Farm Field Trip

 "To market to market...."

On June 17^th, my family and I went to check at the Farmer’s Market in Crazy Woman Square in downtown Buffalo, Wyoming.  Their market is every Wednesday from about mid-June to early September.  The hours are from 5-7pm.  They do have a website: http://bdafarmersmarket.com/friends-sponsors/  and I did try getting in contact with someone so I could have some of my questions answered, but still have not heard back…

So as far as who is “in charge,” I really don’t know, as I wasn’t able to find that out.  Some of their funding partners include the City of Buffalo and Johnson County.  Some of their sponsors include a local newspaper and a radio station.  Of course, the vendors are required to pay a fee for their space at the market, but I was not able to find out what other written or unwritten rules apply.

This was my first time to this farmer’s market, and the little square had 17 booths.  This is much smaller than a previous farmer’s market I had been to, but this is also a small town of less than 5,000 people.  Most of the booths related to farms in some way, although there were a few that did not directly have to do with farming, such as jewelry and art. 

About five of the booths were plant related, with some selling things like lettuce, radishes, and herbs.  Three of the booths that I saw were animal related.  Two sold goat milk, with one also selling goat milk cheese, and another sold eggs. As I mentioned above, there were several booths that sold things not farm related at all including the art, jewelry, and Scouting booth. 

Some of the names of the booths were Golden Rule Produce, one advertising Amish baked goods, and Lower Piney Heirloom Vegetable Gardens.  Some of the booths did not have a big banner or sign advertising.  I did not see any brochures at any of the booths, and was not offered any.  I saw a booth with samples of granola, one with small samples of soap, which my children quickly grabbed and was offered a sample of body butter at a different booth. 

Except for the lady that asked me if I wanted to try some body butter, I didn’t have anyone else verbally ask me to try anything or get me interested in their goods.  There was a musical act that would pitch certain booths in between his numbers.

Most of the people at the booths were either the farmer or maker of the goods, or a family member.  Most of the people at the booths were middle-aged adults, although some of the booths had younger family members working as well.  

The demographic of those in attendance was quite diverse from what I saw.  Some elderly couples, younger couples, and families with children.  I didn’t see too much geared specifically towards young children, except for the booth that was making and selling cotton candy.  It definitely got my kids attention!  

I’m sure there are some friendships and acquaintances between vendors and attendees, but I did not observe any in particular.  As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, this farmer’s market is held in small grassy square in their downtown.  There was a man singing mostly country songs, but announced he was taking requests and would try to honor them. 

I enjoyed my trip to this farmer’s market.  It was interesting to try to check out the goods at the booths after being in this class.  I probably would have been able to talk to more of the vendors, but my children had other plans!  

The jams looked really yummy!

Fresh milk and eggs

The Cotton Candy Guy

Goat milk and goat cheese

Local produce

Produce and cookies

The stage where a man was performing some country tunes

Cool mural on the wall bordering the farmer's market

Farm Folklore

The Crows are in the Corn

A Georgia Tall Tale
retold by
S. E. Schlosser

It happened in Georgia not long ago, that a farmer and his wife decided to sleep late, like the rich folk do. It was a beautiful Sunday morning, the kind that brings all God's creatures out to play. But not these farm folk. No, they just slept and slept and slept.
The crows were gathered in a large oak tree, having a big morning meeting. They noticed that there was nobody stirring around the house, and that the corn was ripe in the field. So they adjourned their meeting mighty quick and flew over to the field to eat some corn.
"Caw-n, caw-n," they cackled excitedly.
The old rooster woke up to their activities and started to crow excitedly to the sleeping family. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!"
The farmer and his wife just kept sleeping, and the crows kept eating the corn.
"Caw-n, caw-n," they called.
"The crows are in the corn! The crows are in the corn!" The rooster cock-a-doodle-dooed with all his might.
The farmer kept snoring, and his wife just rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head.
The rooster was frantic. He tried once more: "The crows are in the corn. They're pulling up the corn!"
The farmer and his wife kept right on sleeping. And the crow's kept right on eating.
The rooster quit crowing in disgust. Nothing would wake the farmer and his wife.
The old turkey came strolling into the yard and watched the proceedings. Finally he said to the rooster: "The corns all et up, all et up, all et up."
When the farmer and his wife finally rolled out of bed, they found that the corn was all gone. That is why in Georgia we say "the crows are in the corn" when it is time to get up. 

The farm folklore I chose to write about is a Georgia Tall Tale called “The Crows are in the Corn,” retold by S.E. Schlosser.  The tale starts off by saying that in Georgia, a farmer and his wife decided to sleep in one day “like the rich folk do.”  I thought this was an interesting phrase, and farmers do not get to sleep in, so it would feel like a real luxury to be able to do this.  

Next, it mentions that it was a “beautiful Sunday morning, the kind that brings all God’s creatures out to play.”  And then it says that the farmer and his wife were not among these creatures, as they continued to sleep and sleep. 

Then it talks about the crows having their big morning meeting in a big oak tree.  I thought this was interesting, because in an article entitled, “Getting to know your neighborhood crow,” Suzanne Hogan points out that crows do congregate, and have done so for over 50 years.  Her article also states that Kevin McGowan of Cornell’s lab of ornithology says that, “Crows don’t like to do anything alone or quietly.”  

The tall tale continues that the crows quickly noticed that nobody was up or moving around in the house, and “the corn was ripe in the field.”  Although crows are considered a nuisance by some, or even a bad omen, they are also known for their intelligence.  This is shown in the tall tale, and the crows quickly “adjourn” their meeting to fly over to the corn fields to eat. “Caw-n, caw-n, they cackled excitedly.”

Next the rooster wakes up and catches on to what the crows are doing.  He repeatedly tried to wake the farmer and his wife, but they keep sleeping while the crows keep eating.  “The crows are in the corn!  The crows are in the corn!”  The story continues with the farmer snoring away and the wife pulling her pillow over her head to try to drown out the noise.  This highlights the constant hard work that farmers do, and what a precious thing sleep is, as they usually do not get enough of it.  Roosters are one of those iconic symbols on a farm.  The rooster crowing at dawn everyday could be seen as a symbol of predictability and the reassurance of one of the few things that doesn’t change.  Perhaps others would view it as a regular annoyance, or an unpleasant reminder that the luxury of sleep and dreams were over, and of the never-ending work and chores on a farm. 

So after not too long Mr. Rooster realized that he would not be successful in waking up the farmer and his wife and “quit crowing in disgust.”  The crows continued to eat the corn.  This also reminded me of the ongoing battles that farmers have whether it be pests, weeds, the weather, or other things.  A farmer can never really just sit back and relax and not worry about anything, because there is always something that needs to be done, and there is always something to worry about.

Finally, the tale says the “old turkey” came into the yard to watch what was going on. He eventually told the rooster that the corn was “all et up.” It ends with the farmer and his wife finally rolling out of bed, only to discover that their corn is all gone, having been eaten up by the crows.  The story ends by saying that’s why in Georgia, people will say “the crows are in the corn” when it’s time to get up.

                                                                    Works Cited

Hogan, Suzanne. “Getting to Know Your Neighborhood Crow.” kcur.org. Web. 14 Jun. 2015.

Schlosser, S. E. “The Crows are in the Corn: A Georgia Tall Tale.” americanfolklore.net. Web. 14 Jun. 2015

School Lunch

The New America Foundation gives a brief history of how the government came to be involved in school lunches.  Many years ago, a program was implemented called the Commodity Donation Program of 1936.  This “aimed to eliminate price-suppressing crop surpluses by distributing excess commodities to school for meals for students who could not otherwise afford them.” 

Then in 1946, the National School Lunch Act was passed by Congress.  This established a federally funded school lunch program, and to “improve child nutrition.”  The National School Lunch Act now also includes free and reduced priced breakfast, after-school snacks, milk, and summer meals for students who qualify.  

To participate in this federally subsidized school lunch program, local school districts are required to apply to their state department of education for permission.  Once permission is granted from the state, “all schools located in the district’s jurisdiction, both public and non-profit private, are eligible to participate.”  

The district, or individual school, must then choose an “approved school food authority to implement the program.”  New America continues to state that these school food authorities are independent and non-profit organizations.  They are responsible for determining student eligibility, enrollment, and providing the meals for the school lunch program.  

The National School Lunch Program is available to “all eligible children living in the United States regardless of citizenship status.”  If a student’s family has an income below 130 percent of the annual income poverty level guideline, as established by the US Department of Health and Human Services, they are eligible to receive a free lunch.  Reduced priced lunches are available to those students whose family’s income falls below 185 percent of poverty guidelines.  

Schools cannot charge more than 40 cents for a reduced lunch, and students who do not qualify for free or reduced lunches can still purchase a lunch at a “slightly subsidized” price. 

Parents can apply by providing their income information on an application through the school district, or children can be enrolled automatically through “direct certification.”  Direct certification is a process where school food authorities or state agencies receive lists of families enrolled in either the Food Stamp Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.  These names are matched to students enrolled in the school or schools that the authority serves.  

School food authorities are reimbursed with federal funds that are distributed by the state.  Commodity foods, such as oranges and apples, are sometimes provided by the school food authority to schools that request them.  For the 2013-2014 school year, the reimbursement for a commodity was 23.25 cents each.  In a jurisdiction where less than 60% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches, the reimbursement rate again for the 2013-2014 school year was $2.93 for a free lunch and $2.53 for a reduced lunch.

Growing up, I remember a short time in elementary school, where I either received a free or reduced lunch.  I remember that my lunch ticket was a different color than most of the other kids, and I was really embarrassed by it.  

So I guess in a way, this has come full circle, as I currently have two children in school, who qualified for this past school year.  Thankfully now, there are no paper lunch tickets, but a student number or code that each child punches in or gives.  

While there definitely is a basis for the argument against the nutrition of some things on the school lunch menus—chicken nuggets and hot dogs are served at their school, I am grateful for this resource for struggling families.  I have noticed more whole grains being incorporated into their meals. 

I also think the direct certification is a great idea, as I’m sure there are many students who might miss out on a meal or meals, if the only way they could apply was by their parent filling out the application.  

http://febp.newamerica.net/background-analysis/federal-school-nutrition-programs

About an apple...

Today I bought an apple.  A golden delicious apple from Albertson’s because they were on sale.  I decided to research the PLU or price look-up code found on the lovely little sticker that is found on some of our produce.  

The four-digit code on this apple was 4020.  The sticker also had the Washington apple logo on it.  Washington Fruit & Produce Company’s website confirms that this is a large Golden Delicious apple.  

I also found out that this apple’s four digit code reveals that it is a conventially grown apple, or one that was grown with chemicals.  An organic apple would have a five-digit PLU starting with a 9.  And a genetically modified apple would also be a five-digit code that would start with the number 8.  These were all things that were new to me.  

I also learned that apples at the grocery store could be 6 months to a year old.  At naturallysavvy.com, I read that apples are picked “slightly unripe,” and then treated with a chemical called 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP).  Afterwards the apples are waxed and boxed and put in a controlled cold storage where the oxygen level is greatly lowered, basically putting the apples “to sleep for 6-12 months.”  

Louise Picot goes on to say that this is mainly because “so much of our food is produced far from where we live.”  In the case of my apple, that is true, as it was grown a couple of states away, and stored for how long?

Unfortunately I don’t live close to an orchard anymore.  When I lived in Logan, Utah, my family and I would look forward to the fall apples at Paradise Valley Orchard.  Their apples were always so delicious and fresh, and we would sometimes pick them ourselves.  I have never had an apple from the grocery store that tasted as good as an apple from a local orchard.  

I would definitely like to eat as much local produce as possible, and that is one reason why I am planting a garden this year, even though I don’t have a lot of time right now.  I look forward to knowing exactly where my produce comes from, and the satisfaction that comes from producing something that you have worked hard at.  I also hope to share this local produce with friends and neighbors. 

http://www.washfruit.com/plu_codes

http://www.plantea.com/genetically-modified-foods.htm

http://naturallysavvy.com/eat/how-fresh-are-your-supermarket-apples

Farming Roots

We had an assignment to trace our farming roots.  Although I didn't know a lot, I knew that on my dad's side of the family, there had been farmers.  It was interesting to learn more about our family history and to make some historical connections as well.

My father has an ancestor named James H. Saunders, who was born in England in 1806.  He immigrated to America in his teens, and became a sheriff as well as a farmer.  He settled in Southern Maryland, where every generation after him farmed until the 1950's.

I learned from my dad that they mostly raised wheat and corn, and then at some point began growing tobacco as well.  He said that the state specified how much tobacco you could raise, based on how much land you had.  It was a very lucrative crop, but also very labor intensive.   My dad worked on his grandpa's farm in the summers, so he got to experience this process first hand.  After the tobacco grew about four feet tall, you would spear the cut ends and hang it to dry in the barn. Then, months later, you would take the tobacco off of the sticks, pull the leaves off the stalks, and put them into a basket.  The leaves would be piled about three feet high, and then tied on the sides to hold it all together.  A buyer would come to the farm to get the leaves, and then the stalks were thrown into the manure spreader and thrown back onto the fields.

My dad's dad did not continue farming after he married.  My dad was born during World War II, and because his dad already had five children, he was not drafted into the military.  His dad got a job as a crane operator in a shipyard in Baltimore, Maryland loading and unloading ships.  This is consistent with the Agricultural Timeline, as it points out that beginning in the 1940's, many southern farmers left farming to get a war-related job in the city.  As my dad stated, his dad "followed the money," and as a father of a growing family he needed a larger income.

  Another thing I learned is that my dad said after the war, quite a few Navy ships were being retired, and his dad was able to bring home these hard chocolate candies that were on the lifeboats.  He said that chocolate candy was not available during the war, so they thought they had "died and gone to heaven!"

I don't really remember my grandpa, as he passed away when I was very young.  I do know that he was a good, hardworking man, and that these traits were passed down to my dad as well.  Growing up, our family had a hobby farm or farmette.  We had a few acres and raised goats, chickens, calves, and sometimes pigs.  Our farm experience has helped me cultivate these traits as well and I hope to instill them in my own children.