Food Swap!

On Sunday we held our first Food Swap here at Little City Farm!  I had been reading about food swaps taking place in cities all across North America, bringing people together to share their harvests, preserves, and love of local food.  Food swaps are opportunities for local food entrepreneurs to showcase their new food products; for local homesteaders and urban gardeners to meet others; for food lovers to share extra preserves in exchange for new varieties; and communities to gather in a unique setting to practice the ancient art of bartering.  Food swaps are part marketplace, part food festival, part community potluck, part gathering.  Very fun indeed!  For our first swap we had 11 participants (plus a gaggle of kids), sharing 32 varieties of food items: everything from kimchi to wood-fired bread; zucchini muffins to strawberry jam; plum wine to freshly harvested honeycomb; herbs to handmade curry paste; granola to freshly squeezed juice; rendered duck fat to pickled diakon radish; yam cranberry loaves to jarred peaches; gorgeous bunches of kale, chard, beets, herbs and lavender bundles to dandelion jelly, etc. 

We estimate that aproximately 150 items were bartered in the span of about 2 hours (no money changes hands at a food swap), everyone going home with boxes and baskets of newly aquired items, fully bellies, and happy smiles on their faces.  Thanks to everyone who came and made this event the success it was!  We'll definitely host this event again - look for it in the spring.

What is your fibreshed?

In general, it feels there is a growing awarness of the importance of supporting local farmers and sustainably grown foods.  100-Mile diet, locavore, slow food, bioregional eating, local food challenges, food buying clubs, CSA's (community supported agriculture), community gardens, school gardens, and farmstart and mentorship programs for young would-be farmers, are just some of the options and ideas that have become increasingly available in recent years.  And this is a good thing.  There is the great quote we see on bumper stickers around here: "farmers feed cities", a reminder not to forget the dependance we in our urban areas have on farmers (and farmland) around us.  I remember Michael Ableman, a keynote speaker at an the Canadian Organic Conference in Guelph a few years ago, getting a standing ovation when he noted that farmers should get the same respect (and earnings) as the most prestigious doctors and lawyers.  So, the local food movement has slowly brought a little more of this acknowledgement and support to the farmers.

The Fibreshed Project takes this one step further.  This project is a one year challenge to wear clothes sourced (and dyed) from fibres grown close to home (within 150 miles) - as a way of raising awareness about the incredibly unsustainable  clothing industry (the ecological and social impacts of the clothes we buy/wear); as well as aiming to support local farmers who produce fibres that are largely undervalued (e.g. thousands of pounds of wool discarded each year because of lack of market).  If the farming, milling, production, manufacturing of many of our clothes could be done closer to home, this would be a significant ecological and social contribution.  Read this beautiful blog, and be inspired to start building networks with your local fibre-producing farmers.

Wild Apple Jelly Part 2

The story of our wild apple harvest continues...over the weekend we did in fact make apple jelly and apple sauce - lots of it!   A reader sent me the tip (thank you!) that our unnamed wild apple might in fact be an old Gravensteiner, a type of apple tree that is still commonly found in old orchards though is seldom grown in commercial production due to a short shelf life and variable harvesting period.  I love learning the histories of our food and how it originated, so I did a little more research into the Gravenstein apple.  It turns out the description and photos seem to match - a small apple with sweet tart flavour, lightly yellowish flesh, and red striped skin, that ripens from July-August.  It was used mainly as a cooking apple for sauces and apple cider.  This apple is native to Denmark, found and named in the mid 1600's, although it may well have been brought there from Italy at an earlier time.  In Canada it was brought to Nova Scotia in the early 19th century, and today is still widely grown across the country, mainly on old farmsteads, or in backyards just like the tree we found.  It is considered to be a prized apple, of which was once said "if the Gravenstein could be had throughout the year, no other apple would be needed".  In fact, Slow Food USA has declared it a heritage apple and added it to the Ark of Taste, an international catalogue of heritage foods that are in danger of extinction.  Wow!  This apple jelly will taste all the sweeter, knowing the story of this special apple.

Little City Farm B&B: 100-Mile food...wood-fired pizza, apricot custard tart, and yogurt-berry parfaits

We had a lovely couple from Ottawa staying at our B&B for their 4th wedding anniversary.  They were interested in our wood-fired pizza dinner for the evening, as well as our "100-mile breakfast" option for the morning meal.  I decided to do both meals using all locally sourced (within 100-mile radius) ingredients.  They also needed the food to be wheat-free, which was fine given that organic spelt flour is grown and milled not far from here - good sources are: Oak Manor Farms, Grassroots Organics EcoFarm, and Laepple Organic Farm!  Here's what we served (plus a few photos below):

Wood-fired pizza made with an organic spelt crust, homemade tomato-garlic sauce, loads of fresh garden zucchini, cherry tomatoes, green & purple basil and oregano, shiitake mushrooms from our logs, local organic mozzarella from Millbank Cheese

Tomato-cucumber salad with fresh chives, basil, sweet onions and green onions from Fertile Ground CSA, topped with edible nasturtium blossoms, Hempola hemp oil and Filsingers apple cider vinegar

For dessert, slices of sweet local organic watermelon from a friend's farm (the first this season!), and individual apricot-blueberry custard tarts (custard made with local organic milk, eggs from our backyard hens, and local maple syrup), baked on a spelt shortbread crust, topped with a dollop of local creme fraiche, a nasturtium and a mint sprig...the fruit was purchased through a local fruit co-op that sources no-spray and organic fruit from Niagara and delivers to this area each week

The 100-mile breakfast included our B&B "signature" yogurt-granola parfait (made with local organic yogurt - usually either Mapleton's or Pinehedge Farms), plus homemade oat-maple-hemp granola, and fresh blueberries and cherries...mmmmm

Sometimes we have faint dreams of opening a bakery or small cafe or tea house, but for now our bed & breakfast is the perfect opportunity to explore our culinary skills, delight in sourcing and showcasing local food, and find creative artful ways to use our burgeoning garden produce. I love the season of edible flowers, so I try to incorporate them where I can (salads, desserts, breakfasts...)

Urban Homesteading Workshops 2010 - Now Posted!

Urban Homesteading for 2010
* hands-on, sustainable, creative, do-it-ourselves
The new workshops being offered at Little City Farm for the upcoming year are now posted. We are excited about what is lined up! With an emphasis on urban agriculture (including 10 workshops related to urban farming from organic methods, to permaculture, to seed starting, to compost), plus eco-crafting, herbal health, slow food, natural building, and more!

Check our website for registration details - www.littlecityfarm.ca

All workshops require pre-registration as there is limited space.

WINTER:

Woolen Waldorf-Inspired Animals - Cost: $25/person (all materials included)
Sat, January 23, 1-3 pm. With Eve Geisler, of Eve's Little Earthlings.
Create "Waldorf-inspired" earth-friendly soft and cuddly all natural toys from recycled wool and felted sweaters. During this workshop each participant will make a rabbit and small mouse out of wool. All materials provided.

Dress Like You Mean It! - Cost: $25/person
Sat, February 6, 1-3 pm. With Sapphire Singh, self-taught fasion artist and entrepreneur with Revolution Wear.
Create Change. ReUse Everything! Learn how practical fashion art created from second hand, found and salvaged materials can be used as a tool for communication and empowerment. Bring a your flabbiest over sized t-shirt and a readiness to create. Workshop includes demonstration and experimentation with re-design, and creating wearable art.

Worms Eat My Compost: Vermicomposting - Cost: $25/person (includes your own worms to take home)
Sat, February 13, 1-3 pm. With Jeff Kitchen, of Transition KW.
Learn what it takes to farm your own worms, to turn your kitchen compost into wonderful soil! Participants take home worms and instructions to start your own vermicomposting system.

Grow Your Own Food! Planning Your Garden - Cost: $20/person
Sat, February 20, 1- 3 pm. With Greg Roberts & Karin Kliewer, from Little City Farm.
Prepare for the upcoming growing season - learn the basics about garden planning, companion planting, crop rotation, cold frames, biointensive gardening, urban agriculture, and more. Take home seeds to get started!

Knitting Your Own Socks - Cost: $35/person
Sat, March 13, 1-3 pm. With Nicole Ethier, from the KW Spinners & Weavers Guild.
Join the knitting revolution! In this hands-on workshop we will demystify the intricacies of sock knitting, and participants will get a good start on a warm woolen pair of socks for themselves. All supplies provided (yarn, needles, etc). Basic knitting skills required.

Seed Starting - Cost: $10/person
Sat, March 20, 1-3 pm. With Angie Koch, of Fertile Ground CSA (date to be confirmed).
It's time to start your garden seedlings! Local organic farmer Angie Koch will walk you through everything you need to know about seedlings - proper soil mixes, how to plant, when to plant, indoor plant care, transplanting, hardening off, and more.

SPRING

Intro to Organic Gardening: The Urban Gardener's Primer - Cost: $25/person
Sat, April 10, 1-3 pm. With Greg Roberts & Karin Kliewer, of Little City Farm.
Grow healthy, natural food for yourself that thrives without harsh chemicals or toxic pesticides! Attend this workshop to learn the basics of organic gardening and leave feeling confident in your gardening abilities. Including organic pest controls, sourcing organic seeds, building soil health, attracting beneficial insects, companion planting, biointensive growing, and permaculture tips.

Fermented Foods for Health - Cost: $25/person
Sat, April 17, 1-3 pm. With Jackie McMillan, local whole foods educator.
Let your taste buds tingle! Discussion will cover background on fermenting foods, how and why to ferment foods, health benefits, and a spectacular taste testing of various lactic acid ferments. Workshop participants will prepare colourful multi-vegetable sauerkraut as part of this interactive session.

Beyond Band-Aids: Homeopathic First Aid - Cost: $25/person
Sat, May 8, 1-3 pm. With Rachel Vandenberg, of Healing Path Centre for Natural Medicine.
Looking to stock your first aid kit with natural remedies that work? Look no further! In this workshop you will learn the basics of homeopathic prescribing including how to select and dose appropriate homeopathic remedies. Focus is on the most common remedies in a summer first aid kit.

Permaculture Design Basics - Cost: $25/person
Sat, May 15, 1-3 pm. With Tracie Seedhouse, of Earthchild Designs.
Permaculture is a unique approach to designing human settlements and agriculture/gardens in ways that mimic relationships and patterns found in nature. During this workshop, Tracie will introduce key permaculture ideas and techniques. Participants will create basic permaculture designs for their own properties using the permaculture approaches discussed.

8th Annual Seedling Sale at Little City Farm!!
Sat, May 22, 9 am-12 noon. Come early for best selection!
Join us at Little City Farm as we host our 8th Annual Organic Seedling Sale! Find organic and heirloom varieties of vegetables & herbs ready for planting. Specializing in heirloom tomato varieties. This is a free event. Seedlings cost $2-$3/each.

SUMMER

Natural Plant Dyes - Cost: $25/person
Sat, June 5, 1-3 pm. With Erin Anton, self-taught fibre artist and local urban homesteader.
Learn to use common plants, roots, bark and berries (such as marigold, rhubarb, black walnut, and elderberry) for dyeing cotton, wool and silk fibres. During this workshop we will demonstrate the 5 stages of the natural dye process: washing the fibre, preparing the dye bath, the mordant process, the dyeing process, and rinsing & drying.

Creating Great Compost! - Cost: $25/person
Sat, June 12, 1-3 pm. With Anna-Maria Schulteis, local organic grower.
Composting is the wonderful process whereby biodegradable household and yard “waste” products decompose into extremely useful rich humus-like soil. Discover how to make great compost, and how to build an effective home composting system.

Cook with the Sun! Building a Solar Dehydrator - Cost: $25/person
Sat, July 17, 1-3 pm. With Alfred Remepel, local urban homesteader.
Cooking off grid in the city! Learn to harness the sun's energy with a solar dehydrator, drying fruit and vegetables to perfection without any use of electricity. Participants will each build a small portable solar dehydrator from recycled materials, as well as learn about other more advanced designs.

Preserving the Harvest - Canning Salsa - Cost: $30/person (all supplies provided)
Sat, August 14, 1-3 pm. With Karin Kliewer, of Little City Farm.
In this busy workshop we will make salsa (using all local ingredients)to demonstrate the canning process, and discuss safe canning and preserving techniques! Each person will take home samples of salsa, plus enough resources and tips to feel confident with home canning & preserving.

Backyard Herbal Teas - Cost: $20/person
Sat, August 21, 1-3 pm. With Karin Kliewer, Master Herbalist at Little City Farm.
Feverfew for migraines...sage for sore throats...peppermint for indigestion...We will explore the herbal garden at Little City Farm, teaching which herbs grow best in our climate, when to start seedlings, how to maximize growing space, how to pick, process & dry herb teas, and make the perfect herbal infusion. Discover simple herbs you can grow that are aids for winter flus, digestion, women’s cycles, children, and stress reduction.

FALL

Saving Seeds - Cost: Pay-What-You-Can (suggested $5/person)
Sat, September 11, 1-3 pm. With Bob Wildfong, Executive Director of Seeds of Diversity.
Saving seeds & knowing how to grow our own food may be some of the most important skills we can have, as food prices rise and crop diversity declines. Attend this workshop to learn proper techniques for collecting seeds from your own garden this season, from beans to tomatoes, herbs to flowers. Proceeds from this workshop go to Seeds of Diversity, Canada’s Heritage Seed Program. More info at: www.seeds.ca.

Simple Sourdough & Baking in a Wood-Fired Cob Oven - Cost: $25/person (all supplies provided)
Sat, September 18, 1-3 pm. With Karin Kliewer, of Little City Farm.
Learn about traditional cob (adobe) construction and wood-fired baking. During this workshop we will create simple sourdough bread, and bake it in our wood-fired outdoor oven. Participants take home their own sourdough starter and recipes.

All About Fruit Trees - Cost: $25/person
Sat, October 9, 1-3 pm. With Anna-Maria Schulteis, local organic grower.
Fresh fruit picked in season from your own backyard! From planting to tending, pruning to harvest, in this workshop you will learn which fruit trees grow best in our climate and organic methods for maintaining healthy trees. Also information on how to get involved as volunteers with the local Fruit Tree Project, harvesting fruit from abandoned trees in our city.

The Art of Winemaking - Cost: $25/person
Sat, October 16, 1-3 pm. With Alfred Rempel, local urban homesteader.
Enjoy the fantastic flavours of homemade wine, made from fresh local fruit, berries, even herbs and flowers. During this workshop we will cover all the stages of home winemaking, from equipment needed, sourcing fruit, racking and bottling - and we will make a batch of wine using fresh Ontario grapes, and of course enjoy some tasting.

3rd Annual Central Art Walk & Studio Tour
Sat, October 23, 10 am-5 pm. Date to Be Confirmed.
Take a leisurely stroll through the Breithaupt-Mount Hope neighbourhood during this 3rd annual art walk/studio tour and sale. Drop by Little City Farm to see a variety of talented artists creating earth-friendly art and handmade crafts.

Traditional Rag Rug Making - Cost: $25/person
Sat, November 6, 1-3 pm to be confirmed. With Meghan MacKinnon, local urban homesteader.
Nothing says home quite so well as a rag rug on the floor, especially if you made it yourself. That's the reason that rag rugs have been made, used and loved for generations. Originally created out of necessity with limited supplies and the simplest of tools, rag rugs aren't hard to make and you can use just about any kind of fabric. They are a wonderful way to connect with the past, create an heirloom piece for your family, and preserve the traditional art of rug making. Participants will be asked to bring a selection favourite recycled fabrics from their home to weave into their own rug during this workshop.

Vegan Treats: Simple Healthy Baking for the Holidays - Cost: $25/person (all supplies provided)
Sat, November 13, 1-3 pm. With Karin Kliewer, of Little City Farm.
The holiday season can be difficult for those who have food allergies or choose a vegan diet. Learn to make simple delectable vegan treats, including raw and gluten-free ideas, to surprise your guests this season. Please bring a container to take home samples.

What's going on at the homestead?

We've had hardly any free time to spend on the computer! Now that the weather has finally warmed, everything is ripening quickly in the garden and our more serious harvest has begun. Tomatoes, beans, basil, zucchini...

With harvest also comes preserving. We do a fair share of canning (salsa, jams, peaches, chutney), freezing (corn, zucchini, pesto), as well as drying in our dehydrator. The best canning books I'm using these days involve small batch preserving, so that I can make one canner load (7 jars) at a time - manageable with a toddler underfoot - and it doesn't have to become an all-day process. Books I've been referring to are "Small Batch Preserving", and "The Busy Person's Guide to Preserving Foods", as well as a tattered 30 year-old copy of "Putting Food By".

However, in midst of this heat, and considering energy use, I am growing much more interested in fermentation techniques for preserving foods. Fermentation (lactic acid ferment) not only preserves the flavour, but in fact enhances nutrition (whereas by canning you essentially boil off much of the nutrient value). It is simple, quick, does not require stove top energy or heating up the house. Fermentation is an age-old, global practice - well-known foods like miso, tempeh, sauerkraut, beer, sourdoughs, and so on, are all traditionally made with the fermenting process. All you need is a series of large glass jars or ceramic crocks, and you are set. This week I'll be making crock pickles as well as dilly beans. Here is the recipe for dilly beans, which we made back in January as part of the fermentation workshop here at Little City Farm (see earlier blog post). An essential fermentation book is by Sandor Katz, "Wild Fermentation".

Dilly Beans
3 cups organic beans
1 cup garlic scapes
dill blossoms
cayenne
2 Tbsp whey

Add 2 Tbsp sea salt per litre of water, to filtered water, bring to a boil, and cook beans for 5-10 minutes. This denatures the toxic protein called phasin. Sterilize 1 litre jar, and put a dill blossom and a pinch of cayenne in the bottom. Pack in beans densely, with garlic scapes intermingles, then pour cooled cooking water to cover beans to 1 cm. Add 2 Tbsp whey, put on the lids, and leave at room temperature for 8-10 days. Store cool and in the dark.

Catering on the weekend...edible flowers

Did some simple catering for a baby shower last weekend. I so enjoy decorating with edible flowers and herbs. These photos don't do the cupcakes justice - flowers are violas and calendula.

Rhubarb season

We've loving the fresh rhubarb coming out of the garden and in abundance at the farmers market these days - we've been enjoying rhubarb pie, rhubarb tarts, rhubarb crisp, rhubarb crumb muffins, and this incredibly simple recipe we found for homemade rhubarb soda. No homestead should find itself without rhubarb for that first fresh fruity tangy taste in early summer! The recipe comes from Culinate Kitchen (www.culinate.com), a nice site that offers loads of seasonal recipes, local food articles, slow food chefs, farmers market tips, stories about the ethics of eating, gorgeous foodie photos, and more.

Rhubarb Soda - from Culinate Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups rhubarb
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
sparkling water
ice

Method:
1) Place rhubarb, sugar and 1 1/2 cups water into saucepan and bring to a boil. Then turn down to simmer and cook down for about 15 minutes until syrup is bright pink.
2) Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Strain syrup into a large jar.
3) To make each soda, measure 1/2 cup syrup into a glass. Add enough sparkling water to fill the glass 2/3 full. Stir to mix. Add ice and sprig of mint if desired.