With the help of Jo, their office manager, I had the opportunity to visit the Beacon Institute in Beacon, NY today.
Though I admit the drive was a bit long, it was definitely worth it! The Beacon Institute is a very worthy and ambitious endeavor and I commend it to your attention.
I had a really great time there today. Thank you to the Beacon Institute, Jo, and all who came to see me!
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If you carefully observe what is going on in nature around your mini-farm and keep notes, eventually you will learn certain natural events coincide with optimal planting times for certain crops.
Your observations will only be applicable to your area. Where I live, for example, I have noticed that I should plant cabbage and broccoli a week after my apple tree starts to bloom and that the appearance of the first mosquito signals the best time to plant carrots and parsnips.
One thing I advocate is keeping a journal. Record what you notice in your journal, and this will ultimately help you fine-tune your planting for optimal performance in your area.
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On 5/6/2012 at 2pm, I will be speaking in the Gallery at the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries in Beacon, NY. The mission of the Beacon Institute is to create and maintain a global center for scientific and technological innovation that advances research, education and public policy regarding rivers and estuaries.
What does this have to do with Mini Farming?
Conventional large scale agriculture damages river and estuary ecological systems through accelerated soil erosion and runoff of fertilizers and pesticides. Because food is trucked, on average, over 1,500 miles to point of use, the reliance on conventional agriculture also indirectly pollutes rivers and streams through oil spills and leaks, roadside pollution and other avenues. As people adopt Mini Farming methods, reliance on conventional agriculture is diminished and the environment is improved. Mini Farming methods are organic and sustainable, preventing soil erosion and dramatically diminishing risks of run-off.
Mini Farming is one of those areas where what is good for you and in your own economic self-interest is also a boon to the environment.
The Beacon Institute of Clarkson University is located at 199 Main Street in Beacon, NY.
I will not be bringing books for sale at this event. If you already have a copy of one of my books though, I will be happy to sign it for you!
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I first thought about this when introduced to something called “brown bread” in a can. It is literally canned bread. It seemed to me that if bread can be canned, cake shouldn’t be a problem — and I was right!
Canning cake is simple and allows you to can convenient single servings so you have cake anytime you want! The one important caveat is that canned cake should be refrigerated. However, because it has been canned, it will keep in the refrigerator for a year!
Yummy! I know, I know … vegetables are good for you. But who can resist cake? The best part of this is that canned cake is amazingly moist and flavorful. Try it and you’ll see!
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Porcfest is an amazing freedom festival held in Lancaster, NH annually. I have been involved in the Free State Project since 2002 and strongly support the ideals of individual liberty and responsibility. For this reason, I am pleased that I will be speaking at Porcfest on Tuesday, June 18, 2012 at 3pm.
I will be donating net proceeds (i.e. anything collected beyond my costs) of any book sales made at this event to the Free State Project, dedicated to achieving Liberty in our Lifetime!
The subject of my speech will be: Your Liberty Garden: Why Growing a Garden is an Act of Defiance and Revolution
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I will be giving a speech and signing books at Hoppy’s Country Store on May 19, 2012 at 2pm.
Hoppy’s Country Store is located in the NeWest Mall, 800 Turnpike Rd. New Ipswich, NH 03071.
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I will next be speaking on April 15, 2012 at 2pm at the North Country Sustainability Center in Ashburnham, MA. The North Country Sustainability Center is really an amazing project, and I commend it to your consideration both for your support/participation (if you are nearby) or perhaps as a model for community-driven cooperative enterprise. You can find their website here: http:// www.northcountrysustain.org/
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Pressure canning and pressure cooking both use increased pressure to change the boiling point of water. Under higher pressures, the temperature at which water boils increases, thereby allowing the contents under pressure to cook at a higher temperature.
This much, at least, pressure canning and pressure cooking have in common. But beyond this, there are important differences.
The purpose of pressure cooking is to save time and energy. Using the higher temperatures and pressures, my Fagor pressure cooker will allow me to cook a batch of beans in 45 minutes that would otherwise require all day to cook. Beef stew cooks up in less than half an hour.
Because of the higher temperatures, when the cooking time is completed, most pressure cooker manufacturers instruct you to artificially lower the pressure quickly, either by releasing steam through a valve or by placing the cooker under cold running water. This reduces the risk of running dry and scorching or overcooking.
The purpose of pressure canning is to kill botulism spoors while producing a proper seal for glass jars containing liquid. Any other purpose, such as cooking the contents, is incidental. But since the contents are immersed in liquid in the jars, there is no danger of running dry.
The headspace allowed in the jars while pressure canning will vary from 1/2″ to 1″ depending on how long the jars are processed. The head space allows for expansion of the contents, forcing out excess air, and then establishing a solid vacuum seal. Too much headspace could allow food to oxidize, whereas too little headspace will result in some of the food being forced out of the jar during processing, which could prevent a good seal.
When the processing time is finished, the jar and the environment surrounding it are at the same pressure and temperature. If, however, the pressure in the canner is suddenly reduced while that in the jars stays the same … either the contents will be forced out of the jars through the seals or the jars may actually break.
So when the canning time is up, heat should be removed and the canner allowed to reach zero pressure without relieving any of the pressure. This could take as long as half an hour or forty five minutes, but is necessary to produce the desired result of an excellent seal.
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I will be speaking on mini-farming and why self-sufficiency and re-localized agriculture are prerequisites of freedom at the New Hampshire Liberty Forum on Saturday, February 25, 2012. This is a ticketed event, and you need a ticket to attend.
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I will be speaking at the Ingalls Memorial Library on Tuesday, January 24th at 7pm. Toadstool Books will provide books for you to purchase, or bring your own copy for me to sign! After the speech, I’ll be answering your questions about mini-farming and self-sufficiency.
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