Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Today I'm at the home of Shannon Schermerhorn. Her blog is naturallyurban.blogspot.com. Twice
a month on Saturday they have open farm day. She's got her own farm here in her back yard
in my city of Bellflower. So let's go in and take a look around. Hi Shannon. Hi Lorella.
Good to meet you in person. Good to meet you, too. You want to show us around? Yeah! Well,
I really enjoyed learning about what to do for my broccoli next time, and while we were
talking, you talked about your children. How many children do you have?
Seven. And are they involved at all in the gardening
and farming? The older ones used to be involved. It was
because I made them. I was more of a slave driver. Because we needed to get things done.
So they do not have a passion for it. My younger ones, I'm taking a different approach. I'm
making it fun. I'm cutting... I'm letting my house go, and get messy. I mean, not too
messy. I'm trying to keep it clean, but I'm letting it get messy. So that I can spend
more time having fun on this journey of gardening so that they will grow up to have a passion
for it. So that's how I'm changing my approach and they like it. And the teens, they see
that it's different now. When they're weeding, and they miss things, I'm like, I don't even
care. That's ok, thanks and I praise them. "Thank you for doing that. I really appreciate
it." Before, I was like "OK, you guys, do a job and do it right, you missed this stuff."
And now I don't mind if they miss things. I just want to have a good time. And work
hard, but have a good time. So I'm emphasizing that.
Ok, Shannon, now we're back here in what you called the "chicken" part of the yard. What
do I need to know about chickens? Well, there's a lot to know about chickens,
but I'm gonna introduce you to my friend, Jay. Jay takes care of the chickens. So she's
gonna... ask that question of her. OK. What do we need to know?
Well I think the most important thing to know about chickens, if you watch them without
human intervention, is that they're always moving when they eat. So that's what we like
to do. In the morning I throw a little seed in the grass, making it harder for them to
find. Making sure they can roam free so they can get some protein, eating bugs, and we
also use them as a garbage disposal. Most items from the kitchen, there's a few things
you have to avoid, like kale, garlic, and a few others, but most kitchen scraps, including
chicken and other meats, can be just thrown out to them whole. I like to grind it again
so that I add it to the compost and they can eat more of it. And also, they have to scratch
and dig for it as it falls down into the compost. And the other thing they do for us is churn
compost so we don't have to work as hard. Everybody has to work here, or they don't
get to stay. Even the chickens.
Right. Well, Shannon, I know from reading your blog
one of the things you're passionate about is using food as medicine. So can you tell
us a little bit about that? Yes. Growing up, we didn't visit doctors.
Not that my mom was opposed to them, it's just that she took care of our health. We
ate high greens, and meat and yogurt. That's pretty much what we lived off of. So likewise,
with my children, when they start getting a runny nose, then I know I need to back off
the sugar. Because we get that way when we've been going out a lot. Then I beef up on the
greens. Include more greens in their smoothie, more salads, things like that. We're not opposed
to doctors, but we can take care of ourselves. When you use food as medicine, our bodies
will heal themselves. So that's sort of how we go.
That's great! So I think my last question would be for you, I'm pretty overwhelmed with
all the information that's out there. Do you have some advice on how to get started?
Mmm hmmm. Yes, when I was learning how to get started I bought about two hundred dollars
worth of farm books, and how to, and spent eight hours a night reading other webistes,
and I just got to the point where I said, "You know what? I just need to get started."
So I pulled out my front yard, the grass, and just got started. Planted some seed, and
watched them grow. And then, as you grow different things, you see a problem, you fix it, you
change things up, so just get started. Stop reading. I got to the point where I stopped
reading everyone's advice, and started putting the seed in the ground. Bought a few chickens.
I didn't care what anyone said. I just got started. So, you've just got to do it.
OK, I guess that's what I'll do then. I'll get started. Thank you so much for your time.
I really appreciate it. It's been wonderful meeting you and Jay and your family, And everybody,
I'm Not A Farm Girl. Be sure and click on over and visit Shannon's site naturallyurban.blogspot.com
Thanks for your time. Hi Everybody, This is Etta. And Etta says
she really wants you to watch my YouTube channel "Not A Farm Girl" Be sure to subscribe, like,
and comment. Make Etta happy!