different knitting projects.
Have you ever felt a sense of self sufficiency from growing what you grow?

Misfityarns: 

Sometimes. It’s fun to be able to make a yarn you want, however I still rely on commercial yarns to get me through most patterns or stuff I knit. As I said, I want to start using my own handspun yarns more and it will lead me more a sense of self sufficiency with yarn.

HUF:Does that sense of self-sufficient sense lead you to want make thing? If so, what do you make?

Misfityarns: 

Yes, it inspires me to try to use my handspun yarns in different patterns. For now, I make scarves, wraps, gloves and other smaller items.

HUF:How do you make it?

Misfityarns: 

I knit them.

HUF:Does it matter how you get the supplies to make it? Why or why not?

Misfityarns:

 Yes, I try to buy fiber from smaller farms and not commercial places. I like to buy fiber unwashed and process it myself. And I like to patron those smaller farms if I can over and over. I think it is important to support smaller farms so you know where the fiber is coming from.

HUF:What would you say to folks to encourage them to make their own?

Misfityarns: 

Just go for it. Often times when I wanted to do something and I hesitated, I chickened out. But when I just delved into something and learned, I was braver and take more risks. Just do what you want to do and don’t look back.

HUF: Delve in, learn, and don't look back! Thanks Misfityarns. That's really hip!

How does she plan it?

After years of working in non-profit organization and attending the neighborhood gardening workshops, I learned a thing or two. Plus, I'm an avid reader who likes to give the words on the page a reality check.  So here's two things I learned:

1. Newspaper mulch suppresses weeds and

2. squarefoot gardening allows you to grow more in a small space.

I took these two ideas and put them together and what did I get?  Squarefoot newspaper mulching!

Here's an example.  Take some of the newspaper that lacks any pretty pictures or bright colors.  You just want the black and white facts of the news paper. Cut that newspaper in a  1 foot by 1 foot square.  You could make several of these 1 foot by 1 foot or  you could make them bigger.

Now here's where you have to put your thinking cap on. If Mel tells you that 16 carrot seeds can go in 1 square foot then you must fold that paper so that you get 16 squares.

Take the square foot newspaper, fold it in half, fold the half in half and keep folding until when you unfold it you get 16 squares.  It seems like this is hard, but it really isn't.  If I get out my web cam, I can show you this, but for right now just fold til you get 16 squares.

In each of those 16 square, 1 carrot can grow.  Make a whole in each center square or just poke one whole in the  folded newspaper.You might want to put a couple in the square just to be sure that the seed sprouts. Listen to Mel, he knows what he's talking about.

So what I am doing here is using the newspaper to mark the square foot instead of using the string and wood to mark off the square foot in the garden.  I don't know if it is more accurate or not. I just know that this works for me.

I plan for the Spring, Summer  and Fall. I've thought hard about doing winter, but I just haven't had the heart to farm in the winter.  Maybe this year?  Who knows?

So I have a plan where I use the technique I just told you about and add in some crop rotation. It may seem like a lot of work but this is urban farming and it is serious. So here's my plan:

Spring

Summer and Fall

So remember, people don't plan to fail ,but they do fail to plan. Plan it. Do it! But don't do it  because I said so, do it because it's hip!

Grow Your Own Make Your Own

When the Harvest is Small Don't Give Up Hope; Make Some Soap!
by Melissa Jeter aka HUF


When I arrive at Mama B's homestead, I am greeted by the dog, a 50 pound  tan and white collie.  I return the excited greeting and she leads me to the door. I knock on the door and turn the handle. Mama B greets me with a big hug and we move into the dining room, where there are bagels, cream cheese and tea.  After nibbling and a few sips of tea, we begin our conversation.



HUF: What do you grow in your urban farm?


Mama B:

I have grown many things over the years in my suburban garden most notably "All Blue" Potatoes in containers and heirloom tomatoes and peppers.  I tried to grow catnip once, but the cat ate it.  I unfortunately did not get the green thumb that runs in my mother's family, so my yields are quite small.

HUF:How do you feel about the small yield?

Mama B:

No matter how small though I do like the connection to the earth and teaching my children how the food actually grows and what needs to be done to harvest it.  I like to see things growing and I like the hope and excitement of what might be produced. I tend to get sad though when I don't get the results I want.  That is why I tend toward making things from scratch like soap, lotion, etc.  If they fail I know right away.  I don't have to wait to be disappointed.

HUF: Yes, I  have that same hope and excitement about what could grow. So when I grow vegetables, I like to  use compost and organic fertilizers. It's really important to me.  How do you make your own soap?

Mama B:

I make soap the old fashioned way with lye and mostly vegetable oils.  Seeing the chemical reaction occur and feeling the heat from it are exciting and fun and I my entire family benefits from it.  Not only do I get a sense of self-sufficiency from it, I have soap that is better on my skin than any store bought bar.  I also feel a connection to my ancestors.  My grandfather (and I'm sure others in my family way back in Scotland) used to make soap.  I was never blessed with knowing him in person, but when I make soap, I always feel like I honor his memory and he is there.  I also see him in my bleeding heart plant in my garden which has actually been handed down directly from his garden to my mother's to mine.

HUF: Wow!  So you get a quality bar of soap and this connection to  extended family. I can relate to that. I think that my extended family in rural southeastern Ohio grew a lot of things.  Somewhere in the family there's this photo of my great grandfather growing peanuts. He's just holding them up in the air.  It's so inspirational. Now, tell me, is it important to you to use specific supplies when you make soap?

Mama B:

For the most part, I am not too picky about my supplies although the shea butter I bought is fair trade and naturally pressed instead of processed with chemicals which makes me feel better.  I try to think of ways to use what I have on hand.  That doesn't always work.  I buy meat locally from farmers who I know and I plan on making suet cakes with bird seed for the birds with the lard that is stored in my freezer.  As yet, I have not found a use for the beef heart that still sits in my freezer awaiting an inspired recipe, but I can hope.

HUF: Well, I'm coming to the end of my questions for you.  What would say to folks to encourage them to make their own?


Mama B:

When it comes to telling people about making your own good stuff, it is a hard sell sometimes.  I used to tell people that lotion is as easy as making mayonnaise, and then I realized that most people have never tried making their own mayonnaise either.  We are bombarded with so many products that make our lives easier, sometimes we forget that some of the things people used to have to make were pretty easy to begin with.  They just took a little time and a good recipe and maybe some knowledge along with it. I don't think any of those things are necessarily obsolete.

HUF: Yes, I agree. A little time, a good recipe, and a little knowledge to go along with it.  Mama B that is hip advice!

How is the road to freedom farmed?

 by Melissa Jeter aka HUF

I've been blogging about my urban farm for a about a year now. And still there is more that I want to say about it.  Mostly I want to to talk about how urban farming is about the road to freedom.  I came upon a few websites that inspired my desire to become an urban farmer.

The path to freedom is one very good website. I've actually followed this site for years. It has really grown.  When it started the website was a way to document sustainability and homesteading.  It includes it's own blog as well as sections about organic gardening, energy efficiency and so much more.  This is a must follow website if you are interested in urban farming.

Freedom Gardens is another website along the same lines.  But if you want to get subversive. . . because that is the HIP thing to do.  Check out the Guerrilla Gardening blog. There is a little of this going on in Toledo by a few. . . if you happen to see some daffodil in spaces that really seem out of place. . . well you know it was all done in the spirit of the movement to put beauty in public spaces.

In these websites and their blogs, they seem to get out the sentiment that I really want to say.  There is that do-it-yourself spirit, as well as that spirit of self-sufficiency. Even more the path to freedom shows that there is way more to  urban farming than farming.  There's also the crafts that are derived from that DIY, self-sufficient spirit.  There's a motto that can be made from this, Grow your own, and make your own.

I'll be blogging more under the sub heading Grow your Own and Make your Own this year.

Hip Urban Farmer by Blog, Librarian by Day

 by Melissa Jeter aka HUF

Another thing I do to get ready for the farm, while it's cold out side is read books. When I happen to get to the library before my shift starts, I roam the stacks.  Upon roaming the stacks one day I came upon two wonderful finds. . .

Holy sh!t. . . is a great book.  I never thought that a book about manure could be so interesting. However, if you are serious about urban farming, then you are in the business of creating, spreading, and stirring manure.  There is a whole ecosystem that is dependent on manure. After reading about cow patties and cow flatulence in relation to green house gases, I actually began to think that these cows are getting a bad rap.  When the author discusses the amount of gases from humans in comparison, I begin to think that we might be shifting the blame.  You know how it goes, I didn't do it. Nope wasn't me. Must've been the cows. But seriously, the chapter that really got my attention was the one where the author discusses how his friend decided to go into cattle ranching not to sell the meat, but for selling manure!



And while I'm speaking about the other end of farming, why not build your own compost bin?
On another trip through the stacks, I found an oldie but a goodie, Build-it Yourself Homestead published by Rodale press in 1973.  I was but wee tot when this book came out, yet the structures suggested for homesteading have stood the test of time.  Any of these structures from cold frames to compost bins are in this book.  You may find many of these garden structures and their directions in  current books about urban homesteading today.  However, they won't give that sense of nostalgia.  Handle this book with care, if you happen to get a copy from your local library.