Lone Duck Updates

Well, lets share the big news first: Little Duck has hatched! All is well and were thrilled- its amazing how quickly you can fall in love with someone so little! Of course, the practical part of this update is to share that our on-farm hours will remain the same (1-6 p.m. on Tuesdays, and other times are available- just ask!).

In other news, you may have seen this article about different kinds of fish that pose a risk to your (or the environments) health. If you havent, Id encourage you to click on the link- its a good starting point. There are a lot of other articles out there if youre interested in learning more about your piscatorial choices, but the number one thing to keep in mind is that neither farmed or wild-caught fish are inherently better. It all depends on which kind of fish and how theyre caught and managed.

While we may not be able to provide for all your fishy desires, Lone Duck Farm tilapia is sustainably raised, farmed without antibiotics and with strict safety measures. Fresh tilapia is a firm and flaky white fish (its much firmer when fresh than the frozen packages youll find in the grocery stores) and we are more than happy to discuss the details of why you can feel good about this choice!

Contact us today to talk about getting some delicious tilapia for dinner!

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Grow Your Own Wedding Flowers Georgie Newberys latest flower farming book is here!!

Being sent a copy of Georgie Newberys new book, which, by the way will be published in early November, was a complete treat and made my day on Saturday when it arrived. It is a thing of beauty. A coffee table tome. The kind of book you would be proud to display when you wanted to show off a bit perhaps. Its cover is a beautiful bouquet that could only have come from Common Farm Flowers, full of exquisitely conditioned roses and sweet peas, fennel and poppy seed heads. It is a quintessentially English bouquet that any bride would be thrilled to have as part of her special day.

Now to actually review a book by a friend is hard, and so, frankly, Im not even going to pretend that is what this is. However, I do have one issue and that is the name of the book, Grow Your Own Wedding Flowers, ought to be Find A Wedding To Grow Flowers For, because this book is not just how to grow flowers for your wedding. It goes far beyond that. From cutting and conditioning, to quantities of stems needed and advice on how best to manage the floristry as well as tips on scheduling and how to manage the flowers and floristry at the same time as everything else, what this book gives the reader is an insight into how Common Farm Flowers grow, manage and cut for weddings every season of every year. But you could change the word wedding and add any event that flowers might be appropriate at and this book is for you. In fact you could decide you wanted to grow a great bouquet for yourself, a friend or relative and this book is for you. And even if you decide not to grow your own flowers, this book is full of inspiration to help you decide what you want from your event flowers.

What I found really wonderful are the four chapters that help the reader to decide what it is they are going to grow for the appropriate season that their special day falls in. It doesnt just concentrate on what you can grow, although it covers that comprehensively with sections on annuals, perennials, bulbs and shrubs, but it also looks at how wild flowers, the plants already growing in the garden, including plants for foliage, can be added into the palette of plants being produced, as well as separate sections on how to cut and condition these. Alongside these are sections about the symbolism and meaning of individual flowers; daisies for loyal love, sunflowers for loyalty and longevity and on each page are the most startlingly beautiful photographs of weddings that Common Farm Flowers have created both flowers and floristry for.

What is particularly special about this book though, more than the words and the photos, is the insight into the work that Georgie and her amazing team put into not only each and every wedding they create such wonderful floristry for, but in fact the work and effort behind running such a hugely successful business as Common Farm Flowers is. She speaks lovingly of slow flowers, allying the way she and Fabrizio work the land with the Slow Food movement, one at which love and care for the land and the other species that inhabit it is constantly at the centre of everything they do. She speaks of organic practises, compost teas and the gentle ways in which they steward the land from which these magnificent flowers are cut and with this knowledge it is no wonder that the quality of both the flowers and the floristry sing through.

At Common Farm Flowers a successful business has been made growing flowers for cutting and creating floristry with those flowers in a way that is kind to the earth, wildlife and people. This book proves that you can have an ecologically sound and principled business, producing a really extraordinary product that is also sustainable and principled. Take this book and apply the principles to your garden and you wont go far wrong, in both growing and ecological practises. And you will have some magnificent flowers that you could, if you wanted to, use for a wedding.

I forgot to mention that Sarah Raven wrote the foreword. I also forgot to mention that if you can get through the acknowledgements without a tear, then you are a less sentimental soul than I!

As a little addendum I have to mention the Common Farm Meadows. Teaming with butterflies, pollinators and full of orchids and native wild flowers, they are a complete marvel and speak of Fabrizios understanding and love of the land for which he cares. Whilst Georgie is the force behind the floristry and the commercial business, Fabrizio manages the land, always with an eye on the natural turning of the seasons and the vast amount of other species who inhabit the land alongside the family and the team. Once upon a time I commented that these meadows are on a par with those at Great Dixter, and those who know me also know I would never say such a thing unless I truly meant it. This summer they were stunning and could only have been brought into being by a man who knows the land. I doff my cap to Fabrizio, steward of the extraordinary land at Common Farm.

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Weather got you down You are not alone I am here with you

Michael Jackson aside, this weather has not been conducive to my motivation. Im sure many of you can relate. However, I have to count my blessings as I hear reports of the winter weather my friends and family in the Twin Cities are experiencing (complete university closures in late April?!?). At least our snow isnt sticking around- and Matt and I have the opportunity to refresh ourselves every time we step into our own little oasis (aka: the greenhouse). With our milder temperatures and the extended daylight, we arent needing to heat it during the day at all- in fact, we have to run the occasional fan! Our "peak" temperature this spring hit 120 degrees, which gives our chilly outdoor garden fits of jealousy. We dont tell the overwintered garlic about all the greens and the neon chard- everyones got their limits, you know?

Inside the greenhouse, though, things are different. No frosty resentment here-  and the bright, beautiful Swiss Chard seems to be loving the conditions, whatever they are. (Just in case youre interested, chard makes a great substitution for cooked greens in most recipes- pastas, soups, casseroles- and it is consistently on those super-food lists you can find.) Barbara Kingsolver once said that if she were only allowed to grow one vegetable, this would be it- and Im inclined to agree with her.

In other rafty news, our lettuce count is running a bit low this week (due to increased interest- wow, you guys!), but dont you worry- our rafts are full and our harvest is looking great for next week- and even better for the following week. Weve had to start shading the little basils and arugulas (too much light!), but theyre promising to be delicious! Look for them on our lists in the coming weeks.

So our offerings this week are:

• Swiss Chard! (Want to try it without the pressure of cooking something new at home? Head over Cafe Soeurette and order some Rainbow Chard Fettuccine!)
• Parsley
• Celery
• Watercress (try it on your sandwich, you wont regret it!)
• Limited lettuce

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What is Spirulina

                                                                                          Spirulina Algae

What is Spirulina Algae ?

Spirulina is a microscopic blue-green algae that exists as a single celled organism turning sunlight into life energy.

It is one of the first life forms designed by nature more than 3.6 billion years ago. Spirulina contains billions of years of evolutionary wisdom in its DNA and is an offspring of earth’s first photosynthetic life forms.

Under the microscope, Spirulina is a blue-green color and has the appearance of a spiral of long thin threads. 

Spirulina is exceedingly adaptable and occurs in a wide variety of environments including fresh water, tropical springs, saltwater and saltpans.

Spirulina is full of nutrients and very easily digested. Commercially, Spirulina is available as a powder, tablet and capsule or added to foods and health tonics.

There are many forms of valuable algae and in the last 40 years Spirulina has been singled out for its nutritional properties. Long before it became a favorite of the health food industry, Spirulina was eaten regularly by North Africans and Mexicans centuries ago. Now many people around the globe realize that Spirulina is a powerful food with huge potential as a whole food source, medicine and biochemical resource.

A great deal of research has concentrated on the cultivation and harvesting of what is affectionately referred to as ‘the green’. It has been described as ‘probiotic’ and a ‘superfood’.

The cultivation of Spirulina has also brought interest because, as with most micro algae, Spirulina is extremely adaptable, often thriving in extreme conditions. With its rich nutritional goodness and ability to grow in adverse conditions, Spirulina has a huge potential to be a food source that will help feed and nourish the worlds population.

As a plant, Spirulina is incredibly rich containing a balance of nutrients that make it virtually a ‘whole food’ capable of sustaining life without the need for other foods.

Spirulina provides vitamins, many minerals, essential amino acids, carbohydrates and enzymes. Spirulina is at least 60% vegetable protein, which is predigested by the algae, making it a highly digestible food. It is higher in protein than any other food. Its outstanding nutritional profile also includes the essential fatty acids, GLA fatty acid, lipids, the nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), B complex, vitamin C and E and phytochemicals, such as carotenoids, chlorophyll (blood purifier), and phycocyanin (a blue pigment), which is a protein that is known to inhibit cancer.

A breakdown in nutritional terms of a few of the most commonly available supplements reveals an impressive comparison. 

                                                                   Spirulina in water
 

How is it grown?

Spirulina thrives in natural alkaline lakes. Spirulina farming is part of the new era of ecological agriculture. The key component in the production of Spirulina is sunlight and attention is given to measurement of temperature and oxygen levels.

Because pesticides and herbicides would kill many microscopic life forms in a pond, algae scientists have learned how to balance pond ecology without the use of these harmful substances.

This form of aquaculture represents one of the solutions needed to produce food while restoring the planet.

 Why Certifed Organic ?

Humans create toxic waste, spill oil in the oceans, fill the air with acid rain and car exhaust and dump herbicides and pesticides into the soil. Unfortunately, this story of destroying our planet is still unfolding, and we are all its authors. Theres no question that lives will be much poorer if conventional farming continues to pollute water, changing historic landscapes into arable deserts, reducing the ozone layer for the sake of a few more strawberries and allowing the return of diseases that modern society believed it had beaten. For healthy human race with happy prospects and for sake of our planet, choose organic food.

                                                                                         Fresh Spirulina

Ensures no Pesticides are used
Pesticides. People simply dont understand how dangerous they are, most of the commonly used manmade pesticides are potential carcinogens…some of them are related to nerve gases and all of them are poisonous. They have to be — they are designed to kill. But what we dont know is what the accumulation of potent pesticide residues do to us. Studies suggest that low-level exposure to pesticides over several years can cause health problems. The health effects of pesticides in our food and the environment are slowly becoming clear; immune suppression, hormone disruption, neurological damage,birth defects, cancer and nerve damage. 

 Additives
As if pesticides in our food were not enough, we are forced to ingest food additives. Have you ever wondered what is added to food before it is packaged? Or, have you ever found yourself perplexed by words like tocopherol, propionic acid, or carrageenan on a food label?
Food additives are defined as substances that are added to food during processing, but are not normally consumed by themselves as foods. But the larger question is why do food companies use additives in any amounts? And, why should we purchase foods that contain these additives if there is even the slightest health risk? Since artificial colours arent necessary to preserve the food or enhance food safety and quality, (and may cause medical problems in some people) its best to do without this particular type of additive.
The seven thousand artificial additives permitted in non-organic foods are used to make food last beyond its natural sell-by date, make it appear brighter or more colourful, and/or taste sweeter, saltier or just plain better than the manufacturer could manage without these crutches. At best, these additives are unnecessary and annoying to those who question their use and usefulness. At worst, they are possible carcinogens and could be causing damage that no one has bothered to study.

                                      CCRES ALGAE                

Is Algae oil the sustainable low cost fuel of the future?


Algae has recently shot to prominence thanks to President Obama and the US elections, as a high yield, environmentally-sound renewable and potentially low cost transport fuel source.

Currently the well-established process for fossil fuel substitution has been plant based products such as soy, corn. However more recently algae, been hailed as the solution to our fossil fuel addiction, energy security, import replacement and sustainable fuels.

Indeed with the debate raging around the cost and sustainability and viability of crops to fuels, algae has emerged as a sustainable solution.  clear winner. Algae, the fastest growing photosynthetic organisms on earth, can accumulate greater than 50% of their dry weight in oil and double their size within 2-5 hours.

A recent CSIRO report has named the organisms as a more viable solution with regard to cost and greenhouse gas emissions, than fossil fuels.

Algae fuel technologies use algae to produce fuels by combining light, carbon dioxide, water and nutrients for photosynthesis. In addition, the carbon capture is a clear benefit with algae production plants capable of absorbing CO2 waste from power stations and manufacturing facilities.

As more companies initiate production of algae fuels to meet biofuel targets throughout the USA, Asia and Europe, the debate now centres on the viability of the production method.

Land and water usage are key factors when producing algae and the pond method is challenged in both these areas. Many companies base their production around open pond systems. Increasingly these companies are focusing their attention on the production of algae outcomes producing high value product applications.

LEADING ALGAE PRODUCTION FACILITY IN THE CROATIA

Using a combination of open water ponds and photobioreactors, requiring only carbon dioxide (CO2), sunlight, water, and nutrients. CCRES technology optimizes conditions for cultivation to improve efficiency using optimal turbulence in the water and the effective use of selected nutrients.

CCRES demonstration facility plays a pivotal role in testing and improving algae technology lineup to achieve cost reductions and efficiency benefits.

Once harvested, there are a number of conversion technologies that can be used to convert the algal oil into high quality biofuels, including transesterification and hydrotreating. The residual defatted biomass and carbohydrates can also be used to make a fishmeal replacement or animal feed supplement for the aquaculture and animal feed markets.

Our priorities are sustainability, productivity, cost-effectiveness, safety, and respect for the environment and communities. Our research and development activities at the  demonstration facility are currently focused on yield improvement and cost reductions through engineering research.

 HOW TO GROW SPIRULINA

If you want to grow Spirulina, you have to make sure that the following characteristics are present:

Spirulina is not likely to grow in sites that are constantly cold. Warmer temperatures are needed to achieve the growth of Spirulina.

Spirulina needs adequate sunlight. Sunlight causes a cell reaction in Spirulina, and when this reaction begins, Spirulina will create nutrients for itself. The more sunlight it gets, the more nutrients it will create.

The source of water should be clean. Preferably, the water should be alkaline and saline-based.

There should be no pollution which might affect Spirulina since it also gets its nutrients from the water.

The best pond sites for Spirulina are concrete ponds. The cement should be well hardened, dry, and thoroughly whitewashed. However, if you are making economical ponds, plastic film with U.V. protection will also do well.

Also, make sure that your site is well illuminated. However, be advised that illumination should not be strong when the temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius.

You should use water that is clear from impurities such as algae. Portable clean water can be used in the pond. Meanwhile, salty water can also bring good results. However, you should test its contents before using it to water Spirulina. Water containing calcium can also be used, but you have to observe if it causes mud to form.

If you use fertilizers to supply the nutrients needed by Spirulina, make sure that it is the soluble type. Avoid those fertilizers that contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium as Spirulina absorbs these easily.

To harvest Spirulina, it is advised that you harvest it during mornings, as the sunlight will help you to easily dry it. In addition, proteins present in Spirulina are found to be higher during mornings.

Spirulina tastes best when freshly harvested. Keep in mind that it will lose its freshness after a couple of days in the fridge and only a couple of hours at room temperature. Freezing is the most suitable method of keeping the freshness of Spirulina.

CCRES SPIRULINA

project of NGO

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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