Anne Murphy

I too have faced a similar problem.. so I bought all the stubborn conventional farmers in the family a deck of Paul's Permaculture playing cards (Thank you for making them!!).. then as we played gin, we could discuss some of the topics on the cards.. (if your smart.. memorize before playing.. so when he asks about Sepp.. you know he has a king up his sleeve.) It helped ease the conversation at the table of conventional farming vs. permaculture, without anyone having any fur up. It's not easy teaching old dogs new tricks.. some come with their paws firmly dug into the ground when you try and lead them a different way.

Books and videos help too.. but you can't force anyone to watch or read (even if you leave it on the top of the pile in the bathroom)... Before the cards: two rams in the same pasture, anything I, "a young city girl", suggested was like head butting a wall... After playing cards, my conventional farmer didn't mind watching some of the videos on the topics we discussed, reading the articles I left in the pile, or even implementing some of my crazy ideas around the farm... even if he felt they wouldn't work.

Baby Steps.. They had decades of conventional learning.. and it's worked for them.. changing their minds won't be easy.. especially if your in your 20s trying to convince a parent your way will work better.

Good Luck!! Don't give up.. It is possible.

Hello NS Permies.. The group has really grown since I was here last.. Yay!!

Anyone up for trading? I went the way of buying an old farm to fix up.. which has been an awesome fun adventure.. and because it was an old farm that was left to do it's own thing for ten years.. I have extra.. extra raspberries canes.. extra black locust trees.. extra black/red currant bushes.. and so much more.. While i could dig them up and toss them to the burn pile.. it seems a shame.. especially when so many of you are just starting with a (sort of) blank slate.

So here's my proposition.. It's a U-dig kind of deal.. and I want nearly nothing for them.. Just some Permadvice.. or maybe a even a plant from your garden you have too much of.. or a hug.. one can never have too many hugs.. If your interested.. message me: LostinafieldofSunflowers@gmail.com

Good luck to those of you still looking for your piece of paradise.. It must be hard to pick.. Nova Scotia is so very beautiful

(Laura: Also look in that triangle on the map between Hantsport, Truro & Halifax.. So many old farms for sale for a song.. We have some great little communities and your close to a few busy markets... but not as far away from the city as Bear River or Antigonish)

Gotta go dig..

Hello from the valley.. we acquired an abandon farm, and are working on moving in and cleaning it up.. with the hope of being self sufficient and sustainable in the future.

Thanks for the links

I pickle Garlic Scapes.. I found a recipe here -> http://blog.dakeynefarm.com/?p=85
My Garlic obsessed other half uses them in wraps or on sandwiches, when he is not eating them straight out of the jar.

Neat.. I want one..
Your link didn't work so i googled it.. http://www.davehakkens.nl/work_windoil.html
now i have a new entry to my Todo list. Thank you for posting it!

I love my Piteba.. its too small for the job i need it to do.. and when i looked into a commercial oil press, the price knocked my socks off ($10,000)

Have you thought about looking for an older farmer, who is looking to retire, but doesn't want to see all of his hard work turned into a Subdivision? maybe rent to own (with some free lessons included?) I met one at Bee School, who didn't want to give up his farm, but none of his children were interested in taking over, so he was in the market for someone younger who would work with him, and eventually take over his farm.

I'm in the valley, and i know we have a few spots out in the boonies (Aka.. not close enough to a highway for developers to care about) that may need some work, but are real gems... usually an abandoned farm, with the house needing work, barn falling in, with an overgrown orchard and garden. While it seems like alot of work.. it is so worth it. We just acquired one of these abandoned farms (lost to the human world for 10 years) and are having so much fun discovering all the treasures the old owner left behind, like the acres of Maple trees he used to tap, along with the hand carved sap spouts he left in the barn or the row of highbush blueberries he planted just before he passed away, that are now huge and full of berries every year..

We only have so much uncleared land in Nova Scotia.. it would be a shame to clear some, when we have all these abandoned farms that just need a little love.

http://www.dutchbelted.com/About the Breed.html

We have Belted Galloways.. they get their belt from the Dutch Belted Cattle, but are shorter and fuzzier.