Farm Planning: Planning the Farm on Paper

We closed on land in Manitoba in early 2016 and have been living in Yellowknife, NWT since then. As a result of this technicality, paper planning has been the primary feature of our farm life thus far. Our paper planning has been fairly extensive over the last two years and while nothing physical exists I have still learnt several very important lessons as a result of the planning process.

(Mr. Frank Silver, June 2016) 

Expect a Large Learning Curve
As my experience with indoor composting worms highlights, all new projects come with a steep learning curve. It is important to anticipate and react to this learning curve to prevent discouragement when projects do not go as planned.

Limitations of Paper Planning
There will be unexpected realities when attempting to follow any plan - no matter how detailed. I like to plan some flexibility into the official paper plan to accommodate these unexpected realities. Accepting the limits of paper planning allows one to embrace changes as new information is presented.

(The land, April 2018) 

The Importance of Permaculture
Even though we have yet to begin a farm project, I have embraced the importance of permaculture. I research and detailed an Angora rabbit plan to begin in Fall 2018 but soon discovered that if the rabbits exist outside of a permaculture system the cost of inputs and the problem of their outputs results in an expensive, time consuming and unnatural system. Instead I opted to delay the rabbit purchase until they can exist within a permaculture system which will be more beneficial overall.

There is a time and a benefit derived from paper planning, I am excited to begin projects IRL!

Review: Rabbit Raising

Lately, I have been pursuing archive.org. I find the collection of early 1900s chicken magazines fascinating but recently found a few interesting rabbit resources as well. 'Rabbit Raising' by George S. Templeton, Frank G Ashbrook, and Charles E. Kellogg was published in 1942 by the U.S. Department of the Interior and originally cost 10 cents! (Direct link here)

While it is important to be critical of any publication I do think that vintage publications should be approached with an extra critical eye simple due to the drastic changes in scientific knowledge that have occurred since 1942. With that said, here are some of the interesting information I gleaned from reading 'Rabbit Raising'.

- Rabbits waste a considerable quantity of hay as they pull a stem of hay from the manager, eat part of it and drop the rest. This wastage can be reduced by cutting the hay into 3 or 4 inch lengths.

- It is recommended to leave kits with the doe for a full 8 weeks because the mother's milk supply will gradually decrease over this time frame and the kits will become accustomed to consuming more solid foods as this decrease occurs. Natural weaning in this way results in less of a shock to the kit and the weight loss that occurs with sudden weaning will be avoided.

- When fed a mixed feed, rabbits will scratch out the most palatable kinds of feed resulting in considerable food waste. This can be resolved by placing the different grains and supplements in separate compartments so that rabbits have free access to any kind of feed they want. This means that the rabbit can consume the particular type of feed they desire without waste.

The Prairie Farmer

In the months after the purchase of our agricultural land we began to pay attention to agricultural issues as presented in social media and main stream media as they pertain to our future in Manitoba. There really seemed to be a vacancy in clear, concise, coverage of agricultural issues that presented the issues and concerns while remaining professional in nature. Rather than simply complain about this lack of journalistic coverage I decided to do something about it and The Prairie Farmer was born.

The Prairie Farmer is an annual print journal that discusses innovative agricultural ideas and techniques for backyard producers, market gardeners and mid-scale farmers through a balanced journalistic approach that focuses on prairie agricultural issues and is written by women of the Canadian prairies.

The Prairie Farmer accepts submissions from women (cisgender and transgender), transgender men, Two-Spirit and non-binary people of all backgrounds and identities. We prioritise submissions about experiences relating to the Canadian Prairie Provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba). Submissions of an academic, experimental, instructive, personal and/or artistic nature are welcome.

Please check out theprairiefarmer.blogspot.ca for more information!

Indoor Worm Composting: Lessons From the First Year

I have been exploring the wonderful world of vermicompost for the last year (see Indoor Worm Composting and Indoor Worm Composting: Update!)

Record Keeping
About half way through the year I started keeping detailed notes on my worm bins. I note the amount and type of food fed, vermicompost and worm harvest, and problems as they arise and resolve. This helped me see why my second bin developed a fruit fly infestation - I was basically overfeeding them which was apparent when reviewing the records. Accurate and detailed record keeping is a vital skill and habit to develop.   

Learning Curve
Any new skill set comes with challenges and the learning curve for composting worms was a bit steep for me - but I think I have a handle on it currently. Understanding that every practical, homestead, and livestock related skill will have a steep learning curve will allow me to set up future projects for success from the start by implementing changes slowly and scaling production at a reasonable rate. Recognising  that livestock projects have steep learning curves will also help me avoid disappointment when it's not all easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy and hopefully help keep livestock safe during that initial learning phase.

Hive Mind
I have two favourite Facebook groups (Vermicomposting and Red Worm Composting) and I love pursuing the posts there for personal education (for example, someone was experimenting with an all cardboard worm bin) as well as adding my 0.02 cents when it comes to helping out newbies. There is always more to learn and my favourite Facebook groups encourage that type of open communication, learning and polite discourse. 

Hopefully these skills will allow me to scale up production in the near future. My system has to get larger to fully incorporate the food scrapes that we produce. Additionally I have some ideas to allow for a small stream of income to emerge. To that end I recently made a Beginner's Guide to Worm Composting zine.

Indoor Worm Composting: Update!

I've had my Indoor Worm Composting system since February (see first post here) and over the summer I switched from the 5 gallon bucket system to the more common rubbermaid tote system. I found that the materials became dense in the bucket system and I found it difficult to regulate feeding. The tote system seems to have a better surface area ratio which makes the upkeep simpler. 

Once I made the switch to totes, my worm population really took off so I started a second bin (which is currently stacked in my kitchen!) I find it difficult to remove finished vermicompost from an active bin as the uneaten food, bedding, and finished compost is mixed together so I plan on only feeding the new bin. This should allow the worms in the first bin to eat through all available food making harvesting vermicompost easier.   

I have also started a more detailed record keeping system. Each bin has a sheet that details the Bin #, date started, and the initial worm count/type. This sheet also has a place to record the date and amount of vermicompost removed as well as the date and amount of worms removed. A second sheet tracks the inputs for each bin by recording the date, bin #, type and amount of food, as well as type and amount of bedding. I hope this record keeping system will improve my worm wrangling abilities! 

Review: Raising the Home Duck Flock

(Photo from Thriftbooks) 

Next in the 'Modern Guide' saga, is 'Raising the Home Duck Flock' (1978). This book offers a good overview of raising ducks and presents ducks as an viable and easy alternative for the homestead. Ducks seem to have an easy place within a permaculture design as ducks can forage for insects while simultaneously controlling insects in the garden. Ducks require less infrastructure than chickens and can even be raised without a permanent shelter (given the correct conditions). 

This resource presents ducks as an easy and low-maintenance homestead animal and because of this, it feels like this resource is lacking details - especially in the area of problem solving. This could be a deficit in the resource or perhaps - ducks really are a unproblematic homestead resource!

Raising Poultry the Modern Way

Raising Rabbits the Modern Way

Review: Raising Rabbits the Modern Way

Next on our series of 'Modern Way' resources, is the Raising Rabbits the Modern Way which was published in 1975.

(Photo from Thriftbooks)

Overall, this book is a decent resource that I am glad to have on my shelf but it is far from a comprehensive guide to raising rabbits. Some information is down right outdated and the author leads (although less so than in Raising Poultry the Modern Way) towards the adoption of industrial agriculture's mindsets and motivations. Additionally, information regarding pedigree/registered and specific breeds is entirely the author's personal opinion with very little neutral information presented. 

The information regarding choosing your first rabbits is helpful as well as the basic information presented regarding genetics. I also enjoyed the author's ideas regarding a side business making and selling rabbit cages and growing food in your garden for your rabbits. I also like the addition of rabbit recipes. 

   

Review: Raising Poultry the Modern Way

The modern series released by Storey has a good reputation. I grew up with several of the series in our house as well as our neighbour's house and many seem to be classic tomes of agricultural knowledge. With that in mind I ordered a few on thriftbooks.

(Photo from Thriftbooks.)

Sadly this publication from 1983 does not hold up to the reputation of the series. It is a product of its time with the focus on 'bigger is better' through the imitation and replication of industrial agricultural's methods, motivations, and practices. 

The following are some bits of advice that I would never follow: 

Broody behaviour in poultry is uniformly viewed as negative and should be 'broken'.  

To avoid feather picking and cannibalism, chicken combs are cut off with manicure scissors. 

Washing eggs before incubation is advised as a blanket procedure.   

All poultry houses are to have indoor lighting. 

Some of the scientific information on capons, egg hatching, and butchering was acceptable and basic enough to withstand the change in agricultural management. 

The chapter on water fowl was a tiny bit interesting to me as this was the first time I have done any research on water fowl - but I suspect that after a few more resources I will feel the same way about the water fowl chapter as I did the rest of the book. 

Resources: Homesteading Facebook Groups

Grow Your Own Cut Flowers: While this group is set up by a business, it is full of beautiful pictures of cut flowers and is overall a pleasant and helpful group. While advice posts occur, this group is primarily a place to share photos and to get arrangement ideas from others through photos posted.

Red Worm Composting and Vermicomposting - Worm Farming: Both of these groups are open, inviting, and willing to answer both basic and advanced worm composting questions in a friendly and accepting manner. Excellent resources for worm composting.

Market Gardening Success Group: While this group frequently discusses their mandate of being a place for 'professional' market gardening there is some good advice and conversation within this group. If you are new to market gardening or just growing a large garden for personal use I would suggest that you utilise the search function rather than posting for advice.

CSA Farmer Discussion: This group is a decently friendly group for folks running CSAs unfortunately you have to fill out a google form before admins let you join. There are some good discussions and advice regarding running a CSA in this group.

Winter Sowing (Vegetable Gardening with Sheryl Mann) : While my first experiments with winter sowing were not successful, I find this group to be a welcoming introduction to winter sowing.

Tanning, Leather & Fur Crafting: I've been lurking in this group for a while but do not participate very often. It seems to be a fairly welcoming group and there is a plethora of information contained here. I'm a bit overwhelmed at the thought of tanning but it is something I want to get into.

I'm still searching for a good Angora rabbit group that focuses on wool production and a friendly chicken group.

Almanac 84 Mini Zine

It's been about a year since we closed on our 84 acres of land in Manitoba. I have spent a lot of time over the last year developing skill-sets and researching with specific land projects in mind. I managed to put together a mini zine round-up of those skills along with a few short essays.

This small zine is available as freebie if you order Plot 13. 

Or contact me (wingedsnail99@hotmail.ca) if you would like to trade! 

Indoor Worm Composting

Indoor worm composting has long been on my to-do list as I think it is a wonderful way to compost in small indoor spaces. Worries about escaping worms and smells kept me from starting a indoor worm composting system for many years but I found a DIY system using 5 gallon buckets and a local place giving out free starter worms so I decided that with low financial inputs I could give it a try! I was also excited to have my first 'livestock'!

Benefits of the bucket worm composting method: 

• Stacking five gallon buckets took up a lot less floor space than the traditional plastic tote. 
• Holes drilled in the bottom of the buckets allow for easy worm migration which means no messy separation of worm casting and worms. 
• Affordable system that can be reused if worm composting doesn't wind up working out. 

Worm Care:

Feed worms vegetable scraps but avoid meat, oil, and breads. 

Bucket should contain 'browns' which include newspaper, cardboard, and/or egg cartons.

Troubleshooting:

The food is mouldy! I sometimes over-fed my worms and some of the food gets a bit mouldy. When this happens I simply add more newspaper or cardboard and reduce food for a while. This seems to quickly resolve the problem. 

What should it smell like? I love the smell of my worm bucket! It smells like warm, damp, earth!  

Seed Purchases

It is easy to overspend on seeds as each package is only a few dollars and you have to purchase a certain amount to justify the shipping costs. Here are a few ways I keep my seed spending under control.

1. Limit the number of seed catalogues. If you do not like the selection of seeds, the business practices, the customer service or the germination rate from one company stop getting that seed catalogue. It will reduce temptation and help you spend your seed money wisely.

2. Save seeds. While seed saving from some plants are more difficult there are plenty of easy seeds to save. Seed saving will eventually result in plants that are ideal for your micro climate, save you money, and you will be able to trade with others for different varietals.

3. Make a plan. Before I even crack into a seed catalogue I have a list of the seeds I saved and have left from the previous year as well as a plan regarding new varietals and new plants I want to try for the upcoming year. This plan includes broad garden goals such as 'some plants for dye' and 'some plants that are unique and catch my eye'. This ensures that I purchase required seeds and limits my need to make just one more seed order and simultaneously allows for spontaneous experimental purchases.

4. Order from a set number of companies. I always make a large purchase from Heritage Harvest because it is a small Manitoba company that I love supporting. Limiting the number of orders I make ensures that I plan my purchases and minimises the cost of shipping small lots.

Off-Grid Laundry

Washing Machine: 

(Photo from Lehman's) 

I purchased this off-grid, home washing machine in January 2015 and have been doing the majority of my laundry by hand since. I use the coin operated machines in the apartment building for sheets, blankets, and towels as well as anytime I am sick or have an injury. This machine was a sort of litmus test to see if we'd be truly able to go 'off-grid' in the future and thankfully I really enjoy doing laundry this way. I've found that it actually has encouraged me to wear those articles of clothing that are a bit more unusual than my regular t-shirts and jeans. For example, I used to avoid wearing a specific coloured shirt because it would get dingy if I washed it with unlike colours but I did not have enough similar coloured clothing to warrant a complete laundry cycle but with a small machine such as this I can easily wash and wear! The Wonder Wash has a few design problems but the basic barrel works well. I took the suction cups off the bottom of the stand and never use the drain spout. 

I have found that off-grid laundry is easier if you do small batches on a regular basis rather than accumulate dirty laundry that results in a long and tiring laundry day. I do 2 or 3 loads twice a week.  

Soap:

(Photo from Well.ca)

I've been using soap nuts for several years for laundry. They are a naturally occurring tree product but is imported. I like that the this is a natural product but the imported nature bothers me. There are several 'soap' replacements that can be grown in North America which I will look into in the future. This is the best choice for me in the meantime. 

Garden Planning: Selecting Seeds

I just received word that I get to garden in a community garden plot this summer! This is good news because I really need to improve my green thumb before we move to the land. I have picked a few things to grow and put in a few seed orders. Here are the guiding principles I used to plan my garden - which I thought might be helpful to other new gardeners. 

1. Stick to one seed company. Seed catalogues are so fun to receive and look through but actually choosing and ordering seeds from all those companies can get overwhelming and expensive. I chose to order from Heritage Harvest because I like their business practices, they are a Canadian company, and their print catalogue had choices without being overwhelming. 

2. Grow what you want to eat. For some reason gardeners are obsessed with tomatoes but I really don't enjoy eating tomatoes so I avoided that category. I did however choose two types of beets and multiple herbs for my little garden.

3. Food experiments. I choose some plants with the intention of experimenting with the harvest. For example, nasturtiums will be made into capers and I really want to dry chamomile flowers to be used in teas. As a foodie, goals of this type are important as these experiments will help ensure long term interest in the garden. 

  

4. Keep it simple. Once you start browsing seed catalogues and pinterest for gardening ideas there will be more ideas than you can accomplish in any one growing season. This is true of all gardeners but its beneficial for newbies to keep the garden plan simple. 

5. Define success before you start. This year my definition of success is 'if one plant grew in my plot then I had a successful gardening year'. I don't have to harvest anything. I don't have to eat a single meal made of homegrown vegetables. If my raised bed has one green plant that I intentionally planted in it at any point in the season then my gardening year was a success.