Snapshots of a Dirt Worshipper's city farm, one year in

A normal farming day for me would be getting up, watering the raised bed in my front yard and, after breakfasting, heading out to the farm.  Getting ready to head out to the farm means putting seeds in my bike bag, putting an transplants I might need on my trailer, plus the wheelbarrow, shovel, rake and hoe and then biking about a half mile down the street.

The other day the private school across the street brought out some second graders to do nature study in the lot, which is over 2 acres and we are farming on about a quarter.  the teacher's name was Jerry Ann and she was very nice and told the kids to keep out of the garden.  Later that day I met a man down the street named Rupert.  He told me he'd been keeping an eye on the garden and that there used to be a bakery there.  I told him that we knew about the bakery and actually called it the Bakery Lot, he seemed really happy about that.

Photo credit to Lauren Harroun

 About 3 months ago a church pew showed up at the lot.  No explanation, haven't seen many people other than us ever sit on it.  It is darn convenient to have a bench around though.

Photo credit to Lauren Harroun

The lot is right next to the rail road tracks, in fact a railroad service drive runs on the eastern edge.  There's more traffic than you might think.  Service vehicles, the rail police and border patrol.  Border patrol is a pretty common sight in our neighborhood as we have the Ambassador Bridge (Canadian border crossing) right there.  And many of the trains that go by are headed to or from Canada.  Most of the time these vehicles don't stop.  One time a border patrol guy stopped and asked me about the garden.  I was pretty nervous as we're only semi-legal, but he seemed to think the whole thing was pretty cool.  One of the other folks who farms there met a border patrol agent the other day and he knew our garden as the place with the church pew, who knew!

.....

Had a large Summer Solstice Party back in June, potluck, homemade ice cream, music from a parked pick up.  This past weekend we had a smaller Autumn Equinox party.  Fire, s'mores, cider, whiskey.  Clear night with just the right amount of chill to make the fire seem nice.  Clean up was mostly lining up the returnable bottles so that one of the folks pushing a cart around to collect such thing could find and take them back for the 10 cents.  I heard two guys pushing carts talking about the bottles while I was gardening Tuesday, but with me working there they didn't grab them.  Guy said something about "they've got a garden there".  I should have called out to them that the bottles were theirs if they wanted them. 

.....

Once a work day at the garden is done I load the wheelbarrow, rake, shovel and hoe back on the trailer; water in whatever has been planted; and turn my bike back home.  I usually take 25th between the garden and my house.  Its a densely occupied street with neat, modest homes.  I make a point to say Good Morning and Good Evening most of the time and many folks will wave or ask after the peppers or tomatoes as I bike by now.   I often wonder how many of them walk through the garden when we're not there.

.....

Slowly slowly plants grow
slowly slowly the seasons change
drought
tears
trucks
hydrants
rocks
concrete
rust
seeds and seeds and seeds and seeds
and slowly slowly
days shorten
extra cup of coffee before the dawn
cooler
colder
frost
fruits to
roots
and leaves
"Next year..."

Things that I have been doing instead of updating this blog

Starting and growing food for a cooperative CSA: City Commons

Learning about building and helping to build this chicken coop

 

 

 

 

And then getting some chickens for it

Pulling weeds with friends who are also part of City Commons

And then picking some plums

And getting some help from my fellow farmers to put in a giant squash and melon patch

Going to Dana and Ishai's wedding

And going to the beach

Looking for a Sign Part 4: Am I just lucky or was it meant to be this way?

When I was touring colleges out in the Pacific Northwest I almost didn't go to Whitman.  It is out in the middle of nowhere in not in an exciting city like Portland or Eugene.  I did decide to go for it though and made arrangements ahead of time for a tour and all the other trappings.  The e-mail I got said to show up at the admissions office at 8 AM for my tour of campus.

My mom and I rolled into town kind of late the night before my visit and ended up staying in a cinder block Howard Johnsons (now the Walla Walla Vineyard Inn where they busted a meth lab last year) as all the other hotels were full.  HoJos was nice and close to campus though and so we were able to walk over on a sleepy Saturday morning. (I'm pretty sure it was a Saturday, I don't think there were classes going on).  When we showed up at the Admission Office it was all locked up.  We double checked the print out of the e-mail that said 8 and then knocked.  A woman came to the door and said oh no, it must have been a mistake because the first tour that day wasn't until 9, but we were signed up for that one.  No problem, my mom and I went to go snoop around the school.

I knew that I would want to be an Environmental Studies/Biology major so we walked over to peek in the Science building, at that point just having construction finished up.  We tried the doors, but they were locked so just peered through the windows.  Then the lovely Dr. Wallace came up on his bicycle and asked "Are you a prospective student?"  I said that I was and that I was going to major in Biology and he swept us away up the stairs to his new lab to show us the cool new microscopes he had and the videos his Intro to Bio students had made of some little water critters (and at the time I was really into water quality) and he was just so enthusiastic about it all.

We eventually had a really wonderful tour and I had lunch with some cool students and my mom and I agreed that Walla Walla was a cute town, but I can't say for sure that I would have gone to Whitman if it hadn't been for the error on that letter and meeting Dr Wallace.  And if I hadn't gone to Whitman I would have never ended up in Walla Walla and met Matt and Laura and Lina.   And if I hadn't done that I don't know that I would have ended up getting into starting a local food co-op.  And I might not have ended up meeting farmers and then realizing I wanted to be a farmer.  And then where would I be?

Looking for a Sign Part 3: Year of the Moon

The moon is important for many farmers.  In Biodynamic farming all planets and celestial bodies are considered to effect plant growth, but the rising and falling of the moon is considered especially important.  Much like the pull of the moon effects tides it is also considered to effect the movement of sap in the plants.  This helps to dictate advantageous times to prune, cut timber, transplant, plant and harvest.  There is actually some science to back this up.  Planting by the moon is also advise by some Old Farmer Almanacs and certainly just the ability to work into the evening has inspired the title of the Harvest Moon for the moon occurring closest to the autumnal equinox.  All the old farmers in Walla Walla would also tell you that a frost is most likely right around the full moon, something that I observed during my time there for sure.

The moon is also obviously an important sign of fertility as human women and females of other species typically have their cycles in a way that corresponds to waxing and waning.

In my own life the cycles of the moon have also often denoted special happenings.  Particularly I remember all the full moon nights I had in Tanzania as being significant in one way or another, including on on which there was a lunar eclipse.

This year the full moon is on my birthday (May 6) and I am already planning to pick up some chicks for a laying flock on the full moon weekend, which also happens to be passover and easter (which I assume are always on the full moon since they follow the lunar calendar?)  The signs for this to be a year of lunar signs, especially full moons, seem plentiful.  This is perhaps not the best sign to pick as other than associations with women, fertility and menstruation it is often associated with madness and insanity.  Somehow I feel that that might also be apt.

Looking for a Sign Part 2: Year of Fire

I was introduced to the tradition of Beltane in Spring of 2009 by good friend Emily Dietzman of Welcome Table Farm.  Beltane is a celebration of the crosswise or halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, celebrated on May 1.  It usually involves big celebrations involving fire.  Traditionally you jump over the fire from one direction to another depending on what you want your year to have.  north symbolizes earth and stability (like Taurus), south for fire and passion, west for water and compassion, east for air and inspiration.

Beltane 2011 was during a tumultuous time in my life.  It has been about 6 months since a major relationship of mine had ended, a little less than a year since I had decided I would leave West End Farm, still 3 months before I would figure out where I would leave for, 4 months before I would actually move to Detroit.  I don't remember what direction I was trying to jump from but, I know I was jumping towards the east and some inspiration.  When I landed though I slipped backwards on the flowers encircling the fire and ended up in it for a second before my friends lifted me out.  At the time it was embarrassing, but fire became my theme for the year.

Besides being associated with the south and passion, fire is also cleansing and I think that it is a good sign for a year of new beginnings.  Besides my Beltane close encounter I rung in the new year 2012 with a bonfire down by the river.  It has been a year of new starts in myriad ways, but as Beltane 2012 approaches I am ready for a sign that is less wild and destructive.  It is probably my Taurus nature.

Looking for a Sign Part 1: Looking to the Heavens

I never read my horoscope.  Let's look at today's just for giggles: This may not be the best time for career or vocational decisions and practical advice to others. You could be experiencing a cycle of nostalgia. Family, home, relatives and real estate play a big part in your life. The time is right to invest in some more substantial type of investment like real-estate. You may find yourself looking for that special home or new place to live. You want to belong on a private, intimate, personal level . . . to be needed and to feel it's okay to have needs. You may realize that it takes money as well as love to make the world go around and you work to stay with the realistic way of thinking. Imagination helps dreams come true. You discuss ways to pump up the family income and are pleased with the suggestions.

Okay, well that was spookily relevant in an unplanned way.  So maybe I should rethink my position.

So while I don't usually read my horoscope or place any stock in astrology, I have always felt a strong connection to my given sign: Taurus.  Anyone who knows me will recognize the stubbornness and certainly the aptness of my being an earth sign.  As a bestial sign coarseness and caring more about making a point than elegance of argument are also common traits.  Here are some other things that wikipedia says about this sign: "Taurus is considered by astrologers to be a highly practical sign which is happiest when involved in some kind of creative process. Although generally considered easy-going and placid, as a fixed sign Taureans are likened to the bull in being slow to show anger, but capable of raging if pushed too far. And they take time to eventually act on their anger and basically when they (Taureans) do, be rattled, because there's no telling what they'll unleash upon you...."


While I don't consider myself an Astrologist, my Great Aunt Louise was.  When all of us kids were born she did our star charts for us and sent our parents little descriptions.  This was mine: "It looks to me like she'll have a strong will , a smart mind with plenty of fight and drive to go after what she wants, plus some nice upbeat aspects to give her a sunny cheerful nature.  She might be a bit of a flirt with Venus in Gemini."  I don't know how accurate all of that is, but I like to think it is at least a bit accurate.

Trees are the right height

I can safely promise you that this is the only time I will defend Mitt Romney, but I kind of know what he means about Michigan trees.

Recently people have been making fun of his comment that in Michigan the "trees are the right height".  While I've never said that, those are the weird sort of things you notice about the place you grew up when you go back to visit after a long time.  It is the little things about the landscape, that you can't quite put your finger on if pressed, but it just looks RIGHT.  Which is because it is home.

I only moved back to Michigan 6 months ago and as I was driving across the country, from Washington to Montana to Minnesota and finally Michigan (and all the non-M states in between) it just started to look more and more RIGHT.  And by that I mean that even though I hadn't lived here in 7 years it looked more like HOME.  Maybe it was the height of the trees, who am I to say.

Ringing in the new year with Black Eyed Peas

This is a year of fire for me (ask me about the past Beltaine sometime).  After ringing in the New Year with a bonfire down by the Detroit River I decided to make a spicy black eyed pea dish for my first dinner of the year.  Black Eyed Peas are a traditional new years dish for southern African Americans, though it actually dates back to ancient Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana) celebrations.  In this country they are usually cooked with ham hocks, but this recipe is vegan.

Fire-y Black Eyed Peas for New Year
A couple cups of black eyed peas, soaked over night
Vegetable broth (optional)
Onion, chopped
Leek, sliced
Celery, chopped
Carrot, chopped
Clove of garlic, chopped fine
Olive Oil
Spices and herbs (suggestions: cayenne pepper, basil, oregano, black pepper, rosemary, coriander)
2 cups canned tomatoes
1/4 cup pepper vinegar (optional)

Start cooking black eyed peas (bring to boil then turn down to a simmer).

In another heavy pan saute the onion, garlic and leek in a little olive oil.  Add the dry spices (wait to add herbs) and cook a little longer.  Add carrots and cook and stir until covered with oil and spices.  Add the beans and enough vegetable broth (or water) so that beans and veggies are just covered.  Add herbs.  Cook without lid over low simmer until beans are done cooking.  Add tomatoes and pepper vinegar (if you don't have pepper vinegar you might want to add more cayenne or some other source of capsicum spiciness).

Serve hot with sweet potatoes, greens and cornbread.