News and TV Section

When we see or hear of things we find noteworthy, on the news or in magazines, we'll post those links here: 

• Lodi farmers argue for right to sell raw milk - Gannett News Service
  WATERLOO — Lawyers for Seneca County farmers and the state Agriculture and Markets Department argued Thursday before an administrative law judge about whether the farmers are violating state law by distributing unpasteurized dairy products to a select group of people.

• Forget oil, the new global crisis is food - The Financial Post
  A new crisis is emerging, a global food catastrophe that will reach further and be more crippling than anything the world has ever seen.

• Striking a balance - The New Farm
  A Kerkhoven, Minnesota family learns that good farming is like an evolving dance.  Harmony can be elusive, and maintaining balance can seem like a constant dance. Yet Jim and LeeAnn VanDerPol might say it’s better to join the dance than to remain a wallflower.

• Drink it raw - Independent Weekly
  Why is unprocessed milk the only illegal food in North Carolina?

• Organic Food Boom - KARE 11 News
  "Organic farming for crops is producing the foods without using conventional pesticides and artificial fertilizers. It also means no artificial additives or preservatives in the food. In a way, organic farming is just farming - the way it used to be."

• Demand For Organic Food Outstrips Supply - WCCO News
  America's appetite for organic food is so strong that supply just can't keep up with demand. Organic products still have only a tiny slice, about 2.5 percent, of the nation's food market. But the slice is expanding at a feverish pace.

• Incredible Homestead Chickens - Mother Earth News
  Easy-to-keep, chickens will provide delicious eggs and meat, plus bug control, fertilizer and tillage.  Eggs from backyard flocks are of a quality and nutritional density that those dependent on the supermarket can only dream of.
   

Here Are Some Of Our Favorite Local Websites...

• MediaTrendsX Website Design -  NEW
  Do you need a website for your Agri-business?  You don't need cash to pay for our services. Let us help.

• Coyote Ridge Vineyards
  Learn a little about MN grapes & winemaking.

• House Of Hares
  If you have rabbits or are thinking about getting one, this site is packed with info.

• Sunnyside Apple Orchards
  This is where we go to get apples, honey and cider.

• Homes Plus Online
  Need a place to rent in the Willmar, MN area?  Check us out.

• Orloske Family Genealogy
  This is Rich's family... on his paternal grandmother's side.

• MySpace/Coyote_Ridge
  You guessed it, we even have ourselves a myspace page.

Financial & Other Assistance Websites

• Center For Rural Affairs
  The Center for Rural Affairs was established in 1973 as an unaffiliated nonprofit corporation under IRS code 501(c)3. The Center for Rural Affairs was formed by rural Nebraskans concerned about family farms and rural communities, and we work to strengthen small businesses, family farms and ranches, and rural communities.

• State Agricultural Finance Programs
  Several states operate special loan programs for beginning farmers and ranchers. One of the most common types of beginning farmers programs are called “Aggie Bond” programs. Through these programs, states can assist beginning, first-time farmers to purchase land, farm equipment, farm buildings and breeding livestock through reduced interest rate loans.
   

Other Websites We Use

• Haying FAQ
  This FAQ is for small farm and property owners who want to cut hay from meadows and fields for their own use or for casual sale. Cutting your own hay, either alone or in a cooperative with neighbors or a custom baler, may not pay down the mortgage, but it lets you control the quality of the feed you give your animals, and if you have access to fields and haying equipment, can cut down on feed bills.

• RealMilk.com
  What's needed today is a return to humane, non-toxic, pasture-based dairying and small-scale traditional processing, in short... a campaign for Real Milk.  Real Milk comes from Real Cows that eat Real Feed.  Real feed for cows is green grass in Spring, Summer and Fall; stored dry hay, silage, hay and root vegetables in Winter.

• NoNias.com
  Protect Traditional Rights to Farm

• Eat Wild
  Eatwild.com is your source for safe, healthy, natural and nutritious grass-fed beef, lamb, goats, bison, poultry, pork, dairy and other edibles

• Homemade Dessert Recipes From Grandma's Country Kitchen
  Here is a unique collection of easy dessert recipes specially chosen from favorite old-fashioned recipes. You will want to add them to your personal collection. They are that good.

• Winemaking Home Page
  This is one of my favorite wine making websites.  Jack Keller built this site for the beginner, novice, and seasoned hobbyist alike... It is far from fancy, but is jamb-packed with nearly everything you'll ever need to know about home wine making.  If you need a wine recipe, you'll find it on Jack's site.

• Homestead.org
  A site focused on rural living principal and practice.

• Strawbale.com
  Dedicated to anyone interested in building their own straw bale house. If you are brand new to straw bale or a straw bale construction specialist there's something for you here.

• Straw-Bale-Houses.com
  This form of building is without a doubt one of the most forgiving systems of construction, and is consequently an ideal medium for the owner builder.

• Homesteading Today
  A very active, information packed free Bulletin Board on the Homesteading topics.  This is a 'must join'.

• BackyardChickens.com
  Established in 1999, BackyardChickens has become the #1 destination for the information you need to raise, keep, and appreciate chickens.  Originally designed for the urban chicken owner, we're here to help and support chickens in any backyard!

• Off-Grid.net
  Free Yourself.

• Energy Planet
  Web directory of information about sustainable development, living, design, agriculture and energy.

• Green-Trust
  Learn about Renewable Energy (Solar, Wind, Hydro, & Biofuels), Permaculture, Conservation, Recycling, Organic Gardening, Rain Water Harvesting and Grey Water Recovery, and other methods of living cleanly, efficiently, and leaving lighter footprints on our earth..

• Craig's List
  This is a free classified listing site.

• Hoobly
  Another free classifieds site.

• Food Network
  You guessed it, it's about food.  Carol uses this site often for recipes.

• Leener's
  Kits and supplies for making everything from beer to bubble gum and wine to cheese.

• Mother Earth News
  This was once the best alternative living magazine on the planet.  It has become somewhat yuppi-fied, but is still quite good.

• Backwoods Home Magazine
  This goes directly to their article archives.  Lots of good stuff here

• eBay
  If you haven't heard about this site yet, you really need to get out more.  We buy so much stuff from here.  Our last find was a juice press.

• FreeCycle
  A grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills.

• Yahoo Groups
  4HRabbitList
  Chickens-101
  CityHomestead
  GrowGrapes
  HobbyFarmers
  HomeProcessing
  MeatRabbits
  MnBrewers
  OHGRecipeGarden
  OrganicHomesteadingGardening
  RawDairy
  WillmarFC
  Wine-Making

We have many more links we go to... we will be adding them as we have time.