The Future Of Little Farms

Many states like New Jersey still have small family owned farms dotting the state. It's hard for families to keep them up. What will this summer hold? Can they survive? Will people visit them?

Small farms are still vital. Many provide produce and even meat to groceries in their states. They also provide fresh fruit and veggies to locals in their area as well as visitors just wanting a day in the country. Many also offer extras such as homemade jams and jellies and fresh baked goods like doughnuts and loaf cakes along with fresh from the oven breads and cookies.  These are just starting to open but to what? They won't have the crowds of previous Springs and  summers. There has to be social distancing which mean fewer people inside and out along with less staff. Kids can't have their pictures taken with farm animals as many farms offer nor will families go strawberry picking, the season coming up soon. These two offerings are sure draws and provide a good portion of income. A farm could bring in more by offering essentials such as toilet paper and towels, if they can get their hands on those items. Some stands offer handmade perfumes and soaps from local artisans. There may be more cash coming in if the artisans created scented hand sanitizers and even decorative masks. Yet , it may not be enough to sustain.

Then there is the staff. It's one thing when family pitches in and they all help. Most farms, despite their diminutive acreage, do require outside help for planting and harvesting. Are owners willing to pay as much as grocery stores for help?  Picking is a great job. It's being out in the fresh air, usually alone  and away from people. Everyone is positioned ten to fifteen feet away from each other and the only time to wear a mask and gloves is when the baskets and containers are filled and have to be taken to the farm stand. However when Wal-mart is offering $11 an hour and Target is offering $12.34 an hour plus bonuses how is a farm going to compete when at the most owners may pay only $7 - 8 an hour and  that's without any bonuses or perks. Maintenance also comes into play. Buildings and equipment need to be updated. Luckily New York State had Senator Kristin Gillibrand on their side. She pushed for the CARES Act which has debt forgiveness up to $250,000 for farms with an income of $300,000. This allows them to operate through this Corona virus and well into the fall. This can even get New York State farmers supported into the winter , the slow time for farmers. Hopefully other states will have this  CARES Act too.

What will happen to those small farms that we love? Will they be open this summer? Will we be able to get fresh corn and tomatoes? Hopefully we will for this summer and for many more to come.

How Green Is Your Kitchen

Earth Day is tomorrow and people all over the world will be evaluating what they can do to reduce their  carbon footprints. It's also time for home chefs to examine their kitchens and see if they need to make any "green" adjustments.

One of the most used resources in any kitchen is water. We need it to wash fruits and vegetables , along with our plates and utensils.It quenches our thirst  when we're thirsty and is often an ingredient in both savory and sweet recipes. Yet do we respect it? How many times do we just let it run as we seek the exact temperature? This is one of our worst habits. If you're hand washing dishes, use a small plastic basin like what you'd use for leftovers to wash the dishes. Then do a quick rinse to get the soap off. Don't let the water run. As for dealing with a parched throat, the best bet is put ice cubes in a glass before you fill it with tap water.  The ice will instantly chill it. and that way  you're not wasting water.As for cooking , get the exact measurements - not that you're throwing away any overage. washing fruits and vegetables are always a must however this also creates water waste. Use a large bowl for any kind of produce washing however scrimp on the water. Due to the pesticides used, you can't repurpose the water. It does have to be dumped down the drain.Another idea is using vinegar to clean skins and even rinds.Wipe down with a towel afterwards.

Paper and plastic are big components of a home kitchen. Our food comes in both. What to do with those boxes and containers afterwards? Any box should be put in the recycling paper bin or bags.This includes cereal and microwave foods boxes along with any cookie paper bags or pie boxes. Those paper bags from the grocery can be repurposed to hold the flattened boxes along with newspapers. Milk and ice cream cartons, made of wax coated paper do need to be thrown out with the regular trash. The plastics lids, however ,can be put into the plastics. As for plastics, whether they're bottles or cupcake holders, they all belong in the plastic recycling bins. You can repurpose  your water bottles by refilling them with tap water. Any straws can also be used for a second and even third time.. Just wash and dry them. What about those cracked plastic and glass containers? Do you just toss them or use them for a different purpose? Small ice cream bowls can hold dry snacks such as nuts pretzels or potato chips. The larger ones can be used as fruit bowls or even to hold rolls for dinner.The same principle goes for cracked glass , although this last does come with a caveat. If there are sharp edges, then you'll have to throw it out. A jagged edge can produce a nasty cut on the fingers.Just remember to toss the glass into the plastic bin. Many towns recycle the two together.

Is your kitchen as green as you want it? Use this Earth Day weekend to re-valuate your family's habits. Changing them may help save the planet in a small but very important way.