Housewarming Show James the Fang aka Jamie of The Pine Hill Haints from Alabama and Pete Fields of Slow Motion Cowboys from San Francisco with local opener
Chelsea the Mermaid
Friday, March 13 at Flotsam Farm in
Sycamore, MO Potluck 6pm, Music 7pm $10 suggested donation for the musicians if you are able Everyone welcome!
For info email: benedictbobguit@yahoo. com
The submission deadline for the next issue of The Ozarks Agrarian News is March 10. This newsletter is entirely submission-based, so please take the opportunity to share news, events, articles, opinions, art, poetry, stories, tips, observations, jokes, for sale/free and wanted ads, photos, recipes, reviews, and just about anything else you want! Email your submissions to Amelia.LaMair@gmail.com. Issues follow a seasonal schedule: Groundhog’s Day, Vernal Equinox, May Day, Summer Solstice, Summer Harvest, Autumnal Equinox, Halloween, and Winter Solstice. If you would like to receive printed copies of The Ozarks Agrarian News, you can subscribe for $20 a year! This will get you all 8 issues for the year, delivered to your actual physical mailbox! To sign up, you can either mail a check, made out to Amelia LaMair, to 13962 State Highway 181, Tecumseh MO 65760, or you can send payment via Paypal to Amelia.LaMair@gmail.com, and make sure you give me your mailing address! Interested in supporting The Ozarks Agrarian News as a paid advertiser or sponsor? Email Amelia.LaMair@gmail.com See current and past issues of The Ozarks Agrarian News at: https://issuu.com/ozarksagrariannews
Taking Time
for
Tigernuts
Mark Eisenmann
2019 Tigernut cropping on Backbone Ridge terminus above Bryant Creek Floodplain. This is a direct South exposure with desert like heat. Over 120 degrees is not unusual in this garden at mid summer. This is year three for the tigernuts here and my observation is that they are unfazed by any amount of heat. This is to be expected as they are sedges, one of the toughest C4 grasses on planet earth. They have to have a lot of water however; that is non-negotiable! However, somewhat uniquely, the soil, if it is a rich sandy loam, need only be about 8� deep. Tigernuts (technically Cyperus esculentus) are absolutely delicious and very highly nutritious. They are unique in that they contain a high quality oil at around 20% of dry weight. And if you have 8� of sandy loam and lots of water production per unit area is very high. It is also a heck of a lot of work to harvest and clean; and you have to control the rodents and raccoons as they absolutely love them. I would rate them as a really top notch basic sustenance food if you are really serious about feeding yourself off the land; but get ready to work your butt off for those delicious nutritious calories!
^^^A hike to Blue Spring by Hank Dorst <<< Knot art and frozen fish by Jule Kruger
Fun Fact: It takes 2,000 years for nature to make 1 inch of soil!!
Experiments in Winter Sowing
by Dez
The idea behind winter sowing is to sow seeds in the winter in a way that they will sprout and grow when they are ready. Most often I hear of people using miniature greenhouses for their winter sowing, made from milk jugs or 2 liter bottles. Any vessel that you can cut in the middle so it has a top and bottom, and put a few inches of soil into should work. Make sure to poke enough holes in the bottoms of these mini greenhouses for drainage. After you put the soil in, water it down and plant your seeds. Then close the container up and put tape around the edge so it stays closed. Take the lid off of the container so rain and snow can make it inside and keep your seeds wet. Take the containers outside to a place that gets rain and sun, and wait... You can winter sow anything and see what happens. Perennial plants, herbs, and flowers often do very well, also brassicas like cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli are common to winter sow. People have even successfully sowed tomatoes and peppers in this way! So far this year I have sowed several kinds of plants in mini greenhouses - thyme, lavender, milkweed, cabbage, and leeks. We've also been planting leek and onion seeds out in the garden under a thick layer of mulch to see how they do. In the coming weeks, I'll be planting a lot more seeds in mini greenhouses, and under mulch. One perk of winter sowing is that there is no period of hardening off since they are already outside! And with the spring rains, you shouldn't have to water either.
<<< Photo by Jule Kruger, Isabella
Rural Renaissance progress report! Our Jan 7th meeting held such potency! Including our 3 half pints running around we had 30 attendees! New and returning! For those who missed the mtg…Here is an overview. Thank you all who shared about your amazing projects and successes and thank you to all who set up work parties to help keep our community goals moving forward! Shout out to Vendoni of the Meadow Loft for implementing the new cultural etiquette at the Meadow Loft = Leave no trace/ Pack it in pack it out! Community updates and announcements: *Next meeting Feb 4th: Next step in the Economic Renewal guide is "Selecting Projects” for those who took the "Project evaluation sheets" please return with them! *Last Contra dance had 38 people participate in the Fun! The next Contra Dance is Jan 25th! Bring those laughs, smiles and dancing shoes! *For those interested in taking the next step, We handed out the “Project Evaluation sheets” from the Economic Renewal guide. *Deadline for 1st round of Audacious Grant Feb 18th. Grant Guild meeting 1/16 at 4pm *Websites on the rise- Proposed all RR business have RR flower of Life on websites so we all are promoting everyone. *ONE Spring Congress ...A festival of neighbors helping neighbors March 28th Sponsorship and application process open Applications available. Please contact Amber Johnson at 352-255-1969 for application for Booths, demonstration and performances. Space is limited and we are at 1/3 capacity already! Get your applications in soon! By 2/ 28 at least! * Richard herman at the Meadow Loft Feb 1st at 6pm! Topic; Grafting $10 donation requested. *Ray of Ray’s country store generously donated 2 Green Houses to the RR cause! Who is ready for one based on their Project evaluation? *Noah - Seasonal projects activity- biochar workshop Thursday the 16th 2pm- Off ZZ * Sub Committee for Baker Creek Spring Planting Festival in May to be discussed at next meeting.
Natures Grace Natures grace how pleasant the sound Which reveals so much to thee. Oft can we hear, creation so clear The magic of the mystery. Tis natures way to teach us life Tis nature is our guide. Wondrous is our given home On which we do reside. Though many turmoil’s must we face As we grow from day to day. The natural world comforts us If we listen to the music it plays. For the body and soul are of this earth And to this earth return. Habitating this sacred place For which we so much yearn. Everyday there is the sound Which reveals so much to thee. Simply listening…(pause) The magic of the mystery. c Kevin Kaiser Sept 2011 (to the tune of Amazing Grace) www.PoetCatalysta.Wordpress.com
Winter Wonder Land
By Grace Klinger
If I could make a suggestion, I’d tell people to begin to take care in what they’re doing when they “do” that “little” sin. The one that seems so innocent until it starts to grow, snowballing down the hill towards a victim far below! Beware! A “little” lie, gossiping, a miniscule Freudian slip, may be your own undoing for the scales may start to tip! Don’t be surprised when looking up you see more than a “little” snow… when the avalanche is aimed at you, what good’s the call, “Lookout below!”