false 2009-03-02T15:26:17-08:00 <p>Northing is more joyful than the aroma of fresh turned soil or eating a tomato off the vine. I&#39;ve wanted to farm for eons with good old fashioned plants and animals. We are what we eat, and technology has developed antibiotic addicted, confined animal feeding operations and abundant bland nutritionally deficient vegetables grown on lifeless, over farmed petroleum enhanced farms.</p><p>I had a family, bought 12 ac.&nbsp;and <u><em>The Other Side of the Fence </em></u>was born. I began to grow <em>heirloom and open-pollinated veggies</em> for farmers markets where I learned how plagued we are with allergies and illness. <em>I use only organic fertilizers and abandoned all pesticides and fungicides</em>. I now use raised beds with intensive plantings to minimize weeds &amp; conserve water. Natural mulches nurture worms, beneficial bugs and fungi, so I&#39;m growing soil now too.</p><p>Our weekly newsletter, <em>THE VIEW from the Other Side of the Fence </em>answers questions about our farm, livestock and the food industry. Always there to help, we encourage people to grow some of their own food.</p><p>We raise <em>pastured heritage &amp; rare breed </em>laying hens that are very hardy and forage for most of their food. This awsome diet makes the best tasting healthy eggs.&nbsp;At night they&#39;re on <em>deep litter</em>, a very old way of housing that encourages healthy beneficial bacteria and a low maintenance coop with no odor.</p><p>This summer we&#39;ll be getting a breeding pair of <em>critically endangered <u>Red Wattle Hogs. </u></em>They&#39;re pigs that lend themselves to living in family groups, are huge but very gentle and good mothers of large litters. RW hogs are good foragers, naturally disease resistant and make efficient use of their food. Many chefs believe their meat is outstanding. Critical to their survival, eating them gives a purpose to their preservation. Most people don&#39;t know many of our food species are at risk of extinction.</p><p>Such a special pig deserves a special home. I&#39;m planning to build a <em>straw bale barn </em>for durable protection from the elements.&nbsp;I hope to enlighten people to a building method using a waste product that&#39;ll leave virtually no footprint in its path.</p><p>These projects I hold so dear are a lot of work for me, my husband (a full time electrician), 10 yr old daughter, and 72 yr old mom. We&#39;re the farmer from seed to sale. We farm because we love it, caring for people and our planet. My daughters dream is to have a simple, sustainable farm that will teach kids and adults. And someday soon, have an eco-friendly straw bale store to sell our meat, eggs and produce.</p> cFMH_Mwneqllvkab8P4pmk false true false 2009-03-06T20:10:06-08:00 0 true 0 false false false 1 Endangered livestock, heirloom vegetables and antique farming methods give purpose to our farm. 2009-11-23T04:16:38-08:00 aralbEvWCqllvkab8P4pmk 1concernedfarmer 455 0 dY1Ghod6ZhRBWr3AL8abBw