Monday, November 21, 2011

Small Business Saturday

Just wanted to let everyone know next Saturday Nov. 26th, is shop small business day. So don't forget to stop in your favorite small business and support them by purchasing something. This is my latest natural tanned lamb hide. It is tanned using no chemicals or bleach and is for sale on my etsy store.

Holiday Towels

This is my latest set of handwoven towels. It is a viking twill pattern with a warp of one color and towels woven with different colors. they turned out very nice. I'm getting better at weaving towels, making sure my tension is correct and warp is wound on the back beam evenly. This all makes for very even weaving and an even end product. I will be selling these at the Christmas show here in my hometown and what doesn't sell , will be put on my etsy store.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Open Pollinated Corn Varieties

With all the talk about GM(genetically modified) corn and grain seed and roundup ready alfalfa my husband and I decided to grow some heritage corn with the help of some Amish friends and Johnny's Selected seeds.The field corn at the top of the page is an open pollinated field corn we grew despite the late start and raccoons. This seed was given to us by an Amish friend who has been growing this variety for several years, organically. The white variety, below is an heirloom variety called Gourdseed Corn also given to us by our Amish friends.  An article in the 2008  Oct/Nov. Mother Earth news lets you know all about the origins of this unusual dent corn used for cornmeal particularly in the south. The Bi-colored sweet corn to the right is called Double standard and is from Johnny's Selected Seeds. This sweet corn was not super sweet but had very good flavor and we have peace of mind knowing it is not GM corn.Please be aware of what these GM grains are doing to ourselves and our livestock and make wise choices so that in the future we will have choices.