Mossback Farm » Resources

Department of Food

rich — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:23:39 +0000

Local boy made good Nicolas Kristof has a column in the NY Times about renaming the US Dept of Agriculture…it’s worth a read.

Update: Ridenbaugh notes that Kristof posted some pictures of his FFA life in the 70′s…I think I recognize the hill behind him….

Wikimapia

rich — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:07:32 +0000

Another fun web mapping application is out there…Wikimapia is (obviously) a wiki that allows the public to edit locations and add features to maps. Some of that interactive versatility exists in Google Earth (and so much more), but this seems pretty slick, with lower bandwidth requirements.

And I see our friends Clare and Brian are already wikimapped. And we are here.

Looking for chicken or turkey?

val — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:29:38 +0000

Since we moved to Yamhill county from Washington county six years ago, we’ve been so happy to see more and more families start small farms.

Jack and Caroline Murphy at Hope Springs Farm raise and sell pastured chickens and turkeys. I tried a chicken this summer and it was wonderful.

If you are looking for chicken, or still need a Thanksgiving turkey, check out Hope Springs’ website for more information.

More starting out

rich — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:47:47 +0000

Resources for new farmers hoping to start out keep popping up all over. The new ATTRA newsletter has some resources for folks looking to get into agriculture.

The ‘Is a farm business right for you?’ section cracked me up.

“Do you want to have an organic farm? Do you want to spend more time with your family? Do you want an enterprise that will equal your current salary? Or is a mellow lifestyle your goal?”

They probably could have clarified that to “Do you want a homestead, or a working farm?”…an important, but all to often overlooked distinction.

via Jeremy

Agrarians

rich — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:46:59 +0000

Melissa at Barking Moon (and a fellow board member of Val’s at OFMA) has a good post in the classic, “What do we call ourselves” vein. GenX, GenY, Millenials, hippies, truckers, goths, punks, etc etc etc. A phenomenon doesn’t really exist until the media has a name to refer to it by, and Agrarian is as good as any. Unfortunately, though, it’ll inevitably get cut down to “Aggies”, regardless of where the person described went to school.

So, attention media types….when you wonder what an Agrarian is and why we do what we do, read Melissa’s post before you ask inane or redundant questions.

Wild Pollan

rich — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:35:36 +0000

There’s a great interview with Michael Pollan at Yale Environment 360. He runs through his usual take on local food, the evils of corn, and gives a plug for grassfed beef, which is always a way to charm me.

My favorite passage is this

My experience was entering the garden with a head full of Thoreau and Emerson, and finding those ideas, as beautiful as they are, do not prepare you for when the woodchuck comes and mows down your little crop of seedlings. That approach to nature counsels passive spectatorship, and argues implicitly that the woodchuck has as much right to your broccoli as you do, because it

Future of Farming

rich — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:06:46 +0000

Deston attended one of the Washington State Future of Farming session last week…he has a good take on what’s wrong with the process, agricultural economics, and its perception by legislators….check it out. I look forward to reading his followups.

natural history of the chicken – tonight!

val — Sat, 08 Jan 2005 05:27:51 +0000

I just realized that OPB is re-airing the documentary “The Natural History of the Chicken” tonight at 10pm. If you have any interest in chickens, this is a must see. Its manages to be both wacky (you’ll see what I mean if you watch it) and informative. If you don’t have big plans tonight, definitely check it out!

Pickathon Today!

val — Sat, 28 Aug 2004 19:02:54 +0000

KBOO radio’s anual fundraiser Pickathon is happening today at Horning’s Hideout in North Plains. Rich and I went last night and listened to some wonderful music and did some fun and chaotic squaredancing!

Check out the lineup for today, and if you are looking for a fun way to spend the day with your family, head on out to this beautiful spot to support a great cause. Camping is included and this music festival is never overly crowded but always features many incredible bands, so it should a good time.

~added bonus, kids under 12 are free….bring ‘em out, and we’ll see you there

farm aid is coming!

val — Tue, 17 Aug 2004 03:35:40 +0000

Farm Aid will be hosting a concert on Saturday September 18th near Seattle. Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews and John Mellencamp will be performing. For more info, check out the Farm Aid website.

Thanks to Michele Goldstein for reminding me about it! I met Michele a couple of weeks back at the East Bank Farmers Market. She and her beautiful family live in Salem. Here’s a link to her website which shows her photographs and jewelry – they are amazing!