Sustainable Living Faire a popular event

Foraging for food can be as easy as heading to your yard to pick dandelions. Dr. James Moore, a certified survivalist, gave a presentation on foraging for food at the first Sustainable Living Faire held at the Tuscarawas County Public Library in New Philadelphia.

Many plants people consider to be weeds are edible, and some have medicinal uses as well. People do need to be careful when sourcing edible plants.

“You can eat everything — once,” Moore said.

He recommends using books that mostly contain photos, like guides by Peterson, to help in the process.

Moore presented information on plants that are easily identified including the blue violet, yellow wood sorrel, clover, chicory and purple dead nettle.

When it comes to garlic mustard, foragers shouldn’t have a problem getting permission from others to harvest it.

“It’s an invasive plant; people want it picked,” Moore said.

Garlic mustard can be used in salads, steamed and chopped as pesto, and the roots can be used to make a mild horseradish-like sauce.

Andrew Lane of Hand Hewn Farm demonstrated home butchering using the front leg of a hog. He explained how these larger pieces are available at meat shops and provide savings over buying meat already packaged. Lane demonstrated tips to make cutting meat at home easier.

James Hallman of Dennison demonstrated tree grafting and spoke on growing holistic fruit.

Nearly 300 people attended the event, which featured displays and sessions that also provided information on forest farming, mushroom log inoculation, canning basics, grafting trees, raising small livestock, kitchen herb gardening and soap making.

Much of the information shared was common knowledge 150 years ago, but it has not been passed down. There also was some newer information including solar basics, sustainable houses and tax credits.

Tables for information included Simpler Thyme, Speckled Goat Soapery, Terra Depot, chair caning, Fibers by Laura & Angel Family Farms, grafting trees and growing orchards, Hand Hewn Farm, Ohio Valley Environmental Advocates, Ohio State University Extension, Rural Action, Boy Scouts Troop 84, and Hall Family Farm.

Brian Herzog of Dover attracted much attention with his chair caning demonstration. Many wanted to hire him for chair caning repair, but Herzog only does chair caning as a hobby. He said the library carries a book on chair caning for anyone who would like to take up the craft.

“It’s not difficult. You just have to do it in the right order,” Herzog said of the seven-step process.

He usually turns on the television or puts on a movie while he works. Finding an older chair comes with the added benefit of having holes to secure the caning already drilled into the frame.

“There is no shortage of finding chairs like this at garage sales or thrift stores,” Herzog said. “They can be repaired. A lot of them get burned or just thrown away.”

Maria Hall of the Hall Family Farm was set up in the children’s area and helped children spin alpaca wool. The finished product wasn’t always consistent.

“Because there are thick and thin parts, that’s when we call it art yarn, because it’s not perfectly smooth,” Hall said. She also had examples of needle felting on her table.

Michelle McMorrow Ramsell, director of the Tuscarawas County Public Library, was pleased with the event.

“We’re really happy with how many people have come out. It seems like it’s a topic of interest to many people, and the classes are amazing,” McMorrow Ramsell said. “We’re hoping that it may be an annual event.”

There was one benefit the library staff didn’t think of while planning the event.

“People said they liked the opportunity to meet and be with others who are interested in sustainability,” McMorrow Ramsell said.

People of all ages enjoyed the Sustainable Living Faire including Luke Kneuss of New Philadelphia and his son Ezekiel, 8, who attended the event on his birthday.

“It’s pretty cool,” Ezekiel Kneuss said.