Comments for One Straw: Be The Change http://onestraw.wordpress.com Learning to Make the World a Better Place Mon, 12 May 2008 08:06:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU Comment on Sub Acre Ag by Michael Rutherford http://onestraw.wordpress.com/sub-acre-ag/#comment-658 Michael Rutherford Fri, 09 May 2008 00:56:43 +0000 http://onestraw.wordpress.com/sub-acre-ag/#comment-658 You should check out the website Kitchen Gardeners International. These are mostly small backyard farms or growers just like you. I think you would enjoy the insight and learning at the site. I am a member there and post there from time to time. Also I noticed you had links to Spin Farming isnt that just the greatest. You would also like PATH TO FREEDOM at pathtofreedom.com These people are amazing at what they grow on their small sub acre lot. Of course it helps they are in Cali. and have great weather there. But look at what they have accomplished. Keep up the great work it just goes to show you dont need a thousand acre monoculture to grow great food. You should check out the website Kitchen Gardeners International. These are mostly small backyard farms or growers just like you. I think you would enjoy the insight and learning at the site. I am a member there and post there from time to time.
Also I noticed you had links to Spin Farming isnt that just the greatest.
You would also like PATH TO FREEDOM at pathtofreedom.com These people are amazing at what they grow on their small sub acre lot. Of course it helps they are in Cali. and have great weather there. But look at what they have accomplished.
Keep up the great work it just goes to show you dont need a thousand acre monoculture to grow great food.

]]> Comment on Eco Vegetarianism by Michael Rutherford http://onestraw.wordpress.com/essays/eco-vegetarianism/#comment-657 Michael Rutherford Fri, 09 May 2008 00:45:33 +0000 http://onestraw.wordpress.com/essays/eco-vegetarianism/#comment-657 You mention chickens being relatively inexpensive. But I dont find that the case. I have only 16 and they can go thru 100 lbs of feed a month. Each 50 lb bag cost me anywhere from 11 - 14 dollars and the price is going up just like food and gas prices. You used to only pay 7 dollars for the 50 lb bag. Birds eat alot even when free ranged like mine are. I also feed them any scraps from the garden that I can. They still eat alot. The biggest cost for my chickens is store bought feed. I wish I didnt have to but if I want free ranged eggs and free poop to compost I have to pay somewhere for it. You mention chickens being relatively inexpensive. But I dont find that the case.
I have only 16 and they can go thru 100 lbs of feed a month. Each 50 lb bag cost me anywhere from 11 - 14 dollars and the price is going up just like food and gas prices. You used to only pay 7 dollars for the 50 lb bag.
Birds eat alot even when free ranged like mine are. I also feed them any scraps from the garden that I can. They still eat alot. The biggest cost for my chickens is store bought feed. I wish I didnt have to but if I want free ranged eggs and free poop to compost I have to pay somewhere for it.

]]> Comment on The Money! by kory http://onestraw.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/the-money/#comment-656 kory Thu, 08 May 2008 20:29:30 +0000 http://onestraw.wordpress.com/?p=338#comment-656 glad I'm not the only "reformed" car nut. (now I'm thinking electric) but anyway I will certainly welcome the farm journaling. You will go from just being the change to being the example. And that, is the key. Until people see that there is life "outside the box" no one will believe it. glad I’m not the only “reformed” car nut. (now I’m thinking electric) but anyway I will certainly welcome the farm journaling. You will go from just being the change to being the example. And that, is the key.

Until people see that there is life “outside the box” no one will believe it.

]]> Comment on Sub Acre Ranching: Chicken/Rabbit Tractors by Michael Rutherford http://onestraw.wordpress.com/sub-acre-ag/sub-acre-ranching-chickenrabbit-tractors/#comment-655 Michael Rutherford Thu, 08 May 2008 17:37:20 +0000 http://onestraw.wordpress.com/?page_id=277#comment-655 Muriel Schmidt Chicken Tractors have been around for some time now. Google Joel Salatin the so called king of the chicken tractor. He has several books out on the topic and does farm raised grass fed beef, free ranged chicken tractor chickens, and more on his farm in Virginia. Muriel Schmidt Chicken Tractors have been around for some time now.
Google Joel Salatin the so called king of the chicken tractor. He has several books out on the topic and does farm raised grass fed beef, free ranged chicken tractor chickens, and more on his farm in Virginia.

]]> Comment on Sunny Fuel and Chickens by Michael Rutherford http://onestraw.wordpress.com/essays/sunny-fuel-and-chickens/#comment-654 Michael Rutherford Thu, 08 May 2008 17:35:12 +0000 http://onestraw.wordpress.com/essays/sunny-fuel-and-chickens/#comment-654 Dont worry keep quoting the book it has some unbelievable information. While its thick like some college course books its well worth the read. I do hope you bought both volumes 1 and 2??? Thanks Michael Rutherford Dont worry keep quoting the book it has some unbelievable information.
While its thick like some college course books its well worth the read.
I do hope you bought both volumes 1 and 2???
Thanks Michael Rutherford

]]> Comment on 1/10 Acre Veggie Garden by Michael Rutherford http://onestraw.wordpress.com/2007/12/22/110-acre-veggie-garden/#comment-653 Michael Rutherford Thu, 08 May 2008 17:30:38 +0000 http://onestraw.wordpress.com/2007/12/22/110-acre-veggie-garden/#comment-653 I wanted to commend you on a job well done. Put down 5 people now who have Numbers and Pages. LOL :) I just bought iWork and a new Imac 24 incher. I have had macs before but not a intel mac until now. I also have copefarms.com which has gone some new construction thanks to the Mac. iWeb is a joy to use. You may want to look into it. I was using another blog type of software and am slowly transferring over my old material to the new site. I love small farms like yours and that is what got me into farming myself. I had been on a farm tour with some friends of mine and they were visiting small organic farms around 0-15 acres or so. Many were 3-5 acres and making a good living from it. I couldnt believe that one this was a farm and two how small yet productive they were. I have 37 acres of land and I thought to myself if they can do this on this amll of a piece of land just look at what I could do. Of course not all of my land is farmable and I plan on keeping it that way. Most is woodland setting and I like that. I am trying to keep it as natural as possible while still allowing a farm setting within. Keep up the good work and look forward to reading more of your blog here. Thanks Michael Rutherford Farm Manager of COPE Farms Caretakers Of Planet Earth I wanted to commend you on a job well done.
Put down 5 people now who have Numbers and Pages. LOL :) I just bought iWork and a new Imac 24 incher. I have had macs before but not a intel mac until now.
I also have copefarms.com which has gone some new construction thanks to the Mac. iWeb is a joy to use. You may want to look into it. I was using another blog type of software and am slowly transferring over my old material to the new site.
I love small farms like yours and that is what got me into farming myself.
I had been on a farm tour with some friends of mine and they were visiting small organic farms around 0-15 acres or so. Many were 3-5 acres and making a good living from it. I couldnt believe that one this was a farm and two how small yet productive they were. I have 37 acres of land and I thought to myself if they can do this on this amll of a piece of land just look at what I could do. Of course not all of my land is farmable and I plan on keeping it that way. Most is woodland setting and I like that. I am trying to keep it as natural as possible while still allowing a farm setting within.
Keep up the good work and look forward to reading more of your blog here.
Thanks Michael Rutherford Farm Manager of COPE Farms Caretakers Of Planet Earth

]]> Comment on The Money! by katecontinued http://onestraw.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/the-money/#comment-647 katecontinued Tue, 06 May 2008 17:31:23 +0000 http://onestraw.wordpress.com/?p=338#comment-647 Sounds like a good plan. Rob, you may already have read <a href="http://littlebloginthebigwoods.blogspot.com/2008/05/water-is-back.html" rel="nofollow">Greenpa's</a> post today, but if not you really should. It is an inspired, information-packed post. You won't regret the minutes spent reading it. Sounds like a good plan. Rob, you may already have read Greenpa’s post today, but if not you really should. It is an inspired, information-packed post. You won’t regret the minutes spent reading it.

]]> Comment on The Money! by onestraw http://onestraw.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/the-money/#comment-645 onestraw Tue, 06 May 2008 01:41:46 +0000 http://onestraw.wordpress.com/?p=338#comment-645 Thank KC! I wouldn't rule me out of the boy w/toys camp, but I try to channel that energy into something useful rather than building and racing cars like I did as little as 3 years ago. Thanks again and stay posted, I think I am finding a nice mix between working until I can't hold the tools anymore (literally) and being able to brain dump it into a 500 word post or so. Prolly settle into 1-3 posts weekly or so w/ pics. Like Tiny Farm Blog I will likely use Onestraw as a farm journal- just keeping my notes public so anyone can learn from my suceses and foibles. -Rob Thank KC! I wouldn’t rule me out of the boy w/toys camp, but I try to channel that energy into something useful rather than building and racing cars like I did as little as 3 years ago.

Thanks again and stay posted, I think I am finding a nice mix between working until I can’t hold the tools anymore (literally) and being able to brain dump it into a 500 word post or so. Prolly settle into 1-3 posts weekly or so w/ pics. Like Tiny Farm Blog I will likely use Onestraw as a farm journal- just keeping my notes public so anyone can learn from my suceses and foibles.
-Rob

]]> Comment on The Money! by katecontinued http://onestraw.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/the-money/#comment-644 katecontinued Mon, 05 May 2008 18:37:00 +0000 http://onestraw.wordpress.com/?p=338#comment-644 Wonderful post, Rob. It is a good thing for all of us to summarize and restate goals. You are certainly good for your words - be the change. I guess I can't just dismiss you as a boy with his toys. /snark Wonderful post, Rob. It is a good thing for all of us to summarize and restate goals. You are certainly good for your words - be the change. I guess I can’t just dismiss you as a boy with his toys. /snark

]]> Comment on Potato Planting by onestraw http://onestraw.wordpress.com/2008/05/03/336/#comment-643 onestraw Mon, 05 May 2008 14:17:59 +0000 http://onestraw.wordpress.com/?p=336#comment-643 The Grillo is working out even better than I hoped! Now that I am figuring out the rotary plow it is amazing what it can do in a hour -it will accomplish more in one pass through the field than a tiller could in three+ without makin hardpan and using only a fraction of fuel due to its diesel-ness (I have yet to use even a gallon). And with a tiller you would still need to go back through and build the beds. In my time "poor" life right now it is worth every one of its $1060. I know how blessed I am to say that -and I am not a very religious man. The Hoop House is more of a solar heated shed right now, we moved it off the spinach 2-3 weeks ago to let them breathe, but it has rained incessantly since then and we have been unable to cut ground to move it over to start the early tomatoes-something I would have done 2 weeks ago. I cut half the beds yesterday and will finish today time permitting. Pics will be coming as soon as the 'maters are in the ground! Next year when the beds are already cut things are going to work like clock work, and I hope to purchase another hoop house this fall to have them at both sites. Good luck on your potatoes! -Rob The Grillo is working out even better than I hoped! Now that I am figuring out the rotary plow it is amazing what it can do in a hour -it will accomplish more in one pass through the field than a tiller could in three+ without makin hardpan and using only a fraction of fuel due to its diesel-ness (I have yet to use even a gallon). And with a tiller you would still need to go back through and build the beds. In my time “poor” life right now it is worth every one of its $1060. I know how blessed I am to say that -and I am not a very religious man.

The Hoop House is more of a solar heated shed right now, we moved it off the spinach 2-3 weeks ago to let them breathe, but it has rained incessantly since then and we have been unable to cut ground to move it over to start the early tomatoes-something I would have done 2 weeks ago. I cut half the beds yesterday and will finish today time permitting. Pics will be coming as soon as the ‘maters are in the ground!

Next year when the beds are already cut things are going to work like clock work, and I hope to purchase another hoop house this fall to have them at both sites.

Good luck on your potatoes!
-Rob

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