I agree with my good friend Aaron... I'm witnessing the movement towards a more sustainable county first hand. I'm a part of it as a food producer, as well as a food consumer. We as a family have made great strides towards living and eating more sustainably - Encouraging our friends and neighbors to do the same. Our children are growing up knowing where there food comes from (they're aware - not saying we're perfect, but they know when they've got a local carrot in their hands... they also look forward to our own harvest each week). Great article, great book, great leader in the local food movement - thanks, Aaron!
http://www.cabarrusedc.com/index.php?cid=51433&src=news&refno=493&category=Government&curlid=5690
Following the Charlotte, NC area's use and consumption of microgreens!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Light at the end of the tunnel...
Breaking Ground: Started this weekend with heavy equipment, clearing a driveway, chopping cedars to be used for fencing, and clearing enough area for our greenhouse. Punching a hole in the overgrown brush and dead trees makes room for ample sunlight to help our microgreens thrive in their new home!
Some of these vines were 8" wide, wrapping around otherwise healthy oak trees. We'll continue widening the driveway, and moving fallen trees around this week, then leveling the greenhouse pad - bringing in gravel and whatnot. Then the greenhouse will be delivered - any takers on assistance with raising it???
Also in our discoveries on this property - we've found that part of it was orchard (peaches and cherries)... we've managed to salvage a few, clear some room for them to flourish, and hopefully keep them around for future pickin's! The peaches aren't very big (golf ball size) but I think we'll have a small crop this year... the cherries have been donated to the many birds though.
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| Greenhouse clearing at the end of a very long driveway |
Some of these vines were 8" wide, wrapping around otherwise healthy oak trees. We'll continue widening the driveway, and moving fallen trees around this week, then leveling the greenhouse pad - bringing in gravel and whatnot. Then the greenhouse will be delivered - any takers on assistance with raising it???
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| This land was suffocating itself with overgrowth and vines |
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| Almost see the excavator at the far end, making it's way to the greenhouse pad |
Also in our discoveries on this property - we've found that part of it was orchard (peaches and cherries)... we've managed to salvage a few, clear some room for them to flourish, and hopefully keep them around for future pickin's! The peaches aren't very big (golf ball size) but I think we'll have a small crop this year... the cherries have been donated to the many birds though.
Friday, May 13, 2011
And Away We Go!
Breaking ground on the expansion project next week! We're moving our operation to the "farm" - a 5 acre micro farm in Cabarrus County. Phase 1 - greenhouse construction... this can't happen soon enough - we've been growing at capacity for some time now, putting new customers on a sort of 'waiting list' until we have more space to grow for them. Taking out fallen trees, low cedars and brush, and clearing a driveway and a construction pad for the 2500 square foot hot-house.
Phase 2 - perenial crop production, mushrooms, and cold crops in the fall (low tunnels, baby lettuces mainly). Phase 3 - laying hens (though I'm not nuts about dealing with animals, this will have to be Marc's project), and Honey Bees. We're working with Cultivatis for planning and design...and all of this is being supported by RAFI-USA - we were awarded a grant to assist with preliminary construction costs. More details as they come!
Phase 2 - perenial crop production, mushrooms, and cold crops in the fall (low tunnels, baby lettuces mainly). Phase 3 - laying hens (though I'm not nuts about dealing with animals, this will have to be Marc's project), and Honey Bees. We're working with Cultivatis for planning and design...and all of this is being supported by RAFI-USA - we were awarded a grant to assist with preliminary construction costs. More details as they come!
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