DC is at it - AGAIN!

Please, don't forget to keep sending info to your your out of town friends, family and to your local Senators about the S510 bill - please read the story about some of the specific ways this bill, as it is currently written, will mean the end to many small farm operations.

This bill will mean smaller, low staffed farms won't be able to legally produce many of the yummy cut greens, and as the restrictions grow, many of the other vegetables you love due to cumbersome handling restrictions designed for large operations.

DC and individual states can't even keep up with the current inspections now, which is why there are food safety problems, and they want to further restrict farms by implementing tons of paper work, new regulations and fees? How is this going to help keep your food safer? It won't.

Passing this bill as it is currently written, will, however, either make criminals out of good, small farmers or put them out of business - meaning you will have fewer choices about where your food comes from as only the larger, factory type operations can afford to impliment all of the paperwork and extra procedures being called for. We'd have to hire someone just to READ all of the new restrictions!

Your food from Eden's, and other small, local farms. comes directly from the field to you. THAT is the safest way to get your produce.

Tell Congress NO when it comes to regulating small farms at the same level as those where hundreds of hands touch your food before you do. FARFA has made it easy to send in a petition - and they do read them. Please, your voice DOES matter. Send this link on to family and friends in other states, too. We need more unified citizens to reach thier local legislators across America.

Well, for all of you out of town that follow our blog, we have had a bit of a snow storm here in Dallas! The gardens are totally under snow cover - I shot these pics earlier this morning and have not ventured out again with it being so wet and not wanting to ruin my camera. But, I'll get more of the gardens later - when it stops snowing for awhile! Everything that was at risk was covered up and should be ok. The rest may just be a bit waterlogged again, but then, that is the same broken record we've played since September....

The seed potatoes have arrived - not that we can plant them any time soon - but we'll be cutting them up and dusting with sulfur next week so when it does dry out enough, we're ready to get them in the ground. It has to dry out sooner or later. Onions are on the way but I suspect it is too wet where they are, too, so they are delayed as well. Ironically, they would be loving this weather but they are not here to enjoy it.

The chickens didn't seem to want to venture out much today so they got an extra helping of their organic feed. And the horses weren't sure what to make of the snow either, so after a brief investigation, they returned to the barn hoping to find some dry hay to munch on. Can't say as though I blame them.

Needless to say, there isn't a lot to do outside today other than keeping the snow off of the roof of the greenhouse so it doesn't collapse - a real possibility as we've had about 5+ inches of very heavy snow fall already, and it is still coming down! This is NOT typical for Dallas that is for sure.

We have a mattress heater on the way so we can start seeding as soon as that gets here. Tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and some more cool season things we may need to replant and have a late harvest of things like broccoli, beets, kale and chard.

I hope everyone is enjoying this taste of winter - I had my fill of them when I lived in Chicago though, so I'm quite ready for SPRING! :) Back to my Eliot Coleman and John Jeavons books... and some acorn squash soup.....

Stay Dry!

Marie
Eat Your Food - Naturally!