About.com Small Farms

Vertical Farming? It's Moving Up in the World

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:37:23 +0000

Rooftop gardens have recently become all the rage in urban environments, making use of space that has access to sunlight and is otherwise wasted to grow delicious, nutritious food. But what if you don't have a roof?

A recent article in The New York Times highlights a developing trend: vertical farming. By creating edible walls, which are essentially panels of metal, filled with soil and seeds, you're doing more than growing food. Edible walls, like green roofs, provide insulation to the building, reducing the cost of heating and cooling. And they have one really big advantage over rooftop gardens: they're able to grow food in far less space than traditional gardens.

In the past few months, vertical farming has garnered a lot of attention for this reason. Edible walls can utilize graywater, recycling it to water plants. With vertical farming methods, you can grow plants organically, without the use of fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. It eliminates the potential for weather-related crop failures if done indoors, and it minimizes pests and other diseases that can cause damage to plants as well. Most saliently, it allows otherwise unused space in cities to produce high-quality, organic, quintessentially local food.

While some vertical farming advocates foresee a future with skyscrapers full of high-tech edible walls growing food en masse for, well, the masses, right now the technology available is fairly simple. Simple doesn't always mean cheap, though, and The New York Times reports the cost of edible walls at "about $125 a square foot, or $500 per planted panel." Although it's an investment up front, just think about picking lettuce for a salad right off the wall of your fifth-floor walkup in the city. Sounds delicious to me.

Vertical Farming? It's Moving Up in the World originally appeared on About.com Small Farms on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 17:37:23.

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Wordless Wednesday: Puppy

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:10:29 +0000

He dares you not to think he is adorable. Not exactly a livestock guardian dog, but a farm puppy nonetheless. We are teaching him about not chasing - and catching - the chickens.

Wordless Wednesday: Puppy originally appeared on About.com Small Farms on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 21:10:29.

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The End of a Tough Season

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:39:22 +0000

For farmers in the Northeast, at least, this growing season was a very hard one. Incessant rains and cold weather led to late blight, and it was hard for anything to ripen without the warmth of the sun. We did have a late rally with some warmer weather and sunshine, but it wasn't in time for many small farmers, who experienced serious crop losses. This New York Times article reports that much of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey farmland has been or is being declared agricultural disaster areas this year.

Tomato and potato crops were devastated by late blight, with massive crop losses for many farms. The first cut of hay was ruined for many farmers, which spills over into the cost of keeping animals in hay over this coming winter, putting additional stresses on dairy farmers and other livestock farmers (right down to the hobby farmer feeding his one horse).

How have you been affected by this growing season? Please share in our Small Farm Forums.

The End of a Tough Season originally appeared on About.com Small Farms on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 14:39:22.

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If I Could Turn Back Time...

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:41:55 +0000

Have you ever thought back on your years of homesteading or farming and considered what you would have done differently, knowing what you know now? Or do you just wish you could fast-forward and tell your beginning farmer self all the secrets you'll undoubtedly know in twenty years?

In Homesteading Lessons Learned on Mother Earth News, Steve Maxwell lays out the wisdom he's gained after two decades of homesteading with his family. I read his tips eagerly, and found myself nodding along and jotting down a couple of notes as well.

Some of Steve's overarching themes mesh with things I've learned as I've begun my own journey: that it's best to take it slowly and build infrastructure first before gathering livestock; that raised beds can be a good thing; make your house work for you first - you have to have good shelter; a four-wheel pickup truck is a critical piece of equipment; and - my lesson most recently learned - high-speed Internet is not a luxury.

In fact, I found myself a bit more at peace with the two steps forward, one step back dance of "progress" here on my own small homestead. This year I tried to go all-out with garden space, and Mother Nature had a good laugh at my expense. Next year I'm going to refine my gardening skills in more limited square footage and focus on doing less, and doing it better.

Which of Steve Maxwell's tips are your favorites? What tips do you have for someone just starting on this adventure?

If I Could Turn Back Time... originally appeared on About.com Small Farms on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 21:41:55.

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Wordless Wednesday: Wireless

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:59:15 +0000

I won't leave this completely wordless. This is my new Internet receiver; it is fixed wireless, bouncing off an antenna on the top of the mountain I live on, which bounces off another antenna atop a larger mountain (where I go snowboarding), which bounces to an antenna in another town that connects to fiber optic.

So far the experience is far superior to satellite in terms of that nasty latency issue. When I have to do things that involve communicating back and forth with a remote system, it was the worst.

I was happy to read people's comments about the MiFi - you will have to let me know how you like it. I don't have any cell service here, so the Verizon product isn't even an option. I just thought it looked really cool.

Photo � Lauren Ware

Wordless Wednesday: Wireless originally appeared on About.com Small Farms on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 15:59:15.

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Fresh Food in Winter

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:33:32 +0000

Getting frosty in your neck of the woods? It sure is here. But even when the nights are cold, you can continue to grow vegetables. For those in southern climes, you may be able to harvest summer veggies all winter long! For those of us in the Great White North, it's a little trickier - you have to plant cold-hardy vegetables and try heavier frost protection like cold frames instead of floating row covers. But it still can be done!

Floating row covers are great if you're located in areas that are still quite warm. They work better in fall than spring, because the soil is already nice and warm from summer sun. Just secure them over your current crops and see how long you can go! Plant another round of peas, lettuces, and kale and you will probably be harvesting them deep into December.

Further north, try a raised bed with hoops and heavy plastic, or a cold frame. If you're lucky, maybe you have a greenhouse - in which case you're set! Make sure to focus on winter-appropriate vegetables and you can have a feast through the depths of winter.

Photo � Lauren Ware

Fresh Food in Winter originally appeared on About.com Small Farms on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 22:33:32.

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Wordless Wednesday: Hawk

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:17:53 +0000

Photo � Flickr user brad.schram

Wordless Wednesday: Hawk originally appeared on About.com Small Farms on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 17:17:53.

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Poultry Protection

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:19:15 +0000

As I was driving down the road this morning, I saw a massive red-shouldered hawk take flight and powerfully flap its wings as it flew along the road ahead of me and just above the treeline. I quickly realized it had just been in a tree within a hundred yards of my chicken coop, scoping out my hens to see which would make a tasty chicken dinner.

It's November, and the time of year that we have often lost a chicken or two to hawks - possibly this very same hawk, as he looked well-fed, mature, and large enough to at least attempt to make off with a full-grown hen. It's also the time of year that everything from fisher cats to raccoons to weasels are starting to get hungry, and looking to fortify themselves with whatever food is handy - and often, poultry look like an easy meal.

I put together some tips on keeping your chickens, turkeys, ducks and other poultry safe from predators. I hope those baby chicks you've nurtured into lovely young pullets begin laying very soon, and that they all stay safe from potential predators.

Poultry Protection originally appeared on About.com Small Farms on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 21:19:15.

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Internet in the Boonies

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:34:59 +0000

Do you live out of reach of DSL, cable or cell phones? I do. And as I sit here at the library because I've exceeded my 30-day bandwidth limit on satellite internet, I began to ponder whether I'm not the only ruralite who both needs to make a living on the farm, and lives on a farm out of reach of inexpensive broadband.

As a farmer, getting your business off the ground means having a website. And social networking has become central to getting the word out about your farm (when you're not actually in the field, which presents its own issues). There's even software for taking CSA orders online, which can streamline your workflow and simplify your life.

But none of it matters if you're stuck dialing in on an old, crackly phone line, or wasting valuable hours driving somewhere that has an Internet connection. What are your options if DSL and cable aren't available? From what I've found you have a few:

Fixed wireless. Fixed wireless is a relatively new technology for Internet connections. It offers high-speed connections using radio transmitters and repeaters to boost signal to rural areas. With fixed wireless, you must have line of sight to another tower. This makes it challenging in hilly or mountainous terrain. This type of service is popping up in more and more places in rural Vermont - sadly, not where I live. My neighbors who live just a bit uphill from me can get it, though.
Cellular. If you can get a cell signal (I can't), there are many new options for accessing the Internet via a data plan. Verizon offers this snazzy new Intelligent Mobile Hotspot that can connect up to five computers!
Satellite. This is what I rely on. The two main satellite Internet providers are WildBlue and HughesNet. I've heard mixed reviews about each of them, but HughesNet is the only one with truly business-level options - beware, they come with a business-level pricetag. I have been using WildBlue, but after exhausting all the options by calling every provider I can find, yet again, to see if anything has changed, I may end up switching satellite providers.

That bring me to another tip: things change, and ISPs expand coverage constantly, so make sure you call every 6 months to a year to see if they've expanded coverage to your area yet. And, don't forget about the possibility of mobilizing your community to get Internet. Most small providers serving rural areas will tell you how many people they need on board to bring Internet to your town or area. See if you can whip up a little support for broadband, and things might change for your small farm.

*Note: I have no affiliation with HughesNet or this reseller, but a representative from SatelliteInternet.com contacted me to say they can offer an additional $25 off to SmallFarm readers - and that they often run specials, rebates, and packages for HughesNet installation and service (you can get whatever special they're running, plus an additional $25 off). Use coupon code D3SLIMB.

Internet in the Boonies originally appeared on About.com Small Farms on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 12:34:59.

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Embrace the Cycle

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:41:48 +0000

It can be tempting to start farming without realizing what you're getting into. A few chickens, maybe some ducks, even a goat or a couple of sheep - it's all fun until you see that the reality is: you are going to have to kill an animal at some point. Whether it's putting an ailing duck out of its misery, or killing an animal you raised for meat, or culling your older hens that are done with their laying cycle - death is part of life on the farm.

As I've watched the chicken trend take off, I've often wondered about the other side of it: what will all these folks who are enjoying the new idea of having fresh eggs and laying hens do when those hens stop producing eggs in about two years? Feed them grain for the next six years and wait to get new hens because they don't have more coop space? Or will they embrace putting their layers in the stewpot and get a fresh batch of baby chicks?

Novella Carpenter, an urban farmer in Oakland, California, recently taught a class in chicken slaughter and processing in Kansas City, the Kansas City Star reports. Would-be farmers, urban and suburban homesteaders alike got to learn how to humanely end the animal's lives and turn them into food for the table.

Last year we raised our first batch of meat chickens, and I posted an article with step-by-step details on processing them. This year, we repeated the process but with about ten of our spent laying hens who were three years old. Laying hens can be a bit tough - these aren't roasting chickens like the tender, young, seven-week-old meat birds. They're excellent for long-stewing recipes like coq au vin, and make amazing chicken stock (you can then pick the carcass and use it for meat for a soup made with the stock).

My advice? Embrace the cycle of life and death on the farm. It's part of being a farmer. When you connect with where your meat comes from, and make sure to honor the spirit of the animal as it gives its life to nourish you, it doesn't seem as horrifying as it might at first blush.

Embrace the Cycle originally appeared on About.com Small Farms on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 23:41:48.

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