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MLT Newsletter

Spring 2007

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    I've never noticed bluebirds hanging around all winter, but that is what they did in this neck of the woods. I'll try to not state where I could easily place the blame, at least at first glance... "must be global warming" (oh, heck, I said it anyway). Bird books do indicate bluebirds winter over occasionally. Well the birds were fooled. After a transient early December snow, we had a mild Christmas season and January that would have made the most ardent global warming skeptic repent. But not for long. February with its snow and cold weather seemed just like the "old days" although it happened very late in winter (isn't January 20 supposed to be the coldest time of the year statistically and meteorogically speaking?). I am reporting, first hand, a happy ending after the thaw of the last 2- 3 weeks, the bluebirds (some at least) survived.

    You may have noticed (I hope so!) the new logo above. The “pumpkin farm” logo has been in service for about 25 years, and along with all things human, its time is passing. Courtesy of Conrad Kaufman, this is probably not the final version, he wants to refine it more. Moreover, as the “official” logo of MLT it must be approved by the Board, so for now it is the “official” logo of this issue of the MLT Newsletter. Any comments, rants, and criticisms can of course be sent to tomar@i2k.com.

Jon Towne, editor

THE FIRST THIRTY YEARS OF MLT
Maynard Kaufman and Jon Towne

    Michigan Land Trustees had its beginning in 1976 when it was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in the State of Michigan. The original incorporators were Joseph C. Filonowicz, an industrialist from Detroit Michigan who had started a Land Trust in North Carolina, Maynard Kaufman, Western Michigan University associate professor of religion, Paul Shultz, fruit grower-owner of Sunshowers , who had been a Catholic deacon in Chicago, and Eugene Suchy, Joe's accountant and friend in Detroit. The Articles of Incorporation were written by Joe Filonowicz. The bylaws were written by Paul Shultz and Maynard Kaufman.
    Initially the IRS was cool to our application for tax exempt status, citing the professed purpose of “acquisition and leasing of land for agricultural purposes” as a for-profit business activity. Our focus then shifted to acquiring land for research and education. This is how the IRS put it when they gave us the provisional 509 (a) (1) status in 1977:
“1. scientific testing, evaluation and demonstration of “Appropriate Technologies” suitable to the development of local self-reliance under conditions of petroleum and natural gas scarcity. (emphasis ours)
2. educating the agricultural community in ecological and energy-conserving agricultural production and the public in energy conservation in general.”
In addition, we are to: “train individuals in the techniques of agriculture production which are ecologically sound.” Finally: “Your other activities will include the establishment of a “living-learning” homestead school which will operate in conjunction with Western Michigan University.”
    After MLT was recognized as a tax-exempt organization by the IRS in 1977, Joe Filonowicz donated to MLT a 38 acre run-down, junk-strewn farm outside Bangor across and up the road from Maynard and Sally Kaufman's "School of Homesteading". This was to be the setting for the WMU Homesteading Program. Maynard and Sally had operated a similar living-learning "School of Homesteading" on their own since 1973 and continued in succeeding decades to work with "apprentices". In his role as "Homesteading Coordinator" Maynard also managed the complex relationship between WMU and MLT. WMU hired an instructor (Stu Schafer in 1978) and the "Land Trust Homesteading Farm" (LTHF) became a living-learning farm with resident students learning small-scale farming, food production, preserving, and alternative energy. While WMU did drop its support in 1980, the program continued thru 1984. Jon Towne became homesteading instructor in 1979, and in 1983, Thom Phillips and Jan Filonowicz assumed this prestigious title.
    While this homesteading program was a central activity of MLT during these early years, there were other projects. In 1977, Maynard coordinated MLT and the Environmental Studies Program at WMU as they sponsored a series of programs at the Kalamazoo Nature Center focused on the topic: "The Pastoral Ideal and the New Homesteading Movement". Several WMU faculty members made presentations. Also, a series of workshops during this time and in succeeding years, designed to help people acquire skills for self-reliance, were offered to the public.
    In 1979 Sally Kaufman became the first MLT newsletter editor, with issues coming out up to several times a year. Sally gave up her editorship soon before her untimely death in 1990 to Michael Phillips who produced a multitude of outstanding newsletters through 2000 when Jon Towne assumed editorship.
    The interests of Joe Filonowicz went beyond the homesteading program to issues relating to community revitalization, and in 1979 he organized a new arm of MLT called "Community Connections." It was focused on the improvement of the business and social life in the Bangor area. Robert Holmes was hired for the better part of a year to carry out these purposes.
In 1981 Board member Sally Kaufman worked with the City of Bangor to organize a garden project in Bangor. Garden plots were provided by the city and Sally offered advice to those who wanted to grow vegetables. This continued for several years.
    In 1982, with a grant secured by Maynard from the Michigan Council of Humanities, MLT organized a day long workshop called: "Condos, Cornfields, and Homesteads: The New Rural Residents and Land Use." Presented in Paw Paw, several faculty members from WMU and Michigan State University made presentations.
    As enrollments in the homesteading program declined in the early 1980s, MLT began to shift its thinking and focus to Permaculture, perhaps a more evolved and sophisticated form of homesteading and organic farming. Jon Towne developed a rudimentary permaculture plan for the LTHF. Aspects of this plan began to be implemented on the farm with tree plantings and structural implementation.
    In the fall of 1984 with Thom and Jan's departure, Jon Towne and Bobbi Martindale became farm lessees and have resided on the farm since and eventually purchased it.
    In 1985, taught by Dan Hemenway, the 3-week Great Lakes Permaculture Design Course took place on the LTHF. Ten students received their PDC certificate and a further refinement of a permaculture design resulted. This was one of the first permaculture courses taught in Michigan. A weekend workshop also taught by Dan occurred in 1986. As a result of this interest and newly acquired knowledge, Jon gave a permaculture slide show to several groups during this period in the late '80's. Many aspects of this planning effort have been implemented in the following years and decades. While Jon and Bobbi have not managed the farm with an intensity envisaged during this period or as a totally self-sufficient homestead, they do grow and preserve much of their food, utilize tree crops and generally provide a model for living "lightly on the land".
    In 1987, MLT and Organic Growers of Michigan (southwest chapter) sponsored a Country Skills Workshop. With its emphasis on tree planting, trees were given out at Earth Day Events in 1990. In the early 90's a "Local Exchange Trading System" (LETS) system was started in Bangor. Although it attracted nearly 50 participants, it was not enough and did not have the "critical mass" to continue.
    MLT Chairperson Ken Dahlberg presided over a period of introspection that MLT was going through at this time. Given a loss of focus on the LTHF property and on homesteading courses there, the board considered other possibilities. During one of the following MLT meetings Ken proposed options for the future of the organization: 1. Buying another piece of property; Setting up an ecological community near an urban area emphasizing alternative energy and self sufficiency; 2. Focusing on educational projects such as the LETS system or promoting community gardens; 3. Donating most of the money to similar organizations, and maintaining a small budget to continue the newsletter and hold meetings; and 4. to disband MLT and donate its assets to like minded organizations The board made no clear decisions during that or later meetings,but options "1" and "4" plainly did not happen. We have since that time continued (2 and 3) to promote educational projects and donation to like-minded organizations.
    Given the lack of interest in homesteading courses on the LTHF, Jon and Bobbi submitted a purchase price based on market value and the details of a land contract sale were worked out. Their land contract payments kept the MLT "coffers" filled in succeeding years.
    Despite a change in focus, one thing that doesn't change with MLT is that it meets three times a year (more or less!). These meetings always occur on Sunday afternoon and include an always satisfying potluck with a lively conversation that occurs with the meeting of old friends. The meetings are usually more formal and structured as befits an organization that's in it for the long haul.
    The current chair of the MLT board, Ken Dahlberg, authored a prize-winning book, Beyond the Green Revolution, (published in 1979), and subsequent books and articles on food and agriculture issues. As a retired professor in Political Science at WMU, he has been involved in many projects at WMU and in Kalamazoo. In 1994 when the Lee Baker Farm owned by WMU came on the chopping block for development, he unsuccessfully lobbied (representing MLT) to have it zoned as "renewable and green space". Several types of land use are in this category: 1. sustainable agriculture and/or forestry; 2. community gardens; 3. educational uses directly related to the character of the land; and 4. passive recreation.
    In 1994 with an infusion of cash from the sale of the LTHF, MLT began to provide funds and seed money for like-minded local organizations. This began with a large donation to Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA, www.moffa.org.) Its mission is "to promote the development of food systems that rely on organic methods of food production and that revitalize and sustain local communities." Other grants to MOFFA have been approved in the years since. This successful organization is still vibrant today as it works on an educational level to connect growers and consumers and to promote local food and organic farming.
    In 1997, MLT achieved a world wide web presence. Its location is now at www.michiganlandtrust.org. In 1998, a reunion of homesteading students from the Kaufman's School of Homesteading and the Land Trust Homesteading Farm was the main event. Much planning went into this summer event and it lived up to expectations. Contributions of essays and pictures can by seen on the "Compilation Page" linked on: www.michiganlandtrust.org.
    In 2001, the Kalamazoo Community Gardens Initiative started a community gardening project and received a grant from MLT. More recently, the related group Fair Food Matters (www.fairfoodmatters.org) with the Growing Matters Garden project also received our kudos and financial aid.
MOFFA, represented by Maynard Kaufman, initiated the first annual Southwest Michigan Harvest Festival in 2003 at Tillers International (www.tillersinternational.org), MLT, along with other local groups and foundations, has provided generous support for this annual event each year since then.
    In the last two years Ken and a couple of his colleagues, with MLT support, wrote the "Albion Statement" a paper on food systems. Some crucial points: 1. Food security for all; 2. Sustainable family farms and food ways that provide a significant portion of Michigan's food; 3. Healthier, more self-reliant communities and cities built upon meaningful livelihoods for all; and 4. Healthy air, waters, soils, and habitats throughout the state.

MLT present board of directors:

Rita and Norm Bober
Ken Dahlberg, Chairperson
Maynard Kaufman
Ron Klein
Michael Kruk
Jim Laatsch
Lisa Phillips, Treasurer
Michael Phillips, Secretary
Thom Phillips, Managing Director
Jan Ryan
Jon Towne
Dennis Wilcox

    This last fall, a committee was formed to produce a brochure for MLT. The four people, Ron Klein, Rita Bober, Mike Kruk, and Jon Towne have met once and are hammering out a brochure. This seems part of a process that seems similar to 1994 when we had that introspective period. Not written in stone, we came up with a mission statement:

Michigan Land Trustees is dedicated to revitalizing rural and urban communities by promoting responsible land use and the development of localized food and energy systems.

    Also not approved by MLT, we came up with four core values:

    As we consider our future activities, we can be informed by the recognition that the terms "Peak Oil" and "Global Warming" have entered the general vocabulary- The fact that our original purpose, as defined by the IRS, included reference to fossil fuel scarcity, which did actually begin in the 1970s, reminds us that we still have an important vocation. We may want to work with other groups as we develop land use policies relevant to the end of cheap oil.
    More detailed information on the origins of MLT can be found in newsletters available on the MLT website. See, for example, the Tenth Anniversary Newsletter which has an article entitled "How it all Began: Memoirs of Surviving Founders," and an article by Maynard in the first issue of the Newsletter in 1979 entitled "Comments on the Origin and Development of Michigan Land Trustees"


STINGING NETTLES Stinging Nettle
 By Rita Bober


    If you have ever encountered stinging nettles in a field, you will never forget them. As you ramble through a field, you may all of a sudden feel a strange stinging sensation. You might think you were stung by a swarm of bees that you didn’t see, but most likely you have landed in a batch of stinging nettle. If you touch or brush against stinging nettles you will know immediately this plant is well defended. There are stinging hairs on the leaves and stem of this plant. The sting is a localized irritant. But don’t run away as this plant is worth gathering. Nettles are a mineral supply depot. Nettles have human usable forms of iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and Vitamins A, C, and D. The stinging capacity disappears when the plant dries or is cooked. The leaves dry easily and store well, but do keep them out of the sun as they lose color easily.
    Of course the first step to eating any wild edible is making sure you have properly identified the plant. Stinging nettle is a great plant to start with particularly if you are overwhelmed by the identification process. So if you discover a plant with leaves that are opposite, slightly heart-shaped base, toothed leaf margin, and when you touch it you feel the sting, you can be assured that you have found a nettle. It is wonderful to have the sting to help know without a doubt you have the right plant.
    Always harvest the leaves before the plant flowers. After they flower, the leaves contain such a high concentration of minerals it can be hard on your kidneys to process. Most nettle patches will have new growth late in the season so you can collect leaves in the spring and in the fall. Nettle greens are very good in soups and any recipe the same way you might use spinach greens. As a tea it is a year round tonic. It helps clear excess uric acid from the body which is a blessing for those who have gout or arthritis. It also is for people who get leg cramps from too much walking, running, or from humid summer days. Nettles also work well for internal bleeding, nosebleeds, uterine bleeding, even for hemorrhoids. Nettle tea is a blood builder. It stimulates white blood cells, aids coagulation and promotes red blood cell production. It is an excellent medicinal for people with anemia. It can also be used as a tea throughout hay fever season to reduce the severity of chronic, seasonal allergy symptoms. Nettles are perennial and they grow up to four feet tall. Nettles are also an important source used to make cordage for weaving, nets, bowstrings, or whatever survival needs arise. A yellow dye can be extracted from the roots. Do not wash the herb before drying it or it will almost certainly spoil. When the leaves and stems are crispy dry, store them in an airtight container preferably glass. Be sure to wear gloves when you pick the plant. Here is a Nettle soup recipe to try:
  
NETTLE SOUP: Combine in a medium saucepan: 5 cups chicken broth, 3 cups young nettle tops (washed and chopped into ½” pieces). Boil 10 minutes. For a smooth soup, force the cooked nettles through a sieve or food mill or blend 1 minute in a blender. Return nettles and liquid to the saucepan and add: 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, 1 tablespoon butter, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, freshly ground. Simmer briefly and serve.


Meister, Osahmin Judith. The Spirit of Healing: A Journal of Plants & Trees. Minaden Books, Hillsboro, WI, 2004.
Thayer, Samuel. The Forager’s Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants. Forager’s Harvest, Ogema, WI, 2006.
Tilford, Gregory L. From Earth to Herbalist: An Earth-Conscious Guide to Medicinal Plants. Mountain Press Publishing Company, Missoula, MT, 1998.

Some Internet Resources

Related groups:

Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS) www.miffs.org
Fair Food Matters of Kalamazoo fairfoodmatters.org/
The Citizens Network for Michigan Food Democracy www.mifooddemocracy.org
Organic Growers of Michigan www.michiganorganic.org (Not updated for years)
Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA) www.moffa.org
Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy www.swmlc.org

A few other sites:

Oikos Tree Crops oikostreecrops.com Kalamazoo area's very own!
Tillers International www.tillersinternational.org From Scotts, Michigan and home of the MLT sponsored Southwest Michigan Harvest Festival.
The Post Carbon Institute www.postcarbon.org/
Johnny's Selected Seeds www.johnnyseeds.com/

List Serves- A great way to have desired content delivered to your email inbox. Fairly easy to subscribe and unsubscribe. Receiving it as a “digest”(my preference) means either receiving all contributions in one email either daily or when they reach a certain volume.

lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/livingontheland Livingontheland -Healthy soil and sustainable growing
lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture Permaculture Mailing List
lists.sare.org/archives/sanet-mg.html Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group

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