Now that the autumn foliage is turing all kinds of impossible colors, many people are “hitting the trails” to enjoy some brisk outdoor exercise while viewing the autumnal crazy-quilt as it brightens day by day. Both city dwellers and rural denizens have embraced the union of the Rails to Trails projects locally, across their states, all over the nation and crossing international boundaries with the recently popular pastime known as Geocaching.

What, readers may ask, is this “geocaching” thing? According to its official website, geocaching is “a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online.” Because of the unique location of my homestead within ‘spitting distance’ of the Mount Mitchell trail from Graphite, abutting the Pisgah National Forest and comprising the interior of the primary omega loop of the Round Knob loops of the Norfolk-Southern grade over the eastern continental divide, we have known about this geocaching phenomenon for years. There are at least three caches within 5 miles of us, and there are summer camps just up the road near the trail-head that ‘specialize’ in organizing geocaching expeditions for teenage campers. Thus for geocachers to join with the Rails to Trails projects is a match mae it… natural world heaven!

According to the geocaching website there are 1,540,286 active geocaches at various obscure spots worldwide, and more than 5 million active geocachers who spend time seeking them out. Some are bikers, some are hikers, all enjoy the outdoors and being able to pinpoint their position on the globe via satellite device. How these interests work with the Rails to Trails projects is to enlist dedicated geocachers to help the Conservancy produce GPS-accurate maps of various landmarks along their converted trails. Once mapped the trails then become popular destinations for geocachers, who just might set up some caches here and there for others to find. Win-win situation all around.

The Rails to Trails Conservancy offers a site called TrailLink that uses your current GPS position to return a map overlay leading to its trails in your immediate area. Or it can be searched for any area you may be planning to travel to for an autumn break and some dedicated leaf-looking. In my neighborhood a mountain biking group recently purchased a lodge nearby educated to the many mountain bikers who use our trails and bikeways and such during the ‘nice’ 9 months of the year, including the annual “Assault on Mount Mitchell” and the later descent from, which makes those days not a very good time to try hiking. They have a nice geocaching station with its own GPS and really nice heads-up displays, and regularly updates its trail and road maps with GPS data collected by bikers who stay there.

Almost every state has a Rails to Trails organization working to buy up the right-of-ways to old, no longer used railroad lines that are converted into trails. This gorgeous October weather beckons, and the trees are busy putting on their most colorful gypsy costuming for your delight. So grab a pack and some hiking boots – or your handy-dandy bicycle – and your cell phone GPS, and head out into the countryside to enjoy the season’s fine offerings. Some of you may enjoy it so much you start thinking seriously about joining us homesteaders out in the boonies where we get to enjoy all the seasons and all the ‘best-of’ our regions have to offer.

Happy trails!

Links:

Rails to Trails Conservancy
Geocaching.com
TrailLink
Good Roads, Rails & Trails

One of the biggest long-range planning issues involved in making a successful transition from a seriously inefficient and wasteful fossil fuels economy toward a more healthy renewables-based way of life is the problem of our petro-based system of agriculture. Those huge tractors and combines that dominate the endless landscapes of Big Agri-biz operations can translate into an entirely unsustainable 10:1 ratio of fossil fuel use to food on the table. Obviously as the cost of petroleum fuels keeps on rising, our society at large must come up with more efficient alternatives. Fortunately, there are a couple of alternatives that bode well for the future.

Huge swaths of the American breadbasket where staple monocrops are produced by the square mile would probably be better off going with Rudolph Diesel’s engine which he invented in 1893 to run on peanut oil. The Big machines could be run on SVO biodiesel that could be produced in a centrally located co-op type operation from oil crops cooperatively grown just for the purpose. These could then power the growing of those massive amounts of staple crops like oilseed, sugar beets, corn and other grains needed for both humans and livestock that are most efficiently produced by agribusiness concerns. Less petroleum consumption for this purpose, combined with programs aimed at lessening big ag’s dependence on petro-based chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides would help a lot.

But is biodiesel the best alternative to the small producer? Smaller, more diverse farms, organic operations and homesteads that participate in Community Supported Agriculture programs and/or agritourism offerings don’t need those huge multi-purpose machines to grow just a few acres’ worth of truck crops, culinary herbs, grains, etc. Luckily for us small-timers, there’s electric tractors.

Electric tractors come in a variety of sizes and conversions from standard small farm size tractors produced by the usual manufacturers to your basic lawn-tractor sized unit that is mostly a glorified riding mower or 4-wheeler/golf cart. Such small units can easily handle the standard machine jobs involved in 1-5 acre fields, often able to plow, till or seed those 5 acres on a single charge. These machines can generally accept any of the standard tractor attachments that any similar sized gasoline or diesel tractor can accept, and while not exactly cheap, are generally not much more expensive than standard models.

Electric tractors actually get more oomph for the buck than traditional tractors or regular transportation EVs that need to be lightweight and go fast. This is because tractors are more efficient at their jobs when they are heavy and going slow. The trick for homesteaders is the power supply for charging the batteries, and of course that must factor into whatever power sources – solar, wind, micro-hydro, etc. – you are using to lessen your dependence on the grid. There are even conversions out there for your basic Small farm size Allis or Deere or Ford tractor that sport nifty overhead canopies (shade!) of solar panels that charge on-the-fly.

On more graded land such as we have here in the Appalachians, any kind of riding tractor or mower type machine is more dangerous than a walk-behind with low profile. And while power for that could be provided by a mule, it’s kind of exciting to find that someone on the electric implement front has already thought of that. Even better, these electrical implements make no noise in operation beyond the noise of the tines working the earth.

Below are listed some great links with lots of good information about electric tractors, tillers, mowers, cart-pullers and such that interested homesteaders will find useful. Several homesteaders I know who have livestock are already using rechargeable battery powered electric 4-wheelers to pull trailers loaded with hay and feed and such to their stock, haul logs cut at distance to where they are split for firewood, and to get that firewood to the furnace/wood stove. More useful actual farm implements attachable to riding mower type vehicles, or conversions of that old Ford might be a great project a homesteader who is already involved in CSA and/or agritourism projects could even find grant money to support.

Useful Links:

EEEVEE: Electric Tractors
The Natural Farmer: Electric Tractors
Permaculture: Electric Tractors
Modern Electric Tractors Incorporated
GE Elec-Trak E15
FreePower: Solar Gardening & Lawn Equipment
SunPony Charging Tiller

I was reminiscing the other day to my gathered grandchildren about the annual childhood vacation journeys my family used to make from wherever we were living at the time to my paternal grandparents’ home in central Kentucky. Dad let us take turns as navigator in the shotgun seat, getting us from point A to B in a day’s drive, using nothing but those “little blue roads” through the rural countryside he loved so much. Occasionally one of us kids would get us good and lost, then the next in line would have to find a way out. He was never in a big hurry, we often spent more days than necessary getting to Grandma’s house.

One of the things I recall most fondly were the painted advertising barns we’d see along the way. “See Rock City” barns no matter where we were or how far it was from there to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Ubiquitous tobacco barns in Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky painted to advertise for Mail Pouch or Red Man or some other cigarette, chew or pipe tobacco. Some very unique painted barns advertising for local or national businesses. We used to keep a page of the trip log for listing those, along with each eagerly anticipated Burma Shave series of one-word jingles and the usual list of state license plates seen along the way.

Those old ad-barns are quickly falling into distantly remembered history, as tobacco bases become increasingly rare and as the barns themselves deteriorate. Some have been salvaged as ‘conversation piece’ paneling for fancy rural log McMansions, pulling in a pretty penny for those who dismantle rotting outbuildings in a newer generation. In an age of interstate highways lined by boring billboards, seeing a unique working barn with a real advertisement on it is becoming a rare occurrence.

Would it surprise you to find that barn painted advertising is making a comeback? It surprised me, but then again, I don’t go far from home very often, and then mostly via interstate. But barn painted advertising still has its uses, and can return money to a landowner equivalent (or better) than from simply renting space for a billboard to be erected. All it requires is that the farm/homestead have frontage on a well-traveled roadway, and a good sized barn that can be easily seen from that roadway. Thus ‘selling’ the side and/or roof of a barn or other large outbuilding to a company for advertising could possibly be a good source of ‘extra’ income for homesteaders to think about.

You can do this yourself, though it wouldn’t be as quick a turnover to income as going through a company that contracts ads for billboards and such, that might consider your barn. For local companies, check with advertising directors to pitch your location and visibility of your outbuilding(s). This can work for regional companies as well, but national companies generally go through those advertising firms. You could try both, take the deal that offers you the most for your offered advertising space. Lucky homesteaders may in this way earn extra income just for having outbuildings visible to the public, and in return get a showpiece of a barn that can someday be worth even more as salvage!

And don’t forget to consider that you can always advertise on your visible barn/outbuilding your own farm logo if you belong to a CSA [Community Supported Agriculture] cooperative, offer Agri-tourism attractions and/or B&B accommodations, or deal directly with the public for U-pick or fresh harvest produce, eggs, honey and/or meat. In such ventures advertising pays, and being visible to the public can only help.

Links:

Barn Painting & Advertising
Merced Sun-Star article
Rock City: Barn History

Earth Day 2011 is officially marked for Friday, April 22. There are events scheduled all over the place, through the Earth Dar organization and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In my region – the Southeast – there are a host of events planned in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky and elsewhere, but in my own neighborhood [North Carolina} the closest event takes place downtown Asheville in conjunction with the WMCA, where grandson works. The focus will be healthy living (and a lot of fun and games. And music!). I encourage readers to check on events in their area, or renew their efforts to ‘green’ the planet within their own circles by sponsoring community gardens or joining a CSA or helping populate a local tailgate farmer’s market.

While I need to go ahead and plant potatoes and corn this week despite the continuing plume of errant radiation still coming from the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, today I’d like to talk about resources for community gardens. There are often grants available from community funds, corporate set-asides and governmental agencies that can help establish community gardens. For homesteaders offering or hoping to offer CSA memberships or Agritourism adventures, it can be a great promotional asset to be part of such a project in your local town, especially in conjunction with your homesteading neighbors.

A good community garden helps to educate people in your wider community – potential steady customers in the ‘Local Foods’ initiatives homesteaders everywhere are involved with – and encourages people of all ages to get their hands dirty, spend some time in the fresh air getting exercise, and get involved with the details of how food is grown and protecting it from harmful pollution. Gardening can open minds and hearts. It fosters a sense of belonging among diverse people who might otherwise not know each other, and gives people a good reason to pay more attention to healthy diets, sustainable food production, and freeing themselves of some of the ‘hidden’ carbon footprints that come with our modern factory-farmed and petroleum-dependent food supply.

The American Community Gardening Association has a wealth of information about how to start and maintain a community garden, with an entire section of resources to help pay the development costs. Never forget that communities have resources of their own in the form of unused municipal land, church and civic groups, social and business clubs, children’s and youth programs, etc. that can be put to good use.

The Municipal Research and Services Center also offers good advice, instructions and resources for those who wish to start a community garden. Many of these resources are sources of funding for such projects above and beyond what you may be able to receive from local and state sources.

The Garden Web forums offer an opportunity to connect with people all over the country engaged in the same kind of projects, and learn from their experience as well as ask questions and get answers from people who know what they’re talking about.

In the end there are lots of things people can do to mark Earth Day and express some support for the idea of a cleaner, healthier planet. But getting directly involved with the kind of ongoing projects that bring home the message of Earth Day 365 days a year can be a lot more satisfying. We who strive to be as independent and self-reliant as possible in this age of ever-increasing dependence on corporations and faceless governmental bureaucrats have been leading the way all along. Some of us came to our chosen earth friendly lifestyles early on, some of us are just starting out. But as always, it’s the mindful decision to do it that counts most of all. The more we share that mindfulness with others who may be so confused by the valuelessness of 21st Century America, the more small steps are made toward reclaiming the close relationship with the natural world that is our birthright.

The official theme of this year’s Earth Day is “A Billion Acts of Green.” People all over the world are pledging to plant trees, clean up waterways, use less electricity, recycle more. buy local… you get the picture. Every little – and large – thing we can do to help others take the first steps down the Green Road helps. We have made our own personal decisions and acted upon them. Don’t ever discount the influence such things have on the more timid and tentative. Each person can make a difference in this world, through each person we touch. So get busy reaching out to your community!

Links:

Earth Day 2011
American Community Gardening Association
Municipal Research and Services Center
Garden Web

CSA – Community Supported Agriculture. The CSA ‘movement’ in my state (North Carolina) organized, promoted and maintained per resources and educational materials by the state’s Cooperative Extension Service, the outreach arm of the state’s Department of Agriculture and land grant universities. It’s all about small farms, sustainable agriculture, natural and organic methods, and best marketing practices for what is produced.

CSA member farms offer fruit and vegetables, flowers and landscaping plants, eggs, milk (dairies specialize in cows or goats) and cheese, pasture-fed meat, and some even participate in the AgriTourism initiatives to bring urban families and tourists out to the farms for tours and work opportunities. Consumers can purchase from favored producers at local farmer’s markets, or do what we do – buy a “share” of the coming season’s crops in the spring when the farmer needs the funding to cover seeds and the costs of getting the crop in and going.

Different producers work differently for their shares, so choose a CSA close to home in case you are expected to come to the farm to pick up your boxes and bags of goodies. At some CSAs you’ll get to pick your own strawberries, peaches, apples, etc. when they’re ripe, the farm will let you know when that happens so you can make plans. Some have workshops that let you get some close-up training on bee keeping or cheese making, even learn how to milk a goat!

There’s nothing better than getting to know your food producer personally, and getting some important hands-on opportunities to learn how it’s done, maybe put that to work in your own garden. Even better, the ability to purchase good, natural or organic produce, meat, eggs, milk, cheese, etc. from local producers will cut your food budget significantly. Prices are rising fast at the supermarket, and supermarket produce isn’t very tasty anyway.

Joining a CSA or two every season allows the homesteader to focus on producing just what they can’t get easily or cheaply from other producers in their area. It also allows the homesteader to hook up with other homesteaders and old-timers who know everything about everything in your particular area. In my experience the old-timers love nothing better than to answer questions from committed newcomers, and will often offer practical advice and encyclopedic knowledge of what it takes to survive on the land.

I easily found the CSAs in my area by doing a Google search on “CSA NC” which returned the Extension Service’s useful website. The same should work for your state too, so make use of it! Now’s the time to buy your shares, or get the lowdown on what will be available through the farmer’s market in your area, where to find your favored growers. So get on it, gang!

I’ve been looking around at vacation ideas, delighted to discover a nifty partnership and grant program involving folks like the Ag department, the cooperative extension services, the park and forest services and even state and local arts councils, which they’re cleverly calling “Agritourism”. It’s really quite the innovative way to put some capital and ideas to work in the rural sector. Innovative, that is, unless you’re old enough to remember the Great Depression and FDR’s New Deal.

I know that a lot of committed homesteaders spend their vacation time working on the ‘stead instead of jaunting off to ski in Switzerland or tromping through the Amazon, but it’s really nice to take a few days off and at least get off the property for awhile. And the best part of supporting initiatives like agritourism is that it’s really, truly Green!

Even better, it’s Green without costing a bundle. It always seems kind of funny to me when things show up in my searches (this time it was “green vacations”) that simply don’t apply to anybody I know or hope to know in the idle rich jet-setter category. Ah, well. Maybe “Green” jet-setting is a new fad like bottled water – you know, the dumb things people do to look really cool without a thought to whether it’s actually cool or not. For instance…

From About.com I got a return entitled Top 10 Green Vacation Ideas. I’m advised to use the Swiss train system when I go skiing in the Alps. Check. Then a suggestion to book an eco-friendly hotel – with link to The Tides Riviera Maya Resort & Spa in Mexico. Check. The best advice is to skip the Galapagos and Amazonian rain forest even though ‘everybody’ wants to go there, because they’re “ecologically fragile.” Check. Somehow I don’t think these suggestions were meant for people like me…

So I checked a return on MSNBC that informs me ecotourism might be just as environmentally damaging as regular old everyday tourism. Once again the primary subject is how much actual travel is required to get to those “…lush national parks [in other countries] and exotic islands that attract the environmentally minded.” Odd, that. Every homesteader I’ve ever known was “environmentally minded” long before the rich and beautiful jumped on the bandwagon. Huh.

Green Living Ideas had some quite good ideas, still aimed at the jet-setters who jaunt off to the Himalayas or Machu Picchu for the weekend. Seems like my own ideas to take advantage of the clever “Art and Farm Trails” in my own state are better. We can stay at a nice small rural town B&B or even camp in a state park (all trails include at least one), go from there to a local arts and crafts festival or seafood fest, visit organic farms and wineries, pick our own apples or peaches or blueberries, take some cool lessons on the best cheap feed for free range chickens and how to best separate the cream from goat’s milk, then make cheese without using genetically engineered bacteria. Then on to ride a ferry and tour a lighthouse or two, take a hike or go fishing at the park. Sounds like a perfectly lovely week to me.

Some of my grandkids think this homestead is the perfect vacation spot. They’re right, but that doesn’t mean I’m on vacation when they’re here during the summer! The grandson who lives here doesn’t ever seem to want to go anywhere else, but I’ll bet we can talk him into it. He’s quite artistic, and one of the trails has potters’ studios and artists who will let him dig right into the clay!

At any rate, it’s good to start thinking about getting away from it all for a few days this summer if you can. And I’m thinking that by supporting the agritourism initiative in my state I’ll also get the chance to meet and exchange knowledge with other farmers and homesteaders and artists and crafters close enough to where I live to maybe share ideas and work together.

Check out some of the more innovative agritourism partnership projects at Homegrown and Handmade. Then do a search on it in your state, see what the offerings are. We can’t lose here, and I’m thinking I’ll have to do more research on some of the grants. Like one that will pay me not to mess with the mountainside of black cohosh because it’s endangered (I wasn’t messing with it anyway, so I might as well get paid!). Maybe sign up to host some tourists eager to learn how to manage ginseng and goldenseal in native forest as cash crops, how to make basalmic wine vinegar from native muscodines, or charge ‘em a buck or two to tour the culinary herb operation I’m planning to establish…

Not to mention the fact that some of those grants might just pay for the culinary herb operation too. You never know, I might someday BE an agritourist trap in the eco-tourism trade!

Links:

Ag Marketing Resource Center: Agritourism

Tennessee Agritourism Initiative

Agritourism in Kentucky

Oklahoma Agritourism

UC: Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California

NC: HomegrownHomemade

Agritourism Partnerships in Illinois