tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23812555442135112072024-02-21T08:56:56.519-05:00Lavender Lane Biodynamic FarmAnders Du Mont-Thygesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10206587261236731725noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-55179891838135335552011-11-26T09:24:00.009-05:002011-11-26T10:31:02.601-05:00To Heal is to Juice Fast...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52T22TOAo4uA5ynKwlFKP7iQi6zEdA34_KWx2DW2Ct6Ua8J9zryZWrgI0AMrxY7aYCL87yi0SL6XQei0dyiV__33oL8Ws6M-ZaxvZWTEJRUIpspns7IDuJy7n_gk1PUBiUH2yRF8VAioy/s1600/juicing-vegetables.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52T22TOAo4uA5ynKwlFKP7iQi6zEdA34_KWx2DW2Ct6Ua8J9zryZWrgI0AMrxY7aYCL87yi0SL6XQei0dyiV__33oL8Ws6M-ZaxvZWTEJRUIpspns7IDuJy7n_gk1PUBiUH2yRF8VAioy/s200/juicing-vegetables.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679312165372006594" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span">There is such scientific condescension when it comes to pearls of wisdom such </span>as “starve a cold, feed a fever.” “It’s one of the most well-known medical bromides around: starve a cold, feed a fever, or is it feed a cold, starve a fever? Either way,” writes, Anahad O’Connor in a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/13/health/13real.html">NYT article</a>, "it may not matter." Scientists have found little evidence for either one.” The Chief of Clinical Services with Duke University’s Division of Medical Services dots the “i” when asked of the origin of this famous bromide: "I’m sure you could look through some old medical books and someone has mentioned it there, just like blood letting…" </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I don’t readily fall into the anti-science school, but I take anything said with such bravado with a pound of salt. If the shoe fits you personally and it feels good, go ahead and wear it. Whenever I get a cold, I am not hungry. My body gets into healing mode, I think. And I think that there is something to the idea of fasting and healing. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">In the documentary by Joe Cross, “Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead,” the overweight protagonist crosses the United States on a road trip from New York to California proselytizing the good news. No, he is not trying to win over folks to Christianity at a truck stop. He has in the back of his rental car a juicer and generator to juice the juicer. How refreshing it is to watch him hand over a glass of vegetable juice to an overweight trucker! <span style="mso-bidi-">By the time he was 40 years old Joe Cross was 100 lbs. overweight, and was suffering a debilitating autoimmune disease that he cared for with a pharmaceutical pantry full of pills. The documentary chronicles his quest to reverse this deadly lifestyle and see if the human body, void of processed foods and animal products, can actually heal itself. He would do this by drinking juice, just juice, every day, for 60 days. The transformation we see and even don’t see (his personality changes as much as his body) is truly remarkable. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">That Joe Cross hits the road and travels on a road to freedom by heading West is mythic: think of Kerouac, Chris McCandless made famous or infamous from the book and movie, “Into the Wild”, or the last scene of “Goodwill Hunting.” As <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Gabriel Cousens writes of the juice-fasting journey: "the appetite fades after the first few days and the mind becomes freer." Why? It is not easy when the stomach rumbles not to reach for solid food. But if you let that stomach rumble and not try to quell it with solid food, it is a notch in the realm of success. Along with the health benefits of a juice fast, which are considerable, one truly overcomes a food addiction and by overcoming, the result is a tremendous amount of freedom and joy. Juice fasting is not about deprivation as it is about treating your body like the holy temple it is. Try the juice fast even for a day and look in the mirror at your face. Ponce de Leon may have been right that there truly is a fountain of youth…</span></span></p> <p style="margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.1pt;margin-left:0in"><span style="mso-bidi-;font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><!--EndFragment--> <!--EndFragment-->Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-50767366524719117372011-11-21T09:57:00.006-05:002011-11-21T10:14:07.469-05:00Couch Potato-So Appropriate!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjQ5NI56M48n-Jx8zUR0gl7qDEtEr5b1ChtnRcqY2aTRc2enioK2fACWDjFvC1PCfDIZIWWLdsXO_mrSaKREzJ11e1WBaYkzpOlQEZJkCCGpip_NLkuaXn9Aivh2wmd5GltRsOonAXk7g/s1600/P1060521.JPG" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); " onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjQ5NI56M48n-Jx8zUR0gl7qDEtEr5b1ChtnRcqY2aTRc2enioK2fACWDjFvC1PCfDIZIWWLdsXO_mrSaKREzJ11e1WBaYkzpOlQEZJkCCGpip_NLkuaXn9Aivh2wmd5GltRsOonAXk7g/s200/P1060521.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677465079241251842" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#ffffff;"><br /> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#ffffff;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In 1976 the term couch potato was born. Tom Iacino of Pasadena, California and a member of a Southern California group humorously opposed exercise and diet fads. He said we prefer watching television, the boob tube, and eating potato chips. Brilliance comes in sparks. Iacino substituted tube for the synonym of potato—“tuber.” Hence, a boob tuber to the lay folks is simply a couch potato. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ">So, why don’t we sit down on our couches and eat a bag of beet chips? Some of us do, but to eat a beet is different that eating a potato and for two reasons. Beets are perfect roots, whereas potatoes are imperfect roots, tubers. For that reason, potatoes and potato chips remain lodged in the digestive regions and stay away from our heads. Beets go straight to our heads. They are, according to Rudolf Steiner, “the thinking man’s vegetable.” Beets also suppress our appetite because they go straight to our heads. Potatoes leave us wanting for more. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#ffffff;">Rudolf Steiner goes so far as to say that Europe mentally changed as soon as the Spaniards brought back the potato from the Andes in the 16<sup>th</sup> century. From that point on and especially relevant to those countries where the potato became a major staple, “they neglected their brains.” Chips and dip anyone?</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-81060862495094666682011-11-21T08:28:00.006-05:002011-11-21T08:36:31.674-05:00Thanksgiving Garden Meditation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiAUDNQm8wH11xvH67GkKgav2Xfpfy_qwej59JBK91m1pPwcjqsWPw6uGV9kNznv_SrIbP8MwuEnl8AtlGfppo8a24spex4Cy4Gm6XlNfYeQ2iKOWNGyKVBGIKIVoiLNQRby_uGekiyU7/s1600/DSC04837.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiAUDNQm8wH11xvH67GkKgav2Xfpfy_qwej59JBK91m1pPwcjqsWPw6uGV9kNznv_SrIbP8MwuEnl8AtlGfppo8a24spex4Cy4Gm6XlNfYeQ2iKOWNGyKVBGIKIVoiLNQRby_uGekiyU7/s200/DSC04837.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677441514740524162" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ffffff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; font-family:'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times;">Let us give thanks for a bounty of people.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px; font-family:'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times;"><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">For children who are our second planting, and though they<br />grow like weeds and the wind too soon blows them away, may<br />they forgive us our cultivation and fondly remember where<br />their roots are.</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">Let us give thanks;</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">For generous friends…with hearts…and smiles as bright<br />as their blossoms;</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">For feisty friends, as tart as apples;</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">For continuous friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers,<br />keep reminding us that we’ve had them;</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">For crotchety friends, sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and<br />as elegant as a row of corn, and the others, as plain as<br />potatoes and so good for you;</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">For funny friends, who are as silly as Brussels sprouts and<br />as amusing as Jerusalem artichokes;</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">And serious friends as unpretentious as cabbages, as subtle<br />as summer squash, as persistent as parsley, as delightful as<br />dill, as endless as zucchini and who, like parsnips, can be<br />counted on to see you through the winter;</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening-time,<br />and young friends coming on as fast as radishes;</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">For loving friends, who wind around us like tendrils and hold<br />us, despite our blights, wilts and witherings;</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">And finally, for those friends now gone, like gardens past<br />that have been harvested, but who fed us in their times that<br />we might have life thereafter.</p><p style="font: normal normal normal 100%/175% 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, Times; ">For all these we give thanks...(Max Coots)</p></span></span></span>Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-81306846155666584812011-11-16T09:42:00.006-05:002011-11-16T12:26:36.056-05:00Perfect Compost for your Garden!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsBmCOvp6ISZJX1adEdEkFVermJUQ1fvPDmTD17egvce6x4hqOCNhkJ4mjbiZaDKzRAthksX907KZLzgBhSFMCzgA1QtIxq13sRUEuQRBGsqYuqgzizvhswUYqlhyphenhyphendheI-UrrTLqbzh3i/s1600/P1020628.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsBmCOvp6ISZJX1adEdEkFVermJUQ1fvPDmTD17egvce6x4hqOCNhkJ4mjbiZaDKzRAthksX907KZLzgBhSFMCzgA1QtIxq13sRUEuQRBGsqYuqgzizvhswUYqlhyphenhyphendheI-UrrTLqbzh3i/s200/P1020628.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675604856126201586" /></a><br /> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in;mso-pagination: none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in;mso-pagination: none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-Trebuchet MS";letter-spacing:2.0pt;mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">When yeast compost is worked into garden soils, those soils change. Compost joins with molecules of clay (something we particularly enjoy here in Ohio!), and the compost-clay glue together. Stable and rich, and believe it or not with the fragrance of a deep pine forest after an afternoon rain, compost retains 90 percent of its moisture, making it extremely useful when we forget to water our gardens. Compost also helps build soil structure by allowing for quite a lot of air circulation and air is vital to keep not only us alive, but our precious soil as well. Now I am not one to usually go out to my garden with pH paper—I just look at the kinds of weeds that a growing—so the good news is that I really don’t have to—thanks to compost. This gold moderates the pH of garden soil, keeping it in balance between a 6.0-6.8 range that is ideal for most garden vegetables and beautiful flowers. For those of us who want to provide the healthiest vegetables for our children, compost has the ability to absorb toxins present in the soil! As it absorbs these toxins, it provides at the same time a welcoming environment for beneficial organisms.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-Trebuchet MS"; letter-spacing:2.0pt;mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Everything that is or was once alive will come apart of your compost pile and turn into this black gold. Kitchen scraps, lawn clippings, thick ropes of weeds, old potting soil, branches, leaves, left-over supper, dust, herbivore animal manure (not dog and cat, in other words), human hair, saw dust, Kleenex, old love letters, newspaper that is not glossy, even old wool sweaters. These ingredients will “live again” in our compost pile and nourish the microbes in our “live” garden soil.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-Trebuchet MS"; letter-spacing:2.0pt;mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The most important ingredient to add to a compost pile is air. Air allows our compost pile to decay aerobically, so that we don’t get that ammonia smell. When we smell that, precious nitrogen, which should remain in the compost, drifts into the atmosphere and is therefore not readily available in our compost and hence for our nitrogen-loving garden vegetables.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-Trebuchet MS"; letter-spacing:2.0pt;mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The next fundamental ingredient is water. Air, of course is the fuel for our garden, but water provides structure as well as a flowing passageway for nutrients and organisms. The old saying is that “good compost is as moist as a wrung-out sponge. Too much water is not good either. As my mentor in life, Michel de Montaigne would say, balance in everything is always something to strive for!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-Trebuchet MS"; letter-spacing:2.0pt;mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>After air and water, the primary ingredients that make up or compost is what we call either carbon or nitrogen ingredients. Carbon—like ‘carbs’ for human nutrition—is where the energy comes from. When you feel the heat of a good compost pile, think of the fact that carbon is being digested by the billions of wonderful microorganisms in our pile. What are the carbon ingredients of our compost pile? Anything brown. Straw, shredded office documents, sawdust, woodchips, dry stems of old pea vines, flowers, sunflower stalks, peanut shells, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-Trebuchet MS"; letter-spacing:2.0pt;mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Now the other side of the spectrum—nitrogen. If carbon is the energy, nitrogen is the protein. Nitrogen is of course responsible for the growth of healthy vegetable tissue. Nitrogen ingredients in the compost pile are wet and green—fresh seedless weeds, kitchen garbage, and here we add manure. Please compost manure rather than tossing it in your gardens or in your raised beds. While it looks brown, it really does fall under our green category, as the food the animals ate (cows, chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, horses) were once mostly green.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-Trebuchet MS"; letter-spacing:2.0pt;mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>What about the balance of brown and green? We know what happens to us if we eat too many beans? We are overwhelming our stomachs with nitrogen. We need that balance of carbon and nitrogen. I mentioned ammonia that we can smell. That is too much nitrogen (“compost farts”) being released into the air. I have read and still believe that the proper ratio in our diets and in our compost pile ideally should be 30 parts carbon (“carbs”) to 1 part nitrogen (“protein”). If you have a bunch of green kitchen waste and you want to toss it onto a compost pile, have next to your pile as black bag of old oaks leaves or a bale of straw. Add that on top of the green waste in what looks like 30 times more brown stuff than green stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-Trebuchet MS"; letter-spacing:2.0pt;mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>As far as the location of your compost pile, it is best to stack it in a shady spot, not too far from your kitchen or a garden hose. Remember, air is important. That is why there are slats in wooden compost bin. My favorite compost material is hardware wire. The end result looks like a 5x3 foot high drum. I like this because I don’t have to toss and turn the compost so much, if any at all. Air gets through wires and into the compost. If you just throw the compost on the ground, you will have to turn the pile with a pitchfork once a week or so. When that layered drum is finished, leave it be. Water it on occasion, but make a new one right next to it. It is so enjoyable to watch our layer compost turn a deep brown color from the bottom up over time through the fenced drum! If we begin a compost drum in the spring, it is ready to be put into our soil in the fall, etc. If you want compost quickly, put it on the ground in a pile. You can make it a “hot, quick compost” by then tossing and turning it 2 or 3 times a week. I prefer not to use those plastic tumblers. I feel that sunlight is the essence of life. Compost needs to feel and be beholden to the light of day and the dark of night.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-Trebuchet MS"; letter-spacing:2.0pt;mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>As we are a practicing biodynamic farm, we add healing herbs to our compost pile when our bins are full. These herbs—yarrow, stinging nettle, and more—add “vital forces” from the universe (moonlight, stars, our sun) to our compost pile. Regardless, you cannot go wrong with adding compost with our without biodynamic preparations to your garden and into our precious earth to heal Her. Your backyard compost seems small, but it is an enormous gesture and certainly the earth thanks you, but so will your body and soul.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--></span><p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-40573278194527213852011-10-31T10:02:00.002-04:002011-10-31T10:05:43.173-04:00Different manures for different plants…<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTYjzN-WFFlrSww25o2Ek2FB_ih3fxdpQToYHSpsrsACv7hC9rUKjxls5Mls8BoUSkGTva36VAQjaCIshF0u6V8P5x_B7al5eghNhnAOzXJwJaKCI0ZTngbYQ26u7UFumRzNDJg-1knQ-/s1600/horse-eating-grass.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTYjzN-WFFlrSww25o2Ek2FB_ih3fxdpQToYHSpsrsACv7hC9rUKjxls5Mls8BoUSkGTva36VAQjaCIshF0u6V8P5x_B7al5eghNhnAOzXJwJaKCI0ZTngbYQ26u7UFumRzNDJg-1knQ-/s200/horse-eating-grass.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669656983535177010" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">Hog manure-root crops; horse manure-great for raised beds and grain and grass fields; cow manure-composts; rabbit manure-green, leafy vegetables; chicken manure-flowers and fruit trees; goat and sheep manure-herbs.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Rudolf Steiner: “What is manure? Food gave occasion for the development of dynamic forces and influences in the animal, but it was excreted. Nevertheless it has been INSIDE the animal, but it was excreted. Nevertheless it has been permeated with that animal’s forces, which in turn are responsible for carrying LIVE nitrogen and live oxygen to the soil.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Interestingly, whatever part of plant upon which an animal characteristically feeds upon is best fertilized by that animal. A hog roots around in the soil—root crops!</p> <!--EndFragment-->Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-10267087849854261022011-10-30T12:28:00.004-04:002011-10-30T12:41:45.641-04:00Doomed! I am a left-handed farmer...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbImzPhy-p7ZYA1Li8bB3VfvSEhNuCTkCPOKfFH7QpMhZBx4zSYQxkdzltUvc0f8-5G1zlfSqxa0hb3R3uywm_U3R3jZgsDrardTIbVJdq4xlwIvee-0tCjF3z3Gxre2LXZy5SH0GTIxH/s1600/U100P200T1D213313F8DT20090121051409.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbImzPhy-p7ZYA1Li8bB3VfvSEhNuCTkCPOKfFH7QpMhZBx4zSYQxkdzltUvc0f8-5G1zlfSqxa0hb3R3uywm_U3R3jZgsDrardTIbVJdq4xlwIvee-0tCjF3z3Gxre2LXZy5SH0GTIxH/s200/U100P200T1D213313F8DT20090121051409.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669323954005007442" /></a><br /> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">A teacher: -asked whether children should be broken of left-handedness.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Rudolf Steiner (the father of Biodynamic Farming/Gardening): As a rule, yes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The phenomenon of left-handedness is decidedly karmic, in fact a karmic weakness. (R.S. "Conferences with Teachers-Vol. 4, p. 29.)</p><p class="MsoNormal">Perhaps Steiner is correct. This from today’s article in <a href="http://www.salon.com/2011/10/29/the_mystery_of_left_handedness/">Salon</a>: “the version most commonly heard is that left-handers die an average of nine years sooner, and that by about the age of forty most have disappeared…”</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Yet, it is common knowledge that Rudolf Steiner lauded the peasant culture for their intuitive approach to farming. “We go through the fields, and all of the sudden the knowledge is there in us. We know it absolutely. Afterwards we put it to the test and find it confirmed. In in my youth, at least, when I lived among the peasant folk, I witnessed this again and again. We must begin again from such things.” “Agricultural Course,” p. 53.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>I wonder to myself, are there more left-handed or more right-handed farmers out there? Do farmers and gardeners rely more on the right side of their brains (creative, intuitive, and usually left handed) or more on the left side of their brains (logical, organized, and usually right handed).</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-2306764454420979402011-10-29T09:19:00.004-04:002011-10-29T09:24:58.383-04:00Think Twice before Eating Mushrooms!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBezu_VrLvgPpmi3NR5xNPMoIq0yCGSYLFBtc3NASWFPuSh7MdmlIF8Wv3o7H-hGlMkqJlw2gQtUWij1K4qcIS_WYzbDO3YhKBDXjWa5DVZzqtpnybJ6LT7utXYWUNR8jH2MGP26JBTc7-/s1600/Shiitake-Mushrooms.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBezu_VrLvgPpmi3NR5xNPMoIq0yCGSYLFBtc3NASWFPuSh7MdmlIF8Wv3o7H-hGlMkqJlw2gQtUWij1K4qcIS_WYzbDO3YhKBDXjWa5DVZzqtpnybJ6LT7utXYWUNR8jH2MGP26JBTc7-/s200/Shiitake-Mushrooms.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668903936814894050" /></a><br /> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Times;font-size:130%;" >The <a href="http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch34.html">common scientific wisdom</a> concurs that mushrooms are OK to eat. In fact, they contain the trace mineral germanium, which is noted for its antiviral and antitumor effects. Germanium also energizes the body. With so many healing abilities and such variety of flavors and textures, mushrooms just may help the body generate energy, offer protection against tumors and virus infection, and bring complete satiety to the mushroom aficionado.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-family:Times;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;">From a Biodynamic Viewpoint, harmful parasites always consort with mushrooms. In fact, you should have a patch of mushrooms on your lawn or on your farm to “keep all sorts of pests away from your garden.” You might well imagine then what happens when you ingest this parasitic-loving food in your body! Dr. B. Toth (“Cancer induction in mice by feeding mushroom ‘Gyromitra esculenta.” “Cancer Research,” 1992; 52(8): 2279-84) found that mushrooms are associated with cancer in lungs, liver, thyroid, nasal cavity, stomach, colon, and gallbladder in mice. </span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-39830679434884512592011-10-28T10:01:00.014-04:002011-10-28T12:25:14.261-04:00From a Biodynamic Viewpoint, What Accounts for Different Colors of Flowers?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_pQSTf0fwqiZ0maSqPUi1n02QctUqV8fAgnbm7-Ree5T6fNbA-HRnPmjDIRmRnQBdzORj6N1w3pQ5RI50fKiOC2lg1QSlV-qroYYi3OolHie4up4NkHrBi5uJV54BUwkUi5bqRQ5Rj6f/s1600/day+36-+red+rose+bush.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_pQSTf0fwqiZ0maSqPUi1n02QctUqV8fAgnbm7-Ree5T6fNbA-HRnPmjDIRmRnQBdzORj6N1w3pQ5RI50fKiOC2lg1QSlV-qroYYi3OolHie4up4NkHrBi5uJV54BUwkUi5bqRQ5Rj6f/s200/day+36-+red+rose+bush.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668576963943066626" /></a><br />I hope that you enjoy a new series of blogs. I signed off for awhile but am working on the story and magic of Lavender Lane Biodynamic Farm. The unique, cosmic/spiritual, premium organic method of gardening and farming is on my mind.<div><br /></div><div>I often want to share "out-of-the-box insights" by Rudolf Steiner. Some are hard to swallow, but they begin to work on you to the point that they make a whole lot of sense and are then difficult to forget. To balance viewpoints, I shall present a more common viewpoint from time to time and counter that with a Biodynamic Viewpoint. There will be many to follow. Did you know that nitrogen is the most important element when one meditates? Why is sand important for children to play in? I hope that you find them at the very least provocative! Here we go!<div><br /></div><div>From a Botanist Viewpoint, flower colors are used to attract pollinators. Since pollinators fly and therefore have a bird's-eye view, the vivid colors attract these insects from high above. The brighter the flower, the more likely it will be visited. </div><div><br /></div><div>From a Biodynamic Viewpoint, flower colors have little to do with pollinators. Pollinators are more concerned with odors. Flower colors are a reflection of the cosmos. When we contemplate a red rose, its red color reflects the forces of Mars. Or when we look at the yellow sunflower, its yellow color has less to do with the sun and more to do with Jupiter. A yellow sapphire is the gemstone of Jupiter. What planet would we associate the bright blue flowers of chicory with? Saturn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Sure enough, blue is the predominant atmospheric color of this <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/pia06177.html">beautiful planet</a>. </span> The forces of these planets work most strongly below the earth’s surface. That which shines out in the coloring of the flower is what is happening most strongly in the roots of the the plant from a cosmic point of view.</div></div>Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-54146735683890240602010-03-16T06:38:00.001-04:002010-03-16T06:38:08.868-04:00Roots Radicals<a href=http://ohioauthority.com/articles/region/roots-radicals>Roots Radicals</a><br /><br />Posted using <a href="http://sharethis.com">ShareThis</a>Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-36145129905199225112010-03-12T02:30:00.001-05:002010-03-12T02:36:26.367-05:00Spring Garden Waldorf School's Class Two Field Trip<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtUEb2K4QoKOpk-LtIe8_5DmzxMmUCvamv9YfvlrtxmmDpyQF8mjfQTc6XiYfxa26QUMBlsu-DQxltOGYgZeyok4r7FHitTBf7VadcgHiGHy_6X9k-3mlIkI-Tiqnt8DJMYThACpRnUg1/s1600-h/DSCN0497.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtUEb2K4QoKOpk-LtIe8_5DmzxMmUCvamv9YfvlrtxmmDpyQF8mjfQTc6XiYfxa26QUMBlsu-DQxltOGYgZeyok4r7FHitTBf7VadcgHiGHy_6X9k-3mlIkI-Tiqnt8DJMYThACpRnUg1/s200/DSCN0497.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447647897355134402" /></a><br />Spring Garden Waldorf School's Class Two Field Trip to<br />LAVENDeR LANE BIODYNAMIC FARM<br /><br />Ms. Crall's Class Two from Spring Garden Waldorf School came to Lavender Lane yesterday. We all had great fun. We participated in the celebration of the arrival of Lady Spring by gathering around a sweet little group of snowdrops. The sound of songbirds competed with the crowing of our roosters, Puff Ball and Lenny. Remnants of winter, however, remain! We greeted one of the new baby bunnies and felt the thick coat of fur around Twinkles' neck.<br /> We sloshed through the mud of the animal yard and the children were eagerly greeted by Alexis, our goat. This was the first experience many children had of touching and petting such a large animal! Alexis adored the children and could not get enough. She continued to follow us, indeed, lead us on the final leg of our journey around the farm.<br /> We went out to the spot where our Italian bees will find their cozy home this coming April. Many questions and stories began to fly from the children about the bees. Their honesty and passion about these lovely creatures, ranging from "I'm a little afraid of bees" to "I'm Italian, too" were wonderful.<br /> Alexis then took us to the beds of garlic and the children could observe there that King Winter took good care of it, as we could see the green shoots beginning to pierce through the blankets of straw.<br /> We then gathered around the children's garden where Alexis entertained the children by munching on some of the kale the children had planted almost a year ago and was still thriving in the center of the garden! Class Two then graced us with one of their lovely songs.<br /> At the song's conclusion, Alexis felt it was time for her to go back to Spring Garden with the children. We all told her that she needed to stay home, but she wouldn't have anything to do with that. She crossed the street with the children and marched side by side with them right up to the school door. She certainly would have gone in, had Ms. Crall not said, "thank you, Alexis, but that will be fine." She listened, then turned away and had a police escort help her back across the street. What a fine day and lovely field trip!Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-34088612934512261662010-03-07T06:41:00.005-05:002010-03-09T17:39:19.273-05:00Top Bar Beehive Workshop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1q01lYtGq-_a69jrdgZg0-QwpgJlX9qet3neCQ0DP3S1O4xAVsnpzqUqz-tp1Hj5vy8lcARw1z588Af5MXZ85hWmt30tNwZsDfJDRC_qwLMSlvdvm6YRlz28s4lRoiJiaikhAfFDgaaWy/s1600-h/IMG_4102.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1q01lYtGq-_a69jrdgZg0-QwpgJlX9qet3neCQ0DP3S1O4xAVsnpzqUqz-tp1Hj5vy8lcARw1z588Af5MXZ85hWmt30tNwZsDfJDRC_qwLMSlvdvm6YRlz28s4lRoiJiaikhAfFDgaaWy/s200/IMG_4102.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446767253342997042" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtalyrT0EYENqASES1jaltwgRw74YRJV8MT2Q-w9bbMoq-etLT9N9RxQyHRStsVpxByzvD9u3F6syXkXU2nJMEuZLo9auh7lO98xb5jkfO6vs82TvaFBMcB2LzpRqxv7dnl-1rlY-9oUq9/s1600-h/IMG_4102.JPG">Top Bar Beehive Workshop<br />at<br />LAVENDeR LANE BIODYNAMIC FARM<br />1756 Jacoby Road<br />Copley, OH 44321<br /><br />Sunday, April 18, 2010 Noon-3 PM<br /><br />Günther Hauk, my Biodynamic beeguardian mentor, told me that the best we can do for bees now during the crisis of Colony Collapse is for everyone who is filled with love to have bees.<br /> In this workshop, we will study the basic philosophy behind responsible stewardship of having bees in our families. The top bar hive is perfect for your backyard and is, at least to me, the most sensitive and practical means for the bees to work, live, and thrive happily. At the workshop we will discuss the reasons for this as well as an array of fascinating topics: safe propolis beeswax stain for the outside, why you shouldn't smoke your bees, honey collection, hive maintenance, my favorite bee literature, how to catch a swarm, and many others, including how to place bee packages in your top bar hive. Take it from me, it is one thing to watch a YouTube demonstration of introducing bees into a new hive and another to actually seeing it done before your eyes. We will do this on Sunday afternoon as a part of the workshop.<br /> Due to the interest that has been expressed for participating in the workshop, I would ask that you RSVP via e-mail as soon as possible (lavenderlane@earthlink.net). Please note that for this particular workshop, we will not be providing child care. The fee for the 3-hour workshop is 5 dollars an hour for a total of 15 dollars. This can be paid when you arrive. All participants will receive a complimentary CD of Günther Hauk's talk: The Honeybee Crisis: Symptomatic of our Failure to Care for Nature.<br />See you there!<br />Farmer Jake<br /></a>Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-21978213757796318462009-10-21T05:43:00.003-04:002009-10-23T08:31:28.059-04:00Day of the Dead Celebration!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGVZl5R40jMBPruLjZrvnab5vf8SlZ8Hqn07LEv9wZJnDl4wNVeEODoi8X2MiMtQrzu9OKQgYXqyCUcNIa6XyGbo4awgn2fQxYyVNxvxikrTY4Hy0nf8gtYwzLJObE16swjrxPFkAbzxn/s1600-h/Splash-DayOfTheDead.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 156px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGVZl5R40jMBPruLjZrvnab5vf8SlZ8Hqn07LEv9wZJnDl4wNVeEODoi8X2MiMtQrzu9OKQgYXqyCUcNIa6XyGbo4awgn2fQxYyVNxvxikrTY4Hy0nf8gtYwzLJObE16swjrxPFkAbzxn/s200/Splash-DayOfTheDead.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394989682984062658" /></a><br /><p><em>Let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star, and they will learn that death is stingless indeed, and as beautiful as life.</em><br />- John Muir<br /><br /></p><p>Thank you all for making this season such a bountiful one, filled with good will, friendship, healthy fruits and vegetables, and aimless love. "This morning as I walked along the lakeshore,/I fell in love with a wren/and later in the day with a mouse/the cat had dropped under the dining room table./In the shadows of an autumn evening,/I fell for a seamstress/still at her machine in the tailor's window,/and later for a bowl of broth,/steam rising like smoke from a naval battle./This is the best kind of love, I thought,/without recompense, without gifts,/or unkind words, without suspicion,/or silence on the telephone. AIMLESS LOVE, Billy Collins</p><p>Please join us this year at Lavender Lane as we celebrate Day of the Dead by making a huge, end-of-the-season compost heap in the middle or our autumn garden bed. No one escapes the yawning jaws of this decaying pile! Last year it was a fearsome being and when it was finished, there was music, dancing, food, a fire, and cheer. For we all knew, as the great biodynamic farmer, Alan Chadwick knew, "Life into death into life." We will begin putting the garden to bed a 3PM on Sunday evening, 1 November. Please bring a dish to share and friends and family!</p>Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-35640218801002380582009-10-12T20:21:00.004-04:002009-10-12T20:49:31.422-04:00Pumpkin Pie from Scratch...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrXfTcmgwcgMxeMAE87u021WJ5a_bnefeiFaf1-xjclMLNkBrfyfJ6JBreF3pNZO8UQrCAlhPvS2p_uPPeSE0WkR57aMyEIWaxAZ-Mpi-K9j2gZ_kuFMiQWdYqkO4kJzhx49JJVyHEb6p/s1600-h/pumpkinpie-main_Full.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrXfTcmgwcgMxeMAE87u021WJ5a_bnefeiFaf1-xjclMLNkBrfyfJ6JBreF3pNZO8UQrCAlhPvS2p_uPPeSE0WkR57aMyEIWaxAZ-Mpi-K9j2gZ_kuFMiQWdYqkO4kJzhx49JJVyHEb6p/s200/pumpkinpie-main_Full.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391876669563149666" /></a><br /><p>Dear Members,</p><p>Time is winding down. Don't forget our Day of the Dead Festival in the afternoon and evening of 1 November. We also want to put the garden to bed that day, so bring your work clothes! </p><p>Thank you for all who have signed up for next year. We are filled up for 2010 and are happy to include any and all on our waiting list.</p><p>We have one more week for you to pick up the harvest. Please return any basket you might have then and we will give you a paper bag for your last harvest, if you need one. For this week we have 4 pounds of red potatoes, orange bell pepper, beets (with greens), collards and swiss chard, and a baking pumpkin. Here's a pretty good recipe.</p><p>For the crust:</p>1 cup whole wheat pastry flour<br />1/4 teaspoon sea salt<br />1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, well chilled<br />2 to 3 tablespoons cold water<br /><br />For the filling:<br /><br />1 baking pumpkin<br />2 eggs<br />1 1/2 cups cream<br />1/2 cup honey or sugar<br />1/2 teaspoon sea salt<br />1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />1/2 teaspoon ground ginger<br />1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg<br />1/8 teaspoon ground cloves<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 350°F.<br /><br />Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter into 1/4-inch cubes and add them to the flour mixture. With your fingertips, quickly and deftly rub the butter into the flour to make a dry, crumbly mixture. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over the mixture. Using a fork, rapidly stir the dough until it gathers into clumps. If the mixture seems dry, add more water to hold the dough together. Gently form the dough into a disk. Wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator to rest and chill for 15 minutes to 1 hour.<br /><br />Meanwhile, cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds, place the pumpkin halves in a pan, shell side up, and bake for 1 hour or until the pumpkin is tender and exudes liquid and the shell starts to sag. Scrape the pulp from the shell and purée it with a fork or potato masher or in a blender. Measure 2 cups of the purée and set it aside. Reserve any additional pumpkin for another use.<br /><br />Lightly butter a 9-inch pie pan. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and, starting from the center out, roll the dough to about 2 inches larger than the size of the pan. Loosen the pastry, fold it in half, lift it and unfold it into the pan. Press it into place, trim off the excess dough and crimp the edges.<br /><br />Increase the temperature of the oven to 425°F.<br /><br />In a large mixing bowl lightly beat the eggs. Add the purée and the remaining ingredients and stir to blend. Pour the mixture into the dough-lined pan. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake an additional 45 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before serving.Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-22434011251803068512009-10-05T16:50:00.004-04:002009-10-05T17:26:16.539-04:00"Teeming autumn, big with rich increase"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iSbzwVycTeZmf8YqUGHnV2hhnCdZS9j9xisgz46HrT_OE10u0X3eouiEj5SPM3-Ha4z1S7aC2e7FYuymJFIM8rD7L3tcppj4NHnNRg0s67JyGue_VEdJXxOg06xSLHCuE-37Lhwe1VUo/s1600-h/squash-hubbard-green.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iSbzwVycTeZmf8YqUGHnV2hhnCdZS9j9xisgz46HrT_OE10u0X3eouiEj5SPM3-Ha4z1S7aC2e7FYuymJFIM8rD7L3tcppj4NHnNRg0s67JyGue_VEdJXxOg06xSLHCuE-37Lhwe1VUo/s200/squash-hubbard-green.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389229155967355090" /></a><br />So, of course, gloriously writes Shakespeare in Sonnet 97. Well, thought I, especially on this cold, drenchingly wet weekend, and when the need to strike up a furnace or fire is rumbling in our bones - what are we going to harvest during this harvest moon? Autumn's especial bounty never fails to astound me. It’s the mass of it, not delicate but weighty: cabbages, big squash, sunflower heads that resemble something unearthly, huge collard leaves, Jerusalem artichokes busting out of the soil, beets going berserk. My weekend fear has subsided, in other words. Wait until you see the Hubbard heirloom squash. These are so big, tough, and bulky that you need a saw or a hammer to break through the shell. But it’s worth the effort. This is purportedly the best kind of squash you can eat. But because they are rather homely looking, supermarkets barely touch them. You will. You will also receive a <em>Bacalan De Rennes</em> Cabbage. Listed by Vilmorin in 1867, this French heirloom was grown in the Saint-Brienc and Bordeaux localities. This late cabbage grew especially well in the mild, seaside climate along the west coast of France. These flavorful, green heads are still grown in France today, and, yes, Copley, Ohio! We’ll give you a break on the collards, give you some candy onions, and a great-looking gourd to grace your nature table.Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-66741975220528211122009-09-28T17:32:00.004-04:002009-09-28T17:41:23.774-04:00Fall Basket!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4e3ZHDVDtHZ50zdPQX6ozSfdbi75BrBEi-xIHWeF79ljLEuP6pyPNawIp1GSAMFSzHk9m8FBwlqMuhtKZ37d0JHptz0t7YFqjKyjlkO_bIbNUd5VktVSHzuyb6L3vXPfgP_JW6xP75HJ/s1600-h/DSCN0082.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4e3ZHDVDtHZ50zdPQX6ozSfdbi75BrBEi-xIHWeF79ljLEuP6pyPNawIp1GSAMFSzHk9m8FBwlqMuhtKZ37d0JHptz0t7YFqjKyjlkO_bIbNUd5VktVSHzuyb6L3vXPfgP_JW6xP75HJ/s200/DSCN0082.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386635091758558882" /></a><br />Such a chilly day today! This calls for.....<br />Warm Beet and Goat Cheese Salad<br />Steam beets without skin until fork tender. Mash Lavender Lane Sweet Onion and Dill Goat cheese with fork, some lemon, a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and pepper (perhaps some plain yogurt would make it more sauce-like). Dollop over the beets and sprinkle with chopped celery. Serve with pita or crusted bread.<br /><br />Please find for your baskets 2 acorn squash, a very large broccoli head, some fall beets, wonderful salad greens, including baby spinach and arugula. Of course there is always our bounty basket area with potatoes, peppers, and the like.Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-77793919924419397082009-09-28T07:35:00.003-04:002009-09-28T07:39:28.473-04:00Rudolf Steiner and the Necessity of a Vegetarian Diet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6S53Z3gbqDwL26cIAI1oMjn2vOB-J-0cPhoGB_u11bmyNDWZ07WVL88O9FD_TMJalUQ0e6Fw_bI6Wt0uFu_qBrwPVtwd1dl-rrn5YIR_Na9CuZoc_BPA3EbA7_iJhOC_DfjnoVyr1-xWp/s1600-h/images.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 99px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6S53Z3gbqDwL26cIAI1oMjn2vOB-J-0cPhoGB_u11bmyNDWZ07WVL88O9FD_TMJalUQ0e6Fw_bI6Wt0uFu_qBrwPVtwd1dl-rrn5YIR_Na9CuZoc_BPA3EbA7_iJhOC_DfjnoVyr1-xWp/s200/images.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386480793070858674" /></a><br />The founder of our premium organic way of farming, which we call biodynamic, stated that he owed his vigor to a vegetarian diet. “I myself known that I would have been unable to go through strenuous activities of the last 24 years without vegetarian nutrition” (Rudolf Steiner, Nutrition and Health: Lectures of the Workmen: Anthroposophical Press, NY, 1987). All of the energizing exposure to the cosmos, including sunlight, starlight, and moonlight, experienced by plants in a garden that can be passed directly to the human being is negated when we eat meat. When the human being eats animal protein, she or he has to break it down into amino acids, urea, and glucose. However, this cosmic energy, so vital to our health and stamina, which we find as a direct source from plants, has been absorbed by the animal that is consumed. How this animal energy is used by the human being then becomes a question. What it boils down to is that, if you want to eat meat, you should hunt it in the wild. The Native Americans, who ate the flesh of animals, maintained a state of health and alertness greater than commonly seen today. Why? According to Steiner, there entered a pact between hunter and prey regarding the transformation of the hunted animal into a level of higher existence through ritual and respect. Going to a grocery store to eat a package of meat from a cow slaughtered in a disrespectful carnage houses could lead to big problems in the realm of aggression, etc. I shall simply ask: could a lot of inner city violence be a result of fast food meat consumption? One anthropologist has suggested the warfare in prehistoric Europe became permanent only after livestock breeding became common in rural communities. And Rudolf Steiner says that, if we look at the physical processes which result from meat-eating: “...we find that red blood corpuscles become darker and heavier and the blood has a greater tendency to clot. Connection with the plant world strengthens the human inwardly. Meat introduces something which gradually becomes something of a ‘foreign substance’ in humans, and goes its own independent way in him. Because the nervous system is thus influenced from the outside it may become susceptible to various nervous diseases. So, we see that in a certain sense, ‘we are what we eat.’ Can you imagine the madness we would see in a herd of cows fed on pigeons? Despite the calm, peaceful nature of a dove, the cow would be simply mad.” Why? The dove has eaten the life energy of the plant directly and the cow would only eat the flesh of a dove that has been denuded of this energy (Rudolf Steiner, Nutrition and Health: Lectures of the Workmen: Anthroposophical Press, NY, 1987).Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-21212548047379163982009-09-24T15:44:00.004-04:002009-09-24T15:56:28.417-04:00Eye to Eye with a Raccoon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwp63DrnKQxz75l-YUCZqKKrJMGbCeuVssEXqiwLbJe7Z_0hs3CEA8D0Z73VeE77_2CUxjk_tfHXSAVKDywoMCQjpfsqM2oCw2qILzYpY7DqoUl82Z-nDQUDVB-yugVOojRZKmExEwzrD/s1600-h/racoon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwp63DrnKQxz75l-YUCZqKKrJMGbCeuVssEXqiwLbJe7Z_0hs3CEA8D0Z73VeE77_2CUxjk_tfHXSAVKDywoMCQjpfsqM2oCw2qILzYpY7DqoUl82Z-nDQUDVB-yugVOojRZKmExEwzrD/s200/racoon.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385123179963235026" /></a><br />Last night, I went out to the compost to deliver some leftover greens and such. One of the composts is tied around a tree. I bend over, drop in the goodies over the encircled hardware wire, stand up, and am no more than two inches from what could have been construed to me in the darkness as a holdup! But no, this masked trickster, was a raccoon. He did not tear off up the tree, but rather he or she looks at me with an air of condescension and, how shall I put it (?), saunters up the tree at a most cocksure pace.<br /><br />In native cultures, raccoon is the trickster who uses his wits to lead enemies astray, leaving them stranded and bewildered. The Cheyenne call him “macho-on” -- “one who makes magic,” and his or her bandit’s mask lends him an aura of mischievousness and wily intelligence. They are connoisseurs with food, preferring to dip food in sauces, spinning it around and around, and chewing to the point of savoring. <br /><br />Hats off to these survivors, who have lived practically unchanged on our continent for a million years or so. Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-46322172611546275972009-09-22T05:16:00.005-04:002009-09-22T12:10:21.613-04:00A Bit about Potatoes and Today's Harvest Baskets<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJlvGQmHa3GTv-2u9Cml2b4t1yqg5BMpxiBZkCjGohQgBs4TRAbwaHW-YN-7PrJzq-BCaghBLmMElljL1bNzx_ilUEhsH8pQUPPu8EkjD5SnzYwSHJll9qbrZHBwnAR3tfcw9nlddL-N6/s1600-h/potato-harvest.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJlvGQmHa3GTv-2u9Cml2b4t1yqg5BMpxiBZkCjGohQgBs4TRAbwaHW-YN-7PrJzq-BCaghBLmMElljL1bNzx_ilUEhsH8pQUPPu8EkjD5SnzYwSHJll9qbrZHBwnAR3tfcw9nlddL-N6/s200/potato-harvest.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384225167199946962" /></a><br /><p>The potato was cultivated by the peoples of Peru, the Incas. The Spanish conquistadores found the potato to be a very cheap staple to feed their slaves (as aspect of "discovering America" not always acknowledged). It would yield a huge amount of bulky starch on little arable land. However, this was a food product that was also grown in Europe, first grown there in 1588 by the botanist Clusius. However, it was treated with a great deal of suspicion in Europe where the peasants saw the plant as evil. For a couple of centuries the potato received a bad rap in Europe, blamed for everything from scrofula to leprosy. For forty years, the French pharmacist and agriculturalist Antoine-Auguste Parmentier sought to turn the tide of the French public opinion. The peasantry had hiterto trusted nothing but grain before the Revolution, but after it millions of Europeans abandoned the tradition to take up potato nutrition at roughly the same time. This is a quote from the Austrian philosopher and scientist, Rudolf Steiner, and founder of biodynamic farming: "One can study the development of human intellectual faculties from the time when there were not potatoes to the time after their introduction. Potatoes at a certain time began to play a particular role in Western devlopment. Before potatoes were eaten a great deal, people grasped things less quickly and readily, but what they grasped, they really knew. Their nature was conservative, profound, and reflective. After potatoes were eaten on a larger scale, people became quicker in taking up ideas, but what they thought up was not retained and did not sink in very deeply. Very small amounts of potato find their way into the brain, and can can be very potent; they spur on the forces of abstract intelligence." (K. Castellitz and B. Saunders Davies, <em>Nutrition and Stimulants, Lectures and Extracts from Rudolf Steiner</em>, Biodynamic Literature, USA, 1991.) In Japanese macrobiotic tradition the potato is seen as extremely "yin" (cold, expanded, watery, dark); it needs to be balanced in cooking by fire, sea salt, butter, fennel, or cumin seeds. Baked in their jackets or skin, potatoes give more nutritional value as the nutrients and some protein lie just under this skin. When the peel is removed, any nutrional value of the potato is lost. They are great roasted and served with lots of chopped parsley, garlic, chives and basil and then served with a good crispy green salad. Now, after your potato meal, remember you may be full of great ideas, but don't expect to remember them in the morning!</p><p>For your baskets today, please find, yes, potatoes, parsley, swiss chard, carrots, delicious Gala apples and more.</p>Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-68185436933387359922009-09-14T18:25:00.011-04:002009-09-15T20:09:23.957-04:00Thank you and our Harvest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbEeDM1-b8MhuIBLHJ1Ajq0KEfE7aBDUYrJEJ9TpPIuoQSFmdwjmBCnH7gyqVHkLc8YdZf10Xzf8S3w0XWck-Orh1ZJbuI7m-qD6TUmQK0eqaGmH8MhYvdvyi_mx9_jqt4q1TMM7Zwq8Y/s1600-h/DSCN0018.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381458643288670370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbEeDM1-b8MhuIBLHJ1Ajq0KEfE7aBDUYrJEJ9TpPIuoQSFmdwjmBCnH7gyqVHkLc8YdZf10Xzf8S3w0XWck-Orh1ZJbuI7m-qD6TUmQK0eqaGmH8MhYvdvyi_mx9_jqt4q1TMM7Zwq8Y/s200/DSCN0018.JPG" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gfjZrJ96hUz3HrxG5qJ94CDZGnHz9536A14shDJRN6sqguPB9v_N7zmmKqcdpxFQXxrlEaOqvpFAO08nTvIRPxOhuhdhvx-60ZvrVCPeAJ3hJB0ZE3s6W2b20RCpDuGATpXRqeqx5KME/s1600-h/DSCN0019.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381458343448299698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gfjZrJ96hUz3HrxG5qJ94CDZGnHz9536A14shDJRN6sqguPB9v_N7zmmKqcdpxFQXxrlEaOqvpFAO08nTvIRPxOhuhdhvx-60ZvrVCPeAJ3hJB0ZE3s6W2b20RCpDuGATpXRqeqx5KME/s200/DSCN0019.JPG" /></a><br /><p>I wanted to give a public word of deep thanks from the heart to our outstanding apprentices, Anders, Mary, and their son, Noah. Of the many projects handed over to them, you can see that the bread oven was an amazing accomplishment! We've had some delicious pizza already. What is most uncanny is that the majority of the materials were donated (beer bottles, sand, etc.) or dug up (our infamous Copley clay!). Again, thank you for all, dear friends.</p><p>In your baskets this week:<br />Choose from a large head of broccoli or cauliflower<br />2 pounds of freshly dug potatoes<br />Large green bell peppers<br />A variety of greens (Mustard, Arugula, Spinach, Mizuna, Jericho, etc.)<br />A bunch of collards </p><p>Semi-hot hungarian peppers (great to add to scrambled eggs!)<br />In the bounty area: tomatoes, runner beans, basil, and more.<br /><br />Look for our special goat cheese this week: Garlic Dill and Sweet Onion Sage.<br /></p><p><strong>Cauliflower and Potato Tian</strong><br />(Serves 3-4)<br />1 medium cauliflower, separated into small florets (6 cups florets)<br />3 medium potatoes, quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick<br />4 garlic cloves, finely chopped<br />¼ cup finely chopped parsley<br />1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil, or ½ teaspoon dried<br />¼ cup olive oil<br />¼ cup dry white wine or vegetable stock<br />¼ cup water<br />¼ teaspoon salt<br />Generous seasoning w/ freshly ground pepper<br /><br />The Topping<br />2 slices homemade-style white bread<br />1 tablespoon olive oil<br />¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees<br />2. In a large bowl combine the cauliflower, potatoes, garlic, parsley, and basil.<br />3. In a small bowl beat together the olive oil, wine, water, salt, and pepper. Pour it on the vegetables and toss thoroughly to evenly coat them. Scrape this mixture into a 2 ½ quart shallow ovenproof casserole. Cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes.<br />4. Meanwhile make the topping by placing the bread in a food processor or blender and processing to make fresh bread crumbs. Pour them into a bowl, then drizzle on the tablespoon of olive oil. Toss thoroughly to distribute the oil.</p><p>5. After the casserole has cooked for 45 minutes, remove it from the oven and discard the foil. Sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese, then distribute the bread crumbs all over the top. Bake 15 more minutes, or until golden brown.<br /></p>Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-59739677337346492362009-09-09T12:37:00.003-04:002009-09-09T12:41:14.305-04:00Making a Compost Pile - Biodynamically - to be Ready for Spring Planting!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmKMWuiMzvg8lt4Sf7IOfaZFfkp9W7_ndUyjE0nJ4-69E1D2zpvw9Ld8StLgWjdQ85tQ59PLtPPq_rfBLLnr6njFtKwO6E02z1VA8BgIHfZZiL71GMmZPFQetseMnOTap9tthpySrgLxv/s1600-h/praparatepflanzen-poster.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmKMWuiMzvg8lt4Sf7IOfaZFfkp9W7_ndUyjE0nJ4-69E1D2zpvw9Ld8StLgWjdQ85tQ59PLtPPq_rfBLLnr6njFtKwO6E02z1VA8BgIHfZZiL71GMmZPFQetseMnOTap9tthpySrgLxv/s200/praparatepflanzen-poster.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379508133497534034" /></a><br />A Sunday Afternoon Workshop, 20 September, at Lavender Lane Biodynamic Farm (1-4 P.M.)<br /><br />There is hardly a gardening book published in the last twenty years that does not extol the virtues of what James Crockett referred to in "Victory Garden" as “brown gold.” There are recipes for compost building that are as elaborate as making a soufflé. We hope to offer some simple suggestions for a great compost. But what separates a biodynamic compost from others is provided by Rudolf Steiner in his lecture on “enlivening.” Compost, he spoke, with biodynamic preparations (a variety of herbs and plants from yarrow to stinging nettle) to enrich it, will be the quickest way to heal the land. “The point is that we should add living forces to it.” We will delve into how to do this and offer our herbal compost preparations to all of our workshop members for their own compost. The cost for all is ten dollars for CSA members, thirty dollars for non-members. As compost preparations for the workshop need to be ready for you, please send an e-mail by 13 September to reserve your slot (lavenderlane@earthlink.net). We will gladly accept fees at the time of the workshop.<br />Thank you!<br />Farmer JakeFarmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-70070108641089644932009-09-08T07:49:00.010-04:002009-09-08T14:18:38.421-04:00September Harvest and Saint Michael<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXVeq_VXMUymqeEUoCLRUDoQ0eXAinwaMpQx2hIA-IJVrMPMjeNSUyGYuTna-zGC7MWiww3zkFueKGS0wLycQFbB-U7syb2e9naSVzpPo-89ITaOB-RelU1mOpBnS_GSe8wbdWPa0HM9N/s1600-h/j0408840.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXVeq_VXMUymqeEUoCLRUDoQ0eXAinwaMpQx2hIA-IJVrMPMjeNSUyGYuTna-zGC7MWiww3zkFueKGS0wLycQFbB-U7syb2e9naSVzpPo-89ITaOB-RelU1mOpBnS_GSe8wbdWPa0HM9N/s200/j0408840.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379064824847209186" /></a><br /><p>Summer wanes as autumn approaches. Of course, the air smells of ripe apples. Sunlight, like goldenrod, is everywhere. Amid this ripening, we sense in our garden the bustling process of getting ready for bed. At night, chill is in the air; the flies and mosquitoes are no longer pesty. At the equinox, when days match the length of nights, there is the celebration of Michaelmas. St. Michael vanishes the dragon, giving us courage to overcome our hardness, our habits, so as we may take on wings and soar. </p><p>This week, please find for your baskets on our harvest table: a large spaghetti squash, two varieties of kale, swiss chard, polish garlic, sweet Italian grape and cippolini onions, genovese basil, heirloom tomatoes, one pound of freshly-dug French carrots, stevia (nature's natural sweetener), and look for runner beans, kohlrabi, sunflowers, and more in the bounty area. This week's goat cheese selections include lemony cream cheese and garlic-dill. The delicious recipe below uses most of the items in your basket for a Sepember dish!</p><p><strong>Spaghetti Squash Recipe</strong></p><p>INGREDIENTS<br />1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded<br />2 tablespoons olive oil<br />1 onion, chopped<br />1 clove garlic, minced<br />1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes<br />3/4 cup goat cheese<br />3 tablespoons sliced black olives<br />2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil<br /> <br />DIRECTIONS <br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. <br />Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled. <br />Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm. <br />Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, goat cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm.<br /><br /></p>Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-27164212240139054922009-08-31T20:46:00.007-04:002009-08-31T21:20:15.602-04:00Our Fajita Harvest this Week<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBzbNStTlVCfKVI2vV7acM5d2VcutmzCF4hB_JXv5z98pSqg8rBvbMx7G3wwDvpgj-7y6y-9wKhyphenhyphenjD3sIeZAzrwDJiZieVYtwwW5QwOyaob9NcGeP6Kl91Y0Su79qLVRf-X2hcnEqPLr7/s1600-h/peppers2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBzbNStTlVCfKVI2vV7acM5d2VcutmzCF4hB_JXv5z98pSqg8rBvbMx7G3wwDvpgj-7y6y-9wKhyphenhyphenjD3sIeZAzrwDJiZieVYtwwW5QwOyaob9NcGeP6Kl91Y0Su79qLVRf-X2hcnEqPLr7/s200/peppers2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376298111270410098" /></a><br /><p>Dear Members,</p><p>Where did the hot summer go? How chilly it has been. Fortunately, we persevere and thus today harvested 30 pounds of beans, large candy onions, some lovely red and yellow sweet peppers, yellow roma tomatoes, and more. I thought of how tasty some fajitas would be with the goodies in the basket this week. </p><p>Thank you to those who came out to work over the week. We appreciated the help last harvest day with picking flowers for bouquets. </p><p>Oh, if you like the biodynamic brandywine tomatoes you receive and would like to plant one of these in your garden next year (being an heirloom and not a hybrid you should consider it), simply squeeze the seeds out. Allow for mold to develop on the seeds to destroy the outer protective layer. Wash the mold off, dry, and then store in some baggies for the spring to plant and flourish.</p><p>We will have a workshop on 20 September from 1 to 4 P.M. on compost building that utilizes the biodynamic method. Compost building is ideal to begin in the fall for spreading around trees, on flower beds, vegetables, and the like in the spring. I shall send an e-mail with the details. Please mark your calendars.</p><p>Thank you!</p>Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-23119905543375476282009-08-24T21:11:00.003-04:002009-08-24T21:37:54.251-04:00Nothing says summer like tomatoes, peppers, and basil!Some items you may receive for your baskets are:<br /><br />-Heirloom Tomatoes<br />-Semi-hot Hungarian Peppers<br />-Green Bell Peppers<br />-Basil<br />-Arugula<br />-Mustard Greens<br />-Swiss Chard<br />-Spanish Roja Garlic<br />-Cucumbers<br /><br /><br /><strong>Tomato Basil Spaghettini with Goat Cheese</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />1 (16 ounce) package uncooked spaghettini<br />4 cloves garlic, chopped<br />2 fresh tomatoes, chopped<br />fresh basil leaves<br />2 tablespoons olive oil<br />freshly ground black pepper to taste<br />1 lemon, juiced<br />4 ounces soft goat cheese<br /><br />Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.<br />In a blender or food processor, blend the fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, and pepper just until chunky.<br />In a bowl, gently toss the cooked pasta and tomato mixture. Sprinkle lemon juice over the pasta and top with goat cheese just before serving.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Hungarian Peppers and Eggs</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />2 green bell peppers<br />1 yellow Hungarian wax pepper<br />2 firm-ripe tomatoes<br />1 tablespoon olive oil<br />1 onion, finely chopped<br />8 large eggs<br />salt and pepper<br /><br />1. Stem and seed green bell and Hungarian peppers. Cut bell peppers into 1/2-inch squares. Finely chop Hungarian pepper.<br />2. Rinse tomatoes, core, and cut in half crosswise. Gently squeeze out and discard seeds and juice; coarsely chop tomatoes.<br />3. In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over high heat, combine oil, onion, all the peppers, and half the tomatoes. Stir often until vegetables are tinged with brown and all liquid evaporates, 7 to 9 minutes.<br />4. Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat eggs to blend with 2 tablespoons water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.<br />5. Add egg mixture to vegetables and reduce heat to medium-low. With a wide spatula, lift cooked portion of eggs to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath until eggs are softly set, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to plates. Garnish with remaining tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste.Anders Du Mont-Thygesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10206587261236731725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-85427036473512965462009-08-20T23:39:00.010-04:002009-08-21T00:03:17.718-04:00A Bit about Bats<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiB-OvRDIRYXjEJe7OpFslGsFTE3bHRETmPitrZc0XAyYPJtRo7gSH8O-U-Fx0TjUc6jhiI-GNUU6KV_7YLmSR3mFGPsZzrYcFLC1wReUIxC_Vk92poLNU1rZzgQYea-2UKcge6Yl8g0N/s1600-h/bat+house+clean+air.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 119px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiB-OvRDIRYXjEJe7OpFslGsFTE3bHRETmPitrZc0XAyYPJtRo7gSH8O-U-Fx0TjUc6jhiI-GNUU6KV_7YLmSR3mFGPsZzrYcFLC1wReUIxC_Vk92poLNU1rZzgQYea-2UKcge6Yl8g0N/s200/bat+house+clean+air.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372256759872613858" /></a><br />The wind and rain blew so hard last night that, in the morning, on the wet lawn, lay an empty bat house. Farmer Anders and Gemma had an intense discussion about what lives in that small space. Gemma kept asking, what animal lives there? Rather foolhardy, I joined in with an answer - a bat. Of course, Farmer Anders knew that Gemma was looking inside and saw what appeared to be a spider nest. Where's the bat? I don't think any has lived here. What is this for? Bats. One of Pearl's children visiting, also chimed in on our brainteaser conversation: I know what bats are; they are vampires. Gemma said, they are what my brother uses to hit balls. And they live in that little house that fell to the ground. Vampires don't hit balls. Bats, whatever they are, certainly capture the imagination.<br /><br />This may be because a bat is rather oxymoronic. It's a mammal that flies; it sees in the dark by listening to screams that are silent. Truly, though, this last bit of information makes our “intelligence” seem somewhat second rate. In other words, at a tremendous cruising speed they are able with little or no vision as we know it and in complete darkness to avoid tricky objects and to capture the tiniest of mosquitoes. How? They developed an ultra-complex sonar device 50 million years before we re-invented it.<br /><br />About the vampire business, this bad rap results from a small group of South American bats. Contrary to popular notion, these creatures are tiny, do not possess hollow fangs for sucking, and do not prey on humans, and live in South America - not Transylvania. The funny thing about these vampire bats is that they make sneak attacks on Brazilian cattle and lap up their blood with their dainty tongues. That's not funny, but what is funny is that prior to this sanguine feast, they land 20 yards from their prey and tiptoe on the ground like giant-eared tarantulas wearing, one can imagine, goofy-looking smirks. <br /><br />Kind of takes the “oomfff' out of Macbeth's famous recipe concocted by the three witches:<br />Eye of a newt,<br />And toe of frog,<br />Wool of bat, <br />And tongue of dog.<br /><br />Wool of bat? You mean that stuff in the bat house?Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2381255544213511207.post-68550549993164846722009-08-17T20:41:00.008-04:002009-08-18T14:21:58.938-04:00Harvest Day and Welcome to New Members!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVucVo9dFU77HT22Enc-6N3rtFGLisUU0AgkHHuxeEGcyoxC96oPurXaYM6ZcB0pnKZrUM6tgfwQNuOqAfHg2bBxoiqYwGZ-5fMtBOMxgUFm85a7iWgYMOJx59r4hGSzyWygZRwNrEhArQ/s1600-h/potato+leek+soup+008.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 133px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371099054340488242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVucVo9dFU77HT22Enc-6N3rtFGLisUU0AgkHHuxeEGcyoxC96oPurXaYM6ZcB0pnKZrUM6tgfwQNuOqAfHg2bBxoiqYwGZ-5fMtBOMxgUFm85a7iWgYMOJx59r4hGSzyWygZRwNrEhArQ/s200/potato+leek+soup+008.png" /></a><br />Dear Friends,<br /><br />How hard it is to believe that we are now entering the second half of the season! A warm welcome to the new members and a heart-felt thank you to the departing members. We hope that there will be many opportunities for us all to come together in the coming months.<br /><br />For your baskets this week:<br /><strong>Potatoes grown from Biodynamic Stock</strong><br /><br /><strong>French Fingerling</strong> potatoes are a light and creamy heirloom potato with delicious thin buff skin that never requires peeling! Distinctive yellow flesh with accents of rose red make this an attractive potato to serve. Delectable broiled with a splash of olive oil and sprinkles of thyme.<br /><br /><strong>Pontiac Red Round</strong> potatoes with thin, deep red skin and crisp white flesh makes perfect creamy mashed potatoes. Great variety for growing baby potatoes.<br /><br /><strong>Russian Blue</strong>’s texture is much like a russet so they are good to bake or mash, cook as French fry or even make into chips; but they also can be steamed or boiled. Roasting or grilling the halves will actually darken the colour and is most recommended, as the mild taste needs help with herbs and seasonings.<br /><br /><strong>Freshly-dug Leeks</strong><br /><br /><strong>A Bunch of Parsley</strong><br /><br /><strong>Sweetest of Peaches - Contender Peaches</strong><br /><p><strong>Georgia Southern Collards</strong></p><p><strong>Brandywine Tomatoes</strong> - take a look at the one we just picked: 1 pound 3oz! Not sold in grocery stores because they look bizarre, tomato connoisseurs believe they are the best.</p><p>In the bounty baskets, look for basil, peppers, magnificent heirloom tomatoes, flowers, and more. </p><p>Also, I made a batch of terrific goat cheese if I may say so myself: Garlic Chive! We have quite a few eggs for sale, as well.<br /></p><p><strong>Potato Leek Soup</strong></p><p>INGREDIENTS<br />3 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered<br />6 cups vegetable broth<br />2 leeks, bulb only<br />1/2 cup butter<br />1/4 cup white wine<br />salt to taste<br />1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper<br />parsley to garnish</p><p><br />DIRECTIONS<br />Cook potatoes in vegetable stock until soft. Set aside, do not drain.<br />Put potatoes in the work bowl of a food processor in batches. Add 5 cups of vegetable stock from the potato cooking pot. Puree until smooth.<br />Half the leeks lengthwise, and soak in water to clean. Finely slice. Saute in butter until transparent. Add white wine, and cook for 3 minutes.<br />In a soup pot, combine remaining cup of stock from the potato cooking pot and sauteed leeks. Stir in pureed potatoes, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and white pepper. Cook to desired consistency, adding more stock if necessary. Garnish with parsley.</p><p><strong>Peach Salsa</strong></p><p>Ingredients:<br />4 ripe, yellow peaches, peeled, stoned and chopped<br />1 small red onion, chopped<br />1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped<br />1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro<br />Juice of 1 lime</p><p><br />Preparation:Combine, peaches, onion, jalapeno, cilantro in a medium bowl. Drizzle lime juice over mixture and toss. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.</p>Farmer Jakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12857972526682614248noreply@blogger.com0