The CSA boxes this week? Just gorgeous! They have color. They have varitey. They have freshness. They have nutrition.
The aesthetic value alone, if I had to put a dollar amount on it, is worth, like eight bucks. Minimum.
That brings the total Farmer's Market dollar value to 31 bucks!!
They really are that Nice, guys. And gals.
And what can one say about this blog post?
Vague.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
I had a heartbreaking experience
It is true: I wanted to cry.
See, sometime between 9 and 11 months ago I planted out Leeks that had been seed starts even longer ago. Big deal you might say. Maybe. But to me it is a big deal. Either Farmer Drew or my self preped the planting tray and sowed the seeds and then both of took an active hands on experience of watering and feeding the seedlings for another of amount time.
Eventually planting day comes. And this was all me. I am not boasting here. Just a fact. I planted out these particular Leek. All five hundred feet of them were under my scrutiny. Alternating between bent back and crawling on my hands and knees I placed each seedling in the row.
Obviously this is not the tear jerking part. That came today when I MOWED the whole mess down with the lawn tractor.
The starts had, well, a good start. Planted out, watered and tended as needed. The tending to tends to become enfrequent, or at the most happens when there is nothing else to do. So one can project from this that they were lost in the weeds. True that. The Leeks were nearly drowned by the competition. However, it seems that the weather played are more significant role in the demise of the Leeks. The cold wet weather through out this spring right into mid-summer did damage that could not be stopped or altered to ensure a profitable crop.
As the wet and chilly days stalled the development of the plants, the sunny, long and warm days boosted and jumped-started the growth of said Leeks straight to flowering, i. e., they all bolted. And, that is no good for eating.
Ruined and lost crop!
Sad.
As we say in the business, "That's Farming".
See, sometime between 9 and 11 months ago I planted out Leeks that had been seed starts even longer ago. Big deal you might say. Maybe. But to me it is a big deal. Either Farmer Drew or my self preped the planting tray and sowed the seeds and then both of took an active hands on experience of watering and feeding the seedlings for another of amount time.
Eventually planting day comes. And this was all me. I am not boasting here. Just a fact. I planted out these particular Leek. All five hundred feet of them were under my scrutiny. Alternating between bent back and crawling on my hands and knees I placed each seedling in the row.
Obviously this is not the tear jerking part. That came today when I MOWED the whole mess down with the lawn tractor.
The starts had, well, a good start. Planted out, watered and tended as needed. The tending to tends to become enfrequent, or at the most happens when there is nothing else to do. So one can project from this that they were lost in the weeds. True that. The Leeks were nearly drowned by the competition. However, it seems that the weather played are more significant role in the demise of the Leeks. The cold wet weather through out this spring right into mid-summer did damage that could not be stopped or altered to ensure a profitable crop.
As the wet and chilly days stalled the development of the plants, the sunny, long and warm days boosted and jumped-started the growth of said Leeks straight to flowering, i. e., they all bolted. And, that is no good for eating.
Ruined and lost crop!
Sad.
As we say in the business, "That's Farming".
Monday, June 21, 2010
Can Not Stop It
Grass, that is. The Lawn. It is so very lush and green we may just burn up the mower this season. Because this season has been right for the lawn. And the Weeds. Oy! The weeds have run away with entire rows. We have prevailed and won back a few rows by having productive weeding parties.
If you have not thus far been a particapant at one of these weeding parties, do nothing else until you attend. We get down! There are Yard Butlers. short and long handled hoes, and if you can last, glowing spectacular sunsets. After sunset the tempo changes: out come the disco light and Techno bumps. We might Trance-out in the field and groove out til the wee hours; the weeds dont stop so why should we?
If you have not thus far been a particapant at one of these weeding parties, do nothing else until you attend. We get down! There are Yard Butlers. short and long handled hoes, and if you can last, glowing spectacular sunsets. After sunset the tempo changes: out come the disco light and Techno bumps. We might Trance-out in the field and groove out til the wee hours; the weeds dont stop so why should we?
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Junuaray El Kiddo
Well here is fine howd'you do: someone posted flyers all over town that include the address for This blog. Which puts me into a sort of panic. I better get some content worth a darn on this thing in case some body actually clicks it up and reads it.
There hasn't been any regular posting here in months. Reckon that's because winter was over for a while. Longer farming days make for weary nights, and anything outside of "no effort" activities is just plain crazy. But, then, I am a whiny baby who tends to complain...
Oh, and those flyers? Total R-O-C-K!! They are promotional materials to bolster much wanted Community Supporters for our Agriculture.
Of course you might be wondering why the New Website isn't highlighted? All is not coming up broccoli in Tech-land. Tis a mirror to Farm-land: transition, slow, uncooperative components, miscommunication, and time and weather.
Nice laundry list of blame, huh?
Muy mucho has been undergoing change on the Farm Business end of things. The kick ass flyers are one example. Another would be Name Change(Laughing Duck to Crooked Furrow). Still another would be accounting and $ tracking and payroll and all the shit that some body smarter than me has to, check that: wants to deal with. It aint easy and it does not get done all by its self. There is the website to build and, at least, transfer info from the old one. Phone numbers to obtain, mailings to collate, applications to design...you know, Paper Work.
Pardon me Business Manager, I know I omitted important details, and it is not on purpose.
Did any one look at a calender today? JUNE 6 2010. That's right, Summer Time! Oh, except for one thing: It is not June after all. No, it is JUNE-U-ARAY. That's right. This is a time- frame spanning approximately late April through a day that could be this week or one relatively soon, I guess. Never heard of it before and frankly it is a bit tiresome and quite the buzz kill.
This really only pertains to Ground Work. As in we can not do any if it is raining and remaining wet for days and weeks in a row. A friend of mine is fond of saying, "Caint dance. Too wet to plow". Which he will say if invited to eat a taco, or go watch baseball. But, by golly, down on the farm it's said in a literal sense. Although, I do have some of the funkiest dance moves in the valley,that I can bust out on the kitchen floor any evening round dinnertime. However, that does nothing for the too wet to plow(or till) part. Cold hard wet reality is the farmer aint getting to turn ground often enough in June-u-aray and the food, she wont grow. And what do you know, here is a TV news article covering the very same.
There hasn't been any regular posting here in months. Reckon that's because winter was over for a while. Longer farming days make for weary nights, and anything outside of "no effort" activities is just plain crazy. But, then, I am a whiny baby who tends to complain...
Oh, and those flyers? Total R-O-C-K!! They are promotional materials to bolster much wanted Community Supporters for our Agriculture.
Of course you might be wondering why the New Website isn't highlighted? All is not coming up broccoli in Tech-land. Tis a mirror to Farm-land: transition, slow, uncooperative components, miscommunication, and time and weather.
Nice laundry list of blame, huh?
Muy mucho has been undergoing change on the Farm Business end of things. The kick ass flyers are one example. Another would be Name Change(Laughing Duck to Crooked Furrow). Still another would be accounting and $ tracking and payroll and all the shit that some body smarter than me has to, check that: wants to deal with. It aint easy and it does not get done all by its self. There is the website to build and, at least, transfer info from the old one. Phone numbers to obtain, mailings to collate, applications to design...you know, Paper Work.
Pardon me Business Manager, I know I omitted important details, and it is not on purpose.
Did any one look at a calender today? JUNE 6 2010. That's right, Summer Time! Oh, except for one thing: It is not June after all. No, it is JUNE-U-ARAY. That's right. This is a time- frame spanning approximately late April through a day that could be this week or one relatively soon, I guess. Never heard of it before and frankly it is a bit tiresome and quite the buzz kill.
This really only pertains to Ground Work. As in we can not do any if it is raining and remaining wet for days and weeks in a row. A friend of mine is fond of saying, "Caint dance. Too wet to plow". Which he will say if invited to eat a taco, or go watch baseball. But, by golly, down on the farm it's said in a literal sense. Although, I do have some of the funkiest dance moves in the valley,that I can bust out on the kitchen floor any evening round dinnertime. However, that does nothing for the too wet to plow(or till) part. Cold hard wet reality is the farmer aint getting to turn ground often enough in June-u-aray and the food, she wont grow. And what do you know, here is a TV news article covering the very same.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
There really is no time like the present. And, the Present never last. A fleeting sort of time frame, and in most cases filled to overflowing with activity.
Since one toddler is plugged into the TV and contented, currently devoid of needs and the other one, still more baby than toddler (but dont tell him that) is quite in his nappy-time, I figure I have a few minutes in this Now, to blog about farming.
Sooo much has gone down lately it is hard to know where to begin. Time flies super sonic in spring and summer.
What has been planted? Good question. Without looking at our notes I will just list what comes to my tierd brain.
Potatoes: Five rows, each approx. 95 feet, of, I think three differnt varities.
Broccolli, Cauliflower, Kale, Cabbage, a green one and a purple one, Peas, beets, turnips, Mesclun, Lettuce, Spinach, Carrots, ...Well, looks like that is all I can think of presently.
What else has been added to the farm is ten rams. Pasturing at the Crooked Furrow for a few months to help with the mowing. The more they munch the tall grass the less we have to operate the tractor in the pasture.
Like I said; the Present is fleeting...
One of the presents my wife birthed for us is calling. Oh now two of them are in need again.
Since one toddler is plugged into the TV and contented, currently devoid of needs and the other one, still more baby than toddler (but dont tell him that) is quite in his nappy-time, I figure I have a few minutes in this Now, to blog about farming.
Sooo much has gone down lately it is hard to know where to begin. Time flies super sonic in spring and summer.
What has been planted? Good question. Without looking at our notes I will just list what comes to my tierd brain.
Potatoes: Five rows, each approx. 95 feet, of, I think three differnt varities.
Broccolli, Cauliflower, Kale, Cabbage, a green one and a purple one, Peas, beets, turnips, Mesclun, Lettuce, Spinach, Carrots, ...Well, looks like that is all I can think of presently.
What else has been added to the farm is ten rams. Pasturing at the Crooked Furrow for a few months to help with the mowing. The more they munch the tall grass the less we have to operate the tractor in the pasture.
Like I said; the Present is fleeting...
One of the presents my wife birthed for us is calling. Oh now two of them are in need again.
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