Juice Is Awesome!

     It was juice time at the farm! I have not fired up the old juicer in quite sometime. We are in need now more than ever for some energy, vitality, and longevity. I know how to get it! And here it is!
     This green goodness consist of anything green I could get my hands on including big dark green local organic cabbage, lettuces, and other greens. We added sine zucchini and cucumbers. Then a few apples and a pear. Delicious and better than a red bull!
     And there you have it! Now if only we can keep at it. Will keep you updated with "juice progress reports". =)

~Onward, Forward!

Breaking Bread At The Farm

     Sunday dinner was excellent at the farm this pas weekend thanks to delicious homemade "french country bread" cooked in our fire burning cast iron stove.
     I an very impressed with this stove as it is very easy to maintain a good cooking temperature. It also has six "burners" on top of the stove which we put water in pots to release moisture back into the air.
     Welcome to the world of wood collecting, chopping, and hauling. A labor of love.

     We never fooled ourselves going into this. The hard work and dedication is something we knew was coming. You simply will not be successful in a situation that demands you take some responsibility for yourself,  the materials and energy you exhaust, and how your environment reacts to that.

      I think that is the greatest reward in the direction we have chose. Not to snub the society we left behind, but to find our selves and our connection to the everything that is around us. We can remind ourselves of the importance and advantages this brings to us as individuals and together as the human race. Ive spent plenty of time thinking and studying what I'm against. I know it well. Now it is time for the balance of knowing and becoming what I am for.

Starting our orchard!

      These pictures are challenging to make out, however.. Welcome to the beginings of our orchard. we now have five Asian Pear trees planted.
      The ground you see cleared was preciously covered in very thick weeds and vegetation. It took quite a few hours to get it looking like this. I am quite pleased with how well the grass below what was cut is looking!
      The picture was taken between the top two ponds from the driveway.

      This is a bit more close up. Uncle Bruce took a "tile" (the black thing along the base of the new tree) and applied it to the tree. The deer are nipping the buds and rubbing the bark. We hear this will detour them.
      We chose the Asian pear due to its heartiness and ability to survive Ohio climate. It also has a very long shelf life once harvested mid to end summer. Lasting into February. The fruits are crisp like an apple and sweet like a pear.
     The holes I prepared to plant the tree's in took another few hours of work. I dug them by hand to about four feet round and three to four feet down.
     I mixed the dirt I dug with four different soils and compost's I collected from around the farm in different areas. I look for well broken down organic materials, dirt consistency, and fertility. I suggest to smell the soils and feel them with your hands. You will remember where you collected and what its advantages and disadvantages were.
    From there I filled in my natural pots, added leaves and grass clippings as natural mulching and I believe we are going to be successful in growing these five delicious trees!

~ Onward, Forward!

Its Time!

     So the farm is coming together as the winter is threatening to set in. We are all becoming more comfortable with each other and the honesty that has become living in close quarters.
     Dynamics remain interesting with all of us settling in such different quarters and angles as we define and live what we call life. It only has one choice and that;s to find its own way. As we remain like water. Ever committed to the cause and the destination and the love for the travels and adventure that take us there.
     We cherish every moment we spend together. Another longer in our place of beauty and serenity which surrounds us because we are apart of it not because we told it to be. We have found home and our place where we are suppose to be. NOW WE MUST BE!

Stove Pipe!

     Burrrrrr!!! Its cold outside come 11/4/2012 at the farm! Here is one of the most essential pieces of survival equipment we own here at "The Grove". This is our wood burning stove that rests on the main level of our house in its own tailored extension of the house.
     Heat your house, fry an egg, and bake an apple pie all at the same time while baking some bread. This thing is amazing. We initially thought to sell it for farm essentials but now we are sure it is a necessity and not a luxury.  We do Heat with propane otherwise of course. We all know where that comes from. FRACK FRACKING!

~Onward Forward! With a killer stove =)

Welcome Uncle Bruce!

     The newest addition to the fall farm family! Uncle Bruce. Say hello everyone. From small town Greenfield, OH with experience and abilities to match the best woodsman. Here we go!
     1-2-3 Welcome to Sugar Grove!

Worms Make This Farm Happen!

      The corner stone of our operation! Red Wriggler Worms. Purchased from a farm which used all organic, NON-GMO, open pollination practices. Which means these guys are ready to go!
      I work at Red Lobster and the primary source for these guys' food is the scrap "conventinally farmed" veggies I collect while prepping the menu.  I learned plenty about conventional farming while working a Summer at Schatt Farm in Columbus, OH
      Our goal is to rejuvenate these guys come Spring just as we do ourselves. If we can take it our worms can too and we are not fully off "The Juice" yet either so to speak. But we are aware and honest about our situation which leads us to believe we are on " The Path "

      Once your worms arrive (ordered mine on e-bay not for fancy package but for fancy grower abilities.)  You must now build your "worm bin".
      What you see here is a basic 2x4 and wood assembly. If you want to build it... It will form. Then you line with plastic and set up juice collection. We also included a door on the front which will allow easy compost extraction.
     Then wet your newspaper shreds which will act as bedding.

      What you see here consist of layers. Newspaper bedding from the preivous step, then comes an 8" layer of freshly collected dirt.  Then food scrap to crate mold which your worms will eat. No raw meat, citrus, acidic or spicy foods.
      Then add a layer of leaves. do the layers again and presto. The white bag you see is what the worms came in. They are dumped out under it in a "worm ball"
      I have read it is bad for the colony to break them up. Leave them in the ball, wet the rag, bag, or just piece of news paper and let them disperse over 24 hours.
     After placement, water your worms. They are thirsty after their travels!

      We are going into winter here at Sugar Grove so I added an extra compost/leave layer to help add warmth.
       You will need a lid as well with Chickens as slick as mine, racoons and other critters on the prowl as well!


~Onward, Forward!

We Got A Tractor!

     What a wonderful day on the farm! We are the proud new owners of a Massy Ferguson 1949 To-30 Tractor. This thing means business!
      To start very impressed with its determination to run! You hit the start and it fires right up! Just have to feel out old engines. Love this TRACTOR she is a beaut and keeps on kicking no matter what!
    

      This thing has a 3 point hitch and PTO going for it. We have what you can kind of see in the pic is a plow. We also have a 6ft. grade blade. We are after a Bush Hog, Finish Mower, and Disk setup.
      What a time to be on the farm. And to think we thought this was only a dream that was so far away.  We thought we wouldn't be here before the end of 2012.
      With the way the political, mental, and meteorlogical weather is blowing these days, I'd say I have much more at work than just my own efforts.  I look to my ancestors for inspiration and guidance. I look to my present council. And I look to what is ahead that can guide me.

~Onward, Foreward!

Burn? Barrel? Eco?

     So look we aim to be a completely open honest eco village because we believe this angle or goal will bring us the most benefit as far as exposing our weaknesses and thus solving our most nagging problems.
     Here is one of them..
     This is our "Burn Barrel". We purchased a metal barrel (food grade). We cut the top off and hammered the rough edges making them somewhat smooth. And we added a few air holes as well as ignition door. And there you have it...
     We burn anything we can't recycle or compost. We are in our infancy and we know we do not want to commit to local government deciding  how best to deal with our trash. Our aim is waste reduction.

     This is an example of honesty. Has anyone out there found another way to deal with this issue? Please comment and interact with our blog!
~Onward, Forward. =)

Hey Its Moss Man!

      This is our friend moss pelt. We plan to do many things with moss pelt. Moss + Butter Milk = spreadable moss you can paint and will continue to grow! WONDERFUL! INCREDIBLE! NON-EDIBLE MOSS!

Ollie The Mountain Dog!

This is "Ollie". He was a puppy we fell in love with at a swap meet last December.  He is completely engineered by humans.  
     He is a bonafied back woods mountain dog believe it or not! This dog will go up and down any mountain to be beside you! He has traversed all 51 acres an astonishing three times! Give it up for Ollie. He farts (because he loves anything but his own food) and climbs mountains!

Catfish at "The Grove"

WHAMMMMMMMM!

     Big, Big, Catfish in "The Lake" as it is called for now (until I come up with some unique Indian name for it that will come to me in a dream).
     These catfish are on a stringer and out of the water for a reason. At this point walking them up here. Posing for a picture, keeping them on a line which they sat until I harvested to bring them up. .Fish #3 being the lucky one with less torture. Returning them at this point being a death sentence and also negative large mass additive to the pond taking a long time to decompose or be eaten.
     They were delicious I will report. And I am certain they would eat me and there young all in one fell swoop if I were small enough and they were big enough. Again, delicious! we used 100% of every fish harmed in the making of this blog!
     ~Onward, Forward!

Buckeye Chickens, Heritage Breed at "The Grove"

      Here is our gorgeous Buckeye Chickens that grace the presence of our Sugar Grove Eco Village in Sugar Grove, OH. We have one Rooster who is still an amazing presence despite his age! He will be around to brood the next round of Bird after these Hen's. Who... say it quietly... (are not laying at the time). You know what that means. Well new people for Mr. B to meet come spring! =)
     We have chosen this breed of chicken due to the fact it is a heritage breed native to Ohio. Breed by an early Ohioan who acclimated them to our climate and micro-climates which form Eco-systems that supply unique bugs which cause a natural herd grazing mentality that had them here there and everywhere then home to their comfort zone we have provided at night. ( as seen in previous blog ). 
    Seen here being naughty and getting into my organic open pollinated wheat grass seed I planted not long ago. Not happy and laying down thanks to the chickens.

Building A Green House for 100$ continued..

 So there it is. As seen before on our blog. We attempted, and were sucessful at bulding a greenhouse for 100$.
     Do not ask us for a parts list. Do not ask us for deminsions! The pictures are here. Make your inner genious work and build the damn thing.
     A gift to you, brought to you by: The loving and caring souls residing at "The Grove"

      Yes! Yes! Yes! There is an inside. Do not let this fool you. It dose not happen over night, Tho in the blink of an eye it was created! Be the master of your own destiny.
       You may only build with love if you have learned to love. And if you have learned to love than you have built it in your heart. And are ready to build anything. Show us your destiny!



                                                 =D

 

      This is the dirt. What is dirt? It is the life force for which feeds us. A bounty so powerful it may question your very desire to eat meat. I love meat. I love soil. I love live animals. I love live plants. Thoughts are powerful. And we must think. To Thrive.
      Art is in our soil. We have produced a soil comprised of four very different bio dynamic enviornments. Meaning each enviornment the four soils were collected from were very diffrent in their locations, altitude, built of diffrent bio degradable organic materials that were naturaly left in the mostly wooded enviornments.
      At first thought one would think... I go in the woods, I dig a hole, I put the contents in a movable devise, put it in my green house and blammmmoo!.
     Not so folks. You have a massive root system that is your forest floor you must penetrate. You have to first accomplish scouting your micro climates in your properties range and determine their fertility levels or what I call awesome black goldness boost factor. This can take days depending on your territory. Then you have to get there, labor it up, get the lawn mower unstuck because you don't have a real tractor yet. THEN! then then then. You have to unload and think about doing it again, again, again, in another location.
     I have news for you. The picture above, my health and ability to self sustain and produce, and reproduce, Has made me prouder than I think I ever could be. To show my kids, my family, and everything around me. That's where I want to be.

      And finally, after miles of reading. Here is the most exallent shelf Rick put up. This is for seeding what we havent already planted of the cold hearty fall/winter crop we are producing at this time.
      Tho it has been cold as can be and it is warm and humid in the green house. With the soil setting warmer than I describe the air. Plants that would other wise die are surviving.
       Finally take note of the natural beems we used from a harvest of the woods. Some 2x4's we had in stock already from old construction jobs proved handy and accounted for most the 100$ eexpense we discussed.

Thank you for reading and existing,
On-Ward, Fore-Ward!

Seasons Change

 All is going well I am happy to report! As fall is setting in here in "The Grove" The trees are beautiful and our mindsets are quickly shifting gears towards what lies ahead and preparation.     
     There are lots of ideas and directions afloat. We all have a constant drive in these early stages to define exactly what it is we are all doing here. A true artist know ambition. Aims and heads in that direction with no real guarantee as to how long this journey may be. When it will take shape or what will even form. All we know as each other is that we must create. Everything in us is calling to be free and live as we want to be. We are beginning to understand the responsibilities, the dynamics and changes in our ways of life and thinking, the abilities we have to adapt and understand more than what we presently know. This is the frontier. It will never go away no matter the shape of the future. It will always exist as we are witness to and experienced in today.

      A beautiful shot further examples the bareness we began to experience just one short week after the picture above was taken.
     Our major activities and expense of energy are now directed towards keeping warm. We have loads of wood sitting just beyond all tree lines thanks to the winter storms of '08. We are now appreciating the work that goes into extracting and making this burnable. With the limited equipment available at the present moment. one riding lawn mower and an old beat Craftsman chainsaw built to do half the work we ask of it. Its almost as if the mechanical limits of the equipment are challenged by our sheer will to over come the limits before us and succeed. Where ever that limit we set is. Genius Potential 101

     A picture here now shows one clear moment we received in a stint of 5 days of rain. The days were long and gloomy. Cabin fever staved off by each others company as in the moment is where we have decided to reside.
     A puzzle, good food, each others company with ideas tooling of the future and what is too be. That will do for now. And all I need in the ward off rainy day tea.
     Thank you all for reading,
     ~Onward Forward!