Hunger Stone :
Recent droughts in Europe once again made visible the “Hunger Stones” in some Czech and German rivers.
These stones were used to mark desperately low river levels that would forecast famines.
This one, in the Elbe river, is from 1616 and says: “If you see me, cry.”
—
“when the well is dry, we will know the worth of water.”
-benjamin franklin
—
credits: history review
white lotus farms, ann arbor, mi
it’s national farmer’s market week – shop from your local farms
Dubbed “the farmers’ market effect” by the New York Times, a recent study shows that vouchers that permit low-income women to shop at a local farmers’ market increase fruit and vegetable consumption in their families. “It’s not clear why mothers visiting a farmers’ market wound up buying more vegetables than grocery store shoppers, but some women told the researchers that the produce sold at markets seemed to be fresher and of higher quality than supermarket offerings. Many shoppers also said they enjoyed the pleasant community experience and the chance to interact directly with growers.”
—
“raw ingredients trump recipes every time;
farmers and ranchers who coax the best from the earth
can make any of us appear to be a great cook.”
-judy rodgers, the zuni cafe cookbook
October 12 is Old Farmers Day,
a day devoted to old farmers and their farming techniques.
how will you celebrate?
—
“let us not forget that the cultivation of the earth
is the most important labor of man.
when tillage begins, other arts will follow.
the farmers, therefore, are the founders of civilization.”
—
image credit: ©iStockphoto.com/irman
today we met the farmers
they got down low
and
told us everything
they showed us how to plant our own food
so that we could eat it later
they answered all of our questions
and told us
how the food would taste better
because we know the farmers now.
—
“know you food, know your farmers, and know your kitchen.”
-joel salatin
while the kinders were playing a farm game
with crops and cash,
some sold
some bought
some traded.
i thought all were farmers
until one came to me
to say:
“she doesn’t want to be a farmer. she said she’s a jedi warrior!
that means she’ll be stronger than all of the rest of us!”
i told him that jedi and farmers are both very strong people.
both work hard and refuse to give up.
both try to do things peacefully.
and that
they could work together with no problem.
they would be good for each other.
they would help each other.
even a jedi has to eat.
even a farmer has to stand up and be brave.
and they became a very powerful team.
—
image credits: foodtank.com, google images, star wars, lucasfilm.ltd
went for a farmer’s market visit
saw all the stuff they grew
kinders met the farmers
asked them questions
painted pumpkins
filled their bags
soap maker
vegetable growers
fruit lady
flower farmers
pumpkin man
beekeeper/honey maker
bakers
artists
fairy treasures
candy
one showed us
the special black dirt
he grows things in
it is like magic.
tomorrow we cook.
—
the farmer has to be an optimist
or he wouldn’t still be a farmer.
– will rogers
our opinions become fixed at the point where we stop thinking.
– ernest renan
I didn't have my glasses on.... 