Folks, it's a simple equation that we have strayed from since industrialization and farm subsidies. The sum of the equation is that you must reacquaint yourselves with your local farmers. Go to the source of great food. Let that farmer reintroduce you to the shortest chain between the Sun and your stomach. If you eat foods fresh from the garden that are not exposed to pesticides and herbicides, you have created the healthiest nutritional situation for yourself (the shortest chain). Secondly, the next situation involves the growth of your meat. Eat Ruminant. Ruminants are 4 stomach animals that are genetically and physiologically designed to digest grasses (not corn). Cattle, goats, sheep, buffalo and deer are all examples of Ruminants. Sure, eating chicken and pork is great, if they are fed a diet that is consistent with their natural biological needs and of equal or greater importance – are their living and processing conditions. Almost all of these animals that are available through conventional sources are raised in CAFO’s (concentrated animal feed operations). Regardless of whether these animals are fed organically or not - the animals are unclean with a high probability of being unhealthy (by way of living conditions, slaughter and further processing). The condition of individual meat producing animals can be deplorable in ways that are not measured by regulatory agencies, which brings me to my next point.
The process, the entire process has to be holistic – from the soil that grows the grasses and vegetables to the dinner table. No matter how pure or pristine the raw materials are . . . you simply can not expose true quality to an inferior or tainted processing and distribution system. At very best this system jeopardizes the quality of the finished product, and at worst – has completely tainted that which is processed.
The viewpoints that I’ve shared are not from a purely philosophical perspective . . . I farm . . not monoculture . . . I raise animals, fruits and vegetables – for people who have come to expect more from their food. I grow products with qualities that they can not find from conventional food sources. We have a free flowing exchange of my commitment . . . and their involvement.
Which brings us back to my original point, the most important step that anyone can take is to - get involved, please involve yourself with food that does not have a bar code. Get to know your farmers and let them know in no uncertain terms that if they grow food with integrity - you will buy it from them. This insures the future of clean, identifiable food sources, that employ sustainable agricultural practices. All the best.
Paul
ptsoule461@sbcglobal.net
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday, October 30, 2009
Eat Seasonally and preserve surplus for winter enjoyment
My father always told me that two things are inevitable in life . . . Death and Taxes. Probably true, and yes . . . accurate, but not precise. Actually, we have to be born . . . then we have to eat . . . THEN we pay taxes . . . THEN we die. So Papa, there are four things that are inevitable.
Of the four inevitabilities . . . there is only one subject that we discuss with great passion . . . food (eating). We share recipes . . . we talk about great steaks . . . we discuss the way our mothers used to prepare food . . .the list goes on and on. Think about it . . . just spend one day studying food in our lives . . . . the conversations that go on about it . . . 'wha'd'ja have for lunch?' . . . 'where ya goin' for lunch?' . . . 'what's for dinner?' It's NOT a sustenance . . . it is a socially binding phenominon ! ! We could nourish ourselves and speak nothing more of it. Communication with each other about our food and it's preparation is so deeply entwined in who we are as individuals - and cultures . . . . we overlook this fabric that binds us as people. We are social beasts and we love to talk about our food ! It doesn't stop there . . .oh no . . . ANY social gathering or family event . . . WHERE DOES EVERYONE GATHER - THE KITCHEN (no one even takes the time to notice this). You can have the swankiest digs and everyone - maybe not all at once (but certainly longer than it takes to get a Coke from the fridge) - wants to gather in your kitchen . . . the smaller the kitchen the greater it's magnetic powers - absolutely the truth.
I'm like many other people out there . . . seeking greater meaning in life, greater connection to the earth, people, spituality, and culture. Farming became my fascination . . . through every bit of reading material I could get my hands on, and every conversation I could hold. I needed to have direct contact with origin of life (on one end of my equation) and with rich experiences as the product of that equation. After an exhaustive search for a piece of land that was affordable and practical . . . I found my dream. Just under 10 acres, sure it was way west – but it was all I could qualify for with the mortgage company and I liquidated everything that I had to get it.
As I began farming, I thought that I was making food . . . wrong . . . I realized that I did not produce food – the good Lord did, I’m just the delivery boy. I’m not a terribly religious fellow . . . but I am very spiritual. You can’t bare witness to strong life springing forward from almost impossible beginnings – and believe that you had any real impact on the making of food. Sure I can prepare dinner . . . but I didn’t make the food.
I just finished my freshman season on my little piece of heaven . . . a place that I call “The Willow”. The Willow is a Community Supported Agricultural endeavor. Most smart people develop their philosophy before starting such an under-taking . . . to help shape their goal . . . or in this case, my dream. I knew what my passion was and I felt that I would know the right property when I found it. But my philosophy dawned upon me as my love for the property grew. I realized that it is not an asset in the typical sense of what we consider an investment. I loved The Willow more and more with each passing day . . . and then I realized that the only way that the property would increase in value is if other people love it too . . . the way that I do.
I want to grow and nurture the best of everything, I’m not the only one who finds that notion appealing. It is so rewarding to bring these things to the table of my family and friends. It’s even more rewarding when you can deliver the delectables exactly the way that you want them . . . without the use of pesticides or herbicides on my fruits and vegetables and no antibiotics, steroids, hormones or animal by-products for my livestock. The satisfaction of helping to bring all of this to fruition with integrity is indescribable. Last spring I raised a huge fresh vegetable garden and almost 1000 chickens (I have almost 100 laying hens), planted 50 Honey Crisp apple trees and bought a greenhouse (which I still have to erect). My next step is to winter some livestock – pork, beef, lamb and goats and then start-up again in the spring with chickens, rabbits, ducks and geese. The thought of spring also has me itching to get a mature stock vineyard started and get some milk producing cows and goats for making cheese and soap.
My mission is to teach people to eat seasonally and prepare the surplus for winter-time consumption. I have become very accomplished at preserving my harvest – freezing, canning, drying and curing .I need some feedback from individuals and families as to what they would enjoy from The Willow. If people are interested in getting in-touch with their food source and crafting customized products . . . then I will need to know exactly what they are looking for.
The objective of this blog is to start a very robust dialogue about how we can work together to build a network of consumers who recognize unique quality and the opportunity to build something bigger than ourselves. I would like to include other farmers who share our vision. Please pass this blog along to everyone that you know . . . even if the concept is not one that appeals to you directly, someone may be very grateful that you have shared this with them.
I can be reached at email: ptsoule461@sbcglobal.net
Or by phone at 630.877.7372
Of the four inevitabilities . . . there is only one subject that we discuss with great passion . . . food (eating). We share recipes . . . we talk about great steaks . . . we discuss the way our mothers used to prepare food . . .the list goes on and on. Think about it . . . just spend one day studying food in our lives . . . . the conversations that go on about it . . . 'wha'd'ja have for lunch?' . . . 'where ya goin' for lunch?' . . . 'what's for dinner?' It's NOT a sustenance . . . it is a socially binding phenominon ! ! We could nourish ourselves and speak nothing more of it. Communication with each other about our food and it's preparation is so deeply entwined in who we are as individuals - and cultures . . . . we overlook this fabric that binds us as people. We are social beasts and we love to talk about our food ! It doesn't stop there . . .oh no . . . ANY social gathering or family event . . . WHERE DOES EVERYONE GATHER - THE KITCHEN (no one even takes the time to notice this). You can have the swankiest digs and everyone - maybe not all at once (but certainly longer than it takes to get a Coke from the fridge) - wants to gather in your kitchen . . . the smaller the kitchen the greater it's magnetic powers - absolutely the truth.
I'm like many other people out there . . . seeking greater meaning in life, greater connection to the earth, people, spituality, and culture. Farming became my fascination . . . through every bit of reading material I could get my hands on, and every conversation I could hold. I needed to have direct contact with origin of life (on one end of my equation) and with rich experiences as the product of that equation. After an exhaustive search for a piece of land that was affordable and practical . . . I found my dream. Just under 10 acres, sure it was way west – but it was all I could qualify for with the mortgage company and I liquidated everything that I had to get it.
As I began farming, I thought that I was making food . . . wrong . . . I realized that I did not produce food – the good Lord did, I’m just the delivery boy. I’m not a terribly religious fellow . . . but I am very spiritual. You can’t bare witness to strong life springing forward from almost impossible beginnings – and believe that you had any real impact on the making of food. Sure I can prepare dinner . . . but I didn’t make the food.
I just finished my freshman season on my little piece of heaven . . . a place that I call “The Willow”. The Willow is a Community Supported Agricultural endeavor. Most smart people develop their philosophy before starting such an under-taking . . . to help shape their goal . . . or in this case, my dream. I knew what my passion was and I felt that I would know the right property when I found it. But my philosophy dawned upon me as my love for the property grew. I realized that it is not an asset in the typical sense of what we consider an investment. I loved The Willow more and more with each passing day . . . and then I realized that the only way that the property would increase in value is if other people love it too . . . the way that I do.
I want to grow and nurture the best of everything, I’m not the only one who finds that notion appealing. It is so rewarding to bring these things to the table of my family and friends. It’s even more rewarding when you can deliver the delectables exactly the way that you want them . . . without the use of pesticides or herbicides on my fruits and vegetables and no antibiotics, steroids, hormones or animal by-products for my livestock. The satisfaction of helping to bring all of this to fruition with integrity is indescribable. Last spring I raised a huge fresh vegetable garden and almost 1000 chickens (I have almost 100 laying hens), planted 50 Honey Crisp apple trees and bought a greenhouse (which I still have to erect). My next step is to winter some livestock – pork, beef, lamb and goats and then start-up again in the spring with chickens, rabbits, ducks and geese. The thought of spring also has me itching to get a mature stock vineyard started and get some milk producing cows and goats for making cheese and soap.
My mission is to teach people to eat seasonally and prepare the surplus for winter-time consumption. I have become very accomplished at preserving my harvest – freezing, canning, drying and curing .I need some feedback from individuals and families as to what they would enjoy from The Willow. If people are interested in getting in-touch with their food source and crafting customized products . . . then I will need to know exactly what they are looking for.
The objective of this blog is to start a very robust dialogue about how we can work together to build a network of consumers who recognize unique quality and the opportunity to build something bigger than ourselves. I would like to include other farmers who share our vision. Please pass this blog along to everyone that you know . . . even if the concept is not one that appeals to you directly, someone may be very grateful that you have shared this with them.
I can be reached at email: ptsoule461@sbcglobal.net
Or by phone at 630.877.7372
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