FEBRUARY 2015, ISSUE #165

Chasing away the winter blues with a farming conference, community get-togethers, honest work, bird watching and culinary experimentation.

 

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION CONFERENCE FOR FARMERS

20150206CarolConference  20150206ConferenceRegistrationCharlotte

Chasing away the February blues with an energizing gathering of farmers, policy-makers and social activists at Central Carolina Community Conference. Carol gave a presentation on Slow Money (matching local lenders with local businesses) and Charlotte womanned the registration desk with the help of volunteers. Bob served as the train conductor, keeping things running smoothly and on time. Camille headed up the volunteer staff.

 

AMY AND SPOT

20150205SpotAmy

Our conference house-guest, Amy gave a presentation on the Politics of Adaptation

 

HAPPY AT WORK

20150209LyleTractor  20150209BrettGabyLunchtime

Post conference, work resumed it’s normal patterns at The Plant. Lyle took advantage of above-freezing temperatures to do some maintenance. Brett and Gabi sit down to a farmer-sized home made noon meal.

 

FAC

20150213FAC

Bob instituted Friday Afternoon Club in his ginger greenhouse at The Plant, a great way to round out the week and continue strengthening community bonds.

 

DRESSED FOR THE OCCASION

20150213GingerGreenhouse  20150213GabbyGumby

Although the greenhouse is warm and cozy, Gabi arrives at FAC dressed for outside temperatures because she is used to working outdoors.

 

GET READY, ‘CAUSE HERE IT COMES

20150215ColdGarden  20150218SnowFalling

As soon as that ground hog up in Punxsutawney  saw his shadow and ran back inside, the weather forecasts turned ugly.  Instead of Spring, we got our first snow of the year. Good thing Bob has our garden buttoned up.

 

DRIVEN INDOORS

20150203Lizard

A little anole found it’s way indoors and began dining on the tiny flies associated with the carnations we are nursing through the winter.

 

EDIBLE EARTHSCAPES MONTHLY CSA POTLUCK

20150222CSAPotluckRaleigh

On the last Sunday of the month, Haruka, Jason and Camille drove up to Raleigh with a nice group of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) members for lunch at Linda and Bruce’s house.

 

SNOW BIRDS

20150224CardinalSnow  20150224BlueJays

And here came our second snow, as pretty as a picture with all the birds our feeders attract.

 

TRACKS

20150225CatTracks  20150225BirdTracks&Leaves

The next day revealed the commute path of one of the neighborhood cats and the scrabblings of our wild bird population.

 

A WET SNOW

20150225FallenCypress  20150226SnowSpot

Wet late-winter snow is heavy enough to bend boughs and fell trees. Fortunately, this Leyland cypress missed our baby chestnut tree by a foot. We were also lucky there were no significant power outages in our neighborhood.

 

HUNGRY BIRDS

20150226Junco  20150226BirdFeeder

It was a long day of feeding and a delight to watch from our office and kitchen windows as sparrows, juncos, finches, cardinals, jays, robins, grackles and even one rufous-sided towhee took turns at the feeders.

 

BEAN POT

20150226BeanPot  20150227BlackBeanBowl

The cold weather inspired Camille to make a pot of black beans. These delicious, organic beans were harvested last year on a local farm and were so fresh that they cooked up in no time.

 

FROZEN LANDSCAPE

20150227Banana  20150227RoosterShadow

Meanwhile, back at work a banana plant is frozen in time and The Plant rooster stands proud against the snowy landscape.

 

ON THE VERGE OF SPRING

20150227Kale  20150227PussyWillows

Longer days are making cabbage grow and pussy willows bloom despite the storms.

 

FUN WITH TARO

20150227TaroFritters  20150228FriedRiceTeriyakiTofuFritters

Camille had a hey day perfecting a taro fritter recipe. We ate them with fried rice and baked teriyaki tofu. Yum!

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THIS MONTH’S QUOTES:

“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.” – Richard Bach, Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah

“In this weird liminal time since the so-called Crash of 2008 leadership has depended on lies and subterfuges to prop up the illusion of resilience. One biggie is the shale oil revolution, kind of a national parlor trick to wow the multitudes for a long enough moment to convince them that their troubles with the national energy supply are over.”- James Howard Kunstler, Sep 15, 2014

“I am returning herewith without my approval S. 1, the “Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act.” Through this bill, the United States Congress attempts to circumvent longstanding and proven processes for determining whether or not building and operating a cross-border pipeline serves the national interest.” – President Barack Obama, February 24, 2015

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[Troutsfarm] * [February, 2015]

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