The History's in the Mix: My Grandmother's Recipes

If you would like to obtain some great old-fashioned recipes that you just won't find in today's modern cookbooks, then sign up for Horne Creek Farm's first ever "recipe swap." Participants will submit a copy of the recipe made by their grand-mother or great-grandmother that they most cherish by August 7th. Horne Creek will make copies to have available for all participants on August 28th (10am-4pm). To make the day of the actual event even more fun, we would like you to prepare one of the dishes for inclusion in a contest. We promise you'll leave with some great new recipes to pass on to your children and grandchildren.

$5.00 participation fee to cover the cost of copying. Contact Horne Creek Farm at 336/325/2298 to register and to acquire a recipe form. Horne Creek Farm 308 Horne Creek Farm Road Pinnacle, N.C. 27043 Phone: (336) 325-2298 Fax: (336) 325-3150 Email: hornecreek@ncdcr.gov

Fabric & Fiber Arts Festival

Horne Creek Living Historical Farm Saturday, August 14, 2010 (10:00 AM-- 5:00 PM) Quilting, sewing, natural dyeing, crocheting, good music, food, and talented NC artisans will take center stage at Horne Creek Living Historical Farm for a celebration of traditional and contemporary fiber arts. The festival will also feature some of the following: weaving, tatting, bobbin lace making, felting, darning, embroidery, knitting, advice regarding the care and conservation of textiles, an artisan marketplace, and showcase an exhibit entitled, "Common Threads: 150 Years of NC Quilts." Fee charge for food and drinks. Horne Creek Farm 308 Horne Creek Farm Road Pinnacle, N.C. 27043 Phone: (336) 325-2298 Fax: (336) 325-3150 Email: hornecreek@ncdcr.gov

Homeland Creamery Ice Cream

We'll be selling Buffalo Gal's Goats Milk Soap at Krankies Farmers Market again tomorrow!

Look for us at the corner of Patterson Avenue and Third Street each week. Krankies Farmers Market is held outside Krankies Coffee, on Patterson Ave. between Third and Fourth streets in downtown Winston-Salem, every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The July 27th market will be featuring 25 cent scoops of delicious ice cream from Homeland Creamery. To find out what's available at the market each week, follow them on Facebook! Krankies Farmers Market on Facebook

USPS In The News

Postal Inspector, David McKinney, got a call about a "wriggling" package on the afternoon of April 5 hours after the package had been deposited and $63.55 was paid for overnight delivery. The person who sent the package used a fake name and address and the addressee did not match any addresses either. McKinney returned the package to the return address that night. The house was empty. A real estate agent told him that the house had been vacant for more than a year. The next morning a search warrant was issued from the U.S. District Court in Roanoke. Officers from the Roanoke Police Department's animal control unit and Department of Game and Inland Fisheries were asked to open the box. Inside was a 1-pound ferret, two toy cars, a green-haired doll, a box of Benadryl with one tablet missing, a bag of ferret food and a box of dietary supplements for ferrets. The ferret, Stamps, was taken to the Roanoke Valley SPCA and was put up for adoption. He was adopted by the Bradley's who are co-founders of the Big Lick Ferret Shelter & Hospice.

Llama Doodle

Our llama pictures were the inspiration for a llama doodle by Linda L. Martin. The llama doodle was the last doodle in Linda's series, 30 Doodles in 30 Days.

Check out Linda's website to see more of her work.

Turkey Doodle

Our Bourbon Red tom turkey has been doodled! Check out Linda L. Martin's website to see her 30 doodles in 30 days.

Goat Doodle

Our goats and goat's milk soap have been doodled. Check out Linda L. Martin's website to see her artwork and join her on Facebook to see the goat doodle.

"The Plant" Tours

The Abundance Foundation has 3 different Tours of "The Plant," NC’s first green business park.

"The Plant" is home to Piedmont Biofuels Industrial, Eastern Carolina Organics, Piedmont Biofarm, Screech Owl Greenhouses, Green Door Design Build, EcoBlend (organic pesticides and herbicides), a Biodiversity Pollinator Garden project, Vermiculture: Carolina Worm Castings, Honey Bees, and The Abundance Foundation’s new off grid “office of the future.”

Guests can see both sustainability and community in action as we mix industrial renewable fuel with big chess, bright colors and a very symbiotic campus!

Every First Friday of the month @ 10:00 a.m., every Sunday @ 1:00 p.m. and special children's tours by appointment. Visit their website for more info.

10 Easy Steps for Becoming a Radical Homemaker

10 Easy Steps for Becoming a Radical Homemaker •Commit to hanging your laundry out to dry. •Dedicate a portion of your lawn to a vegetable garden. •Get to know your neighbors. Cooperate to save money and resources. •Go to your local farmers' market each week before you head to the grocery store. •Do some spring cleaning to identify everything in your home that you absolutely don’t need. Donate to help others save money and resources. •Make a commitment to start carrying your own reusable bags and use them on all your shopping trips. •Choose one local food item to learn how to preserve for yourself for the winter. •Get your family to spend more evenings at home, preferably with the TV off. •Cook for your family. •Focus on enjoying what you have and who are with. Stop fixating on what you think you may need, or how things could be better "if only." Read more...

The 10% Campaign

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) is committed to building North Carolina's sustainable local food economy. Through its Farm to Fork initiative and action guide, CEFS has energized and connected thousands of North Carolinians and hundreds of local, regional and statewide organizations that share this commitment. To further this commitment, CEFS is readying a statewide "10% Campaign" to encourage consumers to buy/grow local foods. The intent of the 10% Campaign is straightforward: Encourage consumers to commit 10 percent of their existing food dollars to support local food producers, related businesses and communities. Funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation, the 10% Campaign will: •Promote North Carolina's farmers, foods, communities and businesses •Educate consumers, decision makers and the media •Collaborate further with the many influential organizations/initiatives already in the field and those just beginning to bloom Why 10 percent? It is achievable for most, and meaningful for all: •North Carolinians spend about $35 billion a year on food. If individuals spent 10 percent—$1.05 per day—locally, about $3.5 billion would be available in the local economy. •The state has the 12th highest rate of adult obesity in the nation, and today, more than a third of its 10- to 17-year-olds are overweight or obese. Infusing fresh and flavorful fruits and vegetables into diets at every age can significantly reduce long-term health care expenses in the state. •Expanding the market will result in new farm, food and manufacturing businesses and create jobs. Charlotte-based Compass Group, the world's largest foodservice company, and North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service are working with CEFS to develop the initial and long-term components of the campaign. Compass Group will lead the way for institutional consumers by working with CEFS to develop a model "farm to institution" buying program and by sourcing 10 percent of the produce it serves in its North Carolina foodservice accounts from local farmers. Cooperative Extension will designate regional directors and local food coordinators in all 100 counties to advance the 10% Campaign. These on-the-ground experts will be joined by other community leaders, farmers, businesses, parents, teachers and students, many of whom are already working to build the state's sustainable local food economy, from farm to fork. A tool being developed to support the campaign is an exciting Web portal and social networking platform. These technology-based initiatives promote, educate and engage consumers and producers by connecting them with organizations and real-time information. The 10% Campaign Web site will also assist consumers in tracking their food dollars spent on buying or growing local foods. Make the choice. Make a difference. Make it local. Join the 10% Campaign! Sign up now to be one of the Campaign's first supporters! Look for 10% Compaign on Facebook!

Slow Money Fuels Local Food Economy

Slow Money Fuels Local Food Economy Abundance Foundation seeks investors, projects By Michelle Ferrier It seems to make social sense. Invest your money in local food-related businesses and help grow the local economy. That’s the idea behind slow money. Slow money, a spinoff of the slow food movement, asks residents of a community to commit to investing 1% of their assets in local food systems...within a decade. The concept is based on the book Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money by Woody Tasch, and its focus on “restorative economies” – those that are place and people focused. The Abundance Foundation, based in Chatham County, North Carolina is taking on that challenge and putting their resources and dollars toward supporting locally based food projects. So far, they’ve funded local baker Lynette Driver so she could purchase industrial-sized mixer and bowls. They’ve contributed to the expansion of a sit-down space in a former take-out restaurant called Angelina’s Kitchen. And they’re hosting an introductory meeting about slow money in Pittsboro today (Monday, July 12) to attract new projects and investors interested in the slow money concept. Tami Schwerin, executive director of The Abundance Foundation says their mission is focused on local food and the local economy. “We put dollars into local food projects, funding things that are in our community. We’re not venture capitalists. We’re looking at growing things in the community that wouldn’t get funded by a bank,” Tami said. Tami says that she’s been pleasantly surprised by the investors willing to put their money into building the social capital of a community. The project works like this: • Criteria is that it is local food-related. The project will increase the local food in our community…like a restaurant or a farm. • Loans are a three-year term. • Minimum loan amounts might be about $2,000. $6,000 has been the most that has been given to date, but $6,000 isn’t the limit. • Borrowing rate of 3%. Lender receives 2 percent return; 1 percent goes into the pot. • Monthly or annual payment structure. “We’re still working on the structure,” Tami says. • Geographic footprint where they’re lending: Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Triangle area. “We’re totally interested in Triad,” Tami says. The 1% return to the project helps to seed other enterprises. “We want to grow a little bit of money that we can lend out,” says Tami. Right now, the slow food project is also looking for investors. “We’re asking for pledges of $500 or more,” Tami says. “We also want to be totally transparent so that if someone is late on a payment, the investment community knows.” The whole idea of slow money is predicated on the relationship to a community, a geographic tie between invested funds and those who receive the investments. “You want the lender and the borrower to have a relationship,” says Tami, “We want them to be in the same community as the borrowers. “We’re building our local foodshed, modeling renewable energy and inspiring community."

Buffalo Gal's Soap for Dogs

DAISY MAY

Since our first dog soap, Daisy's Dog Soap, has been a popular seller... I've created another new Buffalo Gal's soap especially for dogs! Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for details about the new soap!

It will be available at the farm only or thru our web-site!

Integrated Parasite Management Workshop

There will be an Integrated Parasite Management (IPM) Workshop on Tuesday, July 27, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 45 Robinson Drive in New Oxford, Pennsylvania (about 8 miles east of Gettysburg, just off of Route 30). The workshop will consist of two hours of lecture and discussion and two hours of hands-on instruction (FAMACHA(c) and fecal analysis). Participants (over the age of 16) will be certified in the use of the FAMACHA(c) eye anemia system. The instructor for the workshop will be Susan Schoenian, Sheep & Goat Specialist for University of Maryland Extension. All aspects of internal parasites and their control will be covered in the workshop. The registration fee is $35 per farm or family. The registration fee includes a laminated FAMACHA(c) card and a booklet of reference materials. To register, contact Margie Smith at (717) 624-4772 or margiesracking@earthlink.net

Local Honey

When looking for a gift for those who enjoy fresh local honey, we suggest a Buffalo Gal's gift set. We have special gift sets which contain a jar of honey from Weavil's Bees of Bee Blossom Farms in Pfafftown.

These gift sets are available at the farm, on the website, and each Tuesday at Krankies Farmers Market.

This is the honey that we use in our Honey Creme goat's milk soap too!

Controlling Invasive Weeds With Goats

Read this article and others like it in Wild and Woolly:

Controlling Invasive Weeds With Goats

In addition to these studies, DSU welcomes a new graduate student, Jenna Warren, who will be working on the use of goats to control Invasive plant species in Delaware. This project is in collaboration with Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDoT). Invasive plant species are becoming a problem throughout the state of Delaware and the rest of the United States. The only options for controlling invasive weeds include the use of chemicals, mowing, controlled burns, and animal grazing. Animal grazing is one of the best options for weed control because it is both selective and sustainable and does not have the harmful environmental impacts. This project kicks off in June and will run until October for this year. Variables measured will include forage biomass, nutritive values, species diversity and effect of grazing on browse species during spring, summer, and fall of each grazing season. In addition, we will also determine the influence of browsing on parasite loads and body weights. If you would like more information on this research and other conducted at DSU or would like to give me your opinion about the type of research and programs you would like to see at DSU, please contact me at (302) 857– 6490 or djjackson@desu.edu.

Slow Money Gathering

Slow Money Gathering By The Abundance Foundation Dear Friends of Our Food Shed, The Slow Money Project is investing in local foods! Do you have a sustainable food-related idea or local food enterprise that could use funding? The Slow Money Project would like to help! To date we have raised $29,500 and made low-interest loans totalling $8000 to two of our very own local food enterprises. The objective of the Slow Money Project is to match people who wish to invest in improving the resilience of our community by enhancing our local food shed with borrowers who have compelling projects that can accomplish that goal. Come hear how this works on Monday, July 12th, 7-8:30pm in the Chatham Mills Conference Room, (just down the hall from the back door to the Chatham Marketplace) and find out how to apply for a low-interest loan, or how you can become an investor. Light refreshments will be provided, and you are welcome to BYOB from Chatham Markeplace. Please feel free to pass this invitation along to friends, family and anyone else you care about who might benefit from this project; as in anyone who eats food. Let's start planting our local money in our local food shed. Tomatoes and topsoil, Carol Peppe Hewitt

Rabies Vaccination Clinic - Stokes County

On July 17, the Stokes County Humane Society will sponsor a Rabies Vaccination Clinic at the Stokes Rockingham Fire Department. On August 21, an additional Clinic will be held at the Pinnacle Fire Department also sponsored by the Stokes County Humane Society. Both Clinics are from 9 AM until 12 Noon and vaccinations are $8 (cash only). RAIN OR SHINE. Help stop this deadly disease by having your pet vaccinated against rabies. For more information, contact the Stokes County Animal Shelter at 336.994.2788.

Natural Dewormers For Goats/Sheep

Check this article out in Wild & Woolly and others like it: Going "Natural" with Research by Dr. Dahlia O'Brien Small Ruminant Specialist Delaware State University Delaware State University (DSU) is currently gearing up for the start of research this summer. Last year was the completion of the study evaluating the level of dewormer resistance in the Mid-Atlantic region (Winter 2009 issue) and the graduate student that worked on this project, Elizabeth Crook, will head to Virginia Tech to study veterinary medicine in the fall. This year, research is still continuing on the use of potential natural dewormers (pumpkin seeds, papaya and ginger) to control internal parasites in sheep and goats. There will be three studies conducted looking at these natural plant products during the course of the summer and determine if they can help in reducing our reliance on chemical dewormers. As you might recall, our last study indicated that pumpkin seeds were ineffective when ground and fed mixed into the feed. A subsequent study looking at a pumpkin seed drench (6oz/75lbs body weight) and ginger drench (3g/kg body weight) administered every other day for 6 weeks found that fecal egg counts were lower for both these groups compared to a control group. Therefore, additional studies using ginger and pumpkin seeds will be conducted this summer to see if we get similar results and to determine the best route of administration to see reduction in fecal egg counts. Last year, we also found that papaya seeds (6 g/kg body weight) ground and mixed with water and given to goats orally was ineffective in controlling fecal egg counts. We will attempt to see if varying this dose can have any positive impact on fecal egg counts. These studies are being conducted in collaboration with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

The Produce Lady

Do you need more ideas for using produce from your garden? The Produce Lady can help! The Produce Lady, Brenda Sutton, teaches farmers and consumers the wonders of locally grown fruits and vegetables. Not only does she share their nutritional value, she also demonstrates how to prepare them as tasty meals and snacks or preserve them to use throughout the year. Visit her website and blog to learn more.

Support The Fair!

Read this post and others at All Things Goat: It’s that time of year again. That’s right, time for the fair. County and state fairs used to be THE anticipated event. However, as more people moved to urban areas, the popularity of fairs has declined. What those city dwellers don’t realize is fairs are a lot of fun. Not only are there rides and silly games to waste your money on, but way in the back there, where you folks rarely venture, there are animals. Lots of animals. There really are few things as joy inspiring as seeing a smile on the face of a child petting a goat…or a sheep or even a cow. For some kids, it’s a one time experience that will be remembered for a lifetime. For others, it may inspire a love for animals that can carry on into adulthood and lead to a fulfilling rural life. Ask questions; the people who show their animals love to talk about them. So take yourself and your kids to the fair. Eat a corn dog, do the ring toss, have a great time doing what families have done for generations. And pet the goats.

Blue Ridge Mobile Veterinary Services, PLLC

There's a new large animal mobile vet, Kristopher J. Eads, in Jonesville, NC who services our area. Blue Ridge Mobile Veterinary Services performs large animal medicine, surgery, reproductive services and also small animal medicine with large animal emergency 24/7.

Levering Orchard

Spend the day picking fruit at The Levering Orchard in Ararat, Virginia located only 12 miles from Downtown Mount Airy! Estimated Picking Dates Sweet Cherry Picking - May 26, 2010 Tart (Sour) Cherries - June 12, 2010 Lodi Cooking Apples - June 26, 2010 Yellow Freestone Peaches - July 30, 2010 White Freestone Peaches - July 30, 2010 Summer Apples - July 30, 2010 Gala Apples - August 14, 2010 Fall Apples - September 4, 2010

Big Woods Zip Line & Canopy Tours

Big Woods Zip Line & Canopy Tour features 14 platforms with 12 cables up to 65 feet high in the trees, and a swinging bridge! Located in Boonville, NC, right next door to Sanders Ridge Vineyard, Winery and Restaurant on 150 of the most serene and secluded acres within the Yadkin Valley.

Open year round, visit their website for hours and pricing.

Farm & Garden Tours at Sanders Ridge Vineyard

Sanders Ridge Vineyard and Winery will be open to visitors on Saturdays from June 12 thru October 30, 2010 (9am-11am). You will have the opportunity to tour the gardens on your own or go on a guided tour. They will be available to answer any questions that you might have also.

Garden Tour with Cooking Demo and Lunch

Join Sanders Ridge Vineyards at their certified organic vegetable and herb farm for a morning garden and farm tour. They'll demonstrate gardening techniques, answer your gardening questions, and gather some fresh vegetables and herbs. Following the tour, they'll take our harvest over to the winery and restaurant where Chef Starr will work it into a tasty dish for all to enjoy. Sanders Ridge Vineyard and Winery 3200 Round Hill Road, Boonville NC 27011

Happy Birthday!

HAPPY JULY 4TH!

Butterfly Farm Tours

Experience the magic of hand feeding a monarch butterfly at all-a-flutter butterfly farm! The tour consists of a 20 minute presentation (fun for kids of all ages and educational) then go inside a huge greenhouse to hand feed monarchs and have them land on you.

No reservations needed for family days, visit their website for more info.

Rabbits

Eight week old Tennessee Redback bunnies for hunt training available. $8 each straight run. $10 each otherwise.

Eight week old lionhead and mini rex bunnies available now. $15 each

Black and white dutch bunnies available mid July. $15 each

Email or call for more information.