We're in Business

Better Farm's brand-new, custom-made farm stand and signs.

Last year was our first foray into organic gardening. Not knowing whether anything would grow in that hard, clay-rich North Country soil, Better Farm's interns and residents waded into the responsibility of no-till, no-pesticide, no-chemical fertilizer, 100-percent organic mulch gardening carefully. The ensuing crop—which supplied produce for the 12 people staying here—was all the indication we needed that whatever this mad experiment was, it was working.

So this year, we went bigger.

The amazing crop of interns (Jaci Collins, Natasha Pietila, Soon Kai Poh, and Elizabeth Musoke) set about doubling the size of this year's garden. Then, they (along with artist-in-residence Erica Hauser) built an additional bed for the herb gardens. Transplanting all the babies from the greenhouse took weeks. But when the proverbial smoke finally cleared, the veggies and fruits started coming. And coming. And coming.

With more food due than we can possibly eat, the latest mission has been to expand our outreach. First up was to begin the process of drying many of our herbs (parsley, cilantro, oregano, and dill so far). Next, and probably most important, was to upgrade from last year's farm stand:

Yes, it was totally adorable; but we needed more shade, more space, and more stability against the harsh winds and rains of the North Country. So we enlisted some nice Amish folks down by Pamelia, N.Y., to make us a farm stand just like theirs. We got to pick it up yesterday and stocked it this morning...

Organic, homemade soaps

Items available for sale (subject to season and ripeness):
Vegetables—cucumbers, onions, peas, lima beans, brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, string beans (two varieties), squash (three varieties), pumpkins, cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes (several varieties), peppers (two varieties), soybeans, beets, carrots, lentils, lettuce, spinach, asparagus
Herbs—chives, mint, cilantro, parsley, oregano, basil, summer savory, chicory, amaranth, chamomile, echinacea
Baked Goods—breads by special order, custom pies, cookies, brownies, and other baked goods. Vegan options available
Homemade Body and Home Care—100% organic soaps, shampoos, conditioners, laundry detergents, and dish soap

Ones to Watch: In.gredients

From the in.gredients website:

Reducing waste while eating foods that are good for the body and earth can seem impractical. While packaging makes up 40 percent of municipal waste streams in the US, avoiding packaging is sometimes impossible. Nearly all the food we buy in the grocery store is packaged, leaving us no choice but to buy packaged food that's not always recyclable.

in.gredients revolutionizes grocery shopping as we know it. Our goal is to reduce waste by ditching packaging altogether - creating the nation's first zero-waste, package-free grocery store! in.gredients will allow customers to fill reusable containers (even ones brought from home) with their groceries, making waste reduction easy, fun, and convenient!

Public Art Goes Up In Redwood

At our Annual Open House and Fundraiser in May, the crew at Better Farm invited the public to come by and participate in a betterArts-sponsored group art instillation to be displayed in downtown Redwood. We were thrilled to have such a high level of participation from so many people spanning all age groups (even a few toddlers!) and backgrounds. The canvas everyone painted on was yesterday installed in downtown Redwood at the pavilion:

Mike Brown

Eric Drasin

Increasing accessibility to the arts is all in betterArts' business model; and this is just the first of many installations, collaborative projects, and performance-esque pieces that will involve local residents (in addition to future efforts to provide music and art education at free or no cost to area residents).

 Please visit www.betterarts.org for more information or to contact us about getting involved.

In Bloom

Onion

Thanks to the hard work of interns, visiting artists, and WWOOFers, the gardens at Better Farm are in full bloom. Our brand-new, revamped farm stand will be up and ready for business by early next week; in the meantime, here's a photo tour of some things that will be available. Please note that all food grown at Better Farm is 100 percent organic, and grown without the use of any chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or even so much as a single roto tiller:

Basil

Asparagus ferns

Broccoli

Carrot

Celery

Lettuce

Oregano

String beans

Summer squash

Cherry tomatoes

Tomatoes

Not pictured: Cabbage, cauliflower, lima beans, soybeans, peas, blueberries, raspberries, peppers, cucumbers, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, spinach, kale, amaranth, summer savory, chamomile, echinacea, chicory, chives, cilantro, parsley, pumpkins, corn, and farm-fresh eggs.

Many thanks to this summer's intern staff: Jaci Collins, Natasha Pietila, Elizabeth Musoke, and Soon Kai Poh; WWOOFers Mollie Cross-Cole and Sara Hawkins; visiting artists Ruby Amanze, Joetta Maue, Jennifer Elizabeth Crone, Forbes Graham, Jessie Vogel, and Erica Hauser; and good ol' Mother Nature. You are what makes this possible.

Let There Be Light

Sometimes, solving some of the biggest problems involve the simplest of ideas. At least, that was the case in the Philippines; where a bottled liter of water with a few teaspoons of bleach is proving to be a successful recipe for dwellers in light-deprived slums. The simple technology is spreading sunlight in places where it has never been, and saving residents money at the same time.

Just another reminder that the biggest change often involves dreaming big and doing small.

(Reuters, 7/11/11)

Top 10 Benefits of Community Gardening

By Elizabeth Musoke

As I look around the garden at Better Farm, everything is beginning to take shape. We have a wide variety of vegetables growing. It is amazing to see things grow; you gain a new understanding and appreciation for what is on your plate.

I have loved community gardening so much that I wanted to research the benefits of having a community garden and how it relates to urban planning and the people that reside near it...(Yes, I am a little bit of an urban-planning nerd). I think the article I found, "Multiple Benefits of Community Gardening" by the Green Institute in Minnesota, relates to major urban cites as well as small towns. Any community, large or small, could reap the following benefits:

• Economically beneficial to the city/town
• Community gardens are less expensive to maintain than parkland.
• Property values around community gardens are shown to increase.
• Pocket Parks and Urban Greening
• Community gardens green and beautify the city/town.
• Residents have an enlightened appreciation of greenery.
• Exercise
• I can personally tell you that gardening is quite the work out. The article agrees and states that community gardens encourage physical activity and promote a healthy community.
• Improved Diets
• So far we have made salads from our garden and haven’t really had to purchase lettuce or other greens. As the harvest begins we will have more things to eat.
• Having a community garden allows you to eat fresh, eat locally and eat safely (you know exactly how you have grown your produce.)
• Food Production
• The article states that low income families can afford foods that they ordinarily would not be able to afford.
• Locally grown produce is seen as a more sustainable practice as it shortens the commodity chain (saving on fuel and packaging).
• The Urban Ecosystem
• Community gardens enhance the urban environment by: managing storm water runoff, reducing air pollution, reducing the “heat island” effect and more.
• Youth Education
• From my internship I have learned so much about managing a community garden and planting.
• I think the youth (and adults…it's never too late) could learn a lot about how food is produced, the environment and sustainable living.
• At my internship we have had to troubleshoot various garden problems and come up with solutions, learning new skills among other things. It has been very beneficial and you have a sense of satisfaction once you solve an issue.
• Cultural Opportunities
• Community Gardens in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area have provided various social and cultural enhancements:
1. Inter-generational exposure to cultural traditions,
2. Cultural exchange with other gardeners
3. Access to non-English speaking communities.
• I can say from experience you can really bond with people while working together for the same cause. You also learn a lot of new things from each other
• Horticultural Therapy
• The article describes this best: “Exposure to green space reduces stress and increases a sense of wellness and belonging.”
• It is quite an awesome feeling!
• Crime Prevention
• I found this part of the article particularly intriguing.
• The article states that community gardens instill a sense of pride and ownership within the community and builds a collective spirit.
• Gardens also increase the number of “eyes” on the street (there are more people outside watching the surroundings as they garden).

Check out the article for more in depth details!

DIY Coffee Table

By Mark Huyser

Today we made a simple table for the upstairs communal area of Better Farm.

This project was designed and financed as a donation by visiting WWOOFers Sara Hawkins and Mollie Cross-Mole.

After consulting with me the girls were sent off to get furniture-grade plywood and 3/4" oak veneer. The girls had the wood cut somewhat to size and brought it back to the farm.

I had Mollie and Sara design the curved legs and as the design was found it was off to the shop to start on the legs.



After beveling the edges on a 45-degree angle that had to be completed first (because we wanted to use one single board to make two half-legs) it was time to cut the curved legs with the jigsaw.





Next up was to tape the two half-legs together at the seam and apply wood glue to make an L shaped corner leg in which Mollie assisted after watching me assemble the first one.



After one hour, the glue was cured and the legs were ready for a sanding. First up was a 120-grit to get off all the glue residue and eliminate any scratch marks in the veneer; followed up by a quick sanding in 220-grit to ensure a smooth base finish.







The next step was to take the trim router and apply a small beveled edge to minimize injuries and extend the lifetime of the edges on the top plate and the middle board. Then it was back to sanding again.



Of course, a faithful carpenter's dog will not make way for dust and flying wood chips. Instead he will choose to stay right at your feet no matter what.



One of the last things that was left to do was to manufacture 3/4" x 3/4" support and fastening pieces. I chose this fast and simple method instead of using dowels or a biscuit joiner. This method fastens hidden and requires no dry time, which speeds the manufacturing of the table up substantially.



The last step for my part was to assemble all the pieces with wood glue and screws.





Now the table is off to the girls for further enhancement!



Thank you Mollie and Sara for this fun little project!

Learn more about Mark's projects or contact him for custom work by clicking here.

Better Farm's Stairway Goes from Hellish to Heaven

Better Farm's main staircase before, at left; and at right with new oak treads, fresh paint job, spindles, and custom newel post.

I've kicked around a bunch of different ideas for Better Farm's main staircase in the last two years; from utilizing a dead tree trunk as a hand railing to putting in new carpet to prevent slipperiness (bad idea, nixed that one almost immediately). Needless to say, we needed a new staircase design. Bad:

I did a bunch of online searching to see traditional farmhouse staircases, railings, and newel posts. Here are a few of my favorites:

 

Key here is the utter simplicity of old farmhouse stairs. They serve their function, they're beautiful in their directness, and they're free of over-the-top gaudiness or fanciness.

To start, I knew we needed spindles that were up-to-code in their distance from each other (check with your local building inspector to find out the rules in your town or state). We'd also need a new newel post. When I consulted with our carpenter, Gary Stevenson, we realized we could utilize some of the aged oak across the street my uncle had stored in the wood shed more than a decade ago. Gary ended up using the oak to build a custom newel post for the bottom of the stairs. He stained and cut the store-bought oak, which we used for new treads, spindles, and the newel post at the top of the stairs.

In the process of taking things off and moving them around, Gary found this gem; ancient-looking little girls' shoes hidden underneath one of the steps:

Gary labored away getting all the cuts right and painstakingly replacing each tread, spindle, newel post, and hand railing. And finally, he was done:

Many thanks to Gary Stevenson for his as-always amazing work; Garlock Building Supplies & Design Center for helping us pick out the upstairs newel post, hand rail, treads,and spindles; Joel Zimmer and Mark Huyser for volunteering their help in installing the handrail; and everyone at Better Farm for putting up with this work-in-progress during peak season.

Signage for Better Farm

WWOOFers Mollie Cross-Cole and Sara Hawkins have been hard at work in the gardens at Better Farm. But in addition to their interest in all things growing, these ladies are truly artists at heart.

So last week, they decided to make some signs for the facilities around the farm.

Amazing! Once the signs were done, it was just a matter of finding them homes around the property. Here's what we came up with:

Many thanks to Mollie Cross-Cole and Sara Hawkins for their wonderful artistry and donation, and to Mark Huyser for helping to cut, assemble, and hang the pieces.

Ingredients for a Rainwater Catchment System: Part II

By Elizabeth Musoke

We can now check most of the materials off our rainwater catchment ingredient list. The subsequent blog entry details the parts that make up our rainwater catchment system.

The structure in question: The Birdhouse. This structure was chosen because of the solid tin roof, as compared to the plastic sheeting on the greenhouse. The dilemma with this building is the steepness of the roof; steep roofs collect less water. But we are going to make it work somehow!

The gutter (left) and the downspout (right). The gutter will be cut and attached to the roof, and the downspout shall lead directly into the rainwater barrel.

The gutter drop outlet that connects to the downspout.

Brackets to hold up the gutter.

Reclaimed barrels that will be sanitized and used to collect the rainwater.

I have made preliminary mark-ups. The spigot will be placed 3 inches from the bottom of the barrel and fitted tightly into the barrel (X marks the spot).

The downspout has a width of about 2.5 inches. I marked out a square opening that is about 4 inches across to allow for water to flow easily into to the barrel.

Mosquito proofing! This is absolutely essential! An insect screen shall be placed over the openings of the barrel to stop mosquitoes, other insects and debris from entering the barrel.

Our last step is to acquire cinder blocks to raise the barrels off the ground. Stay tuned for more!

Read more:
Ingredients for a Rainwater Catchment System, Part I
Ingredients for a Rainwater Catchment System, Part Part III
Ingredients for a Rainwater Catchment System: The Results!

Better Farmers go Postal

Guerrilla painter.

A group of locals has for the last several months petitioned to have the Redwood Post Office painted. With all the flaking old paint, bare patches and dirt, the building wasn't looking its best. Redwood residents felt, rightfully so, that their public building should be a little more welcoming.

But up through the ranks, they were turned down. So without exterior funding, a group of volunteers on Saturday and Sunday scraped the old paint and then applied a fresh coat. They brought their own scrapers and brushes and senses of humor, they brought their own paint, and in no time this group numbering more than a dozen people had given the post office a facelift we can all take a little pride in.

Studies have shown again and again that people are affected by the spaces around them. Cleaning up graffiti on subway cars, for example, reduces incidences of vandalism and crime. An uncluttered home helps to de-clutter the mind. And so on. It stands to reason, therefore, that the buildings we frequent for shopping, dining, living, or even for getting the mail, have a negative effect on us if they're not cared for.

The entire field of environmental science deals directly with this very subject matter. Still, all this psychological mumbo-jumbo is certainly not the kind of thing we think about every day, if ever. But on some very basic level, we interact with clean spaces differently than dirty spaces; and those locations we feel best in are often those which are the most loved and cared for. We can now add the post office to that list. On behalf of one community member, I offer my sincere thanks and gratitude to the folks who gave up a part of their weekend to pay it forward. It's an honor to be in a place where people band together to take pride in the place they call home. And of course, big thanks to the entire gang from Better Farm who showed up with bells on to help out.

Here are the "before' shots of the front and back of the post office:

 And here's the Better Farm crew teaming up with locals to get 'er done:

Many thanks to all who came out to lend a hand!

The Green Rev-olution: 2011 car-buying guide

It's all over now, Baby Blue.

It was a very sad day for me when I realized that my 2004 Mini Cooper S was quickly nearing 100,000 miles; and that, in addition to its increasingly frequent need for expensive repairs, it would very soon be losing most of its resale or trade-in value.

And so it was with a heavy heart that I began the painful, arduous, frustrating process of figuring out what my next vehicle would be. Should I explore pick-up trucks for their usefulness around Better Farm? Was another Mini Cooper in the cards? Which vehicles were leading the pack for fuel efficiency? Emissions? Reliability?

I was surprised to learn that the Mini Cooper wasn't so much as ranking with these new car models. I continued my search and narrowed it by price range, size, and, practicality for my day-to-day life. 

With two dogs and frequently varied styles of transport needs, I knew I wanted a hatchback with back seats that could be folded down flat. I also knew I wanted something sporty with stick shift (six speeds if possible) and a two-door model. And, let's get serious, I am in no position to be checking out Lexuses. I did make a few phone calls in to the Mini dealership back in New Jersey where I got my last car, but their disinterest and unwillingness to so much as call me back in a timely manner turned me totally off. So I kept looking into top ratings for "green" vehicles in 2011, and found a bulletin from

Mother Earth News with the following:

This year’s list highlights the Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf, Toyota Prius, Ford Fiesta, Honda CR-Z and Volkswagen Jetta TDI as the best green cars in the 2011 model year.

I did some test driving and number-crunching (with a lot of help), and finally found my new car:

Volkswagen Golf TDI Diesel

Avg. Paid:

$23,995 - $25,755

Ranked by US News as 8 out of 33

Affordable Small Cars

, the new Volkswagen Golf (available as a 6-speed manual, hallelujah!) promises up to 50 mpg on the highway. Reviewers applaud the diesel option for its great fuel economy and torquey engine that make it a great city cruiser. But while on the

Volkswagen website

it says average city-driving speeds are in the 30mpg-range, I had a much different experience:

Not too shabby, eh? It takes a little getting used to to not be driving a glorified go kart around anymore (or hugging those turns on Cottage Hill Road the way I loved to—though the VW

does

zip around), and all the space is more than I'm accustomed to. But so far I've got to admit that the Volkswagen is quickly winning this little heart over. Happy motoring...

Almond Raisin Orangey Goodness Gluten-Free Cookies

by Mollie Cross-Cole

Adapted from Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by David Lebovitz, these cookies are little gems.  The addition of orange zest is a must.  My Singaporian roomie for two weeks at Better Farm, Soon Kai, whipped these up one night during a cut throat bake-off against traditional chocolate chip cookies (containing flour).  Myself and Biker Bob agreed these were the winners, no contest.  This recipe calls for sugar, which I don't normally bake with.  I can't wait to try them made with honey and possibly more orange zest! 

Almond Raisin Orangy Goodness Cookies
makes 60 small cookies
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 T finely chopped orange peel
1 1/2 C toasted chopped almonds
1 C raisins

Preheat the oven to 350
Cream the room temperature butter and sugars very well
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange peel, toasted almonds, and raisins
Mix the dry ingredients with the creamed butter and sugar
Slowly add the eggs one at a time
Chill for a few hours to overnight.
Using a spoon, shape into small balls of dough and place on a baking sheet
Bake at 350F for 10 minutes, then rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees.
Using a spoon, depress the tops of the cookies and continue baking for another 10 - 11 minutes.  Be careful not to let the bottoms burn.