Going Green Workshop Series with the Grand House

There is a great series of sustainable building workshops happening this spring at the new Grand House, a strawbale student co-operative in Cambridge. Greg is taking part in various workshops - radiant flooring, claystraw and wattle & daub, and waste water treatment & living machines (all projects we hope to be incorporating in our new strawbale addition, so these workshops are very timely for us!) - and we'll both be there on April 19th, to lead the "urban agriculture" workshop. Here's the full schedule:

Going Green Workshop Series with the Grand House
A sustainable building and lecture series:

A free or low-cost workshop and lecture series on green-building construction and design beginning February 2nd until May 10th 2008. Learn about a variety of green-building techniques and technologies from the experts, including straw-bale construction, renewable energies, eco-home design, rainwater harvesting, plastering, earthen building, solar hot water, and much more!

Space is limited, so please register to reserve your spot.

Download a registration form and email or mail it back to us

Date*	Workshop**
Feb. 9	Solar power workshop
Rescheduled - TBD	Radiant flooring: Installation and Theories
Feb. 26	Earth Energy Talk (CREW)
March 8	Green Roof Workshop
March 15	Clay-Straw and Wattle and Daub
March 29	Introduction to Green and Natural Building
April 5	Sustainable and Non-Toxic Materials
April 12 and 13	Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Saving Workshop
April 19	New! Urban Agriculture
April 26	Making Concrete Countertops
May 3	Wastewater treatment and living machines
May 10	Natural Landscaping: Design and Installation
May 17	Cob Building: Freeform Mud/Straw Construction
TBD	Inovative Green Insulation: Icynene and Mineral Wool

*Dates are subject to change
**Please click on a title for a description or see below

Date*	Lecture**
March 17	Environmental Symposium all day@ the School of Architecture
March 27	Introduction to Straw Bale Constructions
April 3	Green Building Design
Resceduled for May	LEED for home

Please contact Laird at
ghcoop@gmail.com or 519-721-2014
for more information or to register

Song written for Little City Farm

February has been a busy month at our B&B and we've had many wonderful guests come to stay with us! It seems that as with any business, it just takes a bit of time for the word to get around and the business to establish itself. This reinforces that it's the right decision to build the strawbale addition to our house this summer, to keep this business growing and provide an increased facililty for our guests.

Most of our guests leave a little message in our guestbook, and many have said incredibly beautiful things that both humble us and encourage us to keep living in the way that we are. The latest guest, a visitor from North Carolina, also happened to be a dulcimer builder and player. We heard him practicing music upstairs each evening, and it was very lovely to have this gentle sound floating through our house. He carried his long flat handmade dulcimer in an old rifle case, and in his words this was the only "proper use" to ever us a gun case for! As a farewell, he wrote a simple little song about our place and sang it for us - here are the words.

A black squirrel runs above the chicken house,
at Little City Farm.
I awoke from a peaceful sleep,
Feeling rested and warm.

Fresh fruit nestled in a wooden bowl,
Fair trade coffee steaming...
Country living in the middle of town,
at Little City Farm.

The hectic city has a rustic setting,
cultivating peace.
At Little City Farm,
cultivating peace, cultivating peace.

Waterloo Hen Association by-law proposal

There is a new local citizen's group called the Waterloo Hen Association, which has formed to create a new City of Waterloo by-law allowing small-scale chicken raising in the city. The group sees many examples in other cities, including Victoria BC, London ON, and Niagara Falls ON, where city chickens are encouraged and offer a positive contribution to the growing need for local initiatives around food security. A copy of their proposal is attached here - if you wish to support the group, or find out more, contact:

Facebook: Waterloo Hen Association
Phone 519.578.2416 or email hope@gto.net

Small-Scale Urban Chicken-Raising

By-Law Proposal for the City of Waterloo

Submitted by the Waterloo Hen Association, March 2008

Proposal

• To create a new City of Waterloo by-law that would encourage and regulate small-scale
chicken-raising within the city.

Why keep chickens in an urban area?

• Chickens are productive . they provide eggs for personal consumption and fertilizer for gardens
• Chicken-raising is a fun and educational hobby
• Chicken-raising is an easy and accessible way for average people to contribute to local food security
• As food prices go up, people are looking for affordable ways to feed themselves

Why keep chickens in the City of Waterloo?

• Most citizens in Waterloo are looking for tangible ways to contribute to environmental
sustainability on a local, neighbourhood level
• Through the increasing number of community gardens in Waterloo, local food production
is already happening throughout the city . small-scale chicken raising can be another
concrete step toward local food security
• Waterloo identifies itself as an .environment first. community in which environmental
matters are assessed at the forefront of all activities
• .There is a strong belief that the path towards global environmental improvement begins
with local-level initiatives. (Waterloo.s Environmental Strategic Plan, p. 1)

What resources are available?

• Models from other cities: e.g. the City of Portland holds an annual .Tour de Coops. as a
way of educating Portland citizens about urban chicken-keeping . check out
http://www.growing-gardens.org/portland-gardening-resources/chickens.php

• Media exposure: e.g. USA Today article at http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007
06-21-chicken-coops_n.htm
• Urban chicken groups: e.g. .The City Chicken.
http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/index.html

• Organizations: e.g. Hen Keepers Association at http://www.henkeepersassociation.co.uk/
• Urban chicken advocates: e.g. http://backyardchickens.com/
• Books: e.g. Keep Chicken! Tending small flocks in cities, suburbs, and other spaces by
Barbara Kilarski (available at Waterloo Public Library)
• Local chicken farmers
• Waterloo residents who still have memories of when chickens were raised in the city
What are the concerns?

• Regarding noise: Laying hens sometimes make .clucking. sounds which many find
enjoyable . noise only becomes an issue when there are more than 15 or 20 hens, or
when a rooster is introduced into the mix
• Regarding mess: Chickens are relatively easy to care for. By regularly maintaining the
chicken coop, mess can be kept to a minimum.
• Regarding disease: Proper disposal and/or composting of chicken feces prevents the
spread of disease.
• By-laws can be written to ensure a simple, common set of standards for the safe and
sustainable keeping of poultry in an urban area

Some examples of urban chicken coops (photos not included here)

What are some examples of by-laws in other cities?

Niagara Falls, ON

No owner shall allow or permit his or her chicken to be at large. Roosters are not permitted
within the Urban Boundary. The total number of chickens permitted within the Urban Boundary
shall be as follows: (a) On and after July 15, 2002 - maximum 20 chickens; (b) On and after July 15, 2005 - maximum 10 chickens. All chicken coops shall be located only in the rear yard and
must fully enclose the chickens and prevent them from escaping. The chicken coop shall be
designed and constructed to ensure proper ventilation and sufficient space for the chickens and
maintained in accordance with good animal husbandry practices and shall keep all vermin out.
All dead chickens must be disposed of immediately and in any event, within 24 hours. There
must be hygienic storage of and prompt removal of chicken feces. The chicken’s food supply
must be protected against vermin.

http://www.city.niagarafalls.on.ca/city_hall/departments/clerks/bylaws/pdf/Animal_control.pdf

Victoria, BC

Farm Animals are prohibited with the exception of chickens, ducks & geese. These fowl can
only be kept as pets or for personal egg consumption. Eggs cannot be sold for any reason.
Excessive numbers of fowl will bring into question intended use. Roosters are prohibited.

http://www.vacs.ca/

London, ON

Class 2 animals (chickens) shall be kept in a building, structure, yard, coop, pen or run. Every such building as required under section 6.3 of this by-law (other than a dwelling), structure, coop, pen or run in which any such animal, bird or fowl is confined, kept or allowed to run, shall be no less than 15 metres (49.2 feet) from any school, church, public hall, or store, dwelling or
premises used for human habitation or occupancy other than premises occupied exclusively by the owner or keeper of such animals, birds or fowl or members of his immediate family..All refuse resulting from the keeping of Class 2 animals (chickens) shall be kept in substantial air-tight containers until it is removed from the premises or dug into the earth in such a manner as to prevent odours arising therefrom. All feed or other animal food shall be kept in rodent-proof containers.

http://www.london.ca/By-laws/PDFs/animals2000.pdf

Portland, OR

A person keeping a total of three or fewer chickens, ducks, doves, pigeons, pygmy goats or
rabbits shall not be required to obtain a specified animal facility permit. If the Director
determines that the keeper is allowing such animals to roam at large, or is not keeping such
animals in a clean and sanitary condition, free of vermin, obnoxious smells and substances, then
the person shall be required to apply for a facility permit to keep such animals at the site.. It is
unlawful for any person to harbor, keep, possess, breed, or deal in roosters in the City of
Portland.

http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?a=185339&c=28228

Denver, CO

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, maintain, possess or harbor on any property within
the city any livestock or fowl such as, but not limited to, horses, mules, donkeys, burros, cattle,
sheep, goats, swine, chickens, geese, ducks or turkeys, unless a livestock or fowl permit therefor
has been issued by the manager. Such permit is required to be renewed annually for a fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each application. A permit to keep livestock or fowl within the city shall not
be granted unless the owner or possessor provides facilities which will reasonably assure the
manager that the premises will be maintained in a sanitary condition, free from insects and
rodents, offensive odors, excessive noise, or any other conditions which constitute a public
nuisance.

http://www.denvergov.org/Portals/245/documents/Article4-Div2.pdf

San Francisco, CA

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to keep or feed.more than a total of four
of the following in any combination: dogs of age six months or older unless part of a dog kennel,
hares, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils, chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, doves, pigeons,
game birds of any species, or cats..Any person, firm or corporation, keeping, feeding, or
causing to be kept or fed, or permitting to be kept or fed, on premises over which such person,
firm or corporation may have control, four or less hares, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils,
chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, doves, pigeons, parrots of any species, game birds of any species
or wild animals of any species except those animals prohibited by Section 50 of this Code, shall
keep same in coops or enclosures that are approved by the Director of Public Health. Where the
coops or enclosures are located on the outside of or on top of any buildings, premises or
structures, the coops or enclosures shall be not less than 20 feet from any door or window of any
building used for human habitation.

http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=14136&sid=5 (article 1, section 37)


Waterloo Hen Association

Working for the advancement of small-scale urban chicken-raising

Facebook: Waterloo Hen Association
Phone 519.578.2416 or email hope@gto.net

www.foodkm.com

So we all know that local food is where it's at - 100 mile diet, locavores...but sometimes it's difficult to source out good local food suppliers near us.

In the past year, a new website has been established - helping consumers to find local foods - you simply add your address and postal code, type in the radius of km you want to source your food in (e.g. 50 km), and a list comes up showing local suppliers of produce, bakeries, wineries, dairies, butchers, and so on. I'm happy to say the person hosting this website is also local, as he's based in Listowel (aprox. 53 km away from here).

Go to www.foodkm.com

Raj Patel

Yesterday evening Wordsworth Books hosted author and activist Raj Patel to discuss his new book "Stuffed & Starved". Raj looks at the inequity of the global food distribution system, and calls for local action - saying we just cannot keep on eating the way that we are if we, and the planet, are to survive. Raj was also interviewed on CBC's The Hour - see excerpt here and follow the link to watch/listen to his interview live:

Raj Patel

Okay, it's no secret we're getting fatter. Obesity, especially in North America, is soaring. But just how fat are we?

Well, think about this. One billion people around the world are overweight. That's a pretty staggering number. So is this - 800 million people go to bed each night, hungry. And yet, we're making more food than ever. So, why is it happening?

Well, the easy answer is - blame the rich. And by that, I mean wealthy countries. We eat too much, we waste too much, and generally, we enjoy it too much to change. But Raj Patel says it's not that simple. Raj has a new book, it's called 'Stuffed and Starved.' He says a small group of corporations control 40 per cent of the world food trade. Obviously, those corporations want to make money. So, according to Raj, they exploit poor farmers around the world.

To hear this interview on CBC radio go to "Raj Patel on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos" at: http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=2028

100-Mile Valentines!

I know it's mid-February, and the sourcing for interesting fresh local produce is starting to feel like a stretch. We've made our way through bushels of squash, carrots, onions, beets and potatoes, and surprisingly only one cabbage (so far). A few weeks ago we were absolutely delighted to find local brussels sprouts and kale at the market, both being favourites of ours that we had not seen in a good long while (they sell out quickly these days!). However, we still have at least 3 months to go before fresh greens and produce like asparagus, spinach or peas show up at the local farmer's market and begin to sprout in our garden.

I thought, why not put together a tasty 100-mile Valentine's dinner for my sweetheart - and test my creativity and winter food flair. I've started my indoor sprout garden again, growing spicy lentil crunch, sandwich booster (which has radish and red clover), wheatgrass, and of course alfalfa. We are also very fortunate to have our greenhouse, which still contains a small patch of arugula & chard, that we sparingly harvest for salads a few times per week until our newly planted lettuces grow. So what can I make for a romantic Valentines feast?

On the menu so far:

Appetizer:
* Handmade mini samosas filled with local organic peas, potatoes, carrots, garlic & onions from our garden (from our cellar & freezer)
* Served with pear-plum chutney - made with local organic pears & plums (from the Wellesley area), and onions, garlic & hot pepper from our garden (canned back in September)

Salad:
* Small side salad of fresh arugula & chard (picked fresh from our greenhouse), spicy sprout mix (grown in our kitchen), local apples (farmer's market), and local hemp seeds (Millbank Foods), and locally made goat feta (Woolwich)
* With a dressing of local organic raspberries (in our freezer), & local hemp/flax oils (Millbank Foods)

Main:
* Handmade spelt pasta (made with local spelt flour, by our friend here in town)
* Zesty tomato sauce (canned from organic tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and herbs, back in August) and with a dollop of basil pesto cream (made with organic basil from our garden)
* Steamed local kale (farmers market) tossed with locally pressed hemp oil (Millbank) and maple-tempeh croutons (locally pressed tempeh, and local maple syrup)

Dessert:
* Local organic icecream from Mapleton's (farm just past Elora, purchased at our local health food store), served with a warm decadent peach-mulberry sauce (peaches we canned this summer, and mulberries that we picked in our neighbourhood)
* Warm local cider (Wellesley) and/or homemade wine (we now have blueberry, sour cherry, apple, pear, and grape waiting in our cellar!)

Who needs chocolates & roses!!!?? It's easy to say "I love you" through local food! For more examples of food love check out "I heart farms"...

Diet for a Hungry Planet - Urban Agriculture on CBC Radio One

There was a great short piece on CBC Radio One this morning, as part of The Current's "Diet for a Hungry Planet" series. The show looked at issues around urban chicken keeping including examples of Canadian cities fighting to change bylaws; the history & future of urban agriculture on a global scale; and possible solutions to cities feeding themselves in an attempt help reduce our ecological footprint. As well, the final guest speaker on the show was a co-founder of an exciting new group called the "North American Urban & Periurban Agriculture Alliance". More information on this group can be found through the Ryerson University Food Security program (Toronto).

Below is a short summary of the program, and it can be heard via podcast or from the Radio One site at: http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2008
(and thanks to various friends who called to let us know it was going to be on the CBC today!)

The Current: Part 2

Diet For A Hungry Planet - Urban Agriculture

As part of our ongoing series Diet for a Hungry Planet, we took note of three unassuming chickens causing a disproportionately large stir in Halifax. Their names were Captain Crochet, Bernadette and Chicken. They provide Louise Hanavan with fresh eggs. But they're ruffling the feathers of some of neighbours like Reg Harper. Ms. Hanavan and Mr. Harper explained the situation as they each see it.

The Halifax Regional Municipality allowed the chickens to stay until the end of February 2008, but what happens then is still very much up for debate. The community council held a public meeting on the issue, voicing some conflicting thoughts on chickens.

In January 2008, a similar battle played out in New Westminster, British Columbia. In the end, a family there was told their property was just too small to keep their six chickens.

For most city dwellers, the idea of raising chickens -- or other food -- in your backyard probably just seems quaint; a throwback of sorts. But for The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), it's a key part of a sustainable food system for the future.

In February 2008, the WMO called for greater investment in urban and indoor agriculture as a way of safeguarding food security in the world's mega-cities. Robert Stefanski is a scientific officer with the WMO and explained the thinking behind the proposal.

And according to Sunny Lam, urban farming could make a big difference in the size of your carbon footprint. He's an independent researcher who studies food and environment issues. He looked specifically at Kingston, Ontario and what would happen to its greenhouse gas emissions if more of the city's residents grew their own food.

Some ever-optimistic people look at these various threads and see a future where cities can feed themselves with community governments, food co-ops and even large, commercial market gardens all playing a part.

To get the lay of the land on that idea, we were joined by Joe Nasr, co-founder of the North American Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Alliance who teaches urban agriculture at Ryerson University in Toronto.

Starting seedlings - planting guide

It's time to start a planting schedule, as we will need to begin to start our seedlings in the next few weeks. Last weekend we were at the annual Guelph Organic Conference, and bought some excellent varieties of heirloom tomatoes. Otherwise, we have saved many of the seeds we need from last year's garden, and can also purchase good seeds at the OSC in town.

PLANTING GUIDE (based on frost-free date of May 24):

FEBRUARY
Start lettuce, chard, other greens in greenhouse or in flats indoors (to be planted out to greenhouse). Start selected medicinal and culinary herbs by middle of February. Some take 6-8 weeks to germinate!

10 WEEKS TO LAST FROST (aprox. March 15)
Start seeds of celery, eggplant, leeks, onion, pepper and flowers like impatiens, lobelia, verbena and perennials indoors.

8 WEEKS TO LAST FROST (aprox. March 29)
Start seeds of early head lettuce and flowers like begonia, coleus, nicotiana, petunia and salvia indoors.

7 WEEKS TO LAST FROST (aprox. April 5)
Start seeds of tomatoes, hot peppers, and early basil indoors.

6 WEEKS TO LAST FROST(aprox. April 12)
Start seeds of early left lettuce, early cabbages including cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi and kale, and small seeded annuals indoors. DIRECT SEED broad beans, carrots, peas, spinach, leaf lettuce, turnips, dill, parsley, and hardy flowers such as alyssum, candytuft, pansies, poppies, snapdragons, stocks, sunflowers and sweet peas. Plant onion sets or transplant onion seedlings outdoors.

4 WEEKS TO LAST FROST (aprox. April 26)
Start melon seeds indoors. If desired, start seeds of late basil, cucumber, squash, pumpkin, large-seeded annuals, and flowering vines indoors in peat pots. DIRECT SEED radishes, beets, cabbages, chard, head lettuce, and flowers such as godetia, hollyhock, and mallow. Plant potato eyes and transplant seedlings of early cabbages, except cauliflower.

2 WEEKS TO LAST FROST (aprox. May 10)
DIRECT SEED corn, tender bulbs such as glads, and annual vines such as morning glory. Transplant early lettuce seedlings.

WEEK OF LAST FROST (aprox. May 17-24)
Around the last frost date you can finally direct seed beans, cauliflower, cucumber, squashes, heat-loving flowers such as zinnias, marigold, and lavatera. Transplant your tomaotes. If you've got them, transplant cauliflower, squash and cucumber seedlings.

1-2 WEEKS AFTER FROST (aprox. May 31-June 7)
Wait for a couple of weeks after the last frost before direct seedling lima benas, soybeans, melons and herbs such as basil, summer savory and sweet marjoram. Transplant celery, melon, peppers, eggplant seedlings when the night temperatures stay well above 10 degrees C. Plant sweet potato slips. Start second crop of kale seedlings, and reseed spinach and peas for second crop.

Strawbale dreaming

We're getting closer to firming up our strawbale addition plans. Greg has been steadily researching, reading, inquiring, calculating, sketching and designing over the past few months, and we are almost ready to submit initial drawings to an architect for further detail. What we are hoping to build is only a small addition - an additional sleeping space, living area, expanding our second bathroom, and bringing our laundry upstairs. We are hoping to use natural materials where possible, including staw insulation, earthen floors with radiant heating, natural paints and plasters. However, we also have to accomodate the building department here in town, consider our northern climate (damp, cold), and of course work within our budget. We hope to include workshops over the summer so that others may also learn from this project - including bale raising, plastering, and cob/earthern floors. Stay tuned to this blog for further updates and photos as our strawbale project unfolds...

Greg's work table is overflowing these days with these books:

Steen, Altena & Bill. The Beauty of Strawbale Homes.

Magwood, Chris & Chris Walker. Strawbale Details: A manual for designers and builders.

Magwood, Chris & Peter Mack. Strawbale Building: How to plan, design and build with straw.

Steen, Athena & Bill. Small Strawbale: Natural homes, projects and designs.

Lacinski, Paul and Michel Bergeron. Serious Strawbale: A home construction guide for all climates.

Magwood, Chris and Peter Mack. More Strawbale Building: A complete guide to designing and building with straw.

Weismann, Adam and Katy Bryce. Building with Cob: A step-by-step guide.

Snell, Clarke and Tim Callahan. Building Green: A complete how-to guide to alternative building methods including earth plaster, strawbale, cordwood, cob, living roofs.

New Partnership with Fertile Ground CSA!

Exciting new partnership formed with Fertile Ground CSA!

We have launched a partnership with a new local CSA (community supported agriculture) called Fertile Ground CSA! Angie Koch, who has recently completed a year-long intensive farm internship at the Everdale Learning Centre near Guelph, is the driving force behind Fertile Ground CSA. With the launch of this CSA project she is realizing a lifelong dream of growing good food for others in a sustainable way. Angie is now renting several acres of land just outside of Waterloo, planning to grow fresh produce, herbs and flowers for about 25 share members this summer/fall with the help of other assorted farm hands, friends and volunteers.

The CSA model of food production connects farmers directly with the people who eat the food they grow. Members purchase a share in the harvest and are treated to the fresh, locally-grown vegetables in season each week. Our model offers a combination of diversity & choice which we think you'll find appealing. Drop offs will be held weekly at Little City Farm (downtown Kitchener), every Tuesday from 3:30-6:30 pm, from July through October (18 weeks). We are hoping to create a neighbourhood feeling to this CSA, encouraging members to walk, bike or carpool when they come for their produce. The Little City Farm partnership will include hosting the pick-up days, helping on the farm, and creating newsletters with updates & seasonal recipes for share members.

Vision of Fertile Ground CSA:

Fertile Ground offers people a taste of the joys of farming. We are committed to providing our customers with the freshest, highest-quality produce we can grow.

At Fertile Ground, we believe in:

• growing organically as the best way to nourish ourselves, our customers, and the earth, for years to come
• distributing all of our produce through local food systems
• striving to give back as much as we take

We are excited about getting our hands dirty and working the ground in ways that root us in hope and cultivate our wonder. We are committed to inspiring people to get excited about their food.

If your interest is piqued, please visit www.fertilegroundcsa.com more details, including registration form and an expected crop list.

Wine-making workshop

We had a great winemaking workshop here last Saturday! Our friend Alfred, who is an accomplished home winemaker (having made wines from all manner of berries, herbs, fruit - banana!, tea, etc) was here to facilitate the day.

We went through various stages of winemaking:
- pressing the fruit & adding yeast
- primary fermentation which is the first 5-6 days of vigorous fermentation where the yeast cells feed on the sugars in the must and multiply, producing carbon dioxide gas and alcohol
- secondary fermentation which can take 3-6 months as the fermentation continues very slowly and the wine is kep under an airlock to prevent oxidation
- racking which means siphoning the wine away from the sediment into another jug
- checking specific gravity (sugar content) with a hydrometer
- bottling and of course tasting.

We prepared a new blueberry wine from scratch using wild blueberries; then tasted a completed blueberry wine which Alfred had been made a year ago. Next we bottled a sourcherry wine, made from sourcherries picked this summer from a neighbouring yard. Finally the entire group made a hard apple cider, using fresh locally pressed apple cider which comes in the perfect glass bottle to act as a primary carboy. It was such a simple process - basically just adding yeast, extra sugar (if wanting a higher alcohol content), and a pectin enzyme to prevent the cider from becoming cloudy. No sulphites are necessary if the apple cider is pasteurized. If not using sulphites and the cider is unpasteurized, there is a possibility of it turning to vinegar. In a week we rack it into the secondary carboy, and let it ferment for a few more weeks - this is a very quick process and can be drinkable and ready in less than a month as a sparkling hard apple cider. Very tasty!

The tools needed for the winemaking process are not difficult to find. Many you will have around the house, or can find used. Others can be rented from a winemaking supply store for minimal cost.

You need:
- pail (for primary fermentation)
- glass jug or carboy (for secondary fermentation)
- Stir stick or spoon
- tube for siphoning the wine; racking, bottling
- air lock
- hydrometer (useful to measure specific gravity, i.e. potential alcohol)
- thermometer
- corker (can be rented)
- corks and bottles
- bottle brush to ensure bottles are thoroughly clean
- cheesecloth for straining fruit
- plastic and string to cover primary fermenter

All in all, the day helped to demystify the winemaking process. Here are a few good books that Alfred recommended to those who wish to pursue winemaking more seriously at home!

Garey, Terry A. The Joy of Home Winemaking. 1996.
Anderson, Stanley and Dorothy. Winemaking.

Soapmaking

Been busy making loads of soap, for an upcoming pre-valentine's craft sale. A Craft Cabaret actually as it's being called, a sultry evening craft show complete with cabaret singer and bar, Feb 7th at the Starlight Social Club in Waterloo. Should be fun! Not your grandma's craft sale, that's for sure. Some new varieties I plan to have are:

Ambrosia - made with coconut milk for a creamy lather, lemongrass, sweet orange & vanilla
Cupid's Wash - also with rich creamy coconut milk, rosewood & ylang, and rosehips
Earth Mama Soap - baby friendly extremely gentle goatmilk soap, with calendula and chamomile
Worker's Hand - with cornmeal, pumice & lemon juice for good scrubbing action
Bay & Sage Men's Bar - with bay & clary sage oils, green clay and organic sage leaf

Also working in preparation for settingup an online store with the help of a friend - slowly, slowly - this all takes time...

Urban Homesteading Workshops for 2008 - Sustainable Lifestyles

We've put together a line-up of urban homesteading workshops for 2008. All workshops aim to focus on building simple skills needed in the life of an urban farmer/urban homesteader. We have many talented friends and associates in our community so this is a great way to have them share their knowledge, and further these skills! See workshop details below.

2008 Urban Homesteading Workshops
at Little City Farm

PLEASE NOTE: All workshops have limited space and require registration in advance. Contact Karin to register – by email: littlecityfarm@yahoo.ca

Wine Making at Home - January 19, 1-3 pm (NOW FULL)

With Alfred Rempel

Learn how easy it is to make excellent homemade wine from fruit, berries, herbs, tea, juice, etc! Demonstrating all stages of winemaking from start to finish, including racking and bottling, and then preparing apple wine for each participant to take home. All supplies provided. Cost $20.

Intro to Soap Making - February 16, 1-3 pm (NOW FULL)

With Karin Kliewer, from Homestead Herbals

Make simple handcrafted herbal soap using all natural ingredients, pure vegetable oils, herbs and essential oils. Contact Karin for list of supplies needed. Cost is $10 (includes basic ingredients).

Starting Seedlings at Home & Seed Exchange - February 23, 1-3 pm

With Angie Koch, from Fertile Ground CSA

This hands-on workshop will offer the basics about starting & caring for your own organically grown vegetable, flower and herb seedlings. Also, participate in our Seed Exchange by bringing your extra perennial & annual seeds to trade with others. Cost: pay-what-you-can (for those who take home potted seedlings).

Power Snacks & Palate Pleasers - March 29, 1-3 pm

With Beth Weisberg, from Rawkit

Expand your cooking repertoire by learning how to prepare flavourful raw foods. Energy-packed snacks and delicious appetizers are on today’s menu. No special equipment required. Samples provided! Cost $20.

Permaculture Design for City Properties - April 26, 1-3 pm

With Tracie Seedhouse, from Earthchild Designs

Walk through a lesson in introductory permaculture design using your own front/back yard as a model. With special note toward permaculture principles in urban areas. We will be spending most of this workshop time outdoors, so dress accordingly. Cost $10.

6^th Annual Seedling Sale - May 24, 9 am-12 noon

Hosted by Little City Farm

Join us for our 6th Annual Seedling Sale! – find vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, squash, peppers), herbs, and flowers ready to plant! Many heritage varieties available.

Bio-Intensive Gardening Workshop - May 24, 10 am-12 noon

With Angie Koch, from Fertile Ground CSA

Gardening in urban areas requires efficient use of small spaces. Bio-intensive gardening, also known as “sustainable mini-farming”, nutures soil, produces high yields, conserves resources, and can be used successfully by almost everyone. Hands-on workshop – please wear outdoor clothes and come prepared to garden. Cost – free.

Bee-Keeping Basics - June 21 or 28, 1-3 pm

(To Be Confirmed)

Bee keeping leads to greater biodiversity, pollination, and better yields of fruits, vegetables and crops. Come preparing to be amazed at the wonder of the world of bees. This is an outdoor workshop – dress accordingly. Cost $10.

Building with Cob: Constructing a Wood-Fired Cob Oven – Early August Weekend

With Benita Kliewer & Candace Froebe, Cob Builders from Winnipeg, MB

Cob is an age-old building material made by mixing clay, sand & straw by foot and forming it into walls by hand. This physical, yet simple and inexpensive building method lends itself to curved, sculptural shapes to create unique structures that feel “alive”. Become familiar with cob construction through this 2-day workshop to complete an outdoor bake oven. Workshop will take place given enough participant interest – please RSVP to indicate your possible interest. (Location & Cost To Be Confirmed).

Annual Guelph Organic Conference coming up

The annual Guelph Organic Conference - formerly known as the Canadian Organic Growers (or COG) conference - is coming up again at the end of next month. This is an event that's well worth the while for anyone interested in farming, gardening, seed purchasing, livestock raising, learning more about biodynamics & organics, checking out new Canadian organic products, meeting other farmers, and generally connecting with a group of likeminded others from across the country. It's a yearly highlight and veritable pilgrimmage for us (Greg & I have been attending the conference for more than 10 years, and had one of our first "dates" at the conference many years ago!). The conference includes workshops, keynote addresses, an organic dinner, a trade show & food expo, video and book rooms, and lots of time to catch up with old friends, and see favourite vendors (there's always a line-up at the Mapleton's organic icecream, even though it's often been a January blizzard outside!). The event is usually held on the last weekend of January, the perfect time to purchase your heirloom seeds and still have plenty of time to start your seedlings for spring. This year it will be from Jan 24-27, at the University of Guelph. More details at: www.guelphorganicconf.ca

December chickens

The chickens are doing well. They still like to run around outside each day, unless there is a raging wind, ice rain, or blowing snow. They love to perch on the strawbales, or the new logs that Greg has placed in their run, so they can get their feet off of the cold snowy ground. So far we haven't had any terribly bitter cold nights where we have worried about whether to bring them inside somewhere, but we do continue to heat their coop with a heating lamp that's set on a timer. We will also wrap a tarp around the rest of their run to help keep the cold winds out. Each morning their water trough needs to be checked, the ice broken and water changed if it's frozen. It has been cold enough most nights/mornings that the water is frozen.

They are still laying about once every 1.5 days, only slightly less than in the summer, and have made a new "back up" nest in one of the strawbales inside their run (for when the other nest boxes are occupied). However, we have noticed their egg shells getting slightly softer, so have started to feed them crushed oyster shells as a supplemental form of calcium. They are just not getting as much in their regular diet as they did when they could forage in the garden for greens. They love to nibble at the frozen broccoli and kale stalks, which we hang in their run just at beak's-reach. Otherwise, the main part of their winter diet so far consists of the store-bought chicken feed, shredded carrots, rice & beans, warmed oatmeal, bread crumbs, sunflower & flax seeds, apple bits, raisins and other dried fruit, and any greens we can spare from our greenhouse. Next season I will plan to dehydrate as many greens (kale, broccoli leaves, chard) as possible, so as to have a steady supply for the winter diet. We haven't been able to find much information about winter chicken keeping in northern climates (zone 5-6 and colder), but know many local farmers obviously do keep chickens year-round and they seem to do just fine as long as they have a warm dry draft-free place to get away to.

a little bird told me craft sale!!

The first annual "a little bird told me" craft sale was a huge success! We were amazed at the turn-out, with estimated 200-250 people dropping by to browse the beautiful hand-made wares. The house was packed with guests from start to finish, and we could hardly have fit more people in. It really shows that people want to connect with each other, and people want to support local artists.

Thanks to all our amazing vendors, and all of you who came by to check out the sale! We even met some other urban chicken-keepers, and are still considering forming a chicken keeper alliance in the spring as part of an urban agriculture network. We made some great contacts with other local crafters & artists from our neighbourhood, and are beginning to make plans for a larger neighbourhood nulti-house art-walk for the spring/summer 2008. If you live in our area and want to get involved, please contact us! Otherwise, stay tuned...

New cork kitchen floor

We've been busy around here the past few weeks, with renovations to our own kitchen (cork flooring, new larger sink, newly tiled counter, repainting) as well taking on a side job of installing bamboo flooring at a friend's new place.

We debated flooring options for our kitchen, wanting something ecologically sound, durable, affordable, and easy to keep clean. Our beautiful old pine floor was just getting too hard to maintain, with cracked boards that needed replacing as well as a huge job of stripping off decades worth of old paint. We finally decided to add a new cork floor over the existing pine boards. As the manufacturer says, it was quite easy to install, with no glues, nails, varnishes or other finishes. So far we've been quite happy with the results.

Some of the benefits that convinced us to go with cork are (taken from the Wicander's site):

- Cork flooring products are made from all natural raw materials; offering the resilience and excellent performance of cork as an insulator, while providing amazing decorative possibilities.
- The glue less joint systems of the cork flooring floating planks permits fast and efficient installation of the cork flooring on any level surface at all levels of the home.
- Cork floors can be installed in kitchens with good performance and protection from moisture.
- The raw material for cork floors is obtained by harvesting the cork oak tree bark; with the tree never being cut down. This enables the bark to regenerate itself within a few years. Cork floors are an ecologically sound building material which allows for continual harvesting of cork for centuries making it a renewable resource for generations to follow.
- During the production process of natural cork flooring products, we utilize 100% of the harvested materials with no waste produced.
- Cork Forests cover worldwide an area of 2.5 million ha, of which 1 million is located in Portugal (1/3 of the country). Other countries cork grows include: Algeria, Spain, Morocco, France, Italy and Tunisia.
- Cork is harvested from the beginning of June to the end of August. This is possible only every 9 years, 20 times all together.
- Cork is peeled only from the trunk and from branches of a specified circumference down to the thin reddish parent layer, below which new cork is growing (approx. 1.5-4mm per year)
- 20 % of the cork bark is left intact to protect the tree from drying up.

Environmentally Friendly- Cork Flooring is produced using all natural cork products which are harvested with no waste materials produced. This results in no damage to the tree or the environment in which it is harvested.
Durability- Cork flooring is remarkably resistant to wear, as it is less affected by impact and friction than other hard surfaces because of it cellular composition. Cork flooring offers great warranties.
Resiliency- When cork floors are subjected to pressure, the gas in the cells is compressed and volume reduces considerably. When released from pressure cork flooring recovers quickly to its original shape. Cork floors are gentle on your joints and soft underfoot.
Insulation- Because 90% of the cork tissue consists of gaseous matter, the density of cork is extremely low giving the material wonderful insulating properties, thermal as well as acoustical. Cork floors are warm and quiet underfoot.
Impermeability- The presence of Suberin, an inherent waxy substance, renders cork impervious to both liquids and gases. As a result, it does not rot and may therefore be considered the best seal available. Cork floors are perfect for residential and light commercial applications.
Fire retardation- A natural fire retardant, cork flooring does not spread flames and does not release toxic gases during combustion.
Hypoallergenic- Cork flooring does not attract dust and consequently does not cause allergies.
Electrically Dissipative- Cork flooring does not produce static electricity making it suitable for rooms with electronic equipment and appliances.
Exact Milling- Cork floors have a UV finish prior to milling that guarantees a seamless varnish coat and a homogenous surface.
Easy to clean- Cork flooring can be easily maintained by vacuuming and damp mopping with approved cleaners.
Easy Installation- Cork floating flooring panels are easily installed without the use of special tools.
Suitable for Radiant Heating- Cork floating floors are suitable for installation over Hot water radiant heat systems, provided that the temperature does not exceed 81 degrees F.

Winter Greens

October 21 - also planted our crop of assorted winter greens in the double raised bed that acts as our coldframe. We have thin black PVC piping curving over the bed to create a frame - the plastic pipe is set on metal stakes which are dug into the ground for sturdiness; then we cover this frame with plastic sheeting to create a grow tunnel that acts as a small greenhouse on the sunny winter days.

This year I planted cilantro, basil, red winter lettuce, buttercrunch lettuce, mizuna, mesclun, tatsoi, spinach, arugula, swiss chard, dill and green onions. The herbs will grow slowly, but the greens are already coming up nicely. We also keep kale in various beds in the winter, carrots are still in the ground (nice and sweeet now after our frosts), and the greenhouse is packed with hot peppers, eggplants, and basil in pots, plus chard, arugula and other greens in the beds. We don't need many leafy greens in the winter, as we are fine with eating seasonally (going more toward root veg in the winter, or greens we have preserved in our freezer), as well as sprouted indoor greens. However, it is heartening to peek into the tunnel or lounge in the greenhouse on cold days, enjoying the fresh green colours and flavours, and dreaming of spring again.

Fall Garlic Planting

Oct 21 Garlic Planting - it's a little later than most years, but this October has seen incredibly warm weather (upto 30C), sunny days with mild nights. We just kept harvesting from our summer beds: lettuce, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, chard, basil, and didn't feel ready to pull plants out and prepare the beds for winter.

Finally near the end of October I decided I had to plant the fall garlic, or it would have to wait until spring. I pulled the entire basil bed, made a few last batches of pesto, and then I put in one full bed (5x8 raised bed) with about 150 garlic, which will make only a reasonable dent in the amount of garlic we eat in this household. Next year I will consider claiming two raised beds for our garlic planting! 9 rows of organic elephant garlic (don't know the variety - saved from our CSA farmer, Martha); 1 row each of heirloom organic garlic from a friend on Salt Spring Island in BC - White Polish, Salt Spring, Red Russian, and Chinese Rocambole.

We recently heard a friend talk about his father's cafe, which uses nearly 10,000 garlic bulbs in a year to supply the cafe kitchen (garlic is a staple to start nearly every dish!). All this garlic is planted each year, diligently on the father's nearby farm. I love the connection from farm to table, with the work done by the same hands - and the idea of measuring your cafe status by the amount of garlic used!

A little bird told me craft sale...Dec 8

We have started advertizing for the upcoming craft sale that will be held here on Sat, Dec 8. The "A little bird told me craft sale" will feature 8-9 artisans/crafters who will be showcasing their work throughout our house.

The house will be transformed into a hub of musical instruments, knitted goods, baked treats, handbound books, herbal soaps, photogrpahy, recycled clothing, and much more! All items are handmade, with the emphasis on using recycled or earth-friendly materials! A great place to do your holiday shopping while supporting local crafters...

We hope this will become a semi-annual event, and grow to incorporate other houses in our neighbourhood, developing into a walking studio tour the way several other neighbourhoods in our city have done.

Winter chicken preparations

We've had our first few hard frosts, then a little snowfall, and temperatures dipping to -4C at night. It's time to prepare our chickens for the winter months ahead.

At this point we are planning to keep the girls in their coop for the majority of the winter, unless the temperatures drop drastically in which case they can roost in our greenhouse (where we have a small heater available). We have surrounded the coop with strawbales for added insulation, and installed a small heat lamp which is on a timer so it goes on mid-night.

So far the girls are adjusting well to the cooler temperatures, getting a chance to warm up by stretching their legs roaming through the garden/yard during the day. We have started feeding them warm oatmeal in the mornings, which they devour (if you add rice milk they go crazy for it! - although this is a rare treat). They lay a few less eggs, now 4-5 per day instead of 6, and this is due to reduced light levels (it's dark by 5 pm now, at which point they climb on their perches and tuck away for the night). They have also developed a new yard nest, laying eggs in a small nest fashioned under a huge pile of twigs & brush near their coop. It's a perfect wild nest, completely hidden and tangled under bramble and raspberry canes - safe from predators, and cozy.

In appreciation of the apple! Apple tasting extravaganza

Again, it's been a busy few weeks so not much time to post updates here. A few weeks back we hosted a "heritage apple tasting" which was an amazing afternoon of great people, unique flavours (from tart, to sweet, to crisp, to sour, to dry), interesting learning, and later delicious homemade wine (thanks Alfred & Meghan!)

A huge thank you again to Bob Wildfong, of Seeds of Diversity, for leading us through the history and flavours of 22 different varities of apples! All varieties had been purchased at the local farmers market, from an assortment of vendors (some with larger orchards, some with a few old fruit trees, etc). Even though Bob mentioned we would have had more than 500 varieties available a century ago, I still find it inspiring to know that many of these old varieties have been kept over the years, tended and valued, and are all locally available through our farmers - even if not at the regular grocery store.

The varieties we learned about were:
1) McIntosh (c1811, Colorado) - crisp, mild, tart
2) Snow (or Fameuse) (c1730, near Lake Champlain) - possibly first apple grown in Canada?
3) Delicious (c1870, Iowa) - a good long keeper
4) Empire (1945, New York)
5) Golden Delicious (c1890, West Virginia)
6) Cox's Orange Pippin (c1825, England)
7) Royal Gala (1934 New Zealand)
8) Jonagold (1943, New York - Golden Delicious x Jonathan)
9) Northern Spy (c1800, New York) - favourite pie apple in NA
10) Sandow (1912, Ottawa - Northern Spy x ?)
11) Ida Red (1942, Idaho) - great for baking
12) Tolman Sweet (Pre-1800, Massachusetts)
13) Wealthy (c1861, Minnesota)
14) Golden Russett (19th century, USA)
15) Northwest Greening (Golden Russet x Alexander)
16) Wolf River (pre-1875, Wolf River, Wisconsin)
17) Cortland (1898, New York - McIntosh x Ben Davis) - the "caterer's" apples (does not brown)
18) Honey Crisp (1991, Minnesota) - very crisp and sweet
19) Ambrosia (1980's, British Columbia) - chance discovery in an orchard
20) Baxter
21) Schatzi
22) Hyslop crabapple (mid-1800's) - tangy and dry, good for apple jelly

Egg-rich! Chicken update

We are egg-rich! Currently we are getting 5-6 eggs/day from our lovely layers and are handing them to any friends who drop by for a visit. We are so proud of our hens, who have all learned to lay in the nest boxes over the past month (Aug 22 was our first egg). We have also been able to employ several friends as chicken-sitters, when we go away for a night or weekend trip. This is a must for any urban chicken keepers, as the birds do need to be fed and watered, as well as let out for a stretch several times a day.

The girls love to eat greens - as much as they can get, so we feed them bunches of it cut into small strips with their feed every day, as well as hanging bunches from strings along the fence of their enclosure so they can nibble all day. They especially love comfrey (which encourages laying), broccoli greens, kale, swiss chard, dandelion greens, and the latest, sorrel. We also give them grains such as buckwheat (especially kasha, which is roasted buckwheat and this is a real treat for them), sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (which deter mites), oats, millet, quinoa, etc. Shredded carrot, and any kind of berries or fruit (grapes, raspberries, melon) - fresh or dry - is their absolute favourite, and they will go crazy for these snacks.

We are starting to prepare their winter house. We have not been able to find much information in books or on the internet regarding winter/northern chicken keeping. The main detail we've learned is that chickens can survive fairly cold weather, down to several degrees below zero, as long as they are out of the wind (so they don't get frostbite). It seems we could keep them in their coop over the winter, if we added a heat lamp or small heater, but this poses a slight fire hazard and also means running electricity for days on end. Our plan is to house them in our greenhouse, where we have planted fresh greens for them to eat, and they would have more space to roam. On sunny days we will let them stroll in the yard, or under the outdoor coldframes just to get some more exercise and fresh air.

We have been meeting various other people here in the city who also keep chickens. There seems to be a small underground urban chicken keeping movement, and so we are considering starting a urban chicken keepers alliance, so we can help create more of a network where we can support each other, as well as further the idea of chickens within urban agriculture/food security plans. If there are any other local urban chicken keepers out there reading this, please contact us if you have ideas or (in other cities) if have formed such networks and could give us advice from your experiences.

Affordable homemade wood-fired hot tub!

As a new feature for our homestead my partner is currently working on a wood-fired hottub. His design is based on a combination of cedar tubs from out West that are fired up with a chofu heater, ancient soaking tubs from Japan, and small Dutch wood-fired tubs (www.dutchtub.com). The plan is to build an efficient, beautiful, and inexpensive tub, using materials we have on hand.

The basic idea is to start with the size of tub you want - either build one (from cob, cement, metal), retrofit an existing bathtub/clawfoot tub, or, in our case, buy a 150 gallon stock tank from the local farm store. Secondly, insulate the tub as necessary, to help hold in the heat of the water. Thirdly, find a way to heat your water. This can take many forms - either a woodburning stove with a water coil wrapped around, a chofu heater (* see note below), or solar-heated tank. I once lived on an organic farm near Nelson, BC that heated water for their outside shower and bathtub in a large black plastic barrel that was ontop of the shower structure. We took baths or showers at night if we wanted warm water (after the sun had warmed the tank all day long), or cool showers in the morning. This was a very simple design, that is easily manageable for the novice builder - but your property needs adequate access to sun.

In our case, we are hoping to buy an old woodstove, and use a coiled pipe wrapped around it to heat our water. Currently we are heating water in a very rustic way, by the kettle on our firepit which is located beside the tub. Once the main body of water is heated it's actually not that much effort to continue to heat water by the kettle to top up the tub, and have a cozy campfire burning beside us as we lounge in the tub under the stars! For our guests, the woodfired model would be more suitable.

The photo shows our tub, with two sitting benches inside, and the insulation layer. We have a large volume of old tongue&groove boards in our barn, and this is going to be the outer covering, followed by a wider platform on which to sit around the edge of the tub. More photos to come as this project unfolds...

* Note on the chofu: The chofu is a precision built wood-burning water heater designed specifically for hot tubs. It circulates water using the principal of thermosiphon (the pumping action created by rising hot water), eliminating the need for a circulating pump or electricity. This unique feature opens up a whole new range of possibilities for alternative hot tubs. Now you can have a basic soaking tub without pumps, chemicals, or high maintenance. With the chofu heater you can retrofit an existing tub or put together a low-cost soaking tub, using a wooden tub or stock tank (from www.islandhottub.com).

Open Fridge

I read about a movement to showcase an "open fridge", exemplifying the adage "you are what you eat". I decided to open our fridge, today on Thursday, September 27, to tell you what was inside.

We are always trying to eat as local as we can, and even though it's nearing the end of the harvest season, there are still many good local items available in terms of produce, dairy, eggs, fruit, grains, honey, and seeds for winter sprouting. Of course, root crops will be available at the farmers market for the course of the winter, and we have also purchase some bushels in advance to store in our house. Since we have just completed a bountiful apple harvest, the open fridge will display an assortment of homemade apple products.

We have not been able to find local sources for all our grains (e.g. rice), baking supplies (e.g. chocolate, vanilla, sugar), nuts (e.g. almonds), or other assorted items (e.g. lemon juice). We also won't ever have local coffee, but our compromise is to buy it green from a local fair trade supplier and roast our own within 1-2 days of drinking it. We grind it minutes before it's used so it's as fresh as it gets.

I also want to note that I have a small business doing "slow-food" vegan baking & catering, which accounts for the large selection of flours, nuts, chocolate chips, and baking supplies.

Open Fridge - main compartment:
- roasted vegetables (red peppers, potatoes, garlic, onion, carrots, sweet potato) all from our CSA
- assorted tomatoes (green zebra, red & orange cherry, yellow pear, Mennonite orange, longkeeper, Cherokee purple, Yukon red) all from our garden
- snow peas from our CSA
- eggplant (Italian Vittoria & Japanese) from our garden
- green beans (Cherokee Cornfield & French Filet) from our garden
- pears from our CSA
- prune plums from our CSA
- applesauce; apple cider; apple jelly from our wild harvest
- homemade blueberry sauce from organic berries from our CSA
- homemade mulberry syrup from wild harvest
- homemade black current & raspberry jam from our CSA
- pure amber maple syrup from our local farmers market
- arugula from our garden
- fresh herbs (basil, chives, oregano, thyme) from our garden
- fresh eggs (3 dozen!) from our backyard chickens
- homemade pickles using cucumbers from the local farmers market
- canned pickled beans from our garden
- local bee pollen
- organic ketchup
- nutritional yeast
- organic stoneground dijon mustard
- homemade wholewheat seed bread
- organic lemon juice
- traditional bread yeast
- chili (made from organic dried beans, our own tomato sauce & cayenne peppers)
- hummus (made from organic dried beans & garlic/cilantro from our local CSA)
- organic yogurt from a nearby farm (we also make our own sometimes)
- Braggs, tamari, miso and green curry paste
- flax and hemp oils
- soya margarine
- rice milk
- applebutter made at the local cider mill
- organic brown rice syrup
- hemp seeds (Canadian - from Manitoba)
- homemade "dragon" hotsauce from our hot peppers in 2006

Open Freezer:
- frozen fruit (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, sweet cherries, peaches, red & black currents from our CSA)
- frozen fruit (rhubarb from our garden, sourcherries & mulberries from local harvest)
- bread & bagels made in our wood-fired oven
- tortillas organic wholewheat flax from the health food store
- apple cider from our local harvest
- green beans from our garden, peas from our garden
- roasted red peppers from our CSA
- shredded zucchini from our garden
- pear compote from wild harvested pears
- plum chutney from our CSA plums and garden produce
- yogurt starter
- fair trade coffee beans

Open Cold Cellar:
- home preserves (wild grape jelly from our garden; wild apple jelly from local harvest; tomato salsa & sauce from our tomatoes; peaches from local farmers market; applesauce from wild harvest; pickles made from local CSA cucumbers)
- organic carrots (our garden)
- four varieties of potatoes (purple, french fingerling, red, yukon gold) from CSA & our garden
- onions from our CSA and our garden
- 7 varieties of garlic (Saltspring, white Polish, red Russian, Chinese rocambole, Yugoslavian, suda artichoke, and elephant hardnecked) from our garden
- 6 kinds of squash (butternut, red & green hubbard, acorn, pumpkin, delicata) from our CSA

Open Cupboards:
- 10 kinds of dried beans (kidney, lentil, cherokee cornfield, soy, blackbean, black eyed pea, jacob's cattle bean, mung, adzuki, chickpea), and 2 kinds of lentils (green & red) all organic, from our garden, from our CSA
- 8 kinds of dried grains (couscous, bulghur, brown rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat kasha)
- 8 kinds of organic flour all Canadian other than brown rice (whole wheat, all purpose, spelt, rye, oat, barley, brown rice, hemp)
- white sugar & brown sugar (yes, refined sugar made it into our house)
- chocolate chips & cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla
- dried tomatoes & kale from our garden
- dried fruit from our CSA (apples, pears, peaches)
- seeds for sprouting (radish, red clover, alfalfa, sunflower, wheatgrass, mung)
- dried basil, oregano, fennel, thyme, etc from our garden
- hot cayennes, jalapenos, and scotch bonnets from our garden
- organic Thompson raisins
- natural peanutbutter
- local honey
- homemade granola
- dried nuts (almond, walnut); and seeds (sunflower, flax, pumpkin, hemp, sesame, poppy)
- whole oats, wheatgerm, wheatbran
- organic popcorn
- nori sheets and rice paper wrappers
- dried spices, sea salt, black pepper
- dried herbal teas, yerba mate, and roasted chickory root drink

Herb Shares Delivered This Week!

I believe I had mentioned the 2007 Herb Shares earlier in this blog. The end of September is nearing, and the herb shares are nearly ready to be delivered. This share idea is based on the concept of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) where members buy shares in advance, so I know how much to grow & harvest, and then received their finished herbal medicinal products at the end of the season.

For $55/share members will receive:
- 3 bags of tea enough for 10-15 cups/each (Less-Stress; After-Dinner Tea; Women's Tea)
- 2 oz. echinacea tincture (boosting the immune system)
- 4 oz. sage cough syrup (to soothe colds, sore throats, coughs)
- All-Purpose Salve (for minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises)
- Migraine Wonder Oil (to ease migraines & headaches)

All the herbs are harvested at their peak. Beeswax for the salve comes from friends at a nearby farm who keep honey bees, and all the herbs are grown in our own gardens or purchased from nearby organic sources.

It's been a pleasure working on these herb shares, and I do hope the life-giving, healthful properties have been instilled into each product that was made carefully. I hope to do this project again next year, as well as include herb garden tours, and a monthly herbal e-newsletter.

Tours to Little City Farm

We have had a busy September (one of the reasons I have not had time to write here)!

We were happy to host a second open house event, as various friends, co-workers and neighbours were not able to attend our July opening celebration. We baked wood-fired bread, gave garden walks, explained the greywater system and peeked in the greenhouse, showed off the chickens, and toured our newly renovated bed & breakfast space in the second floor of our house. Thanks to all who came, and for the many lovely "farm warming" gifts, cards and well-wishes! We appreciate everyone's support so much!

We were also happy to tour a group of university students who are involved with a community garden project through WPIRG (Waterloo Public Interest Resource Group) at the University of Waterloo. This group of about 10 students has gotten together to grow their own product just north of the campus, and work communally to share the produce among themselves and other volunteers.

From this group, we met a woman who is also involved as an intern at the Ignatius Farm outside of Guelph (30 minutes from here), through the CRAFT farmer-internship program. She organized to bring the whole group of interns from her farm a few weeks later, also to tour our place. As several of the interns are thinking more of urban farming or small-scale market gardening/CSA, rather than large-scale farming, they had many questions regarding how we are managing to do things here in the city. We were so happy to meet them, and are going to visit their farm tomorrow to learn more about the great work done at Ignatius.

Apple Cider Pressing & Heritage Apple Tasting Event

In an earlier post I had mentioned the urban fruit tree project (fruitshare) - we had posted an add in the local paper about harvesting "forgotten" fruit trees around the city, gotten various good responses, and have been busy following up on the calls. So far, we have harvested about 10 bushels of otherwise unused apples, 3 bushels of which were beautiful eating apples that are now being stored in our greenhouse to savour throughout the winter months. 4 bushels we pressed into cider at our local cider mill. We can press 50 litres for a minimum charge of $18, which comes to about $0.36/litre (compared to $2-$3/litre in the store for organic cider!). Our four bushels made about 30 litres, which are unpasteurized, so need to be frozen, used, given away to friends, or turned into hard cider or vinegar. Last night I also canned several jars of wonderfully pink and sweet delicious "wild apple" sauce, harvsted from a forgotten tree in our local conservation area which we happened upon during a walk on the weekend. We are learning never to leave home without a few extra cloth bags, as you never know what you will find along the way that is ripe for the harvest.

On October 21, we have invited our friend Bob Wildfong to host a heritage apple tasting workshop at our place. He is a master gardener at our local pioneer heritage village, where he tends old heritage fruit trees, and grows heirloom varieties of vegetables to be saved for seed. He has also been involved for many years as program manager/president with Seeds of Diversity, a Canadian non-profit organization that is a "source for information about heritage seeds, seed saving, plant diversity, garden history, and your own garden heritage...It is a network of volunteer gardener-members across Canada who grow unusual and rare heritage plants as a preservation project. " We are very excited to host this workshop, and the description is as follows:

Savour over a dozen varieties of delicious heritage apples, and learn the fascinating stories behind them. Do you know which common apple variety was born in Ontario nearly 200 years ago? Have you ever seen an apple that weighs up to 2 pounds? What makes a good baking apple, a good saucing apple, and how can you choose the right varieties for your favourite apple recipes? Sweet, sour, soft, crisp - apples come in more varieties than any other fruit. Learn to appreciate a whole new side of your daily apple. Cost: Pay what you can as a donation to Seeds of Diversity.

Herb Share 2007

Fall is a busy time here at the homestead. We are harvesting the last garden produce; canning, preserving, pickling & drying foods; planting greens for the winter (in our greenhouse and raised bed coldframes); planning the garden for next season; gathering black walnuts; making apple cider; and (new for this year) preparing herb shares for our members.

Many of us already know all the benefits of eating/supporting local food. Now, we hope to have our community consider supporting locally produced natural medicine. The herb shares are a new project of a little natural herbal business "Homestead Herbals" that has grown out of my passion for natural healing, working with medicinal plants, and sharing this with the broader community.

Herb shares are similar to the concept of a CSA vegetable share - members purchase a share in the spring, and receive their harvest in the fall. Herb shares can take many directions (e.g. women's health; children's herbs; herbal first aid kit; chef's blend; aprodesiac). For this year our herb share is focussed on general health & well-being for the whole family and so include several teas, an all-purpose healing salve, a sage cough syrup, migraine oil, and an immune-boosting echinacea tincture.

All herbs for the shares are grown organically in our gardens, harvested at their peak, and created into natural health products with care. We have 12 share members this year, and are very happy to have such great support in this first year! Herb shares will be ready and shipped off or delivered locally by the end of this month.

Cob Oven Baking

We have a lovely second open house yesterday, despite cloudy drizzling weather. Thanks to all who came out to see our place, and for all your support and appreciation!

As anytime when guests come over, one of the features of the afternoon was fresh baking from the wood-fired cob oven. I try to bake once a week in the cob oven, especially during the summer months when I don't want to heat up the house. After baking breads, the oven is perfect for cookies, then granola, slow-roasting vegetables, and finally dehydrating fruit or tomatoes overnight. The result of oven roasted and dried roma tomatoes is stunning - rich, tart flavour, delectable colour, and all done on "residual heat", without running our electric dehydrator.

A few guests asked about our wheat-free recipes for the cookies, and the rolls. The cookies were our all-time favourite spelt chocolate chip cookies, and the rolls had a mixture of rye-oat-barley-spelt flour, and are a simple quick yeasted bread that always turns out perfectly! I like to add seeds (sesame, flax) to the mix, and sprinkle them ontop of the rolls just before baking. Here are the recipes. Enjoy!

Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup soy margarine
1 1/2 cups brown or white sugar
2 free-run eggs, or 2 Tbsp egg replacer
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups spelt flour (or all purpose is fine)
2 cups whole oats
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 Tbsp baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips

1) Cream margarine and sugar, then add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
2) Combine all dry ingredients, other than chocolate chips. Add to wet and mix well.
3) Blend in chocolate chips.
4) Make 1/4 inch balls and flatten slightly.
5) Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 F on ungreased cookie sheets, or until golden.

Four-Grain Dinner Rolls
adapted from ExtraVeganza, by Laura Mattias (one of the best vegan cookbooks around!)

2 tsp dry traditional yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup soy milk, heated
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp white vinegar
3 1/2 cups flour (I use combination of rye-oat-barley-spelt)
Handfull of sesame and flax seeds, optional

1) In small bowl combine yeast and warm water and set aside.
2) In a separate large bowl, combine soy milk, maple syrup, oil, salt, and vinegar.
3) Mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour into the soy milk mixture, stirring well to combine.
4) Add the yeast mixture, combining all ingredients together.
5) Add remaining 2 cups of flour, stirring to form a soft dough.
6) Place in oiled bowl, and make sure all of the dough is lightly oiled.
7) Cover with clean towel and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.
8) Press down dough and divide into two halves.
9) Roll out one half of dough on floured board in a circular shape. Cut into 12 pie slices.
10) Roll each slice toward the middle, from wide end to pointed end.
11) Place on lightly greased baking sheets, brush with water and sprinkle on seeds.
12) Let rise again until doubled about 35-40 min.
13) Bake in preheated oven (400 F) for 12-15 minutes, or until golden.