Introducing betterArts Resident Sally Jane Kerschen-Sheppard

Sally Jane Kerschen-Sheppard is an award-winning playwright, certified yoga instructor, production manager for theatre events, and worker in the not-for-profit sector who has joined us at Better Farm for the month of August through a betterArts residency designed to give her time and space to work on a new, full-length play.


That play is, according to Sally Jane, "about an estranged family that must reunite at their family farm as the impending economic apocalypse draws near (actually being on a farm while writing about living on one will be very helpful!)." Her inspiration for the play comes from two main events: the 2008 financial collapse and its aftermath; and her own family and their family farm in Texas.

"My grandfather owned the farm for more than 60 years," Sally Jane told us, "and when he passed away he left the land to his children... unevenly. This has caused a great rift in our family, and the end result will be the total sale of the farm. So I am also fascinated by the idea of what would happen if they had to live together on the farm if that was their only means of surviving an economic meltdown."

And though she's worked among many writers in the past at summer writers' conferences, Sally Jane has this to say:  "The irony of working at a summer writers' conference is that I don't actually get any writing done. As a staff member I am 'on the clock' 24 hours a day, and most of my time is spent making sure events run smoothly... During the rest of the year, I work a full-time job at a non-profit organization, teach yoga, and stage-manage theatre productions for a young writers program. I try to write in the evenings or on weekends, but it's clearly not enough time. I have realized that I need to put my writing first, and I need a concentrated amount of time without outside distractions in order to make that happen... I want to spend time surrounded by the natural beauty and artistic energy that a betterArts residency would offer."

Now we've got her helping out in the gardens and with the chickens, cooking up jambalaya, and writing to her heart's content. Stay tuned for information on an upcoming reading from Sally Jane's play, and introductory yoga workshop taught by the writer!

For more information about betterArts' residency program, click here.

Preserving: Zucchini storage

By Salman Akhtar

Massive zucchinis are raining down from the skies at Better Farm!! Well, basically. While zucchini-related weather is a bit of an exaggeration, we have grown an impressive number of these delicious veggies this summer. As a result, we realized a need to learn a new trick – how to properly store zucchini. Here’s what we came up with:

1. One of the ways to store zucchini over a long period of time is to freeze it. To do so, one must first wash their favorite zucchini (or any zucchini, you don’t need a preference for this to work).
2. Next, cut your zucchini into ½ inch slices. For the next few steps, you will need a pot of boiling water on the stove, and a pot of ice-cold water on your counter.
3. In the pot of boiling water, blanch your zucchini slices for about 3 minutes (Note: blanching is simply the process of boiling a fruit or vegetable for a short period of time).
4. Remove your zucchini from the boiling water and place it in the ice-cold water for 5 minutes. If you’re doing more than one zucchini be sure to keep adding ice to the cold water to keep it, you know, cold.
5. Remove the zucchini from the water and place it in a freezer bag/container, make the seal as airtight at possible, and move the bag or container into your freezer
6. Celebrate your success!  

Introducing betterArts Resident Kristie Hayes Beaulieu

"Decked Out", 2011, part of Kristie's x-ray art series

Kristie Hayes Beaulieu is a high school art teacher and professional visual artist visiting us for two weeks from Syracuse, N.Y. through the betterArts residency program. Her work has been featured in more than a dozen group and solo exhibitions in galleries as far away as Detroit, and her recent "x-ray art series" has been featured on the cover of Academic Medicine and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists' medical publication.

"I love meeting new people," Kristie told us, "I love new opportunities... I like the fact that betterArts offers a communal setting. I love the outdoors and my husband and I agreed that this might be a great mix for me at my first residency. I am an artist driven to thrive... I hope to bring ideas to the table, work with others, and to have time away from my home to develop my work without distraction."

Here's her work space out in the Art Barn:

 

And a few photos of Kristie's creative process:

Since her arrival last Sunday, Kristie has already completed four pieces! She's also made her mark at Better Farm, lending an immeasurable hand with gardening, chicken, and homesteading duties, cooking yummy meals for the house, her frisbee prowess, and—most importantly—her friendship.

To see more work or to contact the artist, visit www.kristiehayes.com. For more information about betterArts and its residency program, click here.

What's Good (And Growing) at Better Farm

After some intermittent bursts of heavy rains in the last week, our garden flipped into high-gear. Here's a pictorial synopsis of some of the fruits of our labor:

Squash

Cherry Tomatoes

Pole String Beans

Sunflowers

Kale

Corn

Cabbage

Zucchini

Cucumber Melon

Cantaloupe

Watermelons

Peppers

Better Farm's farm stand is open 9-7 Mondays through Fridays, or you can stop in at the house or in the gardens anytime to check in with our staff on what organic produce we've got available!

Our Nature's Apprentice Puts Himself Between Mountain, Coal Corporation

Matt Smith, at right, and friend in West Virginia.

Release: Largest MTR mine shut down!

Editor's note: Better Farm's resident Matt Smith headed south to West Virginia last week in order to help shut down Patriot Coal's Hobet Mine in Lincoln County. The protests, designed as a call for the end to strip mining and a just transition for the region's families, resulted in 20 arrests. Patriot Coal's intent is to remove the top of a mountain in order to extract coal. The activists argue that this process causes irreversible damage to the environment, and potentially fatal health issues for people living nearby. Read more about mountaintop removal here.

It was a dramatic scene Saturday, July 28, near the now abandoned community of Hagertown in a remote area of Lincoln County in southern West Virginia.  Just after 1 p.m. a fifteen vehicle caravan pulled up at the entrance of Patriot Coal’s Hobet Mine No. 45. Fifty mountain defenders quickly exited the cars, taking by surprise the lone woman worker standing outside the guard shack at one of the largest mountain-top removal coal mining operations in Appalachia.

The nonviolent intervention action was coordinated by the grassroots organization R.A.M.P.S.—Radical Action for Mountain People’s Survival.   Arrests ensued: Now, Matt and 19 others are being held in the Western Regional Jail after shutting down the largest mountaintop removal site in Appalachia. The bail was set at $25,000/person and can only be secured to property in West Virginia. The jail reported that Matt and the others are set to go before a judge tomorrow.
 
The Lincoln county Magistrate office is 304-824-7887.
Western Regional Jail phone number is 304-733-6821.

Below is the story.


Saturday, July 28th, 2012
posted by admin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2012
Contact: Charles Suggs, 304-449-NVDA (6832), media@wg.rampscampaign.org
Talking Points document: http://rampscampaign.org/key-messages-of-mountain-mobilization/

“Mountain Mobilization” shuts down Lincoln Co. strip mine

Call for end to strip mining and a just transition for the region’s families

Charleston, W.Va.—More than 50 protesters affiliated with the R.A.M.P.S. Campaign have walked onto Patriot Coal’s Hobet mine and shut it down.  Ten people locked to a rock truck, boarded it and dropped banners: ”Coal Leaves, Cancer Stays.”  At least three have been arrested, with another in a tree being threatened by miners with a chain saw.  Earlier in the day, two people were arrested at Kanawha State Forest before a group of protesters headed to the state capitol.

“The government has aided and abetted the coal industry in evading environmental and mine safety regulations. We are here today to demand that the government and coal industry end strip mining, repay their debt to Appalachia, and secure a just transition for this region,” Dustin Steele of Matewan, W.Va. said.  Steele was one of the people locked to the rock truck.

Mounting scientific evidence shows that strip mining negatively impacts community health and miner health.   Recent studies have found a 42 percent increase in risk of birth defects around strip mines, and miners who spend at least 20 years as strip-mine drillers have a 61 percent chance of contracting silicosis, a virulent form of black lung.  “The coal companies are poisoning our water and air, and they’re treating the workers no better than the land – fighting workplace health and safety protections to get the most out of labor as they can,” said Junior Walk of Whitesville, W.Va.

As coal production declines, protesters are concerned that the region will be left with only illness and environmental devastation as the industry pulls out of the region and companies file for bankruptcy to shed legacy costs.


Patriot Coal is currently going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy, in which union contracts and pensions could be on the chopping block.  Both UMWA pensions and the state’s Special Reclamation Fund are funded through a per-ton tax on coal.  With Central Appalachian coal production in the middle of a projected six-year, 50 percent decline, this funding stream is increasingly unsustainable.  Protesters are calling on the coal industry and government to ensure that funding is available both to honor commitments to retired workers and to restore the land.

“Coal companies must employ their surface mine workers in reclaiming all disturbed land to the highest standards.  Instead of arguing about the ‘war on coal,’ political leaders should immediately allocate funds to retrain and re-employ laid off miners to secure a healthy future for the families of this region,” said R.A.M.P.S. spokesperson Mathew Louis-Rosenberg.

Appalachian communities, from union miners to the anti-strip mining activists of the 1960s, have a proud history of confronting the coal industry and demanding an end to its exploitive practices with direct civil disobedience. R.A.M.P.S. and other campaigns have returned to this tradition to eliminate strip mining once and for all. Since its founding in 2011, R.A.M.P.S. has organized a range of actions, from tree-sits to blockades of coal trucks.

Today’s protesters are among the hundreds of people across the country who are joining this summer’s National Uprising Against Extraction, using radical tactics to fight oppressive extractive industries and demand a transition to a sustainable economy.

All photos from Flickr.

To learn more:

"Mining protesters' $25K bail reasonable, magistrate says", the Charleston Gazette
"Escalating the Resistance in West Va. to Mountain top Removal Coal Mining", Action South
"Surface mining protesters still in jail, say bail amounts are unfair", WOWKTV.com

Cubism

If you've ever set foot in the Better Farm library, you've probably noticed our extensive record collection. Unfortunately, these hundreds of records have been sitting on uneven shelving for a while and are in jeopardy of warping. In order to free up precious library space and preserve our records, we really needed some sort of sturdy, modular shelving that could be arranged (and rearranged) as our needs changed.

The typical thing to do in this situation would be to hop online and look for some easy, cheap shelving at IKEA. But home improvement is almost always cheaper, more fun, and better for the earth when it's done at home. So this week the Better Interns (and friends!) set out to create cubby-style shelves. We created a design for 5-sided cubes with a 13.5" x 13.5" workable space  based on a larger plan found at www.knock-offwood.com.

Note: if you create your own design and need help visualizing/planning, try to mock it up in the free version 

Google Sketchup

!

Anyway, here is our supplies list for three boxes:

• Wood glue

• Hammer and nails (or nail gun)

• Table saw

• One 4' x 8' x 3/4" piece of plywood

From there, we created our cut list (the pieces of wood necessary for one box):

• 2 pieces 15" x 15" x 3/4" (top and bottom)

• 2 pieces 15" x 13.5" x 3/4" (sides)

• 1 piece 13.5" x 13.5" x 3/4" (back)

We then used the table saw to cut our plywood lengthwise into three 15-inch strips. (Remember: measure eight times, cut once! No saw will give you a perfect cut, so it's important to be meticulous if you want your box to look good). From there, we cut the strips into 15" x 15" squares. After we had all of our squares, we adjusted the saw 13.5 inches and trimmed the squares to that length as needed.

With all of our pieces ready, we mocked up one box, assembling it without nailing or gluing. When we figured how we wanted our pieces to fit together (which side would face outwards, which facet would connect with which piece of wood, etc.), we set out gluing and nailing. The final result? Pretty snazzy. 

Backyard Foraging

Foraging may not be the perfect rainy-day event, but we got a kick out of it and actually learned tons about what's growing right in our own backyard! Here's what we gathered yesterday afternoon:



Milk Thistle

Nearly all parts of the milk thistle plant can be consumed as a food without harm. The plant is however, best known for its medicinal benefits such as increasing appetite and aiding in digestion. It is also used to cleanse the liver, treat gall bladder disease, jaundice, cirrhosis, hepatitis and poisoning. Most of the plant can be eaten raw or cooked. The leaves for example, make a great spinach substitute when steamed (be sure to remove the sharp leaf-spines first). The seeds, when roasted, make a great coffee substitute.
Side note: This plant almost looks identical to burdock.

Sumac

Unlike Poison Sumac, which can be identified by its white drupes, the fruits from the Smooth and Staghorn Sumac form dense clusters of reddish drupes. The dried drupes can be ground to produce a tangy , tart purplish spice used in a variety of foods, including salad dressings, meats, rice and hummus. Sumac is also used to make a beverage like tea. This drink is made by soaking the drupes in cool water, rubbing them to extract the essence, straining the liquid through a cotton cloth and sweetening it.

Cattail

The cattail is one of the most useful wild plants that aid in survival through edible, medicinal and other functional purposes. Cattails can be found all over the world in places with year-round standing water or wet soil, and can be identified by their characteristic brown seed head located a few inches from the top of the plant. In late spring to early summer the female flower spike (which later develops into the characteristic ‘cattail’ seed head) can be broken off and eaten like corn on the cob once boiled. Additionally the rootstock can be eaten raw or boiled – simply dig up the cattail and clean off the dirt from the root. Check out the small, pointed shoots called ‘corms’ coming off the root, which can be peeled and eaten or added to a salad.

Milkweed

: Lastly, we came across milkweed. We found that you can actually harvest the unopened flower buds (which look like miniature heads of broccoli) and put them in soup, casserole, stir-fry etc, or simply boil them.

For more information: http://www.ediblewildfood.com

Rotary Sponsors Free Workshops for Kids

Watertown Evening Rotary will sponsor two upcoming arts classes for children as part of a free summer workshop series put on by betterArts, Inc., in Redwood.

The two free workshops, “Mosaic Using Recycled Material” and “Belly Dance and Hip-Hop”, will be taught Saturday, Aug. 4.

Mosaic Using Recycled Material is for ages 5 and up. Held from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., students will learn the craft of Mosaic; the art form of creating image by collage and assemblage of unique and recycled bits and pieces. Students will learn basic skills and technique, gluing and grouting, and finishing a small mosaic piece on a wooden base utilizing recycled materials including stones, ceramics, shells, art glass, broken tile, mirrors, and beads. Materials will be provided, but students are welcome to bring any thing from home they would like to incorporate.

Belly Dance and Hip-Hop for Kids is for all ages and will be held from 2-5 p.m. on the same day. Kids will get a fun, healthy workout with two forms of dance they are sure to enjoy! Children can have fun learning basic belly-dancing moves while developing core strength and learning about American Tribal Belly dancing. In the hip-hop unit, students will learn the latest and greatest moves. This course is for all skill levels, and will include a thorough warm-up, proper stretching, and individual attention.

Pre-registration is required. Call (315) 482-2536 or e-mail info@betterarts.org to sign up.

BetterArts is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to the arts throughout Redwood, N.Y. and surrounding areas through the provision of free and low-cost workshops, residencies, private instruction, studio and gallery space, performances, and events. All workshops are held at betterArts' location on Better Farm, 31060 Cottage Hill Road, Redwood. Click here for more information.

Declaring War on Squash Bugs

By Amanda Treco

Organic gardening means troubleshooting ways to deal with all the bugs who have access to poison-free plants. Recently, we've discovered a large amount of squash bugs taking up residency on our zucchini plants. Because the plants are mature, this is less of an issue than for immature plants—but left unchecked, this could become a hazard even for the mature zucchinis.

Despite using our organic pesticides, the squash bugs multiply rapidly. We hope that the bugs will not spread to our cucumber plants as well. So far, the best method we have found is to rid the plants of the egg masses that are being hatched on the undersides of the leaves, throwing any bugs we find into a bucket of hot, soapy water, or dousing the leaves themselves with hot, soapy water. This method is more about the removal of the bugs with water and less about the pesticides being used. This influx of squash bugs has proven to be quite the challenge, and we will continue to experiment with new management techniques. 

Greening Your Toiletries

Most of us use dozens of beauty products and toiletries without giving a second thought to their ingredients and health impacts.

The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization that aims to protect public health and the environment, states that the average adult uses nine products daily containing up to 126 different chemical ingredients. Most of these ingredients require no testing or are tested by the companies selling the product.

Luckily, there are plenty of resources out there to guide us though the litany of ingredients on our product labels. The EWG offers a cosmetic database (click here!)

that provides information and health concerns on most ingredients you would find on a label. There are also resources out there that provide a concise list of synthetic ingredients to avoid. Organic Consumers. Org for example, provides a top ten list, of toxic ingredients that are most harmful to your body. Your best bet is to minimize the number of products you use and to look for the certified organic label. The greatest rule of thumb is to never put something on your skin that you would not put into your mouth. Fruit and Vegetable based products are always best! We recently made several kinds of organic soaps out of simple and natural ingredients such as: coconut oil, orange peel, cucumber, mint, coffee,flax seed, cinnamon, etc. All available for sale at out farm stand!

Upcycled Planters

Everything from old ceiling fixtures to colanders can be upcycled into planters, saving you lots of money and keeping untold amounts of random old items out of landfills.



With a recently completed renovation on one of the bathrooms at Better Farm, we found ourselves with an old toilet and sink that were just begging to be planted. For aeration and to cut down on the amount of necessary potting soil, we lined the bottom of the containers with stones, sticks, compost, and hay; then made a layer of rich topsoil. We planted our flowers directly into that mixture, and voila:

To fill the front space of the sink, we took the front of an old drawer and attached it to the other structure.

Another idea, though one requiring a little more space, is our piano tomato planter:

Got a great upcycling idea? Send it to us at info@betterfarm.org.

Another Roadside Attraction

In the spirit of unusual roadside attractions, and reminiscent of cross-country trips routed in accordance with said attractions, I thought it would be fun to create something for Better Farm that would offer motorists and passersby a creative stopping point on the road.



So, next to our farm stand, we've installed an interactive photo op for the public to enjoy. Made with acrylic paint, a sheet of plywood, and a lot of creativity, this roadside attraction is sure to brighten anyone's day.Here's how it was made.

First, we recruited our intern Amanda Treco to create the outline. The imagery evokes the classic painting "American Gothic" (with a little Rosie the Riveter thrown into the mix—the tattoo on the woman's arm says "We Can Do It", and you'll notice her bandana!), a chicken, a sunflower, and a very friendly deer called Star Wars. After Amanda made the outline, she enlisted the help of the rest of the crew here to color in the lines:

Once the main points were filled in, we called on Carl Frizzelle to cut out the faces with a jigsaw:

 Here's Noah making sure everything is going smoothly:

...and the finished cuts:

Then for some final touch-ups:

And, drum roll please: