Agricultural Inspiration III

Here are the final words of wisdom from Wendell Berry as written in, "Prayers and Sayings of the Mad Farmer." For the first two installments, see my previous posts: Day 1 and Day 2.

                   XI
By the excellence of his work the workman is a neighbor. By selling only what he would not despise to own the salesman is a neighbor. By selling what is good his character survives his market.

                   XII
Let me wake in the night
and hear it raining
and go back to sleep.

                   XII
Don't worry and fret about the crops. After you have done all you can for them, let them stand in the weather on their own.

If the crop of any one year was all, a man would have to cut his throat every time it hailed.

But the real products of any year's work are the farmer's mind and the cropland itself.

If he raises a good crop at the cost of belittling himself and diminishing the ground, then he has gained nothing. He will have to begin all over again the next spring, worse off than before.

Let him receive the season's increment into his mind. Let him work it into the soil.

The finest growth that farmland can produce is a careful farmer.

Make the human race a better head. Make the world a better piece of ground.

Agricultural Inspiration II

As promised, here are the next set of musings taken from Wendell Berry's "Prayers and Sayings of the Mad Farmer."

                   VI
Beware of the machinery of longevity. When a man's life is over the decent thing is for him to die. The forest does not withhold itself from death. What it gives up it takes back.

                    VII
Put your hands into the mire. They will learn the kinship of the shaped and the unshapen, the living and the dead.

                    VIII
When I rise up
let me rise up joyful
like a bird.

When I fall
let me fall without regret
like a leaf.

                     IX
Sowing the seed,
my hand is one with the earth.

Wanting the seed to grow,
my mind is one with the light.

Hoeing the crop,
my hands are one with the rain.

Having cared for the plants,
my mind is one with the air.

Hungry and trusting,
my mind is one with the earth.

Eating the fruit,
my body is one with the earth.

                     X
Let my marriage be brought to the ground.
Let my love for this woman enrich the earth.

What is its happiness but preparing its place?
What is its monument but a rich field?

Agricultural Inspiration

As the temperatures finally sink below freezing and the winter wind picks up, I find myself seeking inspiration and comfort to wait out the next few months until seeds can be started and the Earth worked again.

To help ease the ache of winter, I'll be periodically posting poems, prose and other writings from various authors (including myself, when the Spirit moves me!).  I'll start with a few postings from Wendell Berry's book, "Farming: A Handbook," a collection of poems written by the eloquent Kentucky farmer.

Let's begin with some funny and insightful pieces. For the next few weeks, I'll post a collection each week from the Prayers and Sayings of the Mad Farmer. Enjoy!

                  I

It is presumptuous and irresponsible to pray for other people. A good man would pray only for himself - that he have as much good as he deserves, that he not receive more good or more evil than he deserves, that he both nobody, that he not be bothered, that he want less. Praying thus for himself, he should prepare to live with the consequences.

                  II

At night make me one with the darkness.

In the morning make me one with the light.

                  III

If a man finds it necessary to eat garbage, he should resist the temptation to call it a delicacy. 

                  IV

Don't pray for the rain to stop.
Pray for good luck fishing
when the river floods.

                  V

Don't own so much clutter that you will be relieved to see your house catch fire.

Healthy Holiday Recipes

We had a delicious time during the first healthy cooking class since I've returned from maternity leave.  My 3-month-old daughter, Skyla, was there to enjoy it. And apparently the spicy Pozole soup wasn't too much for her little tummy, either!



We are still finalizing the 2013 schedule of classes, but be assured that we will hold a class every month throughout the year - many opportunities for great recipes and nutrition tips.  Again, a big Thank You to the Art Institute of Wisconsin International Culinary Arts and Nutrition programs. We couldn't do these classes without  you!

Culinary Students chopped and prepared ingredients to go into the Pozole - a traditional Mexican soup 

Chef Instructor Claire Menck answers questions
about ingredients and cooking techniques

Boiling ancho chilies with garlic and water
to make the chili paste (garnish for Pozole)

Using mortar and pestle to grind
the softened chili and spices

Final chili paste - delicious!

Pozole ready to be garnished with chili paste, lemon/lime, and cilantro

Boiling fresh fruit, spices and sugar cane
to make warm Ponche (cider-like punch)

Nutrition Instructor Renee Scampini explaining the recipe modifications used to reduce sugar and fat content of the dishes.

Healthy Cooking Class - Dec 14th

One of my first tasks 'back to work' has been to schedule and organize the next Healthy Cooking class at CORE/El Centro - in partnership with the Art Institutes of Wisconsin International Culinary Arts program. 

We will be holding the next class on Friday, December 14th at 3:30-5pm.  The class only costs $5.00 for food, recipes, nutritional information and fun!  We'll be making and sampling a soup, appetizer, two desserts and a spiced hot chocolate.  

See my August Post for pictures from our last cooking class series, focused on Garden-to-Table recipes. 

If you are interested in attending, please give me a call at 414-225-4267.  We look forward to having you! 

Putting the Garden to Bed

Volunteers make one final harvest before taking down the garden

It's that time of year in Wisconsin - time to prepare and protect our soils for the coming winter season.  The first step in winter preparations is to take out as much plant matter as you can.  Any leaves or fruit that have disease on them should be thrown out, but non-diseased stems, leaves and veggies should be composted. 

Cutting your plant trimmings before adding to compost helps them break down more quickly

Once you've 'cleared' the garden, it's time to rebuild the soil.  Fall is the best time to add organic matter (i.e. compost) to your garden, as it will take the next 6 months or so to break down and release its nutrients into the earth.  Then your garden will be ready to go in the spring! 

Beds are empty and ready to receive cover crop! 

Protection is the final - and arguably most important step - in winter preparations. There are basically two protection options: mulch and cover cropping. Mulch is a good way to protect the soil surface from rain, wind, and snow damage.  It can also help protect any perennial herbs or plants you are overwintering.  However, cover cropping can achieve the same protection while adding nutrients to the soil below the surface. Cover crops are usually cereal grains or legumes that are planted in the fall, allowed to germinate and then are killed or 'turned under' in the spring, creating green mulch and adding a fresh source of nitrogen before your first plantings.  

Water the garden until your cover crop has germinated - then  you're  free to rest until spring!

This year we are using Winter Rye for our cover crop because we are getting a late start.  Winter Rye is the one cover crop that be planted after the first frost and still have a chance of germinating.  Because it is winter hardy, however, it does pose some challenges in the spring when it's time to turn it under. Winter Rye can be purchased in the bulk section at your local grocery store and should be planted at a rate of 3oz per 100 sq. ft.  In the spring when it grows to about a foot high it should be mowed down then worked into the soil.  Always wait at least two weeks after turning under your cover crop to plant in that soil - that give the plant material time to break down and the nitrogen to become available for your newly planted seeds.

A Different Kind of Harvest

I am happy to introduce Skyla Rose Calloway - whose first breath on this Earth came September 10, 2012.  She entered this world at 7 lbs. 12 oz., 20.5 inches long!

Thank you ALL who have supported us during the pregnancy and will continue to love and support Skyla in her life.  I can't wait to watch her continue to grow in the garden.  :-)

I'll be taking a break from the blog for a few months to immerse myself in motherhood.  Stay tuned for a late fall post about winter preparations!

5 Months

6 Months

8 Months

9 Months

Skyla's birth day at Columbia St. Mary's

Update: Mom and Daughter 6 weeks later!