In early May, the paddies are ready for rice planting in a satoyama region of Chita Peninsula. Photo by Kato Sadamichi. By Kato Sadamichi and Allison Wallace Imagine for a moment that the Europeans never arrived in the Americas – that the Vikings never stumbled upon the Atlantic’s western shore, and those three little ships
By Jean English The story is the same, only the crop variety and country have been changed. The story is one of small scale farmers who were producing primarily for local markets being told by foreign governments and multinational corporations that they have to change their ways: to monocultures; export crops; synthetic pesticide and fertilizer
In Carasque, El Salvador, grower Betto Ayala peels a pineapple while his animals enjoy the rind. A delegation of farmers and activists from MOFGA’s “sister” groups in El Salvador will come to Maine in September and participate in the Common Ground Country Fair. Photo by Lucy Funkhouser. The El Salvador delegation By Lucy Funkhouser In
A bento box lunch containing dead dinos, primordial sludge, and fossils, by Laurel McFarland. Laurel McFarland photo. By Cheryl Wixson My elder daughter, Laurel, who works as a nanny and home schools two delightful children, is always sharing with me photographs of the colorful and fun lunches she prepares for her charges. Using bright purple,
By Roberta Bailey My mother always said that things cycle back into fashion every 30 years or so. Usually she was talking about the clothes in the attic. I am not sure if it is an age thing, but I am starting to believe her. Maybe I had to let enough years pass to actually
By Melissa White Pillsbury Being largely self-employed and self-sufficient, diversified farmers as a whole may be faring better than average in this harsh economic climate. But numbers don’t lie – it’s tough out there for many Americans, and Maine is no exception. According to the most recent data available from the USDA Food and Nutrition
Rabbits on pasture. Photo courtesy of www.cuniculture.info/Docs/Phototheque/Materiel07.htm By Diane Schivera, M.A.T. Raising rabbits on pasture allows the animals to exercise, engage more easily in natural behavior, and improve their overall quality of life, while giving the farmer a way to move or manage rabbit housing easily. Rabbits raised on pasture produce more meat and meat
By Polly Shyka When people think of a farmer’s tools, most conjure images of hoes, spades, seed packages and maybe tractors. They don’t readily associate computers with the farming profession, yet many farmers spend hours “at the desk” each week, speaking and e-mailing with customers, taking orders, researching, communicating with CSA members, bookkeeping. Some are
Extra veggies were offered for the taking at Simply Grande Gardens CSA. Photo by Jean Ann Pollard. By Jean Ann Pollard From 1995 to 2005, my husband, Peter Garrett, and I ran a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) garden in Winslow, Maine. Once a hayfield, our land was perfect for growing vegetables: It was flat, cleared
Use Google Earth to print a map of your farm or garden area, then trace the outline of that map to create your own landscape design. Map courtesy of Google. Garden plan by Victoria Scanlan Stefanakos. By Victoria Scanlan Stefanakos Last spring, whenever I looked up from the mud while trying to outrun the rain
