Giveaway winner!

Cinnamon gurl, you are the winner of the Country Women book! (Based on the number of comments I received, I guess I didn't do a great job sharing how wonderful this book is... oh well!)

Please email me at fiona [at] rowangarthfarm [dot] ca with your mailing address. Thanks!

Giveaway: Country Women

"We were shy of one another, of ourselves, and of the whole concept of woman identity. Most of us were preoccupied with the demands in a completely new environment. We were somewhat surprised to find ourselves drawn together -- surprised, curious, attracted, unsure. We met together week after week for almost two years, slowly and often painfully searching out who we were and what we wanted for our lives. We talked, laughed, and cried together; we taught each other how to believe our dreams and helped each other to live them. That small group was the nucleus of a change that spread woman to woman, acre to acre, gradually touching the whole area and then reaching tentatively beyond. We heard of other small groups in other isolated areas and began to realize how much women needed to be in touch with one another in the "new communities" of the back-to-the-land movement..."

These lines are from the Introduction to "Country Women: A Handbook for the New Farmer" by Jeanne Tetrault and Sherry Thomas, that told 1970s back-to-the-landers what they needed to know about "how to negotiate a land purchase, dig a well, grow vegetables organically, build a fence and shed, deliver a goat, skin a lamb, spin yarn and raise a flock of good egg-laying hens, all at the least possible expense and with minimum reliance on outside an professional help." (Yes, that's the subhead.)

It's filled with how tos, beautiful line drawings, eloquent poems, black & white photos and personal journal entries, and is dedicated to every woman who has shared or will share this dream.

I found a used copy shortly after we moved to the farm and I was immediately taken with its vintage Mother Earth News feel and empowered earth mother vibe. What's more, the book helped me feel less alone. While moving to the land was a different path from most of my friends and family, I wasn't breaking fresh ground, or doing something entirely new -- I was joining a sisterhood of strong women who had been inspired by similar dreams for connection and self-reliance, but knew first hand the struggles of learning so many new things. As written elsewhere in the introduction, this book is meant as both an encouragement and a tool.

As it was published in 1976, it is definitely dated and there are perhaps more relevant how to books on the market, and even the authors admit it's not the perfect reference book for new farmers, but there is still loads of practical information for "the new farmer whose small-scale productivity is as old as America itself."

And as I now have a second copy, I'd like to offer it as a giveaway in honour of International Women's Day.

To have your name entered in a random draw, all you need to do is:

1.) Be a follower of the blog. Not because I'm looking to boost my stats, but because I find every time I offer a giveway, people drop in just for the free swag, never to be heard from again.

2.) In the comments section I'd like you to share something (even one thing) about yourself, such as: where do you see yourself in five years; what are your homesteading/farming dreams; what does International Women's Day means to you; or tell me about a woman who inspires you. (And you don't need to be a woman to comment -- men are absolutely welcome too!)

Blogging offers me the opportunity to keep an online journal, but also to build community with like-minded dreamers and doers. While our meeting place is a virtual one and we may be unsure of ourselves first, I believe, over time, this kind of sharing will help us to believe in our dreams to the point where we can start living them.

P.S. For another chance to win, please share this post with other likeminded readers/bloggers and leave a comment when you do. I learn so much from reading other people's blogs and from hearing from folks who read mine.

Giveaway closes on Sunday, March 10th at 12:00 a.m. EST.

And the winner is...

... Josee!



Please email me at info [at] rowangarthfarm [dot] ca with your mailing address so Penguin Canada can mail out your "Whole Foods to Thrive" prize pack!

Thanks for all of your comments and I'm sorry for the delay in posting the winner.

"Whole Foods to Thrive" giveaway!

Brendan Brazier's message is simple: eating nutrient-dense, plant-based food is the best choice, not only for your health but also for the health and sustainability of the planet.

And Brazier knows a thing or two about nutrition and optimum performance. A former professional Ironman triathlete (a competition whereby participants swim 3.8 km, bike 180 km and then run 42.2 km) and two-time Canadian 50 km Ultra Marathon champion, he's experienced first-hand the relationship between food intake and fitness performance, but also sleep quality and stress levels. He's also a vegan.

In his latest book, "Whole Foods to Thrive: Nutrient-dense, plant-based recipes for peak health," Brazier explains how nutrient density -- also known as the micronutrient content of food (referring to its vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants and carotenoids) -- should be a key consideration when choosing foods that nourish the body.

Chapter 1 looks at just how dependent health is on nutrition.

Chapter 2 discusses how eating lower on the food chain and embracing more of a plant-based diet is gentler on the earth, as conventional animal-based food production is very resource intensive.

Chapters 3 looks at how to gain more micronurients in your diet (while expending the fewest natural resources), while chapter 4 discusses the eight key components of good nutrition -- elements such as antioxidants, calcium, electrolytes and essential fats.

Chapter 5 provides a detailed list of nutrient-dense foods that provide the basis for high nutrition: everything from green veggies to squashes, wild rice and flaxseed, but also more exotics such as sacha inchi (a star-shaped fruit) and palm nectar.

Chapter 6 culminates with 200 recipes that showcase the best of these health-boosting, planet-friendly ingredients.

You'll find recipes such as this one for a Chocolate Goodness Smoothie:


• 1 banana
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 cup unsweetened hemp milk
• 1 scoop Chocolate Vega Complete Whole Food Health Optimizer (see prize pack below)
• 1 tsp wheatgrass powder
• 2 tbsp raw cocoa powder
• 1 tsp mesquite powder
• Stevia powder or maple syrup, to taste
• 2 - 3 cups water
• Handful of ice

In a blender, combine all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy!

While only a few of Brazier's recipes require ingredients from his VEGA line of health food products, there are some ingredients that won't be found on your average supermarket shelf. Still, there are enough recipes with a plant-based twist (even classics such as Caesar salad, guacamole and tomato soup) to inspire anyone interested in super-charging their diet and overall health while reducing their planetary footprint.

The contest:

Simply leave a comment below (single entries only, please) for a chance to win six VEGA smoothie mixes, either Shake & Go Smoothie mixes or Complete Whole Food Health Optimizer mixes, in an assortment of yummy flavours like Vanilla Chai, Bodacious Berry and Choc-a-Lot.
Canadian residents only, please.









I'll announce a winner on June 6, 2011. Good luck!

Thanks to Penguin Canada for sponsoring this contest.

And the winner is...

... Sparkless!

"Oh wow a contest for us Canadians! How can I resist. I'd love to win this book."

Please email me with your address at:

fiona [at] rowangarthfarm [dot] ca

Congratulations!!

"There's Lead in your Lipstick" giveaway!

Have you ever looked at the ingredient listing on your shampoo, deodorant or face cream? Chemicals such as diethanolamine, sodium lauryl (ether) sulfate or triclosan are common to many everyday body care products. Even when the product label reads "organic" or "natural" the ingredients are often anything but.

Confused? You're not alone.

The average woman uses a dozen personal care products each and every day, and by the time she heads out the front door, has spritzed, sudsed, and slathered herself in more than 127 different chemicals -- many of them more toxic than beautifying.

But there is another way. Best-selling author Gillian Deacon offers her latest book, There's Lead in your Lipstick, as a "guide for all those who want to be cautious and considered when choosing the products and ingredients they use in, on and around their bodies.".

Here's an excerpt on "The Real Cost of Cosmetics":

There’s a reason why these more healthful options are usually more expensive. Most conventional cosmetic manufacturers use parabens to preserve the ingredients, claiming it is a necessary evil. Parabens are estrogenic, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, which means they mimic natural estrogen and can wreak havoc on your hormones. When your hormones are out of whack you can experience mood swings, irregular menstruation, skin irritations, and other troubling symptoms. Parabens are also potentially carcinogenic.

From There’s Lead in Your Lipstick by Gillian Deacon (Penguin Canada). Copyright © Backbone Inc. FSO Gillian Deacon, 2011

What's fabulous about this book is it not only educates the reader about what chemicals to avoid, but it provides alternatives -- both store-bought and DIY, everything from body scrub to moisturizers to sunscreen.

For example, Deacon offers up this recipe for a "Make It Yourself: Moisturizing Mask"

Greek yogourt is also very moisturizing and can be used as a base for this mask.

You need:
• 1/2 medium to large avocado
• 1 to 2 tbsp honey (5 to 15 mL)

1.) Puree ingredients together in a blender or whip by hand.
2.) For dry, sensitive skin, add one tablespoon of oatmeal and
on tablespoon of water.
3.) Mix together into a smooth paste and apply to the face and neck area, leaving on for about ten minutes.

That's it!

Want to learn more? As part of Gillian's exciting blog tour, Rowangarth Farm and Penguin Canada are offering a sweet giveaway: a copy of There’s Lead In Your Lipstick PLUS an Eco Kiss kit from Saffron Rouge. Retail value total is approx CDN $48.95.



Simply leave a comment as to why you'd like to win this prize pack. Please note: this Penguin Canada-sponsored contest is only open to Canadian residents. (Sorry, folks!)


The contest is open until midnight on April 22nd -- Earth Day. Good luck!



* - * - * THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED * - * - *

Yarn Along & announcing another giveaway!

Taking inspiration from Ginny over at Small Things, here's this week's Yarn Along update:

As we're almost halfway through April (does anyone else feel like time is just flying by?) I thought I should check in with the Year in Colour project -- and this month's colour is green. Perfect. This is the motivation I need to finally get Jack's second sock off the needles and on to his foot!


As for the book I'm reading: When Penguin Canada asked if I'd like to participate in a blog tour for Gillian Deacon's new book, There's Lead in Your Lipstick, I thought it'd be a great opportunity to educate myself -- and readers -- about how to reduce our chemical burden.

Even though I'm a low maintenance kinda girl and we use many natural and homemade body care products, I'm finding this book a fascinating read. Jam packed with loads of information, it helps readers identify what the dangerous ingredients are -- toxins such as phthalates, parabens, triclosan and lead -- and provides alternatives, both store-bought and DIY.

To learn more, check back next Monday, April 18th, for more information and the chance to win a fabulous giveaway!

And the winner is....

Sorry, folks, for the delay in announcing the winner of my Valentine's Day Giveaway. The kids and I were out of town for the last two days and upon returning home late last night and finding a sick husband (he's a bit better today), an empty wood stove and a barn full of hungry animals, I simply couldn't get to my computer.

Without further ado, the winner is...

... Annie's Granny! Please email me at fiona [at] rowangarthfarm [dot] ca with your mailing address so I can send you your copy of "Carrots Love Tomatoes."

And thanks to all of you who left comments. Giveaway or not, I love hearing from you!

Valentine's Day Giveaway

In the spirit of Valentine's Day -- a day that's all about love, love, love! -- I'd like to offer a small token of gratitude for reading about our madcap life here on Rowangarth Farm: one copy of Louise Riotte's garden classic "Carrots Love Tomatoes."


Since its first publication in 1975, gardeners worldwide have learned how companion planting -- growing certain plants in close proximity to one another to help with nutrient uptake, pest control and pollination -- can create a beautiful, healthy and harmonious garden.

In this handy reference book, you'll learn the ABCs of companion planting -- how Absinthium (also called wormwood) makes a great border planting to keep animals out (works well for deer!) and how Yew is susceptible to root rot fungus if grown next to rhododendrons. There are also short chapters on 'Pollination of fruit & nuts', 'Nut trees', 'Fruit tree culture' and 'Poisonous plants.'

To enter, simply leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please). A winner will be selected one week from today.

************************ THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED ************************

For my regular readers -- this is simply my way of saying 'thanks' for visiting, for sharing your tips, your stories and your lives.

And if you're a new visitor or if you've never commented before -- please, don't be shy. I'd love to hear from you!