tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66877868087090009632024-03-05T05:19:17.852-08:0046 North FarmSeasonal Observations from a Small Farm on Oregon's North CoastTeresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-141436166123104152011-09-16T15:03:00.000-07:002011-09-16T15:23:09.624-07:00We've Moved!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdJb8X50wViZIS1taTbEQ-d5TS1Xd8lTAibcbWGc_p8KQNzKZCJ4IQOwR8hlJEY55P2XP7VoA4xERbOD4CZqK73sLnFlFpoaIGBMaLbjcaOt_2PA_5qPDO1NphKsZY_sdIj5VdwYZI2I/s1600/squeaky+the+cat.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdJb8X50wViZIS1taTbEQ-d5TS1Xd8lTAibcbWGc_p8KQNzKZCJ4IQOwR8hlJEY55P2XP7VoA4xERbOD4CZqK73sLnFlFpoaIGBMaLbjcaOt_2PA_5qPDO1NphKsZY_sdIj5VdwYZI2I/s400/squeaky+the+cat.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653082575572117762" /></a><br />Squeaky the Cat is not fond of being moved around–unless she is carried <i>just so–</i>but even she agreed that our farm <i>really</i> needed to start over again with a whole new website-and-blog as 46 North Farm. <div><br /></div><div>Although I have felt pretty good about our site here at Blogger, I've just become more familiar with using Wordpress as a blog site from my work with North Coast Land Conservancy, and so 46 North Farm's new online home is over at Wordpress now. It's a work in progress, like the farm in general. We'll be tinkering with the site this winter, so stay tuned for more good stuff.<div><br /></div><div>In the meantime, please follow this link to our new home: <a href="http://46northfarm.wordpress.com/">46 North Farm!</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Same great farm. Same crazy farmers. Same opinionated cats. New website for all our new stories. That's all. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for staying with us!</div><div><br /></div><div>xoxo</div><div><br /></div><div>Teresa, Packy, Eddie & Squeaky</div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-18135602108808922442011-04-27T10:00:00.000-07:002011-04-27T10:21:58.590-07:00Bursting at the seams<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcmdfQvl3_VgqPqOzQiNTZupfpN780hdrebZND0HN3IEKhaJmvcFnohNRwpl95iMEZP-RlK1-dsbt6TA6YOS5TjNaRAOt59muiLJS23hmU-FWdYUKhe9sD2qe9tuzYLuAaf__KJFT-js/s1600/spring+barn.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcmdfQvl3_VgqPqOzQiNTZupfpN780hdrebZND0HN3IEKhaJmvcFnohNRwpl95iMEZP-RlK1-dsbt6TA6YOS5TjNaRAOt59muiLJS23hmU-FWdYUKhe9sD2qe9tuzYLuAaf__KJFT-js/s400/spring+barn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600310747418820786" /></a>I have to remind myself that the sun DID come out recently- and it was glorious. I just wish it would <i>come back</i>, I am so tired of everything being muddy and soggy and cold.... but you can tell that the seasons have shifted, and even though winter is putting up a fight, spring is definitely moving in. Whew.<div><br />I was just prodded by the delightful and oh-so-helpful Naomi of <a href="http://naomisorganic.blogspot.com/">Naomi's Organic Farm Supply</a> in Portland to post some updated greenhouse and plant photos, so Naomi- these are for you!<div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaZwJ1DsqB-QR43OuY1E3qevIs_CUphX6Du11btwhEPRjh56WGxC4JuJUfQCzmzFtSgdlopZVBVVwSBJMt7bB-7z4wemZ3VO8GptSEImOplitIXozUya7rHCm4Ov6G3Bj5mr9_TQ7rtY/s1600/very+full+greenhouse.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaZwJ1DsqB-QR43OuY1E3qevIs_CUphX6Du11btwhEPRjh56WGxC4JuJUfQCzmzFtSgdlopZVBVVwSBJMt7bB-7z4wemZ3VO8GptSEImOplitIXozUya7rHCm4Ov6G3Bj5mr9_TQ7rtY/s400/very+full+greenhouse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600311189616705970" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6k1pO_XjLMMGB9g_lKB599CRfr5zKBlwc4cx8GvOKoF8tFIBzrVHqsJ4oW-tHJJ3DkUEtejWl3cjAPP7y3zJpXBp97WtN87SWHDeIvvS_isKdbCCSGnjph9mr6ivmyJapeItkUEfPV_s/s1600/lettuce%2521.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6k1pO_XjLMMGB9g_lKB599CRfr5zKBlwc4cx8GvOKoF8tFIBzrVHqsJ4oW-tHJJ3DkUEtejWl3cjAPP7y3zJpXBp97WtN87SWHDeIvvS_isKdbCCSGnjph9mr6ivmyJapeItkUEfPV_s/s400/lettuce%2521.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600311340989033522" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;">Lettuce is just the most beautiful plant- so many colors and textures and shapes and sizes. Who needs flowers? Just plant lettuce....</div></i><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Yh3ByzF1BjIpRwITkk6qDb2OHynypseWkI9CowwXvoy1xQWaYPA9YZ8cwe4OacqTAjCAX6wZ18Afk0YsMYm-WRNeHDmCnDkIgwvydAzYaPjGVHR8d9ZRsc11cFhcRBleincVUtOsvK0/s1600/tomato+table.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Yh3ByzF1BjIpRwITkk6qDb2OHynypseWkI9CowwXvoy1xQWaYPA9YZ8cwe4OacqTAjCAX6wZ18Afk0YsMYm-WRNeHDmCnDkIgwvydAzYaPjGVHR8d9ZRsc11cFhcRBleincVUtOsvK0/s400/tomato+table.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600311475495194690" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;">The tomatoes are hanging in there... slowly coming to terms with the cool weather, but not ready to move outside anytime soon.</div></i><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiXQE_6BOZLdcXCyZ_CCquVPxRIzrWNCauAjNoCZEbhvFfg26IuK8Z4QVaUHbDGIlZ-nOAqJZdcKfOTBjbkZlqdcKv0gyn2kcDvoZLuCOk9ubwPoLds7NDtatEfelJoZe_7Opgb5Ir6Y/s1600/coop+plant+stand.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiXQE_6BOZLdcXCyZ_CCquVPxRIzrWNCauAjNoCZEbhvFfg26IuK8Z4QVaUHbDGIlZ-nOAqJZdcKfOTBjbkZlqdcKv0gyn2kcDvoZLuCOk9ubwPoLds7NDtatEfelJoZe_7Opgb5Ir6Y/s400/coop+plant+stand.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600311598943478338" /></a><br />We have a plant stand outside the <a href="http://astoriacoop.org/">Astoria Co-op</a> full of fantastic greens and herbs that are eager to get planted, and will keep it stocked through the season with great edible plants for your coastal garden. If you miss us at one of our market appearances this year, you can always get plants at the Co-op.</div><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfAgCR57piy4IAKaLT1c5tO5jhyphenhyphenLNRJpG9mxEVzNgMzcBkVekx2Kiarx560bsH78DdqU9lWpehHp_J68JYGckWc-nm_nSmbfMSTJ6hFVIdqNLAjZ0NBPURhj3T7A367hQ2zmZdxQsQ_Y/s1600/beautiful+lettuce+flats.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfAgCR57piy4IAKaLT1c5tO5jhyphenhyphenLNRJpG9mxEVzNgMzcBkVekx2Kiarx560bsH78DdqU9lWpehHp_J68JYGckWc-nm_nSmbfMSTJ6hFVIdqNLAjZ0NBPURhj3T7A367hQ2zmZdxQsQ_Y/s400/beautiful+lettuce+flats.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600311738310684066" /></a>Isn't this the most luscious sight? I love the blocks of color you get with lettuce. From left to right: Merlot, Buttercrunch and the amusingly named but also delicious Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed. Yum!</div><div><br /></div><div>If you need a little Edible Gardening Inspiration, I'll be speaking at the Seaside Public Library this coming Saturday, April 30th at 1:00p.m. If you came to the Master Gardeners Spring Garden Seminar on the 16th, you've already seen this presentation, but if you missed it, join me as I go through the joys and challenges of <i>Growing Edible Plants on the North Coas</i>t! It IS possible.</div><div><br /></div><div>But it sure would be easier with a bit more sun.</div><div><br /></div><div>Update on the Elk Fence soon!!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXk3Z55zxtVF44tzEzkf5W8waN701PCJMTDLogm622FBCPPYkDcpOpt9l-g1a4w6ggi-as5qTh5_d8hM0OSR3waTnJm_SGfTMz77asrZLdWK4iIb9bhHySDPTrWnopAOKxK2LT1llFHqw/s1600/eddie%2527s+favourite.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXk3Z55zxtVF44tzEzkf5W8waN701PCJMTDLogm622FBCPPYkDcpOpt9l-g1a4w6ggi-as5qTh5_d8hM0OSR3waTnJm_SGfTMz77asrZLdWK4iIb9bhHySDPTrWnopAOKxK2LT1llFHqw/s400/eddie%2527s+favourite.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600311892405256578" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;">Eddie and Squeaky are beside themselves waiting for me to plant some of the catnip outside, and sneak into the greenhouse for their fix when they think I'm not looking...</div></i></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-31801438377547189302011-03-20T07:06:00.001-07:002011-03-21T07:07:32.222-07:00Over a Thousand Reasons Why We Need an Elk Fence<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXW9MXaBzrkUrkafH3Jay-ouQo6V5A8DX6njtJIwahD8Mvm7Px1gfS3IsyZo6ROpFTH_vtxKcj3aqL0On_bS0br2hzbvE0bujDJZ-Zfe7ny_wzFHBeAjFXCcQb-xK033t6ywnq6Z_ifRM/s1600/Spring+2011+Plants%2521.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXW9MXaBzrkUrkafH3Jay-ouQo6V5A8DX6njtJIwahD8Mvm7Px1gfS3IsyZo6ROpFTH_vtxKcj3aqL0On_bS0br2hzbvE0bujDJZ-Zfe7ny_wzFHBeAjFXCcQb-xK033t6ywnq6Z_ifRM/s400/Spring+2011+Plants%2521.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586522146241777314" /></a><br />It was a wonderful feeling to get to spend two whole days in the greenhouse starting seeds, transplanting seedlings and breathing in that unique spring smell of potting soil, liquid kelp and growing green things. I am constantly amazed at how I completely loose track of time when I do this work–one minute I'm heading down to the greenhouse with my last cup of coffee to get started, and the next minute I go to take a sip of my nice warm beverage and find that the coffee is stone cold and five hours have passed. <div><br /></div><div>Whenever I have doubts about my sanity at choosing farming as a career, I remember that this is the only job I have ever done where I continually loose myself in the work, coming to with a smile on my face and wishing that the sun would stay up for just another hour or so, as the ten hours I've already spent in the greenhouse just aren't quite enough.<br /><br /></div><div>Thanks to our good friend and fellow farmer Fred Johnson of <a href="http://fredshomegrown.blogspot.com/">Fred's Homegrown Farm and Produce</a> in Naselle, Washington we have inherited some great greenhouse tables that are making organizing the rapidly growing number of seedlings in the greenhouse slightly more manageable. Even though this is the biggest greenhouse we've ever had (30' by 50') I can still see it being full in another month or so, once the tomatoes come out from under the grow lights.</div><div><br /></div><div>Which is why it is suddenly very urgent that we find a way to deal with some of our neighbors:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRd-CMdFnMkiJjg7pSKGkzIujl1a8UZnblrIFKFQ8GqqAhikvsUatJKHjM8DYIf7c_0_PkTxEzhjC2p5M_1mHJIRRWl3P27hr79uw2MKQedEvjaw5S29u2ya-PizYy61EcJ2dczLAJ1c/s1600/14+Elk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 396px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRd-CMdFnMkiJjg7pSKGkzIujl1a8UZnblrIFKFQ8GqqAhikvsUatJKHjM8DYIf7c_0_PkTxEzhjC2p5M_1mHJIRRWl3P27hr79uw2MKQedEvjaw5S29u2ya-PizYy61EcJ2dczLAJ1c/s400/14+Elk.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586163585683759282" /></a>I know there are only 14 of them visible here, but trust me, there are at least 35 members of our local gang of Roosevelt elk that saunter through the farm every few weeks, enjoying what little remains of our cover crop. And if they weren't enough of a reason:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzPLmo9L_023Y2AbqTiv4hADUXRGkakLhY30QHijrYplf0C6MNHUwXbF7I5RHBxCtLQEVbq2_4QLfBnMZlOeam8Nc87Q-Yk1m4Y8ZzXJtpOSxsqU-C7fTBgL057NK-Y3o20j9aAzEtTc/s1600/Evil+Deer.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 396px; height: 297px; text-align: center; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzPLmo9L_023Y2AbqTiv4hADUXRGkakLhY30QHijrYplf0C6MNHUwXbF7I5RHBxCtLQEVbq2_4QLfBnMZlOeam8Nc87Q-Yk1m4Y8ZzXJtpOSxsqU-C7fTBgL057NK-Y3o20j9aAzEtTc/s400/Evil+Deer.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586164622911351938" /></a>It looks like Fawn Fawn and The Fawns have all made it through the winter, and they are savoring the cover crop as well. I quite like the 'evil glowing eyes' effect in this image–it reminds me that no matter how cute the deer are, and how sweet it is that Fawn Fawn will come right up and nuzzle at your hand (looking for a snack), they are by their nature voracious creatures who will eat every damn thing we plant if we don't put a fence around it.<div><br /></div><div>The fence update is as follows:</div><div><br /></div><div>We finally got our application in to the NRCS (National Resource Conservation Service) to possibly receive some grant funding to help with several farm projects, including a 'pest control fence' and hopefully some pollinator habitat, and maybe some water catchment system help.</div><div><br /></div><div>But here's the catch- there is limited funding, and if our application is approved, it goes into a pool of all the other NRCS project applications in Oregon, where they are all ranked by priority. They go down the list funding the projects until the money runs out. Which means that even if our project is approved and recommended, it could still not get funded.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Plus, it's a reimbursement grant. Even if we did get approved and funded for our Pest Control Fence, we have to buy all the materials and build the fence first (not starting any work before the contract is signed or else the work that's been done is not eligible for funding) and then once the NRCS verifies that we have built the fence to their specifications, they will reimburse us for whatever amount they pay per foot for fencing.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8Ivl8V47JMx5pvdOlRBPS7BFwkTI9Y7ofidcEC_45HM9KzgUGKAO7yELybo9YqtV5Q5fchyrHXhsyJtk5S5ElTFKnXiirMg_M_iPCVf9uYjZ4TGEuAFrXIBL3iE3t-TlHaXzivFQ-pQ/s1600/more+elk%2521.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8Ivl8V47JMx5pvdOlRBPS7BFwkTI9Y7ofidcEC_45HM9KzgUGKAO7yELybo9YqtV5Q5fchyrHXhsyJtk5S5ElTFKnXiirMg_M_iPCVf9uYjZ4TGEuAFrXIBL3iE3t-TlHaXzivFQ-pQ/s400/more+elk%2521.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586530635358449890" /></a><br /></div><div>The primary reason we are applying for NRCS funding assistance is because we have limited economic resources, and coming up with the cash to buy the thousands of dollars worth of fencing material needed to build the fence in the first place is a huge challenge. This part of NRCS funding is a tough hurdle for small, start up operations that don't have a lot of cash available for property improvements. If we had the money to buy the materials for the fence in the first place, we wouldn't be looking for financial assistance from the NRCS!</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66IzqYJ2gMX8wjYj4ms0lBiWhqDiqF1vcyAW8Tf7cUr1TtuRtP2jER2WaMaBoWtg6ycTCZwXVP2fQByUMPYVuIv_FW6p9-AshPdNnxSXkZsNQJSSgZajtoVxFvHMhaHbAR-dH3GT1CuI/s1600/Lots+of+Pea+Plants.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66IzqYJ2gMX8wjYj4ms0lBiWhqDiqF1vcyAW8Tf7cUr1TtuRtP2jER2WaMaBoWtg6ycTCZwXVP2fQByUMPYVuIv_FW6p9-AshPdNnxSXkZsNQJSSgZajtoVxFvHMhaHbAR-dH3GT1CuI/s400/Lots+of+Pea+Plants.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586525817284769042" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We'll see what happens with our application, but in the meantime we're working on some ideas for how to at least fence off the area surrounding our greenhouse on our own. It's crucial that we have a way to harden plants off outside before bringing them to market (without having to sit out all night with a shotgun, guarding them) and maybe even get some crops in the ground this year, all so that 46 North Farm can finally start earning its keep. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, we're planning a fence-raising day for sometime in late May, and given that it will take place of our farm, it will no doubt involve lots of good food and drink and setting something on fire as well. Creative financing ideas are in the works, and we are actually feeling optimistic about it all, which is pretty amazing given the challenges. </div><div><br /></div><div>Stay tuned for how you (yes, you!) can take part in helping our small farm take a huge leap forwards this Spring...</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCZOAD5DFAtF7l_iGPT_-8loLhm4G-paNXhOKZFvhMuAoVTIbpg0Obbt87wrfifKBIGoslENNcLYny12IgSdq4F_lPl4F49Pk8KOVTE-LVrn3e_k19tHaoYHZfBswYAtR7d_EgrF8Jh4/s1600/Packy+%2526+Squeaky+snow+day.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCZOAD5DFAtF7l_iGPT_-8loLhm4G-paNXhOKZFvhMuAoVTIbpg0Obbt87wrfifKBIGoslENNcLYny12IgSdq4F_lPl4F49Pk8KOVTE-LVrn3e_k19tHaoYHZfBswYAtR7d_EgrF8Jh4/s400/Packy+%2526+Squeaky+snow+day.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586528593010075170" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;">I got distracted and didn't do a post about the Snow Day we had in February, which is a shame as we took some amazing photos of the farm all covered in white stuff. Packy and Squeaky and I enjoyed ourselves enormously, but Eddie preferred to keep his delicate paws indoors, waiting for the thaw...</div></i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-80051208314408762382011-01-28T08:55:00.000-08:002011-01-30T21:20:01.814-08:00A Simple Packet of Seeds is Not So Simple<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamr4f7GjtPpTEpqWlHYrSpnK6_xYRQIIW3jpI21tiaTm3AjSq1oOPzbkxviDQH99YbRP88XOVMllWkWyj5dRMosy8oKuXLMZPQ86Q16QTU9VxdPyzKI1CANARI8IQUqQxhoL1iINQb4Q/s1600/ladybug+seedlings.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamr4f7GjtPpTEpqWlHYrSpnK6_xYRQIIW3jpI21tiaTm3AjSq1oOPzbkxviDQH99YbRP88XOVMllWkWyj5dRMosy8oKuXLMZPQ86Q16QTU9VxdPyzKI1CANARI8IQUqQxhoL1iINQb4Q/s400/ladybug+seedlings.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568073962687739378" /></a><br />I am working on getting all of our seeds ordered for this year so that we can get seeds sown and plants growing and ready for market. I feel a bit rusty–we didn't really order many seeds in 2010, and hardly sold anything at all. Cash flow was tight, and we were focusing on rebuilding the farm's infrastructure in and around working full time off the farm to keep the bills paid. <div><br /></div><div>It isn't that the cash flow is much better this year, but we are determined to at least be back selling plant starts in May and June, and maybe more later in the summer, if we can work out some fencing issues. We've missed being at the local markets, our customers have missed us too, and we don't want to stay away much longer. We can't grow produce until we get our major fencing issues sorted out, but plant starts are probably manageable. And if our farm is going to sell anything this year, we need to buy seeds.<div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAiHXJDofKvvFqNm0RmeYawIk4yMR2siDniUcRWuum0TTWLmY4WdOSae-zbHthGrwNy9ahKPVpgqgjRGM4CdQQ6VQT5sMTkaSD2-wjn0NS8zIX_O8T35d3j2ZHO7hHwPEiiYWvgrzkhI/s1600/mixed+flowers+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAiHXJDofKvvFqNm0RmeYawIk4yMR2siDniUcRWuum0TTWLmY4WdOSae-zbHthGrwNy9ahKPVpgqgjRGM4CdQQ6VQT5sMTkaSD2-wjn0NS8zIX_O8T35d3j2ZHO7hHwPEiiYWvgrzkhI/s400/mixed+flowers+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568070236460582354" /></a><br /></div><div>I find myself feeling ridiculously happy ordering seeds for varieties that I haven't seen growing for almost two years now. It's like knowing that some of my favourite old friends are coming for a visit, and I just can't <i>wait</i> to see them. I missed the colorful lettuce varieties I've come to love growing (and eating!) each year, all the fragrant herbs and oh–the flowers! I've really missed the waves of color and texture that filled our farm with beauty and happy buzzing bees each year. There were so many plants like poppies, calendula, chamomile, borage, feverfew and nasturtiums that just happily sowed themselves on our old farm without any help from us, and I got used to just knowing they would pop up each spring and start blooming like mad. We had a few volunteers last year that came with us on the soil when we dug up our perennial herbs to move them to the new farm, but it wasn't like it used to be. I do know that it will be like that again someday. Patience is one of the first lessons in farming.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Taking my time looking through all the seed catalogs is one of the joys of winter for me. Each company has its own personality and image, and all the websites work differently which can sometimes make ordering very time consuming, but still worth it.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghP1mMYQqoXJzF0jOFM_ZRMwYGC3KOkeNrwP6bBP3B1BcN_mhguOnGVKBh_GFGCFs8mqiFmIHBlvc00omIL5xYFU00qYEm-9JrZHpnAzKRe-6uofMhjjjViflt63g1SATYqgt86khUVE0/s1600/spring+green+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghP1mMYQqoXJzF0jOFM_ZRMwYGC3KOkeNrwP6bBP3B1BcN_mhguOnGVKBh_GFGCFs8mqiFmIHBlvc00omIL5xYFU00qYEm-9JrZHpnAzKRe-6uofMhjjjViflt63g1SATYqgt86khUVE0/s400/spring+green+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568076199195173634" /></a><br /></div><div>I always feel a thrill when the <a href="http://rareseeds.com/">Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds</a> catalog arrives. Packy refers to it as Seed Porn, and he isn't far off. It is one of the most beautiful catalogs I've ever seen, but more than that, they have <i>such</i> an amazing selection of heirloom seeds. I have to be careful, as their Mid-western climate is way different from the North Oregon Coast and there is much on offer that will just die a horrible death here in our challenging growing season. All those exotic melons and eggplants, and the 100+ day winter squash that you know will never ripen here, plus all those amazing tomatoes..... I would <i>love</i> to grow some of those huge, beautiful, colorful heirloom tomatoes! But I know better, and try to stick to the smaller, shorter season ones that at least have a <i>chance</i> of ripening here. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkgzoSDsNE712sLkDJAT-HbvEiCEGtQ_ZorQPDXzoB9asDuqadauiZJJM733nfqSBNqDq9t-w_QpbIVZgb0u-AE9bPvG7ry2xq1sJJuYWq47TC58qPoTgGwLGW3pOxFPYZxR_COKLC3g/s1600/lettuce+seedlings+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkgzoSDsNE712sLkDJAT-HbvEiCEGtQ_ZorQPDXzoB9asDuqadauiZJJM733nfqSBNqDq9t-w_QpbIVZgb0u-AE9bPvG7ry2xq1sJJuYWq47TC58qPoTgGwLGW3pOxFPYZxR_COKLC3g/s400/lettuce+seedlings+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568075661285351538" /></a><br /></div><div>Anther favourite catalog is <a href="http://www.seedsavers.org/">Seed Savers Exchange</a>. Gorgeous to look at, but also full of beautiful heirloom varieties that have amazing stories to tell about the history of plant cultivation. I love the stories almost as much as I love the actual plants, and Seed Savers Exchange is a wonderful organization, doing critical work to support the diversity of plant varieties available to both home gardeners and commercial growers.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OlT9CToLb081xk86CECe4gg-AlBy6T6UlcqFCWejoLEGKBsJsM80EOVUmDywLGRjyox3Kch9ZjINxRILJSf6GpAemVphvWQlVWAfr58-EnBLmoBy5Emu8DLCakPeW98tN0w4U_RFr-w/s1600/Squeaky%2527s+Standoff+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OlT9CToLb081xk86CECe4gg-AlBy6T6UlcqFCWejoLEGKBsJsM80EOVUmDywLGRjyox3Kch9ZjINxRILJSf6GpAemVphvWQlVWAfr58-EnBLmoBy5Emu8DLCakPeW98tN0w4U_RFr-w/s400/Squeaky%2527s+Standoff+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568078690323555506" /></a><br /></div><div>A big topic of discussion among growers lately has been the acquisition of Seminis Inc., a leading vegetable and fruit seed company, by Monsanto, a company whose very name inspires strong feelings of loathing from much of the small organic farming community. Why are the champions of genetically engineered seeds getting into the organic seed market? There is a lot of speculation, and I don't suppose we'll really know how it will play out for a while. There is <a href="http://www.seedalliance.org/Seed_News/SeminisMonsanto/">a great article on this subject on Seed Alliance's website </a>that I recommend reading if you are interested in knowing more about this. </div><div><br /></div><div>Why is this an issue for us? Well, I'm not eager to give my money to a company like Monsanto if I can avoid it. Many of the catalogs we love to order from like Johnny's Selected Seeds of Maine, and Territorial Seeds of Oregon buy a lot of their seed from Seminis, and now Seminis is owned by Monsanto, so it means that even if the seed I'm buying isn't one of their GMO gems, I'm effectively sending money to Monsanto anyway. </div><div><br /></div><div>Cue the Darth Vader theme music....</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm really struggling with this one. There are things I love to order from Johnny's and Territorial, some things I can only get from them, and <i>they</i> haven't sold out to Monsanto. I'm sure they aren't thrilled about the situation, but they are just as stuck with the situation as their customers, as there are no other companies out there that can supply the volume they need. But if I order from them, how do I know that the varieties I'm buying aren't Seminis Seeds, and thus by buying them I'm supporting The Evil Empire? Jeez. I just want to grow good healthy plants from organic seed wherever possible, and this is just not something I want to wrangle with! I haven't decided what to do yet, but I'm running out of time. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqVADdPTAy5JNLOvDOObBAqvOHUR72bFGC_cgiq1FbM7y2UlL60yrkPGGuo5D3xjrV3Vsh_OLF1Jzj9k_47Rv4G1WghOH-drhTtM81doSfnZFviVcdtloZcjJ3RSZscLu0M3VOB3zoAA/s1600/cottage+red+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqVADdPTAy5JNLOvDOObBAqvOHUR72bFGC_cgiq1FbM7y2UlL60yrkPGGuo5D3xjrV3Vsh_OLF1Jzj9k_47Rv4G1WghOH-drhTtM81doSfnZFviVcdtloZcjJ3RSZscLu0M3VOB3zoAA/s400/cottage+red+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568068265794513906" /></a><br /></div><div>I've already been struggling with the guilt of buying one packet of <i>Cottage Red</i> marigold seeds every other year from Burpee, who I still can't forgive for moving <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/nwgardens/272206_heronswood31.html">Heronswood Nursery</a> from its home near Seattle (before I ever got a chance to visit in person!) to Pennsylvania, transforming their eloquent, extensive, picture-less catalog into a glossy on-line deal that dumbed down the plant offerings and now focuses on hardy perennials that favor East Coast gardens. Grrr.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Cottage Red</i> is one of my favourite marigolds–I love using it in our Edible and Ball Jar Bouquets. You can whack hard at it all summer and it keeps blooming like mad, and is one of the last flowers to give in to frost. Unfortunately, it was discovered in Mexico by Dan Hinkley, the founder of Heronswood, and apparently the seed got sold to Burpee along with the rest of the business because they are the only ones that carry it, other than The Cook's Garden, a charming little seed company that is now owned by- you guessed it- Burpee. This year, I swear, I am saving seeds from this plant.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigicxGSm0cN5WXbXcgbYeJhfx1YjMPaujSzVbJxlxw3xSkfUqNOJVs31749qjZ2cqaCSZ0Jw5HB7n7wowjUXz_x0qO0kl3UwLvhVX902N6ckFLCiAhOXdFAl_d_sKo98aC5YURMiuSndk/s1600/edible+bouquet+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigicxGSm0cN5WXbXcgbYeJhfx1YjMPaujSzVbJxlxw3xSkfUqNOJVs31749qjZ2cqaCSZ0Jw5HB7n7wowjUXz_x0qO0kl3UwLvhVX902N6ckFLCiAhOXdFAl_d_sKo98aC5YURMiuSndk/s400/edible+bouquet+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568070612191605250" /></a><br /></div><div>Fortunately the equally beautiful <i>Frances Hoffman's Choice</i>, my other favourite marigold to grow (pictured above in one of our Edible Bouquets) was bred by the brilliant and committed-to-plant-diversity<a href="http://www.peaceseeds.com/"> Alan Kapuler of Peace Seeds</a>, and is widely available from seed companies I actually want to support. <i>Whew.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQ_sCXCr78gv64kyseZg_DH8-_8LZKQYnl8WMC3u1Ol1krDFj04UKnSkoD_xeyv6nui1om9zwOXcr9McoZwatS2JqqZvG2tcHISYmLxBYbPvDDcM4EvsZ5R4zuJwugxekTyeIaSIt5YQ/s1600/Squeaky%2527s+Standoff+6sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQ_sCXCr78gv64kyseZg_DH8-_8LZKQYnl8WMC3u1Ol1krDFj04UKnSkoD_xeyv6nui1om9zwOXcr9McoZwatS2JqqZvG2tcHISYmLxBYbPvDDcM4EvsZ5R4zuJwugxekTyeIaSIt5YQ/s400/Squeaky%2527s+Standoff+6sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568080376262223346" /></a><br /></div><div>The consolidation of seed company ownership is a huge topic, and one worthy of it's own post someday. It is worrisome for anyone who cares about biodiversity, and I am not happy about it. A long-term goal for our farm is to begin saving our own seeds wherever we can, and all this seed company consolidation just inspires me even more to do that. I already struggled with this 'who am I really buying seeds from' issue when Seeds of Change, one of the pioneers of organic seed, was sold to M&M-Mars Candy (!) </div><div><br /></div><div>Even if I didn't hate their new plastic seed packets –which I profoundly do– I still just feel weird ordering from them now that they have sold out to an enormous corporate food company. When the new Seeds of Change switched to plastic seed packets, they made a big pitch for how much better they are, how they are re-sealable, and that they don't use <i>that</i> much plastic really. Hmmm. I find that small seeds get such a static charge from the plastic that they stick to the inside much worse than paper packets, and much more is wasted. Plus- plastic! What are they thinking?! How does that fit with their crunchy organic image? I still get their catalog, it is quite beautiful, and it seems like they do many good things as a company. But there is so much less variety in the seeds they offer now, and I just don't feel as compelled to buy seed from them anymore. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDV6vEf9mRV485HulN1_f_2jAzT_wuj808DT0I8xD1V-pwU4dh3__vHvNlEFBTbatFjwC7C_tSV7EcUJUUmI9T4tKwymK9NwvEFHZMomsLJikrHDAtys8cs7K4mN-RTT0Sp9MQqaplnRM/s1600/chamomile+sm.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDV6vEf9mRV485HulN1_f_2jAzT_wuj808DT0I8xD1V-pwU4dh3__vHvNlEFBTbatFjwC7C_tSV7EcUJUUmI9T4tKwymK9NwvEFHZMomsLJikrHDAtys8cs7K4mN-RTT0Sp9MQqaplnRM/s400/chamomile+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568081923374617074" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>However, even in the midst of this 'who do I order from' frustration, I find that there are options. This year I am excited to be ordering from two small organic seed companies, both of them located in the Pacific Northwest, both of whom source their seeds from Northwest growers.<a href="http://www.siskiyouseeds.com/pilot.asp"> Siskiyou Seeds</a> in Williams, Oregon, and <a href="http://www.uprisingorganics.com/">Uprising Seeds</a> in Bellingham, Washington are both small, and their selection is not extensive, but they both have some great varieties for sale. The upside for us is that these are all varieties grown in our region, so the likelihood of them doing well here on the North Coast is good.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9_LB1spmxlpRS2ogbJQhVwX0VpKSzaJ1Osz6dqRwgLj6R1ReZZ2srKosw38yHe_6c42ohkyDY_wH5VVs0KwEm7Z1ZbrjSYpqq0I8ckTadiU2GRzFeGDdP3q_ctGCkZmrX1JVSsV4tl0/s1600/kale+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9_LB1spmxlpRS2ogbJQhVwX0VpKSzaJ1Osz6dqRwgLj6R1ReZZ2srKosw38yHe_6c42ohkyDY_wH5VVs0KwEm7Z1ZbrjSYpqq0I8ckTadiU2GRzFeGDdP3q_ctGCkZmrX1JVSsV4tl0/s400/kale+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568076690184214802" /></a><br /></div><div>I found both catalogs at <a href="http://naomisorganic.blogspot.com/">Naomi's Organic Farm Supply</a> in Portland, and I thank her for turning me on to both these companies, because they are just the kind of businesses that our small farm wants to support. It feels good to keep our seed buying a bit more local where we can. As a small business ourselves, we know how much it means to us when people choose to spend their money buying from us, knowing that they can often get something similar somewhere else, and probably get it cheaper too. It's a challenge for a farmer- obviously you want to grow the varieties people want to buy, and you want to offer them the best choice for the best price you can give them and still stay in business and be reasonably profitable. Add in trying to do the right thing and buy seeds from companies that are not part of the corporate industrial food system and you find yourself walking though a rapidly changing minefield.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34eBw2mXUe86A0ObaB-waCY-lbRPINs92LR02pA7-xu6CUcJNSaSFKZ6huJB-0gd1iaNBk2yyKOiqE9e9hFpgvGphml0uJMyZgKM8SU6_wDyInUtRbnKKK4jQ7WOjpgO53N1DJeVL1J0/s1600/seedling+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34eBw2mXUe86A0ObaB-waCY-lbRPINs92LR02pA7-xu6CUcJNSaSFKZ6huJB-0gd1iaNBk2yyKOiqE9e9hFpgvGphml0uJMyZgKM8SU6_wDyInUtRbnKKK4jQ7WOjpgO53N1DJeVL1J0/s400/seedling+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568074261616894114" /></a><br /></div><div>We'll do our best to offer the best selection we can this year, try to find out as much as possible about where our seed comes from, make the best choices we can, and pass that knowledge on to you so that you can make your own choices as well. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sCsHYqwOqbUV890ex20v02esLtflLLNgt4t_YY7_b1AknMseSOk12VJrvWrTMwglz_i-6AQclen0oOTORKnA79P3pt73GjnurWZRY9e12yRRB9tQ8Da4fYphsCpi5YsRSQ6-4I_cdhI/s1600/roughe+de+grenoblouse+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sCsHYqwOqbUV890ex20v02esLtflLLNgt4t_YY7_b1AknMseSOk12VJrvWrTMwglz_i-6AQclen0oOTORKnA79P3pt73GjnurWZRY9e12yRRB9tQ8Da4fYphsCpi5YsRSQ6-4I_cdhI/s400/roughe+de+grenoblouse+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568074491269664770" /></a></div><div>And as we always have, we'll continue to focus on growing plants that do well on the Northwest Coast. We'll use organic seed wherever it is available, and grow primarily heirloom and open-pollinated varieties, with the occasional hybrid thrown in where it is really just the <i>only</i> thing like it. Like Sungold tomatoes. I hear rumor that someone is trying to de-hybridize Sungold and breed a stable OP version of it. I am really looking forward to trying it.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEXfguNr_9PjqzQizyfSzOA6OzD5IcuETY9vLmQUXzFpBhxL6GbapCDMJ4OCia5FcHnJV-2IS3w6aVmYDVjCF9fjAAEDuMqHrVjrqun-NSfEc6kRGeAIcZ-o_OHiyXl-w4AM0ryrcfc0/s1600/Heroic+Eddie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEXfguNr_9PjqzQizyfSzOA6OzD5IcuETY9vLmQUXzFpBhxL6GbapCDMJ4OCia5FcHnJV-2IS3w6aVmYDVjCF9fjAAEDuMqHrVjrqun-NSfEc6kRGeAIcZ-o_OHiyXl-w4AM0ryrcfc0/s400/Heroic+Eddie.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568085343464057202" /></a><br /></div><div>And yes, Eddie, I promise we will grow <i>lots</i> of catnip this year.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-74361383833634975312011-01-17T17:54:00.000-08:002011-01-22T09:46:51.031-08:00A Gathering of Farmers and Fishers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIp_TkCcEt0l5w1_i8wck6uh2WntyvfPG2cbc3-TteyX4qK5_iEnMUUQ9KFkq8HWpreMIq-459Z6nTVGcJHE0e_WEuFJMtpby7zlkB-hDGOAJIFpxszsrT5oXhtOZYU7p4YolFNNnYlp0/s1600/rainbow%2521.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIp_TkCcEt0l5w1_i8wck6uh2WntyvfPG2cbc3-TteyX4qK5_iEnMUUQ9KFkq8HWpreMIq-459Z6nTVGcJHE0e_WEuFJMtpby7zlkB-hDGOAJIFpxszsrT5oXhtOZYU7p4YolFNNnYlp0/s400/rainbow%2521.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565052590641791618" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The most amazing full rainbow I've seen on our farm yet! See this post's end for the other half...</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>I am still buzzing from the <i>great</i> gathering of local farmers and fishermen at the Blue Scorcher Bakery & Cafe last Sunday night! When <a href="http://www.northcoastfoodweb.com/">North Coast Food Web</a>, the <a href="http://www.astoriacoop.org/">Astoria Co-op</a> and <a href="http://www.bluescorcher.com/Scorcher/Blue_Scorcher.html">BSB</a> were first planning the event, I knew that it had potential to be a productive evening. It turned out better than I had even hoped. In spite of the torrential rain and flooding that sadly kept some of our South and Tillamook County folks from being there, attendance was huge and the mood was enthusiastic. I was especially encouraged to see so many new growers show up. <div><br /></div><div>The plan was to bring together both new and experienced local food producers for an evening of socializing and information sharing. After enjoying the delicious soup supplied by the Blue Scorcher and the many tasty potluck offerings brought to the table, we got down to the program. Our main goals were to give everyone up-to-date information on selling at local farmer's markets (especially the <i>new</i> food only River People Farmer's Market coming to Astoria this summer), provide helpful information on local wholesale selling and to give the NCFW board a chance to listen to farmers and fishermen speak about both the barriers and opportunities they encounter here on the North Coast. This will help NCFW focus our future efforts to better support the emerging local food economy in our region. </div><div><br /></div><div>The discussion was stimulating and informative, and I think the best part was all the socializing and connecting that went on before and after the official event. I wish we could have spent longer on some topics, but I know we will be having more meetings like this in the future, and hopefully we can dig deeper into those subjects then. </div><div> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZowUAP-vTrTCd0P0WUwxJh4kMwscV-XV72kojU_-AUwtPMlbz3ig9bKgmNUymgwfXiS8g0AN6Ih88PlPCBa0icGD_8csKSPjzeEyAGXzPA_S2VZZGR-SAOzssuHrPgJLynorTilz0Rdk/s1600/chefs.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZowUAP-vTrTCd0P0WUwxJh4kMwscV-XV72kojU_-AUwtPMlbz3ig9bKgmNUymgwfXiS8g0AN6Ih88PlPCBa0icGD_8csKSPjzeEyAGXzPA_S2VZZGR-SAOzssuHrPgJLynorTilz0Rdk/s400/chefs.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565057207002769074" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Local chefs checking out the Cannon Beach Farmer's Market</i></span></div><br />I'd love to see a <a href="http://sassafraskitchen.com/wordpress/">Farmer-Chef Connection</a> event like the one that happens in Portland take place here on the coast! I know they can be a lot of work to organize, but with the great chefs we have here in our region, and the growing number of local food producers, it could be an event to remember. (I'll just add that to my to-do list, shall I?)</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3Z9G4Ckd27Bn0XJ-yiW6C9IV8zmIGxTZ_AL7Ota1AG2JEziTuTkdnWkeRT5qZWO17YOvIi6W4kMgtepm3xBKhwXIuXdoH1DsORBN4bviNSnS5JWV4MutTCr6UWoMnS9cLpiw2hFNNoM/s1600/lichen-branches.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3Z9G4Ckd27Bn0XJ-yiW6C9IV8zmIGxTZ_AL7Ota1AG2JEziTuTkdnWkeRT5qZWO17YOvIi6W4kMgtepm3xBKhwXIuXdoH1DsORBN4bviNSnS5JWV4MutTCr6UWoMnS9cLpiw2hFNNoM/s400/lichen-branches.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565053631167692818" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>I know this picture doesn't relate to anything I'm saying here, but I just love this old tree on our farm with the lichen covered branches, and couldn't help but stick a picture of it in in here somewhere...</i></span></div><br /></div><div>One of the most thought provoking moments of the evening for me came from <a href="http://www.hipfishmonthly.com/issue132/surfnturf.html">Garth Porteur</a> who operates the fishing vessel Little John out of Astoria. His story of the crazy regulations that govern how he can–and mostly can't–sell his fresh hook and line caught fish make many of the barriers that small farmers moan about pale by comparison. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I understood it, he is the <i>only</i> person who can sell his fish, and he can only sell his fish right off his boat at the dock, not from a truck in town, not at a farmer's market. He is only allowed to sell his fish directly to the customer- meaning that if I'm going down to pick up fish for myself, and you give me the money to pick one up for you too, I'd have to be licensed and bonded to do that, otherwise it's illegal.</div><div><br /></div><div>If he has caught huge 25 pound salmon, you and I can't go down to his boat and buy the fish together and then go over to the filet table, split it, and each drive off with half a fish- that's illegal. If Garth is injured or ill, and a friend steps in to sell his fish from his boat for him before they go bad–that's illegal. There was more, and it all just made me <i>furious. </i> None of the regulations made sense unless you realized that they exist simply to prevent independent fishermen like Garth from prospering at their craft. That has got to change somehow. Unlike for <a href="http://www.friendsoffamilyfarmers.org/">small farmers</a>, there is no 'Friends of Family Fishermen' organization, but there should be.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>To me the evening was a great success, and I'm excited to think of it as being the first of many gatherings like this. I left feeling a renewed enthusiasm for farming on the North Coast, and looking forward to the upcoming growing season.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EbQm1UKbKM3vqy0av-ZvipkmZ1opSCL_bBkyxCvDkttUCeyNSYB9EsFwT1vzQDkFSd9TNva8IVFULtuXmMRTNaYHS07yVFQLYj56GH5tnHwaH24e5YbqLe1ZNYBD-AA2Q1Id2-lpeAY/s1600/astoria-market-09.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EbQm1UKbKM3vqy0av-ZvipkmZ1opSCL_bBkyxCvDkttUCeyNSYB9EsFwT1vzQDkFSd9TNva8IVFULtuXmMRTNaYHS07yVFQLYj56GH5tnHwaH24e5YbqLe1ZNYBD-AA2Q1Id2-lpeAY/s400/astoria-market-09.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565056996769397698" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Astoria Sunday Market 2009... sigh.....</i></span></div><br /></div><div>Packy and I are determined to have our farm back at some of the local markets this year! Since we're starting the season with an intact greenhouse, we'll definitely have plant starts available earlier this year, so all you local plant lovers that missed us last year, take heart! Our plan is to sell plants through the Astoria Co-op, and we will definitely do some of the Astoria Sunday Markets as well. I don't know about the other markets yet, but I promise we'll try. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBh4_FPlwM7kCs-TYICKjvrtrnofZ-3mMjoAIDQ3I4tsemzH7zRTGgceWzVF5L4lE7rdSTRe10x0mj9eotuMtVAmsPnm_Ydv54K9zAwOiaxgqKSHuxHzpuVzfBcZdTZshfy1B4J7ze4uk/s1600/ball-jar-bouquets.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBh4_FPlwM7kCs-TYICKjvrtrnofZ-3mMjoAIDQ3I4tsemzH7zRTGgceWzVF5L4lE7rdSTRe10x0mj9eotuMtVAmsPnm_Ydv54K9zAwOiaxgqKSHuxHzpuVzfBcZdTZshfy1B4J7ze4uk/s400/ball-jar-bouquets.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565057096899084402" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>One of my favourite flower combinations- color and more color!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>For you flower fans out there who keep asking, I am really hoping to be able to bring some of our Ball Jar Bouquets and Edible Bouquets to market this year. It all depends on the weather, and whether or not we can get our elk fence built in time to make planting flowers worth while. We already have the best fed elk and deer in Clatsop County–they have been dining on our winter rye and vetch cover crop for months now. I refuse to feed them my flowers as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>I want to finish and get this posted before I get distracted by the Real Job again, or my seed ordering obsession, or one of the many other things that absorbs time these days.</div><div><br /></div><div>I do just want to put out a 'Save the Date! call to all of you, and let you know that I just agreed to be a speaker at this year's Clatsop County Master Gardeners 'Spring Into Gardening' event on Saturday April 17th, so put it on your calendars. The focus of this year's event is on the right plant for the right place, so my talk will focus on the edible plants that will do well here, on the North Oregon Coast. And I promise, it won't just be a passionate plea for greater kale appreciation! There are a lot of delicious plants we can grow here, and I'm going to inspire you all to dig up your lawns this year and plant some of them!</div><div><br /></div><div>All the recent rain has been a challenge to everyone's mood here, but hang in there- you know that sometime soon that magic week in February is going to arrive. You know, the one where the sun comes out and it feels warm, and you can strip down to just a t-shirt if you're working outside, and maybe even get a wee bit of sun on your face. You get over excited, start digging in soil that is way too wet, and plant things outside that you really shouldn't put outside yet. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's a glorious week, but remember, it's going to bring in a hail storm. So just be ready.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVzaXFchXZe78jUvKXzQXhjxhi6z5cSnZ2Nmpd1wHjmk3l2LCGKUhqVHdJPFhTN8Mo502EvdgFkhX81eVw238azwspGahTniO8pbaYIuYCBZ9IcEyumN0OGlAtYUpyq8sG4sshhsQq2w/s1600/other-half-of-the-rainbow.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVzaXFchXZe78jUvKXzQXhjxhi6z5cSnZ2Nmpd1wHjmk3l2LCGKUhqVHdJPFhTN8Mo502EvdgFkhX81eVw238azwspGahTniO8pbaYIuYCBZ9IcEyumN0OGlAtYUpyq8sG4sshhsQq2w/s400/other-half-of-the-rainbow.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565053463345753154" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i>The other half of the rainbow.... </i> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">As we stood in the greenhouse watching the amazing, vivid rainbow shift between single and double that day, I observed that this was obviously a blessing on our truck! However, about a week after the photo was taken I was driving this same truck along Highway 202 and hit a patch of black ice, skidding off the road into a ditch. All was ok, and a very nice neighbor rescued me and gave me a ride into town to find Packy, as cell phone reception is pretty spotty out where we live. Once the truck was towed out of the ditch and examined, neither the truck nor I had a scratch on us.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">Come to think of it, maybe the rainbow blessing did work after all....</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-71617168490531143662010-12-18T06:54:00.000-08:002010-12-21T08:20:13.261-08:00Reflections on a (belated) anniversary<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCSajSPfm0EZiNIpDOPBa4-7VDDDnLvQgzbjF-vNWk30kDfvDV3kUiTed_gHvDlAQKqRo-yQRH0Z3RMuEsOt39xb2xKUQ6VcpW-fyJMwHsZjn8FT8fkgVM9ZX2sBL-UxUFR_jYowrGKc/s1600/back-five.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCSajSPfm0EZiNIpDOPBa4-7VDDDnLvQgzbjF-vNWk30kDfvDV3kUiTed_gHvDlAQKqRo-yQRH0Z3RMuEsOt39xb2xKUQ6VcpW-fyJMwHsZjn8FT8fkgVM9ZX2sBL-UxUFR_jYowrGKc/s400/back-five.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552445075312500498" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Late Summer 2010</span></div></span><div><br />This was a rather distracting autumn for us, and recently we realized that an important milestone had passed by without much fanfare, no champagne and little celebration: September 24th was our first anniversary of Buying the Farm.<div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinZMtP1aWxmJFvD85tcFB8ePjYsYhj5hifhu46n3M53EsHdqLBoMwQdcoHSk25tMiCwfvPY8H91_cIcE3ZSzmOMHw7eqtMvBtShjC3ou6g3zSnbQpXr3utworSXHXTKyxgRemJaxGDGc/s1600/farm-view-2009.gif" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinZMtP1aWxmJFvD85tcFB8ePjYsYhj5hifhu46n3M53EsHdqLBoMwQdcoHSk25tMiCwfvPY8H91_cIcE3ZSzmOMHw7eqtMvBtShjC3ou6g3zSnbQpXr3utworSXHXTKyxgRemJaxGDGc/s400/farm-view-2009.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552451400084473170" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">46 North Farm Autumn 2009</span></i></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div>For those of you who have followed our farm story for the long haul, you will know what a phenomenal moment that was in our lives. I remember sitting in the title company office with Packy and Sally ( our fabulous and very patient real-estate agent), Dan (the mortgage broker), and the very cheerful title company representative whose name I can't remember. Packy was covered in flour, having rushed away from the <a href="http://www.bluescorcher.com/Scorcher/Blue_Scorcher.html">bakery</a> for the appointment, and I only had so long before I had to head back to my <a href="http://www.nclctrust.org/">Real Job</a> too. We sat there signing reams of paperwork, each page going by in a blur of rapid explanations which were all, I am sure, very relevant but quite frankly could have been "and please sign here to indicate that you agree to give five pints of blood for every day that you are late with a payment" and it would have seemed just <i>another</i> weird thing we had to go through in order to Buy the Damn Farm. </div><div><br /></div><div>This past year has been a struggle with the irony of our situation. We have attained a holy grail moment that many young and beginning farmers can only dream of: we actually managed to buy land to farm. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZehyphenhyphen0QMc8oQ0GdXDFXWx3fQwTi9yR5upHwSusHiHdqH_3iuJzx5Hlu3heFrFd9p_SJzLZyMQWILUiVlCgNoWgtguQLdlyCWQsaESSWE9OEL3wyAjzOX6j0AMiWykgBE9g32ohOmks4O4/s1600/early-greenhouse.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZehyphenhyphen0QMc8oQ0GdXDFXWx3fQwTi9yR5upHwSusHiHdqH_3iuJzx5Hlu3heFrFd9p_SJzLZyMQWILUiVlCgNoWgtguQLdlyCWQsaESSWE9OEL3wyAjzOX6j0AMiWykgBE9g32ohOmks4O4/s400/early-greenhouse.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552451610202544146" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Spring 2010</span></i></div></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FPJWo7HYPNklfknqIuIDJ5xtD0XyCGwY7DdF0JVjXRRt6mhbUzIwfOevmS5O90W39znod4XM_mTLj_PGy5KMilO5f1nA7gIEO3aB9HpbCovPRq51xopJtP4T_wCkq2WbMBcw0Aa_TS8/s1600/dahlia-rows-summer-2010.gif" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FPJWo7HYPNklfknqIuIDJ5xtD0XyCGwY7DdF0JVjXRRt6mhbUzIwfOevmS5O90W39znod4XM_mTLj_PGy5KMilO5f1nA7gIEO3aB9HpbCovPRq51xopJtP4T_wCkq2WbMBcw0Aa_TS8/s400/dahlia-rows-summer-2010.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552451820045015842" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Summer 2010</span></i></span></div><br /></div><div>Of course, the only way we could manage to do that was to stop farming completely so that no where in our income stream would it say "farmer", because if it did, the bank would not loan us the money. We got 'Real Jobs', with paychecks. We made assurances that the only reason we wanted 18 acres of agricultural zoned land with a house and barn and outbuildings was because we just wanted to continue living a 'rural lifestyle'. Yep. I confess, it's true. Our fingers were crossed behind our backs, and you know what? I don't feel bad about that at all. </div><div><br /></div><div>This home-loan route was our last resort. We'd tried to get a small business loan and been shot down by every bank we talked to, including the greenest, most theoretically eco-friendly, we-love-local-organic-agriculture bank around, <a href="http://www.shorebankcorp.com/bins/site/templates/splash.asp">The Bank That Must Not Be Named </a>in our house. (I confess to not a small amount of schadenfreude at their recent troubles.) </div><div><br /></div><div>We'd talked to the USDA about their small farm loans that don't actually seem to apply to farms as small and apparently non-farm-like as ours. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnPnriV5uZL2EA5n4jyhyphenhyphenS4H8VAJ4mKuM8VI1A2D1g8Jwdrbdy81pbcl6JjLZMWCDBMBG_MAqAfTiqbqvMrlcLxJzKtFUUk5YIwaflrDHXMGaG1Im61xP5dipmOGXmD-YHq97jJB5MkQ/s1600/eddie-on-the-stairs.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnPnriV5uZL2EA5n4jyhyphenhyphenS4H8VAJ4mKuM8VI1A2D1g8Jwdrbdy81pbcl6JjLZMWCDBMBG_MAqAfTiqbqvMrlcLxJzKtFUUk5YIwaflrDHXMGaG1Im61xP5dipmOGXmD-YHq97jJB5MkQ/s400/eddie-on-the-stairs.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552826881158938530" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">46 North Farm chemical-free rodent control plan</span></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Our business plan was based on the farm we were operating at the time, selling edible plant starts, herbs and flowers. We were adding in produce, chickens-for-eggs, and on-farm workshops, all things we had been wanting to start on our old farm but were unable to begin due to our rental situation. All this was mixed with some seasonal off-farm income to make it all work financially, especially during our re-start up phase. Although what we were proposing was a completely normal modern small farm, not at all unlike most that you see at any farmers market you go to anywhere in the country, apparently the business we were proposing is what the USDA calls a 'Residential/Lifestyle Farm', something for which they don't give loans. If it hadn't been for the off-farm income, I think we could have qualified as one of their equally flattering other <a href="http://www.extension.org/pages/USDA_Small_Farm_Definitions">small farm descriptions</a>, the 'Limited Resource Farm' or the 'Farming Occupation: Low Sales' farm.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SVvPBSPY8veJ0sd1Bu1zyS4LNHGvoNTh611Caj2915Za6WcF7bTjKpa7xt_zo1wq_UYk82wFFE_38tdct-DNXXO_SAXJmay_d1SH3Pmti04cxUfTcTYCh_NhHJQm-45mipEZ8SUqQKQ/s1600/tilling-the-orchard.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SVvPBSPY8veJ0sd1Bu1zyS4LNHGvoNTh611Caj2915Za6WcF7bTjKpa7xt_zo1wq_UYk82wFFE_38tdct-DNXXO_SAXJmay_d1SH3Pmti04cxUfTcTYCh_NhHJQm-45mipEZ8SUqQKQ/s400/tilling-the-orchard.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552863268129930578" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Dan the Brushtamer tilling the future orchard Late Summer 2010</span></div></span><br /></div><div>If USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack is serious about the goal he threw out this past July of having 100,000 new farmers in the US in the next few years, one of the first things he could do is have his department describe the kinds of farms these new farmers are most likely to be operating with a bit more respect. How can you take a farm and its farmer seriously enough to loan it money for operations and equipment if you so obviously don't respect the work they are doing, or consider them 'Real Farms'? The benefits that small farms bring to their local communities are tangible, especially in rural areas where access to fresh food that doesn't come from a massive factory farm hundreds or thousands of miles away is often limited. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobKjMPBdfsso4XieB3_u-Ep65S3a18rsVr_weFNuUE-8q4HnOK4lJdYEEP7dhSCRITes4E6jUOggiR5w0L6GHfoIU7r_C-_adT_GIsBOg1Ycw_UGyVTNBcSSuNmZnaOfj7DasjXPQYKo/s1600/barn-in-the-rain.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobKjMPBdfsso4XieB3_u-Ep65S3a18rsVr_weFNuUE-8q4HnOK4lJdYEEP7dhSCRITes4E6jUOggiR5w0L6GHfoIU7r_C-_adT_GIsBOg1Ycw_UGyVTNBcSSuNmZnaOfj7DasjXPQYKo/s400/barn-in-the-rain.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552863849061052706" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Late Autumn 2010</span></div></span><br /></div><div>Small farmers like us choose to operate small farms not because we are slacker loosers who can't get it together to run a Real Farm, but because we actually prefer operating small farms. We don't aspire to grow thousands of acres of commodity crops or operate a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentrated_Animal_Feeding_Operations">CAFO</a>, we don't want to take out massive loans to buy harvesting (or chemical spraying) equipment that is larger than our house, we don't want to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_policy_of_the_United_States">Get Big or Get Out. </a></div><div><br /></div><div>We want to stay small and diverse, grow healthy food for our local communities, strengthen our local economies and live a simple, good life that involves a lot of hard work and rewards that are things like "getting to work outdoors" "helping provide fresh healthy food to people who need and want it" and "doing something I love and believe in". Less corporate, more community. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MUJbqytuOzgm_z8sm5EtDoMbo9nmn19hAd8Bvh4EF5IV5JLTuHbiqYMU9EwwBIcFqELaTx9k1sPIo4i7yNdzMAsIDq7xhJjY3HBtXGx9C7dx-0m3CmqZGc4qcUrUX7fQAKuKLH4ZjJ0/s1600/fawn-fawn-and-the-girls.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MUJbqytuOzgm_z8sm5EtDoMbo9nmn19hAd8Bvh4EF5IV5JLTuHbiqYMU9EwwBIcFqELaTx9k1sPIo4i7yNdzMAsIDq7xhJjY3HBtXGx9C7dx-0m3CmqZGc4qcUrUX7fQAKuKLH4ZjJ0/s400/fawn-fawn-and-the-girls.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553160169404138434" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Already feeding our local community Early Summer 2010</span></div></i><br /></div><div>Sure, we want to make a living at what we are doing by running a good business. We'd like to be able to pay ourselves more than slave wages, even minimum-wage would be nice to begin with. We'd like to have health insurance, access to low-interest loans and credit to help us operate effectively, and maybe we'd like to be able to afford to hire some local help, especially during harvest season. We'd love to have a retirement plan that wasn't just "keep working until you keel over, and hope that you're strategically located near the compost pile when you do to save on funeral costs".</div><div><br /></div><div>These aren't extravagant aspirations. It's not like we're demanding that we should get massive government financial payments to ensure that the price we receive for our chemical-free locally grown produce always remains consistent. <a href="http://farm.ewg.org/">The free market seems to apply to some farms more than others in this country. </a></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Nj8D9nPE8_SnjEpc5amjPRMOdzd5DO0sJkjbwVGD0bRaqMmqeibpFRGOMK3_v9O-BDcz1PXv1AbBKl_ezeZEPxAwWseyk3lv7lGYYit2Wrvbm3rVias9KPisHtxhn0z-gV0n624SsKc/s1600/lurking-elk.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Nj8D9nPE8_SnjEpc5amjPRMOdzd5DO0sJkjbwVGD0bRaqMmqeibpFRGOMK3_v9O-BDcz1PXv1AbBKl_ezeZEPxAwWseyk3lv7lGYYit2Wrvbm3rVias9KPisHtxhn0z-gV0n624SsKc/s400/lurking-elk.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552863487347088082" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Lurking Elk Summer 2010</span></div></span><br /></div><div>Our farm's best hope for USDA assistance that will help us produce food for our community is our <a href="http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/index.html#intro">EQUIP grant application</a> with the National Resource Conservation Service. The grant will hopefully provide some funding assistance to allow us to build a much needed elk exclosure fence, and plant lots of native plants on our farm for pollinator habitat. It isn't free money- it comes with a lot of restrictions, and it also counts as income for our farm that we will then be taxed on, which for a small operation like ours can be a big deal. Still, any help that will get us back in operation is welcome at this point.</div><div><br /></div><div>One thing that really struck me at the <a href="http://www.foodsecurity.org/">Community Food Security Cooalition</a> conference I attended recently is that there was <i>so much</i> talk about the need to get more farmers on the land. Everyone wanted more locally grown fresh food for their farm-to-school and farm-to-institution programs, for their healthy community programs, for their food justice programs, for their healthy food system programs. "We've got to get more beginning farmers on the land!" was practically a battle cry. I think we can all agree on that. Hell, even the Secretary of Agriculture agrees. </div><div><br /></div><div>But no one seems to really be able to tackle the sticky question of HOW. How do you do actually do that? How does it work financially? There is a lot of farmable land out there in America, most of it owned by people who are near or at retirement age. How does a beginning farmer with limited financial resources but who is willing to take on the incredibly hard job of growing food for people who either can't or won't grow food for themselves get access to one of those farmable pieces of land ? Access to land that they can either own or lease, or lease-to-own <i>and</i> that they can then afford to actually farm?!? </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LYa_0Awo03A1zLnU-WOu6p-9hKGgO4ogr-7LGc5Wa5O-rCCpAWuZK7pfo816cZsuJb1d76vSp1WSIuDTgzsPXAsIm_oIIYCypk-wHkRxWs6gPVgL7-vflmbn-29visYSWzkF11AnMdM/s1600/tall-trees.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LYa_0Awo03A1zLnU-WOu6p-9hKGgO4ogr-7LGc5Wa5O-rCCpAWuZK7pfo816cZsuJb1d76vSp1WSIuDTgzsPXAsIm_oIIYCypk-wHkRxWs6gPVgL7-vflmbn-29visYSWzkF11AnMdM/s400/tall-trees.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553161642236207714" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Fall 2009</span></div></i><br /></div><div>This question drives me crazy. I swear, as much as I want to get our farm off the ground again, I want to also work to find answers to those questions because I want our farm to exist within a greater community of diverse small farms operating all across our country. No farm is an island entire of itself, if I may paraphrase the long dead but still rather wise <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Donne">John Donne</a>. (Although some small farms are located <i>on</i> islands.) What hurts or benefits one small farm can hurt or benefit us all. We need to stick together.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CzAm2tPzxVbb2yWhRc56lu1Z2srek0tyOtqot2PG7FHfKjqTk4fYBg8JCPHVCxAUFd4JzmH79BYc09HvzpMuCyzdP3HdS6XpnGm2nRZa0uRwBvgYgg5Vq-qfbqrEe39PZgcMBji1L8Y/s1600/Packy+Auger.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CzAm2tPzxVbb2yWhRc56lu1Z2srek0tyOtqot2PG7FHfKjqTk4fYBg8JCPHVCxAUFd4JzmH79BYc09HvzpMuCyzdP3HdS6XpnGm2nRZa0uRwBvgYgg5Vq-qfbqrEe39PZgcMBji1L8Y/s400/Packy+Auger.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553165180352219874" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Drilling the greenhouse post holes Early Spring 2010</i></div></span><br /></div><div>I celebrate our first anniversary of living on 46 North Farm– a year spent slowly, sloooooowly rebuilding our infrastructure to get started again, accomplishments that have only happened with a lot of support and help from friends and family. We got our greenhouse re-built, and lots of cover crop was sown. Some of it may even still be there in the spring to till under if the elk and deer are reasonably thoughtful. We have plans for next year that are starting to get me excited about farming again, in spite of the ongoing need for full time employment to make our loan payments. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know how lucky we are to be in this position, living on a beautiful piece of land that we can actually make long term plans for. We have the rest of our lives to make this farm work, and as long as we are moving forwards, then we're heading in the right direction. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrj9buJXH0bQWjZyVQDi4gWKlBq7560w_eNRJ3LQ7KCDf1GF-bn14qi5jMCaRtSPO5AyqGsKphyphenhyphenx_4-oONl3mF5LcV0ALa3oV_p0P5Pt_r1yAxpZ3mUHUxxV0pl2MiEU5_uq1vZKVDl8/s1600/Reroofing-the-barn-1.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrj9buJXH0bQWjZyVQDi4gWKlBq7560w_eNRJ3LQ7KCDf1GF-bn14qi5jMCaRtSPO5AyqGsKphyphenhyphenx_4-oONl3mF5LcV0ALa3oV_p0P5Pt_r1yAxpZ3mUHUxxV0pl2MiEU5_uq1vZKVDl8/s400/Reroofing-the-barn-1.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553162525416059074" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tim and his crew re-roof the barn Winter 2009</span></div></i><br /></div><div>We offer heartfelt thanks to everyone who has helped us get as far as we have. You all know who you are. We couldn't have gotten as far as we have without you- you are the best community of family and friends a farmer could hope for.</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Anniversary, 46 North Farm.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrEAACh5SCY18D8ZM7hCGvMd3btjiRISNjZvBdvavN6jkV-ojD7HdKkQOLo3s8YlUsLob4buvuacOBsDNjBLrrSqm8-eeBu-rvI67Z85C5_el52e8rJhUL6GGqWNmJwTIvdccOHxMf6o/s1600/rainbow-on-the-field.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrEAACh5SCY18D8ZM7hCGvMd3btjiRISNjZvBdvavN6jkV-ojD7HdKkQOLo3s8YlUsLob4buvuacOBsDNjBLrrSqm8-eeBu-rvI67Z85C5_el52e8rJhUL6GGqWNmJwTIvdccOHxMf6o/s400/rainbow-on-the-field.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552863670735745602" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "> December 2010</span></div></span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-83139469461259637502010-12-04T06:40:00.000-08:002010-12-04T19:36:31.250-08:00Food Talk!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1YgPcNjJosjFpVEbbP00wkxjpS_iNWKwXmZ4LYRy1SnTaulQwC59qC9OHKBlncF_fhnuMztXQ4aiav4PpQvXGF41ODn4L_Y1wqS-ulrzk9HJHYHEODA4tfp4dF5Wv_e_h053k6C-mWA/s1600/eddie.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1YgPcNjJosjFpVEbbP00wkxjpS_iNWKwXmZ4LYRy1SnTaulQwC59qC9OHKBlncF_fhnuMztXQ4aiav4PpQvXGF41ODn4L_Y1wqS-ulrzk9HJHYHEODA4tfp4dF5Wv_e_h053k6C-mWA/s400/eddie.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547019691804813874" /></a><br />In the spirit of my recent promise for 'more frequent posts with more pictures' I submit the following news. Bear in mind that the 'more pictures' part is only possible by using the not-extensive-enough 46 North Farm image archives, so these pictures don't necessarily go with what's being said, but there are lots of them! Enjoy!<div><br /></div><div>This coming Monday, December 6th at 9:30 am is the premier of the new program <b>Food Talk </b>on <a href="http://www.coastradio.org/index4.html">KMUN Astoria 91.9 FM</a>. It's all about the local food world on the North Coast, with myself and Kristin Albrecht as your charming hosts. The program will be once a month, on the first Monday of the month. If you're not in the area you can stream KMUN online, and if you miss the show you can listen to a podcast on their website, we are told.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wH6MwrbYJmdS0MI5mxxcJcmZto_YIE6qCsGyzsSaChXWxVaNBn59feHbVPRXYvJzWP9G1kxB8lrEUjKZybg-YszJzcIk9koDohFEhZxvaMKokA8iXd9VDgN0bJkbWC098tDrxYW3jWg/s1600/Food-Talk-Hosts.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wH6MwrbYJmdS0MI5mxxcJcmZto_YIE6qCsGyzsSaChXWxVaNBn59feHbVPRXYvJzWP9G1kxB8lrEUjKZybg-YszJzcIk9koDohFEhZxvaMKokA8iXd9VDgN0bJkbWC098tDrxYW3jWg/s400/Food-Talk-Hosts.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547019961524137746" /></a><div><i>(Your Food Talk hosts shown enjoying locally made box lunches from<a href="http://www.breadandocean.com/"> Bread and Ocean</a> in Manzanita on the <a href="http://www.nclctrust.org/">North Coast Land Conservancy</a>-<a href="http://www.nehalemtrust.org/">Lower Nehalem Community Trust</a> 'Riding the Coastal Edge' train ride last year)</i> </div><div><br /></div><div>This week we're talking to John and Patricia Edwards of <a href="http://marketnavigators.com/">Linda Brand Crab</a> from Ilwaco, WA, and Bob Neroni of <a href="http://www.evoo.biz/">EVOO Cooking School</a> in Cannon Beach, all about Dungeness Crab and the upcoming commercial crab season.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiUjofir8aE__T64iW7bWgVYflI0Mu0gXUqtef4zZHSsxPuvlGM_upQH2XHDzDCXxNZKCztmLfKWMFO22RwqfivLbUz3zk1Q4afwouBxolGXr_tzqSNakzSrxY8Kt1-jCce5aSN0JuLo/s1600/crabby-squeaky.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiUjofir8aE__T64iW7bWgVYflI0Mu0gXUqtef4zZHSsxPuvlGM_upQH2XHDzDCXxNZKCztmLfKWMFO22RwqfivLbUz3zk1Q4afwouBxolGXr_tzqSNakzSrxY8Kt1-jCce5aSN0JuLo/s400/crabby-squeaky.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547020756612170738" /></a><i>(I don't have any pictures of crab, so enjoy a picture of Squeaky the Cat looking Crabby.)</i></div><div><br /></div><div>I'll tell you now, the show has been pre-recorded, and probably will be for some time. It was basically madness for Kristin and me to commit to anything new in our schedules with the kind of work-volunteer-home life (hah!) combination overload we both suffer from. We made it through our first recording with not too many mishaps, thanks to our great guests and patient engineer. </div><div><br /></div><div>This month, I learn a lot about commercial crab fishing from John and Patricia, only make one major gaffe (I think) and Bob shares some very tempting ideas for how to prepare crab. Kristin stays cool, shares a unique use for sake, and we remember to do our station identification break. Yeah!</div><div><br /></div><div> Please be kind when you listen, it's our very first show and there are a few awkward pauses of the "I thought you were going to ask a question now!" sort. We'll get better, I promise.</div><div><br /></div><div>This was such a great opportunity, and it is going to be both fun and fascinating to connect with people in the North Coast local food world. We'll be talking with producers- farmers, fishermen, dairy folks, foragers, and hunters, and also to consumers- chefs, bakers, cheesemakers, brewers, small artisan food producers and just generally people who love good food that comes from our region. As our snappy catchphrase says, "Fresh conversations about local food on the North Coast!"</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QgAqP8JGjGeEwcUxNFwyE_6_UfKTHcGT03HMCmoLjdtbDJ_Wp2wslZQWUTrWRdqVVsn6q3eSCdb8HMUU4NAERVNTxZB5iuS9RSFR1nVipqkeYX3ZAvXgvjBOvowku9thq3wJgpZvLUM/s1600/greenhouse-potluck.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QgAqP8JGjGeEwcUxNFwyE_6_UfKTHcGT03HMCmoLjdtbDJ_Wp2wslZQWUTrWRdqVVsn6q3eSCdb8HMUU4NAERVNTxZB5iuS9RSFR1nVipqkeYX3ZAvXgvjBOvowku9thq3wJgpZvLUM/s400/greenhouse-potluck.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547021673619644498" /></a><i>(Above are several of the folks that we will no doubt be talking to in the coming months, shown enjoying the <a href="http://www.northcoastslowfood.org/Home.html">Slow Food potluck</a> that 46 North Farm hosted in our almost finished greenhouse this past May. Oh, and I realize that fourth from the left is Bob Neroni of EVOO Cooking School, so I did have a picture of one of our guests after all!)</i><br /><br /></div><div>Kristin's patient husband Mark <i>(seventh from the left in the black vest)</i> is bravely taking on engineering responsibilities, although we are both committed to learn how to run the sound board ourselves. We are only driving him slightly crazy as we figure out this radio thing.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of my very favourite parts of our show is our fabulous theme song. When the idea of doing the show came up, we talked about what music we would play as the intro and exit for the show. Most shows choose a song or piece of music that they like, that represents their show to them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, when a farm has had semi- resident musicians around for many months (and very talented ones at that) and when you're sitting at the <a href="http://www.fortgeorgebrewery.com/">Fort George</a> with some of them one night, drinking lots of good beer and laughing about the crazy idea of doing a radio show about local food, there is a good chance that you might leave the pub with a promise of a theme song jingle for your show in your back pocket to go with your lovely Oatmeal Pale Ale buzz.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YTNiKvmP16cDeJ7Vm-9Aqdtm0kCA_NmkyjSW4Q_v0UnyUEjuRzLQgxYUUzhZVVq5AJYkBZoHOWxio4q100XvptYuG5yN50QCGHBnKUzIX9hWyTfElcO2_sGoVCsyLR9hItgQmQfZiUY/s1600/bus-spare-wheel.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YTNiKvmP16cDeJ7Vm-9Aqdtm0kCA_NmkyjSW4Q_v0UnyUEjuRzLQgxYUUzhZVVq5AJYkBZoHOWxio4q100XvptYuG5yN50QCGHBnKUzIX9hWyTfElcO2_sGoVCsyLR9hItgQmQfZiUY/s400/bus-spare-wheel.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547023098469730434" /></a></div><div><i>(In addition to being musically talented, the band is now highly skilled at old-school-bus-turned-tour-bus techniques such as trying to get the spare wheel hoisted into place.)</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Kati and Luke came through for us with the best theme song we could have asked for. They tell me that the title was Packy's suggestion, and given that we were drinking a lot of beer, and Packy was involved, I'm somehow not surprised. Someday I think they should write words for the whole song, right now it is just a loop of the hook-y bit. It's called 'Stick it in Your Face'.</div><div><br /></div><div><i> "Stick it in your face, 'cause it comes from the place you're living in."</i></div><div><br /></div><div>I almost passed out from laughing so hard the first time I heard it, and it has a tendency to get stuck in my head whenever I think about it. I <i>love</i> that it makes me smile each time I hear it.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Home Made Ice Cream Tangent Begins here:</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrNovN_oe2RqHgiNDxgIaRq3xMFKINTSS8ISYBGOOuEcw26_A0RLdfpB9nmyQ-lAkAIbUF-YXKcXjL1NxHRJeeosStoTu7kMUxGvmg7Ak9pROwcyj1ezw82xQJazv-ZVSolLPh8lbHEU/s1600/ice+bream.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrNovN_oe2RqHgiNDxgIaRq3xMFKINTSS8ISYBGOOuEcw26_A0RLdfpB9nmyQ-lAkAIbUF-YXKcXjL1NxHRJeeosStoTu7kMUxGvmg7Ak9pROwcyj1ezw82xQJazv-ZVSolLPh8lbHEU/s400/ice+bream.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547024587867588402" /></a><i>Luke and Kati are big local food fans themselves. They are talented cooks (Kati makes a mean pizza, with impressive ariel dough spinning), mushroom foragers and all around good people to have near a kitchen. We shared some fine food experiences over the past summer, such as the evening of homemade ice-cream and pie. Although it looks like they are practicing their best Huck Finn method of getting Israel to do all the work, I assure you they both took their turns at the crank. </i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhN1_KAv94U29eMHvdvElDs3crvZLRrLFQ8sxuKG5jHqrJeK5t-hkT3wPl7xfOstsT8sZO_heOPm7bKKMoJZbjKyjxdjTSDUZjVzHX-hgdaBKISuvZRDi5_chFb7t9a53U1e6UrAuCPK4/s1600/kati-and-luke.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhN1_KAv94U29eMHvdvElDs3crvZLRrLFQ8sxuKG5jHqrJeK5t-hkT3wPl7xfOstsT8sZO_heOPm7bKKMoJZbjKyjxdjTSDUZjVzHX-hgdaBKISuvZRDi5_chFb7t9a53U1e6UrAuCPK4/s400/kati-and-luke.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547024816846458306" /></a><i>As did my niece Julia, visiting from San Francisco. Go Julia! </i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3osoaw0wpnSjRYSHcGUe0eEhS1iwOgM6MkMqphtXOwD9P054KalFkztIAJQeAqVVzOY3NlxA6zNuw87lJfd6cfHQM-e3_CSGZQBFO9aFa_y8Ia0Roy6AqYEEesz2v80tz7z9Wbx0tYA/s1600/DSC04769.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3osoaw0wpnSjRYSHcGUe0eEhS1iwOgM6MkMqphtXOwD9P054KalFkztIAJQeAqVVzOY3NlxA6zNuw87lJfd6cfHQM-e3_CSGZQBFO9aFa_y8Ia0Roy6AqYEEesz2v80tz7z9Wbx0tYA/s400/DSC04769.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547025158790829090" /></a><i>The finished product was well worth the wait, accompanying some amazing homemade pie baked by my brother-in-law Andy, involving peaches and berries from the Cannon Beach Farmers Market. It was phenomenal. We use a great ice cream recipe that doesn't involve raw eggs, just lots and LOTS of cream and sugar. Yum.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>End Homemade Ice Cream Tangent. Until next summer.....</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Hope you like <b>Food Talk</b>, if you get to hear it. I think next month we'll be talking about the idea of growing wild rice on the coast, which should be interesting. I always like the idea of using wild rice, but I very rarely do. Maybe if it was a locally grown crop, I'd take more of a look at it.</div><div><br /></div><div> We'll find out.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJCJkFYnEGA1IYNdGjWoCsy434PRaSO6Fhpk-SdBxR3d9KRB0Uxa3R5gkNyZhc3kU3bWmDs4DIM2yLiJVsq0rTNRsK7zSJeWJjK5AXWndSxv0mF6m5bFkr86D4Q90qIe9zbPxNOcltR0/s1600/basil%2521.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJCJkFYnEGA1IYNdGjWoCsy434PRaSO6Fhpk-SdBxR3d9KRB0Uxa3R5gkNyZhc3kU3bWmDs4DIM2yLiJVsq0rTNRsK7zSJeWJjK5AXWndSxv0mF6m5bFkr86D4Q90qIe9zbPxNOcltR0/s400/basil%2521.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547025497148502306" /></a><i>Sadly, this picture was taken back in early October, when we still had a beautiful batch of basil thriving in the greenhouse. It's all well dead by now, except for what went into our basil vinegar, and what we froze. I just wanted to remember what all that fresh basil looked like.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Sigh.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-24138882462431856072010-11-21T09:52:00.000-08:002010-11-28T10:14:54.973-08:00Frosty Reflections<div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWWAb8QqhQzHcokBK3r8Zz2eCZF4wYo6uQzoXL1ApqIKtIFdolKY00mvjQAcZnbAox4-VQZZL0SPtWA5VzgXpH3wys2fBeReqq08_psZEbhDLwJhxUswP4YaTWho29fqoeZ3Hfy2s4ZI/s1600/frosty-barn.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWWAb8QqhQzHcokBK3r8Zz2eCZF4wYo6uQzoXL1ApqIKtIFdolKY00mvjQAcZnbAox4-VQZZL0SPtWA5VzgXpH3wys2fBeReqq08_psZEbhDLwJhxUswP4YaTWho29fqoeZ3Hfy2s4ZI/s400/frosty-barn.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544656920724142210" /></a><br />Cold weather has been threatening to show up in Oregon for a while now. Last weekend was supposed to bring us chilly rain with possible snow in the Coast Range, but instead Saturday turned out to be one of those crisp autumn days that are all the more precious for being so rare. Lots of blue sky, fluffy white clouds and sunshine. As long as you kept moving, it was fairly warm.<div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-e4HNaovjerPbnWS6lV2dp63k6xNdsez2UOR5EZuWpzBU8mhkj4VN5z-VyAuXP7foBOntnLP-mwMAaY_1DT3ob-ac9xeATYlZkjk6ErAemxqlIHK0pheCrVtXj38z1CQyD-JdvxE-10/s1600/frosty-breakfast.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-e4HNaovjerPbnWS6lV2dp63k6xNdsez2UOR5EZuWpzBU8mhkj4VN5z-VyAuXP7foBOntnLP-mwMAaY_1DT3ob-ac9xeATYlZkjk6ErAemxqlIHK0pheCrVtXj38z1CQyD-JdvxE-10/s400/frosty-breakfast.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544657211274196946" /></a><br /></div><div>After a hearty breakfast in our uninsulated old farmhouse, we kept moving, and thus got a lot done: greenhouse clearing out, dead plant tossing, final grass mowing of the season, and a number of other late season chores that are always much more pleasant to do when it's sunny outside. A huge moon was rising between the trees as we walked back up to the house in the late afternoon twilight, the clear sky telling us what the next morning was likely to bring: the first hard frost of the season. We were not disappointed. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vx_tsrm2xyMs6oQ4-qF2vBzbYgMSvEoCAYR3t6Kkme5iG9jYviu7Af_FtTSb0X2_Vrm064BdnwOnTVz2w3BmVeQZMR1E_VGSElZFZjR_4rnbFyLSzWQ2uiiyg0dczRfb6g4yERLc-ls/s1600/frosty-thyme.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vx_tsrm2xyMs6oQ4-qF2vBzbYgMSvEoCAYR3t6Kkme5iG9jYviu7Af_FtTSb0X2_Vrm064BdnwOnTVz2w3BmVeQZMR1E_VGSElZFZjR_4rnbFyLSzWQ2uiiyg0dczRfb6g4yERLc-ls/s400/frosty-thyme.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544657450492291842" /></a><br /></div><div>It's always a bit disconcerting to wake up to a frosty white landscape, even when it's expected. I keep thinking of all the things we still have to get done outside: harvest the last of the tomatoes in the greenhouse, dig up the dahlias that we really don't want to risk loosing, weed and mulch the lavender and other perennial herbs, board up the broken windows in the barn and old chicken house, and keep our fingers crossed that this winter will be <i>reasonably</i> free of severe storms and deep freezes, knowing we need to prepare for them just in case.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>I'm sure we will get most of those things done, eventually. Hopefully before it's too late.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Time Sure Does Fly...</i></b></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7K_wnk5L6isgOZcIdSbuCC9-V5NKL-sUgGaI_gGLo_KkmvGuy-qRRTiRhOk5aPmbNSAKfUVdJ1xFXulEIsQMjLnwlz2rm4sE39hq5y4O-TW5vAlXnFhXTXyBLns3emP-Uh7isUe4zdaQ/s1600/cold-cats.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7K_wnk5L6isgOZcIdSbuCC9-V5NKL-sUgGaI_gGLo_KkmvGuy-qRRTiRhOk5aPmbNSAKfUVdJ1xFXulEIsQMjLnwlz2rm4sE39hq5y4O-TW5vAlXnFhXTXyBLns3emP-Uh7isUe4zdaQ/s400/cold-cats.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544658738421760418" /></a><br /></div><div>I'm not sure where the time goes these days. It just seems to vanish in great chunks, leaving me wondering if I'm suffering from some form of selective amnesia. I could <i>swear</i> that yesterday it was mid-October, and we were just getting back from our fun adventure in the Big City of Portland at the <a href="http://www.friendsoffamilyfarmers.org/">Friends of Family Farmers</a> inFARMation event. Which went great, by the way, and thanks to everyone who turned out for it. I was deeply nervous, and it was tremendously disconcerting to see our little slide show movie thing projected on a huge wall, with my voice booming out over Holocene's way too good sound system, but it ended up being quite fun. The next day we managed to find our way across town to the always wonderful <a href="http://naomisorganic.blogspot.com/">Naomi's Organic Farm Supply</a> shop, where we picked up yet more cover crop seed and chatted with Naomi and Neil, Naomi's charming mother, and with some inspiring young farmers, one of whom was in a tragic rental situation that made us both shudder at the remembered stress of those uncertain farming conditions. My heart really went out to her. We were both reminded of how fortunate we have been to purchase a bit of land we might actually be able to call our own in thirty years or so.</div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe it's because of our own struggle to buy land, but this issue resonates with me like no other, and I want to live to see the day when aspiring to buy land to farm is a reasonable goal for a young farmer, not a seemingly impossible pipe dream.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i> What do Farming and Mardi Gras Beads have in common?</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, an amazing opportunity had fallen on my head. I, along with two other young farmers from Oregon, had been given scholarships (made possible by the Risk Management Agency of the USDA) to attend the <a href="http://www.foodsecurity.org/">Community Food Security Coalition's</a> national conference in mid-October. Shelly Bowe from <a href="http://www.foodrootsnw.org/">Food Roots</a> in Tillamook made the scholarship connections for us, and I cannot thank her enough for putting me on this path to such a great experience.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJnfumlpxnWHp5XY8OGWy3kuT-V4u62ZW8ZRN555vP4HDz8sFDNvhf2z7cbmexdJivo3B2Kq9TUX2EE1BXjufmq24fD5OMTSVxhR4FeSFMFKBid-3gPTt071KAcJmOQOQBy6iia3hEEQ/s1600/farmers-in-New-Orleans.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJnfumlpxnWHp5XY8OGWy3kuT-V4u62ZW8ZRN555vP4HDz8sFDNvhf2z7cbmexdJivo3B2Kq9TUX2EE1BXjufmq24fD5OMTSVxhR4FeSFMFKBid-3gPTt071KAcJmOQOQBy6iia3hEEQ/s400/farmers-in-New-Orleans.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544657829916725858" /></a><br /></div><div>My fellow travelers were Ginger, of <a href="http://www.revolutiongardens.com/store/index.php">R-evolution Gardens</a> in Nehalem, (on the right) and Kim, from <a href="http://www.galesmeadow.com/">Gales Meadow Farm</a> in Forest Grove (on the left). This year's event took place in New Orleans, which meant cross country red-eye journeys for all of us. Can I just say that trying to find the way to my departure gate at the Los Angeles airport was one of the most confusing, surreal and frustrating travel experiences of my life? And I have been through some <i>weird</i> airports in my time. If Dante's vision of Hell had included bad fluorescent lighting, complete lack of informational signage, deeply unhelpful staff, freezing cold air conditioning and a disconcerting array of processed food meal options, scholars would claim he had been visited by futuristic visions of LAX.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't think it was just bleary-eyed exhaustion that gave New Orleans such an otherworldly glow for me- it is unlike any place I have ever been to. It makes me realize what a vast and diverse country this is. The culture there is so unique that it hardly feels like you are in the United States at all, although I'm sure a native of New Orleans would feel much the same way if they were dropped down in Astoria, Oregon. For me, New Orleans was all a blur of warm air, lively music and slow talk, colorful old buildings, smog and noise, way too much fried food, and the sense that I left not really having seen the place at all, especially as I sadly didn't arrive early enough to go on any of the tours that went to the parts of the city still recovering from the disaster of the hurricane.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5rEirtCPl6s1reIVmeJKwht8eePOgZdPY8A9K66XMg7RrpgLtuzcGyXWFpmxo4jeyY4MG2ncWIdlqmRPKADkYljTwtVpGuABD7sQ50ngVzldLDl6YzjEqn_ASSZ0pkigZl5n2QuCdg0/s1600/second-line.gif" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5rEirtCPl6s1reIVmeJKwht8eePOgZdPY8A9K66XMg7RrpgLtuzcGyXWFpmxo4jeyY4MG2ncWIdlqmRPKADkYljTwtVpGuABD7sQ50ngVzldLDl6YzjEqn_ASSZ0pkigZl5n2QuCdg0/s400/second-line.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544658212240363506" /></a></div><div>I <i>was</i> able to attend the closing reception, which I have to say the host committee put on in great style. They arranged for a brass band to lead all of the conference attendees (draped in a startling assortment of colorful Mardi Gras beads) in what I believe is called a Second Line parade down some of the main streets of the city to the French Market, where a very tasty assortment of Cajun food was available to sample. It was definitely one of the more surreal experiences of my life, and gives me great respect for the exuberance and high spirits of the citizens of New Orleans. Those people are <i>crazy </i>in the best possible way. I'm curious to see what the city of Oakland, CA (next year's hosts) can do to top that reception. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgtFHLGNwCuCnZ4JHHjmPY75dvTLemBCAezx858-0H-i9PtQHCCSOkdHZ99Y0blXpfs4Zu94VIqrGPJQ5QeB-k6bqORPXguQdkW5Ny8CIeKW1ZqPDJ5INVkpYvdrdiybYlZKBI0iMZEQ/s1600/night-garden-tour.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgtFHLGNwCuCnZ4JHHjmPY75dvTLemBCAezx858-0H-i9PtQHCCSOkdHZ99Y0blXpfs4Zu94VIqrGPJQ5QeB-k6bqORPXguQdkW5Ny8CIeKW1ZqPDJ5INVkpYvdrdiybYlZKBI0iMZEQ/s400/night-garden-tour.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544660931930182690" /></a><br /></div><div>Although so much of what I did see was unforgettable, such as the above nighttime tour of a local community garden reached by ferry and a stroll through some fascinating old neighborhoods, for the most part we could have been virtually anywhere and I would have had a phenomenal time. I was one of almost a thousand people all gathered together to talk about Food: local food, food security, farms and farmers, farm to schools and institutions, community food, urban farms, rural farms, local food economics, farmers markets, food sovereignty, access to food, food safety, food policy, and how to make any and all of the above work better for all of us. It was a bit overwhelming, but in a good way.</div><div><br /></div><div>The weirdest part for me was being one of not very many farmers present. Weird because so much of the discussion was <i>about</i> the production of food and how to make fresh, safe food more available to more people, yet there were times when I was the only actual farmer in the room. In one memorable workshop, the first speaker was asking the group about themselves:</div><div><br /></div><div>"Raise your hands if you are with a community food system organization. NGOs? Farmers market associations? Urban farm organizations? If you work with farmers?" and so on down the list. I kept waiting for him to say "Farmers?" so that I could raise my hand, but he never did. He just launched straight into the discussion, all about 'Credit and Capital for a Just and Sustainable Food System'. A great panel of people explored the seemingly insurmountable problems facing farmers and fishermen when they try to get loans or other funding for land acquisition, fishing permits, equipment purchases and operating loans. Example after example of the problems were given. Although it was inspiring to hear about the work of groups like the <a href="http://www.mississippiassociation.coop/">Mississippi Association of Cooperatives</a>, the <a href="http://namanet.org/">Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance</a> and <a href="http://savingseeds.wordpress.com/">Food for Maine's Future</a>, no one seemed to have a practical answer to the question that came up over and over again throughout the conference, one that I was well familiar with:</div><div><br /></div><div>"How do we get more young farmers onto farmable land, producing fresh, healthy food for local communities?"</div><div><br /></div><div>I have to say, for me one of the best parts of that particular workshop came from Scott Marlow, of <a href="http://www.rafiusa.org/">Rural Advancement Foundation International</a>, whose comments finally helped me understand just why we could <i>not</i> get a loan from a bank as long as we put ourselves forward as farmers. Banks, he informed us, really only care about assured income, and what they can get out of you if you fail. You can have the best business plan in the world, loads of experience, lots of customers and countless plans for how you are going to make it all work, but if you have no assured income- which for a bank looks pretty much like a paycheck- then they won't be interested in funding you.</div><div><br /></div><div> "The best thing a beginning farmer who wants to buy land can do," Mr. Marlow observed, "is go out and get a job."</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, we got something right! How you're supposed to run the farm <i>and</i> work the full time paycheck jobs that pay your mortgage is still mysterious and elusive though.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, he went on to say that the two best ways for a start up farm to fail are to finance things on credit cards and not not have health insurance, so actually we're only one out of three in the smart young farmer stakes. We do recognize the wisdom of what he says, and are working to address both those issues, but it is a challenge when start up costs are fierce, agricultural loans are near impossible to obtain and health insurance rates... well let's just not go there.</div><div><br /></div><div>"What does it say about a system when it contains no margin for ownership costs?" Mr. Marlow asked, and what I think it says is that we as a society do not appreciate or understand the real costs that go in to producing our food, nor do we factor in what it costs us to pay for the health consequences of our current food system. Until we do, we are doomed to depend upon the incredibly broken system we have right now, one that makes it cheaper to eat processed, sugar and additive filled foods that travel thousands of miles to get to us and end up making us ill rather than eat fresh food from the farm down the road.</div><div><br /></div><div>There were so many inspiring speakers at this conference, and so many amazing people that I met in the hallways in between talks, or chatting to over breakfast. I came away sobered at the challenges that we face in this country (and in the world, really) to try and find new, healthier ways to feed ourselves and keep our communities strong. But I also left with a great sense of hope- there are so many creative ideas out there, so many people working on the problems, so much determination to change our broken systems and replace them with healthy farms, strong local food systems, robust local economies and respect- for the land, for ourselves, and for each other. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's easy to get tired and discouraged about trying to bring our farm to life and figure out how to make it all work, but experiences like this help to revive me, and keep me going. I am more excited than ever about our future, even if I don't exactly know where we are going, or how we will get there.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVieO4qHuzqxuR-u1aqVJ9-NsOWwTCeVCB7yZWQrY3rheaIjZRbwepfat5t6c7iOKfHX6k1xRK1H5qxtcEFsOyCpT0Ggev_4dupcPENMq6CyfAtxzf4pKpq-t-MXMWEakvC7jousj3UoM/s1600/frosty-flamingo.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVieO4qHuzqxuR-u1aqVJ9-NsOWwTCeVCB7yZWQrY3rheaIjZRbwepfat5t6c7iOKfHX6k1xRK1H5qxtcEFsOyCpT0Ggev_4dupcPENMq6CyfAtxzf4pKpq-t-MXMWEakvC7jousj3UoM/s400/frosty-flamingo.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544663689086045426" /></a><br /></div><div>My proofreader Packy tells me that this blog entry is a "rather serious" one, and I know it's a long one as well. So if you've stuck with me this far, I promise to do a couple of 'heavy on the pictures and amusing stories' posts <i>very</i> soon. It's mighty cold in the Oregon countryside right now, and outside work is not very tempting anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0aPLhGsPGV3xbzufKmNRKYZK1fqa-XEsP4DBaRh7cIi2ZUJ18jJc7WaSA7e4-a3Ira97LDNDU9_BPm74pmjf6Fdh6TJNxziqvQGMgqU5RxEXR7yjKcstIoP-Hs0MDQDX4Gb255sriqQ/s1600/2010-garlic-2.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0aPLhGsPGV3xbzufKmNRKYZK1fqa-XEsP4DBaRh7cIi2ZUJ18jJc7WaSA7e4-a3Ira97LDNDU9_BPm74pmjf6Fdh6TJNxziqvQGMgqU5RxEXR7yjKcstIoP-Hs0MDQDX4Gb255sriqQ/s400/2010-garlic-2.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544659232636230786" /></a><br /></div><div>I'm glad I got some garlic planted earlier before all this super cold weather really kicked in. . I know, I know, it's really mostly just been hail with a smattering of ice, but if you squint, it looks sort of like snow... I really wish I'd gotten my dahlias dug up before all this hit. Oh Well.</div><div><br /></div><div> A lot of farming is learning to accept what the weather throws at you, adapt and figure out how to keep moving forwards, hopefully without sliding off the road first. </div><div><br /></div><div>One nice thing about frosty weather, it gives me the best excuse to stay inside by the fire with the new seed catalogs, making lists and planning for spring. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGgmGY4gsKk404yMYLE-jVZXJf_d9kRou6riw64zImGoKuSRyvEwe_SsVj2TBeBKGwquWPgVEgABMTQwxNgfXaL1RyNP1Ur2qmYrXE31jJN50JrOVPKP4opWHjry36j3Z3VS5CVd4bwA/s1600/snow-cat-1.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGgmGY4gsKk404yMYLE-jVZXJf_d9kRou6riw64zImGoKuSRyvEwe_SsVj2TBeBKGwquWPgVEgABMTQwxNgfXaL1RyNP1Ur2qmYrXE31jJN50JrOVPKP4opWHjry36j3Z3VS5CVd4bwA/s400/snow-cat-1.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544659427227945602" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-41808870995263533882010-10-11T14:56:00.000-07:002010-10-11T16:28:36.604-07:00I guess we should tell you about this...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Il_i-kRBbchv22YKtQkDRgsKS3X47tWMYaysQvtxhZK2n8soVVz1LJcdbVVfqOpM6bq4-3GyXjEixe5MCgZCw2rUYzsWGjmW0D0yjcclH9yQWxCfICKUVuAOOmr4yzugnM4NQQ5KdYo/s1600/New+Barn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Il_i-kRBbchv22YKtQkDRgsKS3X47tWMYaysQvtxhZK2n8soVVz1LJcdbVVfqOpM6bq4-3GyXjEixe5MCgZCw2rUYzsWGjmW0D0yjcclH9yQWxCfICKUVuAOOmr4yzugnM4NQQ5KdYo/s400/New+Barn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526927873004331874" /></a><br />I'm not sure why I'm feeling so shy about this, but we are going to be in Portland tomorrow night, October 12th, as part of the program for Friends of Family Farmers great series, <a href="http://www.friendsoffamilyfarmers.org/?p=893">inFARMation (and Beer!) </a><div><br /></div><div>The topic is Funding for Farmers, a topic near and dear to us, as many of you know. As part of the floor show, they are going to be showing a presentation thing that we made last year at the Clatsop Community FEAST. I'm totally blanking out on what FEAST stands for, but it was a Community Food System organizing workshop hosted by <a href="http://www.ccaservices.org/">Clatsop Community Action</a> (our local food bank) and the <a href="http://www.cannonbeachmarket.org/Home.html">Cannon Beach Farmers Market</a>. I was asked to speak about 'Farming in Clatsop County'. The timing of when the event happened was such that we were in the final stages of negotiation for our farm, waiting to hear about whether or not our loan would be approved. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was actually terrified to be standing up in public, in front of the press even, talking about my work as a <i>farmer</i>, when I had just had to assure our lenders that we had no intention of farming on the land we were buying. (Yeah, it was a long, sad ordeal, and the full story of our farm loan experience is one best told over <i>several</i> bottles of wine.) </div><div><br /></div><div>What came out of me was less a report about the state of farming, and more of an impassioned rant about how unbelievably complicated it was to try and buy land to start a farm on the Oregon coast to grow food for our local community.</div><div><br /></div><div>The presentation was well received (I've found people often respond well to a good rant!) and we were asked by several people to record the voice-over to the images so that it could be shown elsewhere, or posted on line. </div><div><br /></div><div>And so it has been, and if I were better at all this self-promotion marketing stuff I would have posted a link to it here ages ago. Honestly, I think I still have some residue of fear that if I talk about this all in public that the bank will somehow take our farm away. Which I know, <i>I know</i>, they can't do. But you have to understand, it was a <i>really</i> crappy, stressful experience trying to get that loan. Is there such a thing as Post Traumatic Loan Syndrome?</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, if you are in the Portland area tomorrow night, and want to come see us at inFARMation, that would be great!5:30-8-ish at <a href="http://www.holocene.org/">Holocene</a>, which is a deeply hip space, and very cool. (Michele from FoFF describes the atmosphere as 'skinny pants meets overalls'.) It's a really fun event, and it's <i>free</i>. Although I will encourage you to buy refreshments at the bar because it's good to support Holocene, who are making the space available to FoFF every month for inFARMation. So come hungry and thirsty.</div><div><br /></div><div>And if you can't make it, you can check out our presentation on the<a href="http://www.northcoastfoodweb.org/Media.html"> North Coast Food Web site.</a> It takes about 25 minutes, so go make yourself a cup of tea, or pour a whiskey, make popcorn, whatever, and settle down for a story.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm very excited that also speaking at inFARMation will be both Severine Von Scharner Fleming of <a href="http://thegreenhorns.net/">The Greenhorns</a> and Jared Gardner, who is working on a legislative campaign to start an Oregon state bank, which presumably would <i>not</i> make quitting farming one of the requirements for getting a loan to buy a farm.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll stop now before this turns into a whole new rant on the subject. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>More 46 North Farm News:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsiCe5KztU8tCwFnCFLQRzJ-K8j38AzAwoU7QS5Cw86Lw4zxbqhdrqdqCRrGHeiXexdSGLenPmgkbb3ntRJD7Lm1EFiKCRvS9_YM4wjIRzx_wH21TWi1k2sP24iXL9KxCJUY-gPK1oq0/s1600/spreading+the+lime.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 337px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsiCe5KztU8tCwFnCFLQRzJ-K8j38AzAwoU7QS5Cw86Lw4zxbqhdrqdqCRrGHeiXexdSGLenPmgkbb3ntRJD7Lm1EFiKCRvS9_YM4wjIRzx_wH21TWi1k2sP24iXL9KxCJUY-gPK1oq0/s400/spreading+the+lime.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526930213202326162" /></a></div><div>Lime has been spread, and our winter cover crop is sprouting (and <a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2010/06/semi-wild.html">Fawn Fawn & Co.</a> are loving it), and we are Making Plans for next year. So exciting!!</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2dUchPEPxgC_StAJTwyoVCCAHS_Gp7RaUUJeRS-AUEXt6YPzDi6BfqqvFemd6h5ceQRK8ITau2QHALkwJoqdCu6SDDV8ocugv-l2jGfAHh6aV_BeivqhfV_tJc9kcMP7Mf6gar-eT98/s1600/sexy+bcs+thing.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2dUchPEPxgC_StAJTwyoVCCAHS_Gp7RaUUJeRS-AUEXt6YPzDi6BfqqvFemd6h5ceQRK8ITau2QHALkwJoqdCu6SDDV8ocugv-l2jGfAHh6aV_BeivqhfV_tJc9kcMP7Mf6gar-eT98/s400/sexy+bcs+thing.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526930436921738402" /></a><br />Our sexy new Italian BSC tractor thing is working just fine (and giving Packy a hell of a workout). I'm sort of hoping he'll show me how to use it...<a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2010/06/semi-wild.html"><br /><br /><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_zIneVkEAqpBrPkBfhcxVk7kp-VR7t_wU35zs8yUxJa1Bp7brJQNSkzBI4_qhUdGfKSHWhgMtMK_6nG2K4beDlujqZcxwD1N28UMFhZ9SkRTCrgWoydyf6oPOYUiYFEwIo7ODtpV2UE/s1600/the+night+bus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_zIneVkEAqpBrPkBfhcxVk7kp-VR7t_wU35zs8yUxJa1Bp7brJQNSkzBI4_qhUdGfKSHWhgMtMK_6nG2K4beDlujqZcxwD1N28UMFhZ9SkRTCrgWoydyf6oPOYUiYFEwIo7ODtpV2UE/s400/the+night+bus.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526930810043217442" /></a><br /></div><div><a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2010/06/semi-wild.html">The Bus</a> (and <a href="http://www.blindpilotmusic.com/">its band</a>) left on tour but will be back soon, maybe in time to help get the barn painted before winter really kicks in. (That would be the band helping with the painting, not the bus.) </div><div><br /></div><div>We're strategizing on ways to get some of the farm buildings ready for winter, which will involve a lot of tarps, we think. And plywood. And lighting candles (not <i>in</i> the buildings) and saying various prayers for a reasonably wind-free season. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uDcfDZmh-pva5a-UK-YWpx1oU7fGC2i23QFQGWbtjauy61F_ggzZJqwpzi-HWoLLN7mL54aOjjOGlDFBDEuAEbVllRLnTm8oKTwVYNJDTZHaV7VfvWNg8U-mimYvGt4V_LyM8OFPJ9c/s1600/The+Cats+supervise+Lime+spreading.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uDcfDZmh-pva5a-UK-YWpx1oU7fGC2i23QFQGWbtjauy61F_ggzZJqwpzi-HWoLLN7mL54aOjjOGlDFBDEuAEbVllRLnTm8oKTwVYNJDTZHaV7VfvWNg8U-mimYvGt4V_LyM8OFPJ9c/s400/The+Cats+supervise+Lime+spreading.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526930887942717490" /></a><br />Eddie and Squeaky are basically supportive of all the farm plans, but they insist that next year we remember to plant catnip, because they have gone a whole year without fresh drugs and that is really way too long.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hope Autumn is beautiful wherever you are.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-5238722472333646242010-09-19T19:33:00.000-07:002010-09-22T06:58:42.759-07:00News Roundup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKo8hsgwmz2eug817Gch-jPCrNzh3qPCP6Wf3-8CmWbREiLOf7DQa45KTStr42Gjxz2gkjudpTJTksVB-Rbzr83lge_NOJa4EKYVJJKpN9l7jP4pi4eLSzOOvDuRNYU6Txk2YXPGq11A/s1600/farm+view+late+summer+2010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKo8hsgwmz2eug817Gch-jPCrNzh3qPCP6Wf3-8CmWbREiLOf7DQa45KTStr42Gjxz2gkjudpTJTksVB-Rbzr83lge_NOJa4EKYVJJKpN9l7jP4pi4eLSzOOvDuRNYU6Txk2YXPGq11A/s400/farm+view+late+summer+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519733732468215522" /></a><br />Well, lots of things have been happening here, and rather than try to do a post about each one, I'm going to cheat and just do a roundup of the latest news. Long on pictures, somewhat short on words, but covering all the essentials.<div><br /><div>Here goes:</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>The Disappointing Thing:</i></b></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikFvc2fXGfE-8ysl81gug8VcG0Qx25EQ9uCLV8plTQeQ1Io5VR03_m58IIB3zsRJC2xPxy3YkJoyzwSm0vi4OpTCEM5pMEUK8QzHk0qMKxnvqtDEmlfJD-M4YKIVFLVaD8pfMwh48kKds/s1600/hive+examination+1.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikFvc2fXGfE-8ysl81gug8VcG0Qx25EQ9uCLV8plTQeQ1Io5VR03_m58IIB3zsRJC2xPxy3YkJoyzwSm0vi4OpTCEM5pMEUK8QzHk0qMKxnvqtDEmlfJD-M4YKIVFLVaD8pfMwh48kKds/s400/hive+examination+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519517354777963682" /></a></div><div><a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html">Our two swarms of late June</a> both abandoned us, leaving their temporary hives empty but for a bit of comb and honey that one hive had started producing. One left fairly soon after Thom helped us capture them, but the other hive hung in there for quite a while, and we aren't quite sure why they left. According to Thom and his lovely wife, who came by the farm to check out the abandoned nuc boxes with us, sometimes This Just Happens. It could have had something to do with the queen of the new swarm dying before she mated, which would make the hive freak out and leave. Having no queen is Very Bad in the bee world.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7V1mo3dGpLla_yLb8iS8MZ7m7J00eyE5LuYBcdEdD46Q9aaGHqnP48TPTnssgorNcfI-jL5GEP9KcmMei-ULAZufUv_Cf332U26_8pz3G7MWF_shdnalJyuHv143jhY486lcEyzlvHE/s1600/hive+examination+2.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7V1mo3dGpLla_yLb8iS8MZ7m7J00eyE5LuYBcdEdD46Q9aaGHqnP48TPTnssgorNcfI-jL5GEP9KcmMei-ULAZufUv_Cf332U26_8pz3G7MWF_shdnalJyuHv143jhY486lcEyzlvHE/s400/hive+examination+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519517452841879826" /></a></div><div>Fortunately the original hive is still hanging on in the old top bar box, although it looks like the hive hasn't built up enough stores to safely get through the winter. We have been advised on a feeding schedule to make sure they can make it until things start blooming again in the spring. Thom observed them to be healthy, and 'very nice bees' (meaning not aggressive or mean) which we were oddly proud of, as if our children had been praised for having nice manners.</div><div><br /></div><div>Packy was sad about the swarms leaving us (I mean, I was sad too, but he was <i>especially</i> sad,) but we figure that this gives us a chance to actually get properly prepared for expanding our bee population. We'll take Thom's bee keeping class in March and maybe I'll get to have my <i>own</i> snappy bee keeping suit by then too.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>The Practical Thing:</i></b></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-exMlq2I-Sgh0hHwrd_Z_kH7HqwWoEimEhHpj8IaW-ZRmYHfrL7EAiXvIpOsnncyvZsLTcYS812LW7ZmafNfI1P3d-ADDgjFXB6TEYy-cdtRHvAM-tlmyBOG6ecMHlh3aao4Ns_4UUSk/s1600/greenhouse+bed+1.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-exMlq2I-Sgh0hHwrd_Z_kH7HqwWoEimEhHpj8IaW-ZRmYHfrL7EAiXvIpOsnncyvZsLTcYS812LW7ZmafNfI1P3d-ADDgjFXB6TEYy-cdtRHvAM-tlmyBOG6ecMHlh3aao4Ns_4UUSk/s400/greenhouse+bed+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519518022120670242" /></a></div><div>It has been so frustrating not having much of an edible garden this year, due to our <a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2010/06/semi-wild.html">Wildlife Issues.</a> We grew some tomatoes, basil and beans in containers in our greenhouse, which have done sort of ok in this rainy, challenging non-summer we've had. The soil isn't so great where this greenhouse is, so this is going to be our plant propagating greenhouse where we will grow all our seedlings and plant starts, and overwinter tender plants. But I just couldn't bear to not have <i>any</i> greens or lettuce this winter, and we had lots of random plant starts left over from what we <a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2010/08/back-in-saddle-again.html">sold at the Astoria Co-op.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>So I built a quickie raised bed from some straw bales we had left over from the Slow Food North Coast potluck we hosted (straw bales make a great seating option for large gatherings) and some cinder blocks that we used as part of our plant table system on the old farm.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGLlJt0nivkWOHzIXrrMa7vl_QyyVpcjRTMSw6W_P2GqTyz-bew9EBAAhDDcouXx9xH9KF3ejzkFbXOYO9E8Fpk86H2u78CfZ460DMi7npGsaSqAxlXUwfh2CgF6PruBt16pXPjf8OAI/s1600/greenhouse+bed+2.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGLlJt0nivkWOHzIXrrMa7vl_QyyVpcjRTMSw6W_P2GqTyz-bew9EBAAhDDcouXx9xH9KF3ejzkFbXOYO9E8Fpk86H2u78CfZ460DMi7npGsaSqAxlXUwfh2CgF6PruBt16pXPjf8OAI/s400/greenhouse+bed+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519518121866832466" /></a></div><div>I was so lazy I didn't even weed first, I just put cardboard down on top of the weeds, which Eddie the Cat found oddly fascinating.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY71zzgCIkbJKeEUFqpVe1veQfygskyIcGNTzR2hIjGp91GsR8NBL4oOXCW82WISve1dmFl56EGM_Zpv9JlXgmIYAbBq8-F4hYlbVIOlhkQt1aS7J_efKcXZbaEi0kmlzrY0n8ZdakyGA/s1600/greenhouse+bed+3.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY71zzgCIkbJKeEUFqpVe1veQfygskyIcGNTzR2hIjGp91GsR8NBL4oOXCW82WISve1dmFl56EGM_Zpv9JlXgmIYAbBq8-F4hYlbVIOlhkQt1aS7J_efKcXZbaEi0kmlzrY0n8ZdakyGA/s400/greenhouse+bed+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519518250532020066" /></a>I filled the bottom half (carefully <i>not</i> burying Eddie the Cat) with straight compost that we got from Laurelwood Farm out on Hwy 26, (well, I screened out the larger woody bits, their compost is great, but a bit...woody sometimes) and then filled the rest of it with a compost/potting soil/manure mix.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWK7tpztRTlzS7ef4xIG5kFrH6Tohx420kv-JDMtvdauSKvc0CObXMlv6LXHL44cdZ2a9PjOx0fcRClUP-E-DLmMycMCVLfbP9JW5vUe1J8VtzTVI5wSHf-BQVjOkNWYywxurnYpRGa0/s1600/greenhouse+bed+5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWK7tpztRTlzS7ef4xIG5kFrH6Tohx420kv-JDMtvdauSKvc0CObXMlv6LXHL44cdZ2a9PjOx0fcRClUP-E-DLmMycMCVLfbP9JW5vUe1J8VtzTVI5wSHf-BQVjOkNWYywxurnYpRGa0/s400/greenhouse+bed+5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519518331985637538" /></a>Then I dug in some all purpose organic fertilizer. I mix our own using the recipe from Steve Solomon's 'Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades' book, and it seems to work fine for us.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKX_y5pXKq4HotT0DcJ2hJ1hyphenhyphen72o5xqU-0BTzd5LiC-Vxvvi7b9DxPoY9U0KpMGXWAwjPsmSz0_bZXL1Kr9Dv26_Z8HJ-NkRJXMfWXy1b8lhZRvKQG91-i7qU0YtyQCezfhRrDr1w8iCk/s1600/greenhouse+bed+6.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKX_y5pXKq4HotT0DcJ2hJ1hyphenhyphen72o5xqU-0BTzd5LiC-Vxvvi7b9DxPoY9U0KpMGXWAwjPsmSz0_bZXL1Kr9Dv26_Z8HJ-NkRJXMfWXy1b8lhZRvKQG91-i7qU0YtyQCezfhRrDr1w8iCk/s400/greenhouse+bed+6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519518412137351106" /></a>Then I rounded up as many of the stray seedlings I could find, planted them in a reasonably orderly fashion and then sowed some arugula, beets, maché and radish seeds in between the rows. The seeds were sort of old and I just wanted to see what would happen.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBITdjiAZ4fkS9JCa9SViJTA9Rb7qDxZ4pBnRxz9kOeW8W-z5SJGvk6uf1RUpfGEfdP6hSv9A588OMtlLZAxKJ1uQ9yPnRqqTTr5iKuv17pvEH9NF7YG6jBe43Yf9rAPl3kbWpnQ64U2c/s1600/greenhouse+bed+7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBITdjiAZ4fkS9JCa9SViJTA9Rb7qDxZ4pBnRxz9kOeW8W-z5SJGvk6uf1RUpfGEfdP6hSv9A588OMtlLZAxKJ1uQ9yPnRqqTTr5iKuv17pvEH9NF7YG6jBe43Yf9rAPl3kbWpnQ64U2c/s400/greenhouse+bed+7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519518500973701378" /></a><br /></div><div>Not bad! All the seeds germinated, and I've already been harvesting salad greens after just a week. I'm looking forward to a winter of fresh kale and chard, lettuce, radishes and maybe beets if they take off fast enough.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>The Beautiful Thing:</i></b></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNpjYBI1yu2RJQuzEnNuLiuJBWBDe9yVSNifx4Kyt55lccrJiUrVGfBUKsFFaQAELG30CT-e8UffxvEu90jv0Pshq3f6mvhdc0CtZ9oXuY3sA41KJ90ax45wRvCZnEzHup_41CB0iTlE/s1600/more+September+dalias+2010.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNpjYBI1yu2RJQuzEnNuLiuJBWBDe9yVSNifx4Kyt55lccrJiUrVGfBUKsFFaQAELG30CT-e8UffxvEu90jv0Pshq3f6mvhdc0CtZ9oXuY3sA41KJ90ax45wRvCZnEzHup_41CB0iTlE/s400/more+September+dalias+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519518636826434402" /></a></div><div>Our dahlias finally started blooming in mid- August, and we get almost as many compliments on them from our neighbors as we do for having a new roof put on the barn. We took a big bouquet over to the community potluck and pig roast hosted at the Olney Store and Big O Saloon the weekend before last (along with homemade mac and cheese), and were flattered to hear later that the bar and the store were fighting over who got to keep the bouquet on their side of the business. When it stops raining, and the flowers dry out a bit, I'll try to cut some more and bring over enough for them each to have one.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TenFRXqJxeeYsWrOFWs6_4l-0Gzzm6JD62RzNBpzwf5vKfmcQcaZA82K2-hkLDNbH2Lkevk_I_1hBVPi4Gzw9Bgadq4XUJPFBplLBjOEm90hXTDnNY4di-Sbl-5JM1to-ohRxvQzxcg/s1600/dahlias+2010.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TenFRXqJxeeYsWrOFWs6_4l-0Gzzm6JD62RzNBpzwf5vKfmcQcaZA82K2-hkLDNbH2Lkevk_I_1hBVPi4Gzw9Bgadq4XUJPFBplLBjOEm90hXTDnNY4di-Sbl-5JM1to-ohRxvQzxcg/s400/dahlias+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519519793564742258" /></a></div><div>We also brought our dahlias to decorate the tables at the Olney Grange Beef Barbeque that took place this past Sunday. <i>What</i> an amazing event- I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it. We helped out on Saturday night wrapping 750 lbs of beef, onions and sauce in foil, and then in wet burlap. There is a huge pit at the Grange where an enormous fire is built, and when it banks down to coals the beef is placed on the coals, metal sheets are slid over to cover the pit and dirt is shoveled on top to seal the heat in. The beef is left to cook overnight for 12 hours. I went back on Sunday to help out in the afternoon- I believe almost 450 meals were served. I asked Judy, our Grange Master, about the history of the Beef Barbeque, and how long it had been going on for. She said it was already an annual thing when <i>she</i> was a child, and figured they've been doing this each year at the Olney Grange for at least fifty years, if not longer. Wow. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was so honored when Judy asked if she could take the dahlias with her after the barbeque. She planned to visit the cemetery and wanted to take the flowers to her parents who are buried there–the Olney Grange Beef Barbeque was always a huge event for them. It made me so nostalgic for when I was young (er!), and my family used to visit my Mom's hometown in West Virginia, and take flowers to our family graves at the cemetery there. I have always had a deep love of old cemeteries, and that's probably where it came from. We have a very cool one near the farm, maybe we will adopt someone there to bring flowers to.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHqHk0Qq0hNME6JeH0Re5Ic4IWOKoDbB7y3lVumy_ajNZ2fAN9ZqDEr4GNpH4xQ3mw9GmZTLqkYQYGI0ww4-bbn3mdJoVPJZbfjaJfW7mvfPWWUY7GtHgwFnB6PIIYdp6jVhHSZu-Wlo/s1600/September+dahlias+2010.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHqHk0Qq0hNME6JeH0Re5Ic4IWOKoDbB7y3lVumy_ajNZ2fAN9ZqDEr4GNpH4xQ3mw9GmZTLqkYQYGI0ww4-bbn3mdJoVPJZbfjaJfW7mvfPWWUY7GtHgwFnB6PIIYdp6jVhHSZu-Wlo/s400/September+dahlias+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519518787373370514" /></a></div><div>Sadly for him (but not for the farm!) Packy ended up missing the barbeque because he was busy with:</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>The Machine Thing:</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>This really deserves it's own post, so I'll just do a teaser now. Our sexy new Italian-made BSC walk behind tractor arrived last Friday, shipped all the way from <a href="http://www.earthtoolsbcs.com/">Earth Tools in Kentucky</a>. When I told the delivery guy who called to schedule the drop off that it was a tractor he was delivering, he laughed and said "What the heck kind of tractor comes in a box?!"</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-Odu20FybEEWVzwrcnFalIWoUeTU5lYpC3tXJ5tP36OstADtjvecU6Lj5bIKcCxz9l2sBIsI7MjTNHfctIpavf87KRCYq8XfE0eMUPDG2H8_XUF64dcNbYCsQBxQPnVaxIS3ZPzluVk/s1600/tractor+in+a+box+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-Odu20FybEEWVzwrcnFalIWoUeTU5lYpC3tXJ5tP36OstADtjvecU6Lj5bIKcCxz9l2sBIsI7MjTNHfctIpavf87KRCYq8XfE0eMUPDG2H8_XUF64dcNbYCsQBxQPnVaxIS3ZPzluVk/s400/tractor+in+a+box+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519518870405318642" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNM08D3d64_S9p7Au8s0rDuVaYDfhpJnZrEsrecgOW9OQKS2iYn3O39G1Wz9jMdT4y5YYYEzAnu1Cp-YNkbwZMUm9dRNlB8AAjnbE9KwMWghZ3M_OTt5GATBneMv-GmfTRMlh4xqOVjhU/s1600/tractor+in+a+box+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNM08D3d64_S9p7Au8s0rDuVaYDfhpJnZrEsrecgOW9OQKS2iYn3O39G1Wz9jMdT4y5YYYEzAnu1Cp-YNkbwZMUm9dRNlB8AAjnbE9KwMWghZ3M_OTt5GATBneMv-GmfTRMlh4xqOVjhU/s400/tractor+in+a+box+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519518958812746690" /></a><br /></div><div>Well, sexy two-wheel Italian ones do! Our friend Dan is of the opinion that our neighbors will fall over laughing at the idea of it (especially if we ever buy the hay-baler attachment for it ) but this is a serious agricultural machine, used widely on small farms throughout Europe and becoming more well known on American small farms. It's just not how things are done in Olney. Yet. </div><div><br /></div><div>We are starting with two attachments (they are quite pricey!)–a flail mower and a disc tiller–which should get most of the jobs done that we need to do. These two-wheel tractors are great tools for small farms like ours–you can even cultivate inside your greenhouse without having to build such a big structure that you can drive a big beast through it. Plus, less weight=less soil compaction, especially when it is wet. And- it's a very, very good workout, as Packy can now attest too.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpGJInQm_uNZ8NWAZWjyWlxc51-Niy_auAsw-F4L4YhZIGfNcBSkWuvOOD7DJIHzLCfIaEZ_aWRTrLP0oG6yDTQuH6QUbrB48B2wHX8lujb1_eGQY2xWc_fVDguE2K3OjqALFfnTT2Dw/s1600/flail+mower+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpGJInQm_uNZ8NWAZWjyWlxc51-Niy_auAsw-F4L4YhZIGfNcBSkWuvOOD7DJIHzLCfIaEZ_aWRTrLP0oG6yDTQuH6QUbrB48B2wHX8lujb1_eGQY2xWc_fVDguE2K3OjqALFfnTT2Dw/s400/flail+mower+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519519038336206898" /></a>I really am looking forward to learning how to run this thing too, although the gearing system looks a bit intimidating to me. The tractor arrived not a moment too soon, as we are late getting our cover crop sown and lime spread on the two areas we've been working on this year. It looks like we'll have a bit of clear weather this weekend, and hopefully we can get it taken care of then. </div><div><br /></div><div>Small progress, but at least we are moving forwards!</div><div><br /></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-12907371300448476822010-08-24T18:29:00.000-07:002010-09-01T20:15:13.130-07:00Meanwhile, back at the buckwheat...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQ36ysv_Eti78e1Vq3qHepJyJKr0tEx67NbldJ_Dm3XSaljwnicVEFTKtjvOC9CfFoTqknUMu_19Y18yXrwoLEMUN2Jyli-HQzaDiMejvEYVrqrxotXFmy1KyTziCjatYkOju-juB0ic/s1600/buckwheat+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQ36ysv_Eti78e1Vq3qHepJyJKr0tEx67NbldJ_Dm3XSaljwnicVEFTKtjvOC9CfFoTqknUMu_19Y18yXrwoLEMUN2Jyli-HQzaDiMejvEYVrqrxotXFmy1KyTziCjatYkOju-juB0ic/s400/buckwheat+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511719547422716914" /></a><br />Remember <a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2010/06/slow-and-steady.html">the buckwheat</a>? We had so much rain after that day, I wasn't sure what would happen to it. This has been such a cool soggy summer here, unlike everywhere else in the country. However, just a few days after the Seed Stomp the little seeds rallied and germinated like mad, allowing us to clearly see why farmers invest in mechanized seed spreading equipment.<div><br /></div><div>However, machines aren't much good at building community spirit, nor do they provide great potluck meals for after the seeding, so I think we will still incorporate the social side of things into cover crop seeding for now. Which doesn't stop me from coveting one of these:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-5481-ev-n-spred-broadcast-seed-spreader.aspx">http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-5481-ev-n-spred-broadcast-seed-spreader.aspx</a></div><div><br /><div>I love super specific tools, and farming can justify an endless array of them. Still, the toss-from-a-bucket-and-walk-it-in technique worked:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOUuMzK7JEckPYFWtyvWOJQIrYLP-OIxepilEo6YPXELfBgV6Wd7LfOQG_T63yTesi6jyrvP10YWNTJj2GIYswo7AIpY0xIdUpEoc1WOC9BoR1umBz6ZJhUGcaA6KCjtgEiqSAu8clOY/s1600/buckwheat+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOUuMzK7JEckPYFWtyvWOJQIrYLP-OIxepilEo6YPXELfBgV6Wd7LfOQG_T63yTesi6jyrvP10YWNTJj2GIYswo7AIpY0xIdUpEoc1WOC9BoR1umBz6ZJhUGcaA6KCjtgEiqSAu8clOY/s400/buckwheat+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511719699357875122" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPauE8oU5zGLRTrPWsNgTjFcbpan6TjDBHO7lxdW_nlKBemLfJy8fm8d6A7kWLjYYnXUou9uj-VIYOFhZ-g7aZFXqwQk7YhEPopPz76qXMWhX-LmhLENXobpUytcN2Ey67mQ74B9QNzvg/s1600/buckwheat+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPauE8oU5zGLRTrPWsNgTjFcbpan6TjDBHO7lxdW_nlKBemLfJy8fm8d6A7kWLjYYnXUou9uj-VIYOFhZ-g7aZFXqwQk7YhEPopPz76qXMWhX-LmhLENXobpUytcN2Ey67mQ74B9QNzvg/s400/buckwheat+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511719623522893186" /></a><br /></div><div>It was interesting to see results of the variation in spreading and stomping techniques- some rows were very evenly spread, some were incredibly thick in spots, and completely bare in others, some we must have just completely overlooked, and others it looked like someone just dumped the bucket out all in one place. I name no names. We all just need a bit more practice...</div><div><br /></div><div>Things were progressing nicely, but then:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tCpO9XRQKc-twct98swduOkZaqdlwCGuv8fsrqZWzuqfmovGP_v7LUuDd8jQkxq71sxH_DAp5TEaN8sBA99GXk6NEm2AAuce5VtAr365B7wBt94FJmjd8V3nyloq2RMcZXinm-8Cz5k/s1600/Smoking+Gun+6.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tCpO9XRQKc-twct98swduOkZaqdlwCGuv8fsrqZWzuqfmovGP_v7LUuDd8jQkxq71sxH_DAp5TEaN8sBA99GXk6NEm2AAuce5VtAr365B7wBt94FJmjd8V3nyloq2RMcZXinm-8Cz5k/s400/Smoking+Gun+6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511720076589164866" /></a><br />The Elk Herd Discovered The Buckwheat.</div><div><br /></div><div>Which was actually the point of the whole exercise. You see, we hope to apply for funding assistance from the <a href="http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/">NRCS</a> for several farm infrastructure improvement projects, one of which is to build an elk exclosure fence. If we wanted official funding assistance we had to demonstrate that</div><div><br /></div><div>1. We are an agricultural operation, and </div><div>2. We have a pest problem.</div><div><br /></div><div>The sowing of almost an acre of cover crop helped to establish the first point.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72Xjzrj7iHKDTepmIyrOlukyDoLj54CRUbAnVQZ8VriZqQYJuiqRyvNbR1Y5HIPvoKNJRdI19SzcvlF11gOzPnG9jP-xu5VPkFFj_Z44n3LsYJjp1589Vp-2oyn2HEeLk2rVo27y1vHM/s1600/Carla+Buckwheat+Jig+sm.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72Xjzrj7iHKDTepmIyrOlukyDoLj54CRUbAnVQZ8VriZqQYJuiqRyvNbR1Y5HIPvoKNJRdI19SzcvlF11gOzPnG9jP-xu5VPkFFj_Z44n3LsYJjp1589Vp-2oyn2HEeLk2rVo27y1vHM/s400/Carla+Buckwheat+Jig+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512099599147042114" /></a><br /></div><div>The second point was proved when I went out to check on the buckwheat fairly soon after it sprouted and found the field stomped all over, with great clumps of plants pulled out of the ground and then spat out again. I think at first the elk weren't quite sure what to make of buckwheat, but they pretty soon developed a taste for it.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuOuygWD4e4zIyVzMVifVdlQQzWJx2iffO8BrqeCRpm_GzspRyEomBgELbMca8VAp1TK97BbcT8HsCiDbXqrS8e6aBPmCp6fSWxwsDhWKdwn_XxyoQqK8i27LWbnUZtXKKos2vOCm-xM/s1600/buckwheat+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuOuygWD4e4zIyVzMVifVdlQQzWJx2iffO8BrqeCRpm_GzspRyEomBgELbMca8VAp1TK97BbcT8HsCiDbXqrS8e6aBPmCp6fSWxwsDhWKdwn_XxyoQqK8i27LWbnUZtXKKos2vOCm-xM/s400/buckwheat+4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511719784991327346" /></a><br /></div><div>Our friend Mark, who volunteers the the <a href="http://www.coastwildlife.org/Home.html">Wildlife Center of the North Coast</a> next door to us, managed to document the second point for us, catching the perps In the Act.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-9YnN8-NBI29kBCETNmO3lzA_4l6kNFEfXYkYJKYp3aisw8gbtkJ_j4PlS5c5IpxCd39zaCQ0ci7Z1bQFhv2ZHFR6IcJ_dSbKZcdBJPQbHayiXAYlqdMq8lQkpeSrEQNKEfpYgHwhYI/s1600/Smoking+Gun+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-9YnN8-NBI29kBCETNmO3lzA_4l6kNFEfXYkYJKYp3aisw8gbtkJ_j4PlS5c5IpxCd39zaCQ0ci7Z1bQFhv2ZHFR6IcJ_dSbKZcdBJPQbHayiXAYlqdMq8lQkpeSrEQNKEfpYgHwhYI/s400/Smoking+Gun+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511719903768333362" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrx1_7jLlJXTO7QV7SOYqNHdg_TkWhDkG9kudlgPGyGX0iru-whDxOkjiTncwCiwc6dTgYTf80BWFRm5k__7AbJmMOnngZqM8b-B2Awhbhr6D3dzATeA5cWdmY-TQb7D-WhW3GD3s43rw/s1600/Smoking+Gun+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrx1_7jLlJXTO7QV7SOYqNHdg_TkWhDkG9kudlgPGyGX0iru-whDxOkjiTncwCiwc6dTgYTf80BWFRm5k__7AbJmMOnngZqM8b-B2Awhbhr6D3dzATeA5cWdmY-TQb7D-WhW3GD3s43rw/s400/Smoking+Gun+4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511720001963836098" /></a><br /></div><div>They've been decimating the plot all summer long, and what they didn't destroy, lack of irrigation and some Very Hot Days (in and among the coldest, wettest summer in recent memory) did the rest.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hTat2rexzrjEgZybPB1q8gP1pve-wRHKjqC9bHMeb8_0V-S9akdlDjhRHxG3kMRDnv8W4xfjbytXNXrGI-HceMDo7-1hDhjzVnQDuR7wYoIOfgQxGR0p4uR1px16qfHcajCNCe5QqTI/s1600/decimated+buckwheat+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hTat2rexzrjEgZybPB1q8gP1pve-wRHKjqC9bHMeb8_0V-S9akdlDjhRHxG3kMRDnv8W4xfjbytXNXrGI-HceMDo7-1hDhjzVnQDuR7wYoIOfgQxGR0p4uR1px16qfHcajCNCe5QqTI/s400/decimated+buckwheat+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512099334820555522" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdW7mI2yG5oowHvtlm5kuz19sm27i8RtvRIjodLRcs8FAJ2VAoMNyIW8f94J_wwaBS6uzzF9gqvCt5c3-NEEOjIk53dwVoop7Cs9yc6hGQ8XcWe5Wt37YwEdmufJxs1PvUTPQ9rPPHxJ0/s1600/decimated+buckwheat+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdW7mI2yG5oowHvtlm5kuz19sm27i8RtvRIjodLRcs8FAJ2VAoMNyIW8f94J_wwaBS6uzzF9gqvCt5c3-NEEOjIk53dwVoop7Cs9yc6hGQ8XcWe5Wt37YwEdmufJxs1PvUTPQ9rPPHxJ0/s400/decimated+buckwheat+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512099267390384370" /></a><br />It's a bit of a let down- we are expecting our sexy new<a href="http://www.earthtoolsbcs.com/"> BCS walk-behind tractor</a> (it's Italian! So Stylish!) to arrive any day now which will allow us to till the buckwheat under and get a winter cover crop sown, but there is hardly anything left to till under. Except weeds. If you look closely, you will notice that the weeds are the only green thing in the picture.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tyKv8uETo-RxB08ieJT4kORWgCFh8yD1af4rDGPv3KiIx6oPQpi1M3KSJtlEquAFsBhCkAgUI8EUBd9loyapPDgz3DHOXmITvZxLDRZkDvylnBUXgyloBm4TVFtn2LDvOzCvTx4upgg/s1600/decimated+buckwheat+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tyKv8uETo-RxB08ieJT4kORWgCFh8yD1af4rDGPv3KiIx6oPQpi1M3KSJtlEquAFsBhCkAgUI8EUBd9loyapPDgz3DHOXmITvZxLDRZkDvylnBUXgyloBm4TVFtn2LDvOzCvTx4upgg/s400/decimated+buckwheat+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512099196841981458" /></a><br /></div><div>At least we know something will grow there.</div><div><br /></div><div>We need to get our winter cover crop sown very soon. It's hard to do that knowing that it is just going to meet the same fate as the buckwheat, but we can't leave the soil bare. Hopefully funding for the fence will be available sometime in the Spring, so we might actually be able to get something growing back there for next summer. Something besides weeds, I mean.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have to spend a bit of time with our soil test results as well, and figure out how much lime we need to be applying to start shifting our ph, among other things. This is just the start of the soil building process, and I know it will take several years of attention before it is balanced enough to support growing annual row crops productively, but you've got to start somewhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hopefully we'll have the damn fence up by the time our soil ph reaches neutral!</div><div><br /></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-29564547011987571372010-08-13T06:15:00.000-07:002010-08-13T06:53:25.668-07:00Back in the Saddle Again...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFzfL93FyHZcepf6Jk_lnZCv-ZqoXfCo6Cx3ZlEVGFC6rO018aK1zlZEwG60vzHZUHv-4JLaKt90DX38HBOkQPicMN7sPygTJ13VEPMIMyCdIldqirsANnn9YTgx855U67cAldYkGoh8/s1600/Plants-at-the-Co-op-2.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 369px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFzfL93FyHZcepf6Jk_lnZCv-ZqoXfCo6Cx3ZlEVGFC6rO018aK1zlZEwG60vzHZUHv-4JLaKt90DX38HBOkQPicMN7sPygTJ13VEPMIMyCdIldqirsANnn9YTgx855U67cAldYkGoh8/s400/Plants-at-the-Co-op-2.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504885081712044802" /></a><br />Well, back in business anyway. Sort of. After many months of delay, we finally have some plants for sale at the Astoria Co op. <div><br /></div><div>"What, <i>now</i>?" I hear you say. "When summer is almost <i>over</i>?" </div><div><br /></div><div>Aside from the fact that we have barely <i>had</i> a summer this year, this is the perfect time to get a late crop of leafy greens- lettuce, chard, kale- planted in you garden. No doubt the lettuce and other greens you planted at the beginning of the season are fading, and it's a good time to just harvest the lot of them, compost what's left of the plants and start fresh. The new plants will grow beautifully through late summer and autumn, and if winter isn't too harsh, and if you maybe give them a wee bit of protection when it gets super cold, you should be able to enjoy fresh greens pretty much through winter. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x_8nO1-OWpIaftu9v31qQJRnbwoErn9gUBffQ_MXZMvqp7qAzl32zE9gbPxqJfMDf-eMz6zicpQDFdR43_f9TPOoRqiO2JMXEX2-64ON9LV8ulD3kOF8GtqG-NV67bBdcehHetpBq_I/s1600/Plants-at-the-Co-op-1.gif" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 296px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x_8nO1-OWpIaftu9v31qQJRnbwoErn9gUBffQ_MXZMvqp7qAzl32zE9gbPxqJfMDf-eMz6zicpQDFdR43_f9TPOoRqiO2JMXEX2-64ON9LV8ulD3kOF8GtqG-NV67bBdcehHetpBq_I/s400/Plants-at-the-Co-op-1.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504885937132695762" /></a></div><div>Mostly I'm just amazed that we managed to finally get the plants grown and get them to the store- it was flabbergasting how complicated it seemed to be to get <i>one</i> plant display put together with six flats of plants. When I think about what we used to do every weekend:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzI0_qW5d5MMZGJhPulG-7RT1iorRxU5oDCDPAIOkg-1GR6eHxLc55OIbAzwrT9GiA4eVAzIIbl5pYziiZ1VA-2NQz3rhEGsy5Mlz7SK1XD-Ranw6auPFavfxLyqiEIrhkUxL0GFdpBg/s1600/final-market-set-up.gif" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzI0_qW5d5MMZGJhPulG-7RT1iorRxU5oDCDPAIOkg-1GR6eHxLc55OIbAzwrT9GiA4eVAzIIbl5pYziiZ1VA-2NQz3rhEGsy5Mlz7SK1XD-Ranw6auPFavfxLyqiEIrhkUxL0GFdpBg/s400/final-market-set-up.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504888887718054690" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Whew. We'll have to get back in shape for next year.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll be bringing in extra plants this weekend as Saturday is Co op member discount day. There should be lots of people around to try and convince that it really isn't too late to plant greens. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's fun to have plants for sale again. Even just while we were setting up the display, I had several great conversations with people who were asking about growing edible plants on the coast in the fall and winter, and it was so easy to slip back into Farm Girl mode and talk growing. I miss that. </div><div><br /></div><div>So if you are in the area, and in need of a few leafy greens to fill out your fall garden, stop by the Astoria Co op soon- we don't have that many plants, and you should get them planted soon so their roots can get settled in for the coming season.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll leave you with a lovely bit of Farm Porn that I spotted the other day:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_bK6O67aKWRbUeXhfv6gQiQ3aVcypCDy_OnHz9M8ikLoTo6BECiQgmBez8TehVC2qv4O9i0_4A_pnunnbAcZzdm7u60ssIS_kZiaAw4vCDz7KrxKb4CaNti6_25QGQMvgFY395F0Apk/s1600/farm-porn.gif" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_bK6O67aKWRbUeXhfv6gQiQ3aVcypCDy_OnHz9M8ikLoTo6BECiQgmBez8TehVC2qv4O9i0_4A_pnunnbAcZzdm7u60ssIS_kZiaAw4vCDz7KrxKb4CaNti6_25QGQMvgFY395F0Apk/s400/farm-porn.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504890331390897634" /></a><br /></div><div>Note the black aphids, which is what I wish they were working on instead of each other. Still, if it all results in more ladybugs around the place, I guess it's ok.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-36274033241735730672010-07-23T06:36:00.000-07:002010-07-27T06:33:34.303-07:00Swarm!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxISm6mt6B2IywTif_sFEPOFWw2kDq7gIP4pFTmamANkzsnlyOHjx7HcTUNkMrxnIcFeIpyTX6LVzLVTuyRZjvEm7dV9Yd3EBc7BYs5ozVJysL6NPM1txLBMhqlr2eF4J_RZDs_K61yXY/s1600/second-swarm-2.gif" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 396px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxISm6mt6B2IywTif_sFEPOFWw2kDq7gIP4pFTmamANkzsnlyOHjx7HcTUNkMrxnIcFeIpyTX6LVzLVTuyRZjvEm7dV9Yd3EBc7BYs5ozVJysL6NPM1txLBMhqlr2eF4J_RZDs_K61yXY/s400/second-swarm-2.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497245614000254226" /></a>I am relating events that took place about a month ago. <div><br /></div><div>I can't believe it's taken this long to get it together to write this! I've just been remarkably busy- I'll resist the obvious analogy- and somehow it just kept slipping away from me. But it is a story well worth telling, with many lessons learned.<div><br /></div><div>In late June, our bee hive swarmed. </div><div><br /></div><div>Of course it was the week that Packy was away, so he missed the whole thing which was a shame, because it was Very, Very Cool.</div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't notice them at first. It was a gorgeous warm, sunny day- the first we'd seen in way too long, and I was attempting to catch up on a million farm chores, mostly involving mowing. Not the most exciting chore, but <i>so</i> satisfying when it's done. </div><div><br /></div><div>In one of the many back and forth trips to the house, I suddenly looked over and saw this on the fence:</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJh-vaWK-ENich6s-7bABeogKs7OSIG9qvwkxF01-RIu73fv66O5Ljfey8yAKKVb19MEdHTuGY8UuAHb6JOzL43aq6R775hBCG42iwcsQ0u7HQDoUJtFYSizK22io2O-RquYLVEm05IEE/s1600/bees-on-fence.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJh-vaWK-ENich6s-7bABeogKs7OSIG9qvwkxF01-RIu73fv66O5Ljfey8yAKKVb19MEdHTuGY8UuAHb6JOzL43aq6R775hBCG42iwcsQ0u7HQDoUJtFYSizK22io2O-RquYLVEm05IEE/s400/bees-on-fence.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497243395248127634" /></a><br /></div><div>Well, I was pretty sure what it was. I tried to get close enough to make sure that they were actually honey bees and not some other kind of flying buzzing insect, and then realized that I was foolishly trying to get <i>very</i> close to a buzzing mass of over-excited insects while wearing no protective gear. I decided to step back and call in an expert:</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGDBlfUxogWAGjXmNNT7BK-yAfEmHjK9myijy0PFB4lbj8CuAKNd1xsfQp62Sf9jawOVn19HEmZIz034fGQmsF9EYN-xFl7lyYND0nDvr4EYHdcLTZI18lyntousU3WmCh2KsOnjDpWs/s1600/tom-suits-up.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 249px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGDBlfUxogWAGjXmNNT7BK-yAfEmHjK9myijy0PFB4lbj8CuAKNd1xsfQp62Sf9jawOVn19HEmZIz034fGQmsF9EYN-xFl7lyYND0nDvr4EYHdcLTZI18lyntousU3WmCh2KsOnjDpWs/s400/tom-suits-up.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497243594079723426" /></a><br /></div><div>Oddly enough, I had just seen Thom a couple of days before at the inFARMation at the Coast event in Astoria, and he had given me one of his new business cards. Thom is a beekeeper,teacher, prolific blogger, and all-around interesting person. I enjoy when our paths cross, I always learn something. That day I learned that we don't know <i>nearly</i> enough to be the keepers of a bee hive. Thom was remarkably patient with me and my several thousand questions. Packy and I are both looking forward to taking his beekeeping class this winter to hopefully answer a few thousand more.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thom assured me that yes, those were indeed honey bees swarming on the fence. He got a nuc box (which is a sort of temporary hive, 'nuc' is short for nucleus) out of the back of his truck, grabbed what looked like a drafting brush, donned his snappy bee jacket (with attached hood- <i>so</i> cool) and proceeded to pop the box open underneath where the bees were hanging out on the fence and then just <i>brushed</i> great clumps of bees into the box.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCgXAdeLgb2pQLm9p2q0vRPVuisnZ5BsVYcLeavXYEchAyxY45E-OTokm92wpu4Nun5UVlUTiRWnnhimXteQoqrdZlDS-VnNLxVnMX55A9Vf85oGoIulJVCIzf35uHXS8vFN_EP5KnO0/s1600/sweeping-the-bees.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCgXAdeLgb2pQLm9p2q0vRPVuisnZ5BsVYcLeavXYEchAyxY45E-OTokm92wpu4Nun5UVlUTiRWnnhimXteQoqrdZlDS-VnNLxVnMX55A9Vf85oGoIulJVCIzf35uHXS8vFN_EP5KnO0/s400/sweeping-the-bees.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497243762386742242" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KPWpZwzMsEKWZNJVgvZETMQ9Gqak-RWB8j85yLgcOjZ_u7KTno6239QJlA4Fn3qaGvgCEVyCgTppgWaSiwwfw4HoFqGlOa1S0AxB6ykOpQUGRldT-m6PgyvfouVZsTCFiq5yj0sl4Nk/s1600/very-annoyed-bees.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KPWpZwzMsEKWZNJVgvZETMQ9Gqak-RWB8j85yLgcOjZ_u7KTno6239QJlA4Fn3qaGvgCEVyCgTppgWaSiwwfw4HoFqGlOa1S0AxB6ykOpQUGRldT-m6PgyvfouVZsTCFiq5yj0sl4Nk/s400/very-annoyed-bees.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497243894756578754" /></a>The bees were fairly annoyed by this, to say the least. Thom remained very cool, which I guess is something you develop over time as a beekeeper. Thankfully I managed to resist doing the panicky "Oh God there are a Huge Number of Bees Flying Around Me" dance. I just stood as far away as I could get and still see the action. I was wearing a protective hood, and long sleeves and gloves and all,<i> </i>but it was still a bit disconcerting to be that close to that many agitated bees. </div><div><br /></div><div>Very Interesting Bee Fact that I Learned #1: Bees can sense their predators by the carbon dioxide that they exhale, so if you want a bee to stop following you around, hold your breath and back slowly away from it. Good to know.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4nqWCT6m4nTfpn5BQAwxwIHV6qtFcIOkIHGFIvtWLmrtf-TSYZZsjdooPAxIl7HAq7qt2QO9bRu4ZWUmSVMLW7tcXk7HIai0l0bpg9cOUHaa_6Tz-3tiVPJ81M15ZvE0wF2_uRuF4mg/s1600/nuc-box.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 255px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4nqWCT6m4nTfpn5BQAwxwIHV6qtFcIOkIHGFIvtWLmrtf-TSYZZsjdooPAxIl7HAq7qt2QO9bRu4ZWUmSVMLW7tcXk7HIai0l0bpg9cOUHaa_6Tz-3tiVPJ81M15ZvE0wF2_uRuF4mg/s400/nuc-box.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497244028999752482" /></a>Once Thom was sure that the queen bee was in the nuc box, he set the box on the ground near the fence. </div><div><br /></div><div>"The rest of the hive will follow her into the box eventually," he assured me as I looked in worry at the hundreds of bees still lurking on the fence. "They can still scent the hormones she left on the fence, so they're confused, but they will find her."</div><div><br /></div><div>Oddly enough, while Thom was busy wrangling <i>our</i> swarm, I got a call from our friends Jean-Marc and Kathleen, asking me if I happened to know of anyone that could take care of a swarm of bees that had showed up at <i>their</i> house that day.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Weird..." I said to Thom. "Did some secret ultrasonic message go out to all the hives to swarm today?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"No, it's just the first really warm day of the year," he observed. "This always happens. It's not great that the warm weather has come so late this year. It's almost to the point where the new hives won't be able to build up enough food stores for the winter, and you may have to feed them."</div><div><br /></div><div>Very Interesting Bee Fact that I Learned #2: If bees swarm too late in the season, there aren't enough pollen producing plants around to allow them to build up adequate honey stores to last them until the following spring, and unless these hives are provided with additional food, they will probably die.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thus the charming old English poem that Thom recited for me:</div><div><br /></div><div>A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay.</div><div>A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon.</div><div>A swarm of bees in July isn't worth a fly.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, Thom left to go capture Jean-Marc and Kathleen's bees, and told me he would be back later to check on the nuc box and help me move it to a location near the old hive. We set it up on cinder blocks to keep it off the ground because-</div><div><br /></div><div>Very Interesting Bee Fact that I Learned #3: Skunks are a voracious predator of bees, and keeping the hive off the ground can protect it from attack. Skunks will scratch at the entrance to the hive and then eat the adult bees who come out to investigate the disturbance. A hive can be seriously depleted if the skunk isn't stopped, so it was well worth hauling the cinder blocks out to the hive location to provide some extra protection.</div><div><br /></div><div>I woke up the next day feeling pretty happy about the new bee hive, and looking forward to telling Packy all about the excitement. Imagine my consternation late in the day when I looked over and saw this:</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc0Zb2vRuKErMr3JqzLKqVdLMGEgZYFVdcYO6Id2BLkDKxAkEIkaSyAsSr0SVugvrw1K2lLknfHTUTmYZeWeJn7tJfLmHf5vrLdvj171uq7thRrytd-TznF-Xj4HRJZPoTb6dWMXCsgk/s1600/second-swarm-1.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc0Zb2vRuKErMr3JqzLKqVdLMGEgZYFVdcYO6Id2BLkDKxAkEIkaSyAsSr0SVugvrw1K2lLknfHTUTmYZeWeJn7tJfLmHf5vrLdvj171uq7thRrytd-TznF-Xj4HRJZPoTb6dWMXCsgk/s400/second-swarm-1.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497244163401241154" /></a>The bees were back on the fence! In a very cool clumpy shape, true, but what had gone wrong?! </div><div><br /></div><div> I called Thom, who was very puzzled, and theorized that perhaps it was because the hive had been left too close to where they had swarmed to the day before, and that maybe he should just take the swarm back to his place to 'reset' the hive's location, and then bring it back to our farm at a later date.</div><div><br /></div><div>He heroically came out <i>again</i> to our farm to investigate, and did the first thing any curious beekeeper would do, ( I can't <i>believe</i> I didn't do this, such an idiot) he went to look at the nuc box to see if he could tell what went wrong. </div><div><br /></div><div>Which is when he told me:</div><div><br /></div><div>"So, yesterday's bees are still in the nuc box, and look very happy. It looks like your hive has swarmed twice!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Well. I didn't know they did that, but apparently:</div><div><br /></div><div>Very Interesting Bee Fact that I Learned #4: A bee hive can swarm several times in a season. The first time it is the old queen taking off with a large percentage of the worker bees accompanying her after one or more new queens have been born in the hive. Bee hives, much like Wild West towns and their gun slingers, aren't big enough for the both of them. Subsequent swarms would be with another of the virgin queens (I just <i>love</i> beekeeping terminology, so Elizabeth the First) and are usually not as big as the first swarm.</div><div><br /></div><div>This time Thom sprayed the bees with water, which I think he said calmed them down, or at least stopped them from flying. Then out came the drafting brush again, and hive #2 was scraped off the fence into a second nuc box.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKqLZFlcvN1g-55JWzQeIhnp29aCxkkdrhKeZq9oeq_BiQ-IUWekXztmiS12X3vy4uMT6DDhO-QCDNxs035g-x21YPijc64FOk493qdY1yrhpqbDypm4DN5AoVhG4oQ7mx4Lz-BJe9vM/s1600/wetting-down-the-wings.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKqLZFlcvN1g-55JWzQeIhnp29aCxkkdrhKeZq9oeq_BiQ-IUWekXztmiS12X3vy4uMT6DDhO-QCDNxs035g-x21YPijc64FOk493qdY1yrhpqbDypm4DN5AoVhG4oQ7mx4Lz-BJe9vM/s400/wetting-down-the-wings.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497244451487194514" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigS78iqPyvvojaAQbWSuAUczQokRJu1HV6HELOmxaGpiGHuOdGGEKJilKB6GYDyF5XgVzMeJZJQUekQLx_wZwk0LHMmaxnZoYFu29s3o0xIx-c0Mk7fWL3GsU8-bqklCC0kvS8A7AZlLU/s1600/scraping-the-swarm-into-the-box.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigS78iqPyvvojaAQbWSuAUczQokRJu1HV6HELOmxaGpiGHuOdGGEKJilKB6GYDyF5XgVzMeJZJQUekQLx_wZwk0LHMmaxnZoYFu29s3o0xIx-c0Mk7fWL3GsU8-bqklCC0kvS8A7AZlLU/s400/scraping-the-swarm-into-the-box.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497244613273642050" /></a><br />Beekeeping is a huge subject, and a lifetime of study and experience will still probably only scratch the surface. I am humbled to realize how much we need to learn in order to be good stewards of these phenomenal creatures, but I'm very much looking forward to learning it. Bees are just amazing. </div><div><br /></div><div>And Thom is pretty damn amazing too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5tLn7hravKZHwMR0JapCSOjMbBxVJaqhcti_aN37Siv2y26w0y-C1mwArEcHYqidisVrwjoAbUMzCl4e0hFeS8bsniJcSCrDe_zS9IHY9OiG8KNLPibiiBg2DJJepjdEYcrOcW5Qr_Fo/s1600/second-swarm-close-up.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5tLn7hravKZHwMR0JapCSOjMbBxVJaqhcti_aN37Siv2y26w0y-C1mwArEcHYqidisVrwjoAbUMzCl4e0hFeS8bsniJcSCrDe_zS9IHY9OiG8KNLPibiiBg2DJJepjdEYcrOcW5Qr_Fo/s400/second-swarm-close-up.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497244286506252930" /></a><br /><br /></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-62263262353844365572010-06-14T06:59:00.000-07:002010-06-23T14:45:26.270-07:00(Semi) Wild<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiWSSjxDxYouEpI34zzXu-H2F8LjzTnpN7J675aZWQoOBod6NfSe7DM-6QYfZFlKwo0yPkgU3UAkEkJ-KjXqdsln4dug2Q7gE7eS2kzdjqV-HyuhotwFukut64CiVbfG6qnOrfLHbl2k/s1600/eddie+guards+the+greenhouse+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiWSSjxDxYouEpI34zzXu-H2F8LjzTnpN7J675aZWQoOBod6NfSe7DM-6QYfZFlKwo0yPkgU3UAkEkJ-KjXqdsln4dug2Q7gE7eS2kzdjqV-HyuhotwFukut64CiVbfG6qnOrfLHbl2k/s400/eddie+guards+the+greenhouse+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486036102114004786" /></a><br /><div>As a farmer growing flowers and vegetables for a living, I've never gotten very excited about deer, unless is was in a 'hopping up and down in a fury because some <i>#$@%^$ </i>deer had eaten all the sweet pea blooms off the trellis the day before market' kind of way.</div><div><br /></div><div>My life has been full of odd coincidences, and one of my favourite ones is this: before we moved to the Oregon coast, we lived next door to a wildlife rescue and rehab center, <a href="http://www.wildcarebayarea.org/site/PageServer">WildCare</a>. And our biggest neighbour here at 46 North Farm? A wildlife rescue and rehab center, the <a href="http://www.coastwildlife.org/Home.html">Wildlife Center of the North Coast.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Spooky, eh? What does it mean??</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, mostly it means making our peace with the deer. One deer in particular.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT10F1bwLzOnkrULHya-7jfulSJU_olK67WNYllxxMyvafjIYB6F9VAmmqIPcu__9FqfM73QfeGu5epsXFgMZmrlxwS4DLCL28fKskx2u6Rf2DkQVEXbqungsz_m__ogL6mBOOii60saE/s1600/fawn+fawn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 327px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT10F1bwLzOnkrULHya-7jfulSJU_olK67WNYllxxMyvafjIYB6F9VAmmqIPcu__9FqfM73QfeGu5epsXFgMZmrlxwS4DLCL28fKskx2u6Rf2DkQVEXbqungsz_m__ogL6mBOOii60saE/s400/fawn+fawn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486036243847291538" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Meet the (Semi) Wildlife</span></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>One day last winter I was in search of cedar boughs for an arrangement at the <a href="http://www.bluescorcher.com/Scorcher/Blue_Scorcher.html">Blue Scorcher Bakery</a>. I knew that we had a nice big cedar tree growing down along the quiet back pasture of the property, so I grabbed my loppers and saw and set off. As I got closer, I noticed that sitting not six feet from the tree was a large doe calmly contemplating the landscape. Nearby was a younger deer chomping on the grass- not quite a fawn, but not full grown yet. I felt a bit bad about flushing them out, but figured that they would come back as soon as I left, so I walked over to the tree and started lopping and sawing.</div><div><br /></div><div>The deer just sat there calmly watching me, completely unfazed. The younger deer had frozen in that eyes wide, legs splayed pose that clearly says "my very small brain has completely seized up". It gradually went back to eating, cautiously watching me when it saw the older deer was unconcerned. When I walked off, dragging the branches behind me, the doe was still sitting right where I found it.</div><div><br /></div><div>"My god the deer around here are brave," I commented to Packy when I got back to the house. He looked at me with resignation.</div><div>"Wildlife Center," he said.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Meet the Wildlife Center</b></div><div><b><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhRYYoW5RQMq5ozUKIRzIDW1YdSK_CKUPG0KRvL_Hj5B_XMVcS9riSBIE8uA_VYwo2J7AmBHAZjjEI8KTHEwheQmMnM2fUULo_abpUlAyCdkCygQYEFpa_ggvasZw80Y1Fm3zEZNP_Cg/s1600/seed+stomp+1sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhRYYoW5RQMq5ozUKIRzIDW1YdSK_CKUPG0KRvL_Hj5B_XMVcS9riSBIE8uA_VYwo2J7AmBHAZjjEI8KTHEwheQmMnM2fUULo_abpUlAyCdkCygQYEFpa_ggvasZw80Y1Fm3zEZNP_Cg/s400/seed+stomp+1sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486036494142355218" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">A few days later I mentioned the incident to our friends Mark and Kristin who, in addition to being expert buckwheat seed sowers, also volunteer at WCNC.</span></b></div><div>"That must be Fawn Fawn!" Kristin said brightly. Packy was startled.</div><div>"The deer around here have <i>names</i>?! Is this a Disney movie??"</div><div><br /></div><div>It turns out that Fawn Fawn had been brought to the WCNC as a young fawn after having been hit by a car.</div><div>"Her leg was broken, and she was in pretty bad shape," Mark told us. </div><div>They operated on her, fixed her leg, nursed her back to health and then released her. However, during the rehab phase she became <i>very</i> socialized to people, and has chosen to stay in the area. Safety and food are a big draw for deer.</div><div><br /></div><div>We've gotten used to Fawn Fawn being around now. She's easy to recognize with her slightly wonky leg that makes a clicking noise when she runs, and she has a notch in one ear. Plus, the weird friendliness is a dead giveaway.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrjPnhKTa_WSGg1WI68pHoJQiaZIUleer0jxc4gnDwnXC1qQ2IL9Y75Ll4JnV69MxAiOv1wo6tI7LPrIMxqmquYZn0baLhVlRxZrhc6DT5JVD1CJmEoH5SVWZ6yG8wSInskwNqmJAbYA/s1600/fawn+fawn+and++packy+.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrjPnhKTa_WSGg1WI68pHoJQiaZIUleer0jxc4gnDwnXC1qQ2IL9Y75Ll4JnV69MxAiOv1wo6tI7LPrIMxqmquYZn0baLhVlRxZrhc6DT5JVD1CJmEoH5SVWZ6yG8wSInskwNqmJAbYA/s400/fawn+fawn+and++packy+.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486054922116587298" /></a>We later learned from Sharnelle Fee, founder of the WCNC , that Fawn Fawn is close to 11 years old- a remarkably old age for a deer. Also, she appears to be <i>rather</i> promiscuous.</div><div>"Most of the white-tail deer around here are her offspring," Sharnelle informed us with a wry smile. "She gives birth every year, and she often has twins."</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh well, we sighed. We knew we couldn't farm here without fences. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Meet the Proud Godfather</b></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwsFxbVFEqH8MMLsurP23cp5QHEnlCfkD1AbuYn2QTpc4fZLHZ8t9JGqfWNWH149BhlBi4WWYFCf1oSMIEhw6CnXTCzUwrmD55kxHbm4vcEgMr6ol6INVTuo93bCvQ7uv9YQZKo8EUwQ/s1600/fawn+fawn+lurking+by+the+bus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 311px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwsFxbVFEqH8MMLsurP23cp5QHEnlCfkD1AbuYn2QTpc4fZLHZ8t9JGqfWNWH149BhlBi4WWYFCf1oSMIEhw6CnXTCzUwrmD55kxHbm4vcEgMr6ol6INVTuo93bCvQ7uv9YQZKo8EUwQ/s400/fawn+fawn+lurking+by+the+bus.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486052763219169922" /></a><br /></div><div>Many people have noticed that there is a large vintage school bus parked down near the barn on our farm. The full story will have to wait for another post, but the short version is that our friend Israel (Guitar and Ukelele playing <a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2010/06/slow-and-steady.html">Buckwheat Seed Mule</a>) is a (very talented) musician. The <a href="http://blindpilotmusic.wordpress.com/">band</a> he is in had spent a large part of last year touring around the US in a ten-seater van, and they had purchased the bus at the end of their tour with the idea of turning it into a more comfortable home away from home for while they are on the road. </div><div><br /></div><div>What with one thing and another, the bus somehow ended up on our farm, being stripped and gutted and painted and reworked into what is going to be a pretty amazing ride. Sure, Willie Nelson's tour bus runs on bio-diesel, but does it <i>also</i> have salvaged old-growth hard wood floors and hand made bunks? I think not.</div><div><br /></div><div>Most of the bus transformation work is being done by Luke (<a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-step-closer.html">Greenhouse Saving</a> Woodworker and Stand up Base Player Extraordinaire) and Kati (<a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2010/05/progress.html">Row Digging</a> Banjo Player who Wields a Mean Power Drill) with assistance from Ryan (Artistic Painting Drummer who Doesn't Know that he is going to be Roped into Helping Paint the Barn yet) and the afore mentioned multi-skilled Israel.</div><div><br /></div><div>In thanks for our farm supplying the workspace for their Rebuilding the Bus project, the band has been tremendously helpful with our Rebuilding the Farm project, cheerfully pitching in to help us get our farm back up and running. It's been great having them around.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdppfiGPqouijHUC6ZEQj8XDwHwiagJTaFE-g3u6uZxzysYQw2y-NXVNOThG4NMd5Xa6zkNX2O9jPzG4pobIE5eOsiCTxhFvE73tlsfmKM1IS9PKg_AITxy_-3rhbuQTgPGVH7Y1Fl6s/s1600/fawn+fawn+hearts+bp.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdppfiGPqouijHUC6ZEQj8XDwHwiagJTaFE-g3u6uZxzysYQw2y-NXVNOThG4NMd5Xa6zkNX2O9jPzG4pobIE5eOsiCTxhFvE73tlsfmKM1IS9PKg_AITxy_-3rhbuQTgPGVH7Y1Fl6s/s400/fawn+fawn+hearts+bp.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486052927397694642" /></a>The band hadn't been working on the farm for very long before they noticed a rather friendly deer hanging around. Luke was especially charmed, and felt compelled to make closer contact.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'm going to go and hug that deer," he told Kati one day. </div><div><br /></div><div>And so he did.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFWPsbbtSoYxvPiZ6GONnUdzJ8d-dP9yTTSswYUj7db1oX5RO2e6qqkMtqUVPorNoCbmssgcWC2JS3XW7AMJKM4ou5DCzAQEIUqtKAFYUpAs8LpHNbGESD4pyeaJI9EGwKQ3qUOaYygqs/s1600/Luke+%26+Fawn+Fawnsm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFWPsbbtSoYxvPiZ6GONnUdzJ8d-dP9yTTSswYUj7db1oX5RO2e6qqkMtqUVPorNoCbmssgcWC2JS3XW7AMJKM4ou5DCzAQEIUqtKAFYUpAs8LpHNbGESD4pyeaJI9EGwKQ3qUOaYygqs/s400/Luke+%26+Fawn+Fawnsm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486036688235935346" /></a><br />Luke seemed a <i>little</i> disappointed to learn that his close encounter had more to do with Fawn Fawn's social history and less to do with his extraordinarily powerful wildlife communication skills. Still, he and Fawn Fawn have gone on to form an especially close bond, and he gets a very goofy smile on his face when he sees her.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Meet the Kids</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Luke's sister Renia (Professional <a href="http://www.wwoof.org/">WWOOFER</a> and Accordian Playing Animal Whisperer) met Fawn Fawn for the first time when she came out for the <a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2010/05/progress.html">greenhouse frame building-row digging day.</a></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdG15sx4PLECsY6wku64l2GgZs3TuB6YC-2iNeEByVNrd_c46krpkmmWdEb8DVT2KRooCJJvgj5w-Nllhm87OKOh2MLy1QROPpM1XUNLsx0XAuaEwg5PiMM8-4Qeqi0YDPVDcwUVNy94/s1600/fawn+fawn+pregnant.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 315px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdG15sx4PLECsY6wku64l2GgZs3TuB6YC-2iNeEByVNrd_c46krpkmmWdEb8DVT2KRooCJJvgj5w-Nllhm87OKOh2MLy1QROPpM1XUNLsx0XAuaEwg5PiMM8-4Qeqi0YDPVDcwUVNy94/s400/fawn+fawn+pregnant.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486053382582311522" /></a>"That is one very pregnant deer," she observed.</div><div>"Oh. My. <i>God</i>." said Packy. "That little tramp!"</div><div><br /></div><div>A few days later our paths crossed with Luke and Kati down by the barn.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Fawn Fawn had fawns!" Luke told us, beaming. "Twins!"</div><div>"We almost stepped on them when we went over to see Fawn Fawn yesterday. They were curled up in the tall grass, hiding. They are <i>so</i> sweet!" Kati said.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIEh3XLKAtjeou20aTc5RLjfCXGacfabMf7HjFj84tlwkrmxlIJIFdHvDzka0UEvrZby_6zHTCLT8AhqR38umeHnsYJyoEJ9jbAJ2IvhJkr468yZFd8WWXpGJJKsnmZrwKIZVjCKvtzM/s1600/fawn+in+the+grass.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIEh3XLKAtjeou20aTc5RLjfCXGacfabMf7HjFj84tlwkrmxlIJIFdHvDzka0UEvrZby_6zHTCLT8AhqR38umeHnsYJyoEJ9jbAJ2IvhJkr468yZFd8WWXpGJJKsnmZrwKIZVjCKvtzM/s400/fawn+in+the+grass.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486053667372397810" /></a><br />We all agreed that little fawns all covered in white spots are shockingly cute. There was a collective wish that this story not follow the Bambi plot line.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizmLm_vdijB6tSBe7dtpcjzFgSW7e-z9YL-_2WTIcSktpnZpzxt6-ZnyoeFnF7E2lp0RuJRLcMwHC72YUwXuynfLDDsFHeQBJKWHVcpa9L6XE5C6uPV5LzBlA2RDRrKL-6l8Vueyy5nA/s1600/Fawn+Fawn+%26+the+Fawns+1+crop.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizmLm_vdijB6tSBe7dtpcjzFgSW7e-z9YL-_2WTIcSktpnZpzxt6-ZnyoeFnF7E2lp0RuJRLcMwHC72YUwXuynfLDDsFHeQBJKWHVcpa9L6XE5C6uPV5LzBlA2RDRrKL-6l8Vueyy5nA/s400/Fawn+Fawn+%26+the+Fawns+1+crop.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486055228960241410" /></a><br /></div><div>I have to say, it has been great fun watching these two as they romp around the farm, bounding through the tall grass like oversized bunny rabbits. The family is usually accompanied by another doe- probably Fawn Fawn's fawn from last year. We have dubbed her 'The Au Pair'.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2K1sadsi7bMShhSzpXxxZJkU0DZ0BCgj1ZmmTVXt1PPlS1cF7sGJfBDafzRQF4UQ02zcgGk8eEr8hAvd039qZGbP0VSz4wEY93dmE7D4gutcLuOyNiqTiuMUzL-ItdP6_U_uG75Bx40/s1600/gang+of+five+cropped.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 335px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2K1sadsi7bMShhSzpXxxZJkU0DZ0BCgj1ZmmTVXt1PPlS1cF7sGJfBDafzRQF4UQ02zcgGk8eEr8hAvd039qZGbP0VSz4wEY93dmE7D4gutcLuOyNiqTiuMUzL-ItdP6_U_uG75Bx40/s400/gang+of+five+cropped.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486055629574714242" /></a><br />There are occasional turf wars and minor skirmishes with other groups of deer in the area, especially the Gang of Five (see above) that shows up with some regularity. Fawn Fawn usually makes short work of them if they get too close to her tribe. She may be a bit dim, but she knows where her boundaries are.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOLK1YJMrouoipVFYE9QK-P3DHj-Ai3bsmFUmvvHhmhYlpxQvMhyNaoXguvkM-CXTDGB3t0PjBLWIP7WFidBJSDsQ4fg7ijGI4NNp89GJVU6q_OyVNqdAjiG0L_Vp9GKGT5BDFzRQ5aA/s1600/Fawn+Fawn+%26+the+Fawns+2+crop.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOLK1YJMrouoipVFYE9QK-P3DHj-Ai3bsmFUmvvHhmhYlpxQvMhyNaoXguvkM-CXTDGB3t0PjBLWIP7WFidBJSDsQ4fg7ijGI4NNp89GJVU6q_OyVNqdAjiG0L_Vp9GKGT5BDFzRQ5aA/s400/Fawn+Fawn+%26+the+Fawns+2+crop.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485971966924032114" /></a><br /></div><div>I can't say that Fawn Fawn is the best parent. She seems pretty casual about the whole thing, and I'm trying to not get attached to the outcome of this four-legged soap opera. In the last month there have been a number of hair raising 'Oh God They're Crossing the Highway' moments as Fawn Fawn casually strolls the family over the road to the forest across the way. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1DaXOzVaC1OBbRb-5U0VpEiI-GlKgNGRE0TPk4QNAFzyagrIXi-_PzDvQzxS_hwcUjSRWi_bOsizUSla2SUB-ghqMe3-MwdRsKcQgWqDkPOusEpoEVh-2aVLrFMyKgfqd-8v3hgF8MzE/s1600/deer+proofing+the+greenhouse+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1DaXOzVaC1OBbRb-5U0VpEiI-GlKgNGRE0TPk4QNAFzyagrIXi-_PzDvQzxS_hwcUjSRWi_bOsizUSla2SUB-ghqMe3-MwdRsKcQgWqDkPOusEpoEVh-2aVLrFMyKgfqd-8v3hgF8MzE/s400/deer+proofing+the+greenhouse+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485972592619739602" /></a><br /></div><div>We are finding ways to protect the plants that really need protecting, resignedly watching the occasional pruning of the ones we can't protect, and waiting until we get a fence built before we plant anything that we can't afford to loose. Packy added a layer of deer netting to the greenhouse doorways after watching the Fawn Fawn gang casually stroll right on through one day, fortunately before there were any plants inside.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCR4nOjucd63ZNAUiGoW1SwToX7xDJYK3e8EwDROxmOhurEL42InzYfjlIPaH1b265I3bXTjiXfA8GWM8F7JNuciBv87zxA7cPmogCaH8Y9LV46e77CpmJZQ01CGtHXMIoGkI4BZYghrQ/s1600/trio+with+bus+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCR4nOjucd63ZNAUiGoW1SwToX7xDJYK3e8EwDROxmOhurEL42InzYfjlIPaH1b265I3bXTjiXfA8GWM8F7JNuciBv87zxA7cPmogCaH8Y9LV46e77CpmJZQ01CGtHXMIoGkI4BZYghrQ/s400/trio+with+bus+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485972363053381618" /></a></div><div>We know we share this piece of land with a lot of wildlife, some semi-wildlife, and even some musicians (who aren't <i>too</i> wild), and finding balance between everything here is part of the challenge, and part of the fun.</div><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50KQbQE0pC5q62sC_Z9oPx1GtE8tw5fvPFoJTlEx1lwcJ-RaZQ1ueeSQJK5kyWoDZ3P-rk10ITVO209eAfs1az70jfATTJgY2WpYCQKms8hXK4CDdu5dXOo_Z2B5y7QWbpIhEMKBg8hA/s1600/fawn,+cropped.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 297px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50KQbQE0pC5q62sC_Z9oPx1GtE8tw5fvPFoJTlEx1lwcJ-RaZQ1ueeSQJK5kyWoDZ3P-rk10ITVO209eAfs1az70jfATTJgY2WpYCQKms8hXK4CDdu5dXOo_Z2B5y7QWbpIhEMKBg8hA/s400/fawn,+cropped.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485972826867496418" /></a>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-34116251623915155552010-06-10T09:15:00.000-07:002010-06-13T23:13:00.845-07:00Slow and Steady<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEKWpOS7_0fgFavHYMdEA11BmuH1mfL_ibKICSsc9nbLPtO28UECEx_aiQ5kOXA0WPS0ZxH29sNuNlNQwC9rzPFSwVahzjBGKHwhFm_kld4yJjzgLW4dpM9AdMwtHnMw21oRH3RMBeig/s1600/walking+down+the+road.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 301px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEKWpOS7_0fgFavHYMdEA11BmuH1mfL_ibKICSsc9nbLPtO28UECEx_aiQ5kOXA0WPS0ZxH29sNuNlNQwC9rzPFSwVahzjBGKHwhFm_kld4yJjzgLW4dpM9AdMwtHnMw21oRH3RMBeig/s400/walking+down+the+road.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482481150435659346" /><br /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div>Well, the weather has been a challenge this spring: wet, wet, and more wet. It has hampered our 'Rebuilding the Farm' project a bit, but we at least are still making progress, so that's something.<div><br /></div><div>The greenhouse got sidetracked by a dreaded case of 'Baker's Elbow'. Packy has been hampered by an elbow stress injury brought on by long days of his enthusiastic bread making technique. A visit to the fabulous Donna Bdzil at <a href="http://www.pnwot.com/index.html">Pacific Northwest Occupational Therapy</a> has him wearing an assortment of braces and doing fun exercises involving ice and heat and strange hand gestures, all of which are amusing as hell to watch, and also seem to be helping. (Years ago Donna helped me recover from a broken wrist, and a more recent bent finger-problem. She is a wonderful local resource for those of us in physical, injury prone jobs.) </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8iHzrg1v8_EsrIY3O0Sfb5VSJeZaoJd9pFh6_xmA7XKpjglfAPntbmOu_txvsNCxnpcSeXe-X1xLCfLjT67KQ_1cHeDsqQ8YJqfRLXNu7JAG77os6nPDKFLe4XT3Y3NGYLv9U617djo/s1600/Bakers+Elbow+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 325px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8iHzrg1v8_EsrIY3O0Sfb5VSJeZaoJd9pFh6_xmA7XKpjglfAPntbmOu_txvsNCxnpcSeXe-X1xLCfLjT67KQ_1cHeDsqQ8YJqfRLXNu7JAG77os6nPDKFLe4XT3Y3NGYLv9U617djo/s400/Bakers+Elbow+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481296685446256498" /></a><br /></div><div>The Elbow Issue has provided an endless supply of "we miss your buns" jokes over at the Blue Scorcher as Packy has taken a wee baking break for the last couple of weeks.</div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, I had agreed to host a North Coast Slow Food potluck at our farm, and with the way that the weather was going, it looked like we really needed the greenhouse to be finished. There was no way a completely outdoor gathering was going to be possible, and we weren't sure how many people could fit into the house. I could see the 'deer in the headlights' look in Packy's eyes when I asked him about the chances of the greenhouse being a useable social space in time...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISr39a5y3KrMYKUbB-q4H5HS9dhqI05qiTaVAqR6MkDqed33raQn47NMjeUc3ODyJzerAX1rmPP0MRiMaevD8T9Qvd4WKuhcVR6JEl3bQ4WpCO-ustnLPCxsuMwesxM3NW1Dvc5Z3ikc/s1600/luke+helps+.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISr39a5y3KrMYKUbB-q4H5HS9dhqI05qiTaVAqR6MkDqed33raQn47NMjeUc3ODyJzerAX1rmPP0MRiMaevD8T9Qvd4WKuhcVR6JEl3bQ4WpCO-ustnLPCxsuMwesxM3NW1Dvc5Z3ikc/s400/luke+helps+.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482480409401412130" /></a><br />Fortunately our friend Luke stepped in to help. His impressive woodworking skills combined with his unflappable cheerfulness even in phenomenally muddy circumstances helped make up for Packy's injured slow-pokey-ness, and together they got the structure to a good enough point where it could host a group of hungry local food enthusiasts. All that skill <i>and</i> a mean stand-up base player as well. Luke is pretty awe-inspiring.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, back to that Slow Food Thing. Do you know about <a href="http://www.slowfood.com/">Slow Food</a>? It's a great organization, in spite of it's reputation as a magnet for snooty foodie types. They do great work in promoting good, fair, clean and local food all over the world, and there has long been talk of the need for a chapter (or convivium, to use their lingo) here on the Oregon coast. This gathering was the third of a series of exploratory potlucks to gauge the enthusiasm for starting a group here. The first two were down in Cannon Beach, so our farm was asked to host this one as a way of spreading the socializing out over the whole area we hoped to draw from. (South Washington Coast to Tillamook.) </div><div><br /></div><div>Since everyone would be coming to a Farm in Process I thought it would be fun to incorporate a Farm Project into the day's events, so we decided to have a Buckwheat Seed Stomp to get our cover crop seed sown over the beautiful bit of land that Dan the Brushtamer had tilled up a few weeks ago. We don't have a roller and can't afford to buy one, and you really do need to have the seed pressed into the ground to encourage good germination and hopefully to prevent the birds from eating it all. Many people sowing and walking the seed into the ground can do the job too.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was a bit of a last minute idea, so there was a scramble to buy 100lbs of buckwheat seed in time. Fortunately the wonderful Naomi of <a href="http://naomisorganic.blogspot.com/">Naomi's Organic Farm Supply</a> in Portland had seeds in stock.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CrlpD-FmpvTDU8grjXuBac6SPufglHKwgrU-9WQNidBna1YS0SQXGOQCk_XWAvcWfWq0Ikgm1fiNEhm3EJ_zO75O9_2PiF5AwPa6UrPMzHpuJ0h1NIQBMJS7xbLQcTS9Xxu_P3Bj7AQ/s1600/seed+mule+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CrlpD-FmpvTDU8grjXuBac6SPufglHKwgrU-9WQNidBna1YS0SQXGOQCk_XWAvcWfWq0Ikgm1fiNEhm3EJ_zO75O9_2PiF5AwPa6UrPMzHpuJ0h1NIQBMJS7xbLQcTS9Xxu_P3Bj7AQ/s400/seed+mule+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481299430695720066" /></a><div>Our friend Israel agreed to be our seed mule for the journey back from Portland, since we didn't have time to go into the Big City ourselves. (Although we've really got to get in and check Naomi's place out, it sounds great.)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53EHrvjWvQkP13neELXQwWjQIUznGJoje9ylEMQfsQivWi5aUCsM65S92CYNG7QxDQ6QiqvYfAf8iwfqw-e_0RrbZWXgRNYlBURHEBW4h3-P4DZeW2BZeXUJt3ZvwHsX6Wpjhs2wno0s/s1600/seed+stomp+7+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53EHrvjWvQkP13neELXQwWjQIUznGJoje9ylEMQfsQivWi5aUCsM65S92CYNG7QxDQ6QiqvYfAf8iwfqw-e_0RrbZWXgRNYlBURHEBW4h3-P4DZeW2BZeXUJt3ZvwHsX6Wpjhs2wno0s/s400/seed+stomp+7+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481297818588314066" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div>Did I mention that it had been raining off and on all week? Saturday was beautiful and sunny, but Sunday morning was gloomy and grey, and it poured down rain. It let up by the afternoon, but the whole place was still a bit soggy, except the soil we needed to sow the seeds on- it drains great. I love that soil.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCFf1DP9wB-sOSsCMWldGmqMv0EHRmwci_KGa405_kSSJO9QCkV2ekV3oZWCuL4dgelDpKwX1UMaKLslrBtv1cdRpSyvdU3R7E65YdtWZCU-XliIY1HqM89uOU9fSPM3RiSuqAfS9bdQ/s1600/seed+stomp+11+sm.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCFf1DP9wB-sOSsCMWldGmqMv0EHRmwci_KGa405_kSSJO9QCkV2ekV3oZWCuL4dgelDpKwX1UMaKLslrBtv1cdRpSyvdU3R7E65YdtWZCU-XliIY1HqM89uOU9fSPM3RiSuqAfS9bdQ/s400/seed+stomp+11+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481298143875536450" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div>Hank of Wavecrest Inn fame in Cannon Beach gave a stylish demonstration of seed sowing (you can take the boy off the farm...) and everyone grabbed buckets of seed and took to the project with great enthusiasm.</div><div><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBFSkFqip__kJrsVeJaUUn3zadDrVz2FXnC_AT2NjcWpT0hPr5F2uU9xf9knQpzK78efU81Cqyqf0yeY6_uZcTI9NRRDS72EsBG4NwvZS2D-KldZm7TQtsJ98Xz9ZElkKYwv03JyoUkQ/s1600/seed+stomp+5sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBFSkFqip__kJrsVeJaUUn3zadDrVz2FXnC_AT2NjcWpT0hPr5F2uU9xf9knQpzK78efU81Cqyqf0yeY6_uZcTI9NRRDS72EsBG4NwvZS2D-KldZm7TQtsJ98Xz9ZElkKYwv03JyoUkQ/s400/seed+stomp+5sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481297710566410546" /></a>It was fascinating to see all the different sowing techniques- some were very fast and free-form, others were very slow and methodical, but they all got the job done.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikagPDcKE0K5SRf4MgoPwzYb4p-aCaRQyHIEqVQZlG0Z7nr-pqfrYpLi1zvlOOTwOv4_7CPvNO-rv0RXUxgr-NW9nJBK2Nm-xm04Rqu-JUik5k-bfpFGFVMkgUHJ0k8bQhvfynlxukeOw/s1600/seed+stomp+6sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikagPDcKE0K5SRf4MgoPwzYb4p-aCaRQyHIEqVQZlG0Z7nr-pqfrYpLi1zvlOOTwOv4_7CPvNO-rv0RXUxgr-NW9nJBK2Nm-xm04Rqu-JUik5k-bfpFGFVMkgUHJ0k8bQhvfynlxukeOw/s400/seed+stomp+6sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481299625658237810" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2Ne7wpVR14vwmKhfZUGGUX2zQHIqnDvDIH6x9EDaZ0Tt0sSQi0BkRUBJ-8dGdImRJ_gdywipi9iQemNix3ZPViVy0fzGoe6ykOnrUEJ3pnSJKqyIoCydgOkKwVw3WuV87ldohe0ljW4/s1600/seed+stomp+10sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2Ne7wpVR14vwmKhfZUGGUX2zQHIqnDvDIH6x9EDaZ0Tt0sSQi0BkRUBJ-8dGdImRJ_gdywipi9iQemNix3ZPViVy0fzGoe6ykOnrUEJ3pnSJKqyIoCydgOkKwVw3WuV87ldohe0ljW4/s400/seed+stomp+10sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481298261478132450" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9vRKm9nkXajgftMBfNpdaA5JGCXjAS7K3zf1vvez5AlNHYAtv9A31Nc1Ju-OlDlYlfFDFXfEkIJ7Iq1cREM-0-eima5A8AbZO9y8Gy2xGMpMEjKgYlNd8h7SUMrK6Nd5wPYCppAQsMo/s1600/seed+stomp+9sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT9vRKm9nkXajgftMBfNpdaA5JGCXjAS7K3zf1vvez5AlNHYAtv9A31Nc1Ju-OlDlYlfFDFXfEkIJ7Iq1cREM-0-eima5A8AbZO9y8Gy2xGMpMEjKgYlNd8h7SUMrK6Nd5wPYCppAQsMo/s400/seed+stomp+9sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481298042703679122" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKjLujYKQB9lv_G9gj1_0OVr4GZfPchgpUFWt_cRHTN3tx7NAMBNG0O6pc35bNoXApXmdzyw9Yw2jxkt5fBL_HgCANdxsgaoC3cE1_dJFBPoMUYmboMFf3d5wnQlb0OkyNzkIccoo4Gc/s1600/seed+stomp+8sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKjLujYKQB9lv_G9gj1_0OVr4GZfPchgpUFWt_cRHTN3tx7NAMBNG0O6pc35bNoXApXmdzyw9Yw2jxkt5fBL_HgCANdxsgaoC3cE1_dJFBPoMUYmboMFf3d5wnQlb0OkyNzkIccoo4Gc/s400/seed+stomp+8sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481297943813428434" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8a-a_6Dug0bxzIj7D_WD40aXCjgH4y_vPDt6V_MBUnJ8KGdkA-83VOO-9aD4BLUILWcR6wZIb1sYQU2F2Kjt_ARglP0Wx2HLGdLaP2anqc5U3bOepiaslOLZMlVXRsDL_rPyZNHGCWBY/s1600/Carla+Buckwheat+Jig+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8a-a_6Dug0bxzIj7D_WD40aXCjgH4y_vPDt6V_MBUnJ8KGdkA-83VOO-9aD4BLUILWcR6wZIb1sYQU2F2Kjt_ARglP0Wx2HLGdLaP2anqc5U3bOepiaslOLZMlVXRsDL_rPyZNHGCWBY/s400/Carla+Buckwheat+Jig+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482480845936295874" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZVtx7NHpyeHQqnO9S7zA0Ufj2RfKISMe6A0EBk72q6YniMg3kRzFPIn0CjgGlN1_EZSyAduhul6AcuNaspbyu01jFXnCTS-2IdPUHkjriNExOOJKbiOepKDsvray5SHwf_WHpFG1bnc/s1600/seed+stomp+4sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZVtx7NHpyeHQqnO9S7zA0Ufj2RfKISMe6A0EBk72q6YniMg3kRzFPIn0CjgGlN1_EZSyAduhul6AcuNaspbyu01jFXnCTS-2IdPUHkjriNExOOJKbiOepKDsvray5SHwf_WHpFG1bnc/s400/seed+stomp+4sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481297579871144578" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpZcUw94YCdG4zAAB4_QIxqZys3-EQHecmXJmxtJ_tWgQgKi4uwlgl3ltr8nu431gsuqSDsm0ZtNqYQd9OXYxrTKIebnM5Tx8HjHS-17PGAEcNcmMPguh1hQvmKtqYLHatQ9wif2_axc/s1600/seed+stomp+1sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpZcUw94YCdG4zAAB4_QIxqZys3-EQHecmXJmxtJ_tWgQgKi4uwlgl3ltr8nu431gsuqSDsm0ZtNqYQd9OXYxrTKIebnM5Tx8HjHS-17PGAEcNcmMPguh1hQvmKtqYLHatQ9wif2_axc/s400/seed+stomp+1sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481297450130448882" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvmSd-RuSyjendnyyXkK82LcQXt37ew-bV6UEGOXYee0LUO4_x7_uK_hyW6eBe4XGcb6KrgeBZ9xJ3I5NyDQXLNhM-Xd_RBV_M-VpICdLfs5gdPnjB5Rvq01WIlmWvNOjXe_klIRLIx0/s1600/Back+to+the+Greenhouse.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvmSd-RuSyjendnyyXkK82LcQXt37ew-bV6UEGOXYee0LUO4_x7_uK_hyW6eBe4XGcb6KrgeBZ9xJ3I5NyDQXLNhM-Xd_RBV_M-VpICdLfs5gdPnjB5Rvq01WIlmWvNOjXe_klIRLIx0/s400/Back+to+the+Greenhouse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482497542218781282" /></a><br />Then it was back to the greenhouse for one of the Best Potlucks Ever. The crab cakes from Ginger's R-evolution Gardens were a big hit, and there was a lot of buzz about the Rosemary Chocolate Cake Thing from Neal and Carolyn, formerly of Lola's Fine Foods in Seaside. (We all miss Lola's tremendously since they had to close, and are desperately trying to find a way to get these folks back into a commercial kitchen on the coast.)</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8d6Qtcrtr_uNnyqeFYxKIiHjmkGT-J5lXk_xfrlnHRk_j9dxBBp4JYaqbv1zEXJStT_DzvbQb5EZ5qaL6bKm56ip1rLXt1qVKkgWaKfoW9-GKlChTR_6iE4Z4rchy2leHVAvyRtQTIOQ/s1600/Slow+Food.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8d6Qtcrtr_uNnyqeFYxKIiHjmkGT-J5lXk_xfrlnHRk_j9dxBBp4JYaqbv1zEXJStT_DzvbQb5EZ5qaL6bKm56ip1rLXt1qVKkgWaKfoW9-GKlChTR_6iE4Z4rchy2leHVAvyRtQTIOQ/s400/Slow+Food.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481297330663056482" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfBLw_OhA5S0fZBk8HUuRmPYYpg_9F2lALTdNs5hyphenhyphenJeQjDNtBSL5PmK25ASQlEt9QCY8fEqEpMsWA0T1FYk3L90tNIKcBVQCqNcyIkb8KiWGcFfdQ6UJ9JXy8ndBHJTg0tTn-kssfCP4/s1600/potluck+3sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfBLw_OhA5S0fZBk8HUuRmPYYpg_9F2lALTdNs5hyphenhyphenJeQjDNtBSL5PmK25ASQlEt9QCY8fEqEpMsWA0T1FYk3L90tNIKcBVQCqNcyIkb8KiWGcFfdQ6UJ9JXy8ndBHJTg0tTn-kssfCP4/s400/potluck+3sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481297177123430418" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOC9nvCh73Br-dTMwxg4YlIHzRvRDW2ArrEAfxNzFLH5KJrO3l88nOikHi9ojjDN2503ZW9f8lo57pZTAYQ6nIqXpAT5AEf5_cODnRxAye4zr-WzEXKcTMdaVbGL1ASEaFDM7awKcR7hI/s1600/potluck+2sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOC9nvCh73Br-dTMwxg4YlIHzRvRDW2ArrEAfxNzFLH5KJrO3l88nOikHi9ojjDN2503ZW9f8lo57pZTAYQ6nIqXpAT5AEf5_cODnRxAye4zr-WzEXKcTMdaVbGL1ASEaFDM7awKcR7hI/s400/potluck+2sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481297044005361426" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ADouaisKfHwK8l7rVhPcWUy8h7pQzrkEcjsOEh5YUazFYqSvBRTsN7EHzjKjARTN2I-c0gVLEfeMDxJV0qAmhomh3sLtYnKh0mR4YWo4MUhkBpV55Gzsk-VTuh7FhdaBA_mhdnFplO0/s1600/Crab+Cakes+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 323px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ADouaisKfHwK8l7rVhPcWUy8h7pQzrkEcjsOEh5YUazFYqSvBRTsN7EHzjKjARTN2I-c0gVLEfeMDxJV0qAmhomh3sLtYnKh0mR4YWo4MUhkBpV55Gzsk-VTuh7FhdaBA_mhdnFplO0/s400/Crab+Cakes+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481296874767592722" /></a><br /></div><div>It was a great gathering, and we were honored to have so many local growers show up, like Hank from Lunasea Gardens in Nehalem, Jeff and Nicole from Kingfisher Farm in Nehalem, The Fabulous Ginger from R-evolution Gardens and Fred Johnson of Homegrown Farm in Naselle. (We farmers are a curious lot, and it is always fun to go check out someone else's soil.) The idea that people won't travel very far for this kind of thing was shot down with the arrival of the group from Food Roots down in Tillamook, and it was fun to see a mix of ages (not quite 2 to 81 years) all tucking into a great feast. The goat enthusiasts met with the cheese making enthusiasts, there was recipe swapping, and old friends catching up with one another. I met lots of fascinating people, got to connect with people I don't get to see much anymore, ate some of the best food I've ever tasted, and the conclusion, when we made our pitch for 'Should we be an official Slow Food group or not?' was a resounding YES. </div><div><br /></div><div>So stay tuned for more about the soon to be official North Coast Slow Food Convivium. I believe the next gathering will be down south again- there are rumors of a pig roast on the beach next... I can't wait!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-48583483678707941262010-05-24T19:59:00.000-07:002010-05-25T20:18:49.981-07:00One Step CloserIt's going slowly, but fingers crossed we will have a fully re-built greenhouse by the end of this weekend. I can hardly believe it. <div><br /></div><div>Really, you should stretch the plastic on a warm, sunny day so that it will pull as tight as possible, but with the way this spring is going, warm, sunny days are hard to find. We decided to opt for stretching it on the day when we had warm, helpful friends available to help wrestle the 50' sheet of plastic into place instead. </div><div><br /></div><div>Many thanks to Joe, Luke, Katie, Sam and Martin for their plastic-wrangling!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8IP_NEbGIhyHmI-gdq9QE_BUblYoDABWLd41I-QYT6Lzs_LwCeMl64wEtM_aqhZe71i_bUcLWjlqdO77EXd8azmbXg8Hmkzjtx5yqgSxbG4fVpge3SGEkNtNaBM1bqDqJ9wV2A-l4X8/s1600/greenhouse+plastic+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8IP_NEbGIhyHmI-gdq9QE_BUblYoDABWLd41I-QYT6Lzs_LwCeMl64wEtM_aqhZe71i_bUcLWjlqdO77EXd8azmbXg8Hmkzjtx5yqgSxbG4fVpge3SGEkNtNaBM1bqDqJ9wV2A-l4X8/s400/greenhouse+plastic+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475373942683660034" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCb0bC863YuUD9iewzv9B9cjQEuzpsig3M29uL2sq89OareGaBRuuk9gRdrGzXcBiswKoPzBWihreeeLPtXLJz0niYZUFtAhEClgXU0Yq1cNHYIACRp2uL1uSce1Z8GH1LtyvEyf6FjAo/s1600/greenhouse+plastic+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCb0bC863YuUD9iewzv9B9cjQEuzpsig3M29uL2sq89OareGaBRuuk9gRdrGzXcBiswKoPzBWihreeeLPtXLJz0niYZUFtAhEClgXU0Yq1cNHYIACRp2uL1uSce1Z8GH1LtyvEyf6FjAo/s400/greenhouse+plastic+4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475374156847892402" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnjAcj6e2BiojB3dn_n1F5XkqytnO5Ra_tNEPnekvA7TX7p67impUQSnGBML3oqVhthoWM7F_Vu5LHUsjaFuj4yk6GH4hwVcWxJRntqbbnbSC6N3JlUVkR-B9MRSeqbwVxnXclf1EZ40/s1600/greenhouse+plastic+5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnjAcj6e2BiojB3dn_n1F5XkqytnO5Ra_tNEPnekvA7TX7p67impUQSnGBML3oqVhthoWM7F_Vu5LHUsjaFuj4yk6GH4hwVcWxJRntqbbnbSC6N3JlUVkR-B9MRSeqbwVxnXclf1EZ40/s400/greenhouse+plastic+5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475374308584129538" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgle1jTadMtJJGel-5WMihyTJjVrMv1DDive8evQgY8KCepirt56QTs9vPkw5h4CGmAiwzD4DEdN6e_lFapbWJ5wOWfIQVom-9znYTtvBRT5EZYO7NAeRyH1Y2OWge9R1RWslXFzQWZh1I/s1600/greenhouse+plastic+7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgle1jTadMtJJGel-5WMihyTJjVrMv1DDive8evQgY8KCepirt56QTs9vPkw5h4CGmAiwzD4DEdN6e_lFapbWJ5wOWfIQVom-9znYTtvBRT5EZYO7NAeRyH1Y2OWge9R1RWslXFzQWZh1I/s400/greenhouse+plastic+7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475374475376253746" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8QKIXd7LUpV88TrZQZqtHbNkOkyO7vRpcrPSxCjnyBzjw1msp8lTdZ2YwxAbXez8C3CHoU957nS7VTv9g6eaYsJETQ-jrh7n4UTXQB6NNVtQmOG74PfuK7woQCNiXSx91gM6ugF41uU/s1600/greenhouse+plastic+8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8QKIXd7LUpV88TrZQZqtHbNkOkyO7vRpcrPSxCjnyBzjw1msp8lTdZ2YwxAbXez8C3CHoU957nS7VTv9g6eaYsJETQ-jrh7n4UTXQB6NNVtQmOG74PfuK7woQCNiXSx91gM6ugF41uU/s400/greenhouse+plastic+8.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475374611305671666" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYEKLYx3mHtBF8W_1I88GD4qqAL0A4UNJRkqBU2CjDvaOFa5Kfi0fTfwXSApZLhpx3akErOme2qWfmlQ4JWi_UhzLizPvPFPh1aD235rSDD08OEDNrEyhhe2lqVT2jLGKA1igJtk9v2s/s1600/greenhouse+plastic+9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYEKLYx3mHtBF8W_1I88GD4qqAL0A4UNJRkqBU2CjDvaOFa5Kfi0fTfwXSApZLhpx3akErOme2qWfmlQ4JWi_UhzLizPvPFPh1aD235rSDD08OEDNrEyhhe2lqVT2jLGKA1igJtk9v2s/s400/greenhouse+plastic+9.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475374755293631138" /></a><br />The plants cannot <i>wait </i>to move in....Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-64270645961746147392010-05-18T05:36:00.000-07:002010-05-20T07:52:30.759-07:00Progress<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fY-ZtFURI88dACn-UEOM-CKvbS1OUOteqR87wJGVwkkD2IaRur8dU-BaIzg-omjsZf6mn6ZC-F6QhsgOpUu3jd7x7Xoza0JlCue2k-Ao7Sjab8dBV9CT7iZPOZOJSlp3Hvs2zdRENts/s1600/Farm+View+5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fY-ZtFURI88dACn-UEOM-CKvbS1OUOteqR87wJGVwkkD2IaRur8dU-BaIzg-omjsZf6mn6ZC-F6QhsgOpUu3jd7x7Xoza0JlCue2k-Ao7Sjab8dBV9CT7iZPOZOJSlp3Hvs2zdRENts/s400/Farm+View+5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473028530569486354" /></a>It has been very weird these last two Sundays, <i>not</i> loading up the van and heading off to the Astoria Sunday Market. The feeling is a sort of mash up of the 'I think I've forgotten a meeting I'm supposed to be at' panic, and the feeling I had when I mistakenly showed up a day late for a flight to Thailand. Something just doesn't feel quite right, and I'm really supposed to be somewhere else right now.<div><br /></div><div>We've had calls and e mails from customers wondering where we are, and although it's really nice to be missed, and everyone is being very kind and understanding, we would rather be at the markets. Still, it's all for a good reason.<div><br /></div><div>I'm happy to report that we are at least making progress on our massive and daunting Farm To Do List. Each step takes us closer to being up and running as a real farm again, and closer to being back at all our great local farmers markets. Thanks to some recent just-long-enough breaks in the weather and tremendous help from some wonderful friends, much needed tilling, bed shaping, soil testing, painting and greenhouse rebuilding has taken place on 46 North Farm.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's the round up of what we've been doing in the small amount of time we have between the Real Jobs and Sleep:</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Fun with Tractors!</span></i></b></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBYT0f3gugUMBeOQ4Xo6TskvQ3fbfe2Bbtbu5pwSb1SIGEmluYEAREujdUybj9HWoaZvclUhf3hpRaVGkFVkfLcksjeHiw24Kvy7-MtrwArZPLZHN_CuPbzCbVIuZQ0JK61XXSsu201s/s1600/Dan+the+Brushtamer.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBYT0f3gugUMBeOQ4Xo6TskvQ3fbfe2Bbtbu5pwSb1SIGEmluYEAREujdUybj9HWoaZvclUhf3hpRaVGkFVkfLcksjeHiw24Kvy7-MtrwArZPLZHN_CuPbzCbVIuZQ0JK61XXSsu201s/s400/Dan+the+Brushtamer.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473024366129265186" /></a>Tilling is tricky. To avoid compaction, the soil needs to not be <i>too</i> wet, and this has been a very wet spring. It was a little borderline, but we knew more rain was coming, so our good friend Dan the Brushtamer brought his tractor over and did a heroic amount of tilling during the bit of sunny weather we had this past weekend. We now have two soil tests on their way to the lab which will give us a good baseline understanding of the soil we will be working with here.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HyT4rhhkwqj5OV1q0tmD4NmJBXd71ct9KTfgjmC9OtODR4_MJl2tH0yZcVlE5IY1GR_4JepNt4yk1VoXPZo8h0iK3tJz8kcg_ApSEFYnsoCwPHSfILdG9T8-wOmzL9Z46PsR9tLGv0E/s1600/tilling+the+upper+field+5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HyT4rhhkwqj5OV1q0tmD4NmJBXd71ct9KTfgjmC9OtODR4_MJl2tH0yZcVlE5IY1GR_4JepNt4yk1VoXPZo8h0iK3tJz8kcg_ApSEFYnsoCwPHSfILdG9T8-wOmzL9Z46PsR9tLGv0E/s400/tilling+the+upper+field+5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473024818508201522" /></a>Dan started on the upper part of the farm, where we are planning to grow our herbs and flowers. He'd tilled this area last fall, with the hope that I could use the newly tilled ground to quickly heal in a lot of the plants we were moving from the old farm. No such luck- before we got much moved, it began to rain and the ground got way too wet. My patience had just about worn out with waiting for it to become dry enough to safely work. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbL7F9gx20_HJ1q0Xu4VLb_LkWZ7ZaM1ftumfddM9KHUx4597TTMrfr7WaCXJzR4XUvma0jg3Jkpg50ain8_k-QGQbjqd5izl5IK3XfHCzKQqxyd8tJ4hL9NIzOld5elJXPN8tcV9SA3o/s1600/Healing+in+plants.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbL7F9gx20_HJ1q0Xu4VLb_LkWZ7ZaM1ftumfddM9KHUx4597TTMrfr7WaCXJzR4XUvma0jg3Jkpg50ain8_k-QGQbjqd5izl5IK3XfHCzKQqxyd8tJ4hL9NIzOld5elJXPN8tcV9SA3o/s400/Healing+in+plants.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473024978408020386" /></a></div><div>According to local soil maps, we have both Walluski Silt Loam and Hebo Clay on our property. I think the upper area has a bit of both mixed together, but it shapes up nicely into beds that will be planted with the perennial herbs that have patiently been waiting to get back into the ground, more flowers, and our long suffering dahlias that are stuck in the barn still. Plus, we can now finally move our lavender plants from Seaside- yeah!</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Busting Open the Back Five</b></i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgykJCpywqhGFbaehqAQiqnFezI2dYqQ15hravWgl_B0v1Epc7_cas3Kj4UeLRhpVVZEm_lGzmKFutVFI6tnRUnDROzvU5UByx29_H6y6cmXB0MP5cXOh0WiUUFlizzC0qIHRdUXV2Wk/s1600/Beginning+the+Back+Five.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgykJCpywqhGFbaehqAQiqnFezI2dYqQ15hravWgl_B0v1Epc7_cas3Kj4UeLRhpVVZEm_lGzmKFutVFI6tnRUnDROzvU5UByx29_H6y6cmXB0MP5cXOh0WiUUFlizzC0qIHRdUXV2Wk/s400/Beginning+the+Back+Five.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473024213214575634" /></a><br />The area we call The Back Five is a relatively flat area at the bottom of the property, closer to the river. This is where we plan to grow row crops of vegetables, and build a larger greenhouse for growing tomatoes, basil and peppers. Dan had tilled a test plot back here last fall, so we had a sense that the soil was pretty nice here, solidly Walluski Silt Loam country. </div></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDIXUg16ruT3Ur_g3jXJEZd0aZsyxrE9QCmarINMajb7aT95A6WCjxPs8tZ5_jYT-efA1iLDyp254Kl8Wk8rtwjCw_JKe9Cbf_cZOG0FCKoOS1fell9rbLoYhgMfppMFY5lhPdv3OuD8/s1600/beautiful+soil.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDIXUg16ruT3Ur_g3jXJEZd0aZsyxrE9QCmarINMajb7aT95A6WCjxPs8tZ5_jYT-efA1iLDyp254Kl8Wk8rtwjCw_JKe9Cbf_cZOG0FCKoOS1fell9rbLoYhgMfppMFY5lhPdv3OuD8/s400/beautiful+soil.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473024553287605874" /></a><br /><div>I can't believe this is the soil we are <i>starting</i> with. It looks, feels and smells <i>gorgeous, </i>and has a healthy worm population, who will hopefully forgive us for tilling up their world. This soil is one of the main reasons we were so stuck on this property and struggled for so long to buy it- it can take years of amending to get soil to where this soil is today. It's like opening a bank account with cash already in it. </div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMi9IxDfNw4SnD0HvY659UJqw_Dvc_GS6cS__snUm4zpioBT_j73EXJTzMOmXq_IQSUJ7ZsTA40E-Cvfg2y_7j07zo-7sHq3Pu4uthQHjWPxAZ12MM3qSr_4mFCFCeCtBeQwPL26vyeU/s1600/Packy+drives+the+tractor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMi9IxDfNw4SnD0HvY659UJqw_Dvc_GS6cS__snUm4zpioBT_j73EXJTzMOmXq_IQSUJ7ZsTA40E-Cvfg2y_7j07zo-7sHq3Pu4uthQHjWPxAZ12MM3qSr_4mFCFCeCtBeQwPL26vyeU/s400/Packy+drives+the+tractor.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473027811051361282" /></a>Dan also gave us both tractor driving lessons, at which Packy excelled, and I found...slightly terrifying. My jaunty drive was short, and added a distinctive curve to one corner of the plot. I know I'll have to get back in the saddle again and learn how to do this, but in the meantime I'll leave the tractor driving to the professionals.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxwDHPE_3QTZn28OsACJU5OIGs_L467sLwFh6p6zSslc4o0QWPcHhjn1W4yF5Ir3sbtD6ccoTEHDr7iK2ExQlnR7Lv_vYW20OJaInQ79jmxzBxQQw5IHUtzvhrIso_csgCVGCHM7hYpM/s1600/An+Acre+is+Very+Big.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxwDHPE_3QTZn28OsACJU5OIGs_L467sLwFh6p6zSslc4o0QWPcHhjn1W4yF5Ir3sbtD6ccoTEHDr7iK2ExQlnR7Lv_vYW20OJaInQ79jmxzBxQQw5IHUtzvhrIso_csgCVGCHM7hYpM/s400/An+Acre+is+Very+Big.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473025196219998178" /></a>We also learned that an acre of ground, when tilled, looks HUGE. Suddenly the thought of planting it all seems rather daunting. We are <i>so</i> going to need help. Still, we're just starting with a massive buckwheat cover crop this summer, so it won't be too scary.<div><br /></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Balancing On Top of the Barn</span></i></b></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlhlawM5xEazISZL5tfpFSAWw4qy1U_4UxTUHkxxtkNuyJ8Ptae3fNT1CoXxUyfCDUqT6BROj3hAUudeo2j42750bQP4l0nnr0BthcrgsxHL-aorK2furG4xuud8b7VKgS-rd02CouMI/s1600/Luke+paints+the+cupola.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlhlawM5xEazISZL5tfpFSAWw4qy1U_4UxTUHkxxtkNuyJ8Ptae3fNT1CoXxUyfCDUqT6BROj3hAUudeo2j42750bQP4l0nnr0BthcrgsxHL-aorK2furG4xuud8b7VKgS-rd02CouMI/s400/Luke+paints+the+cupola.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473025395295329410" /></a>Our friend Luke has a head for heights and a good sense of balance. Or he might just be crazy. He had offered to give the barn's cupola a badly needed new coat of paint, and on reflection, we were happy to let him do that. We hope to get the whole barn repaired and painted this summer, but this job just really needed to get done as soon as it could, and we are both short on time these days. I'm kind of glad I wasn't here the day Luke did this, but Packy came home in time to catch him in action. Just to give you a sense of perspective on how high up he is:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvjY1umv7BqiibAmGxq8_i9IKmB5N60HVjvky4_4pWrzWN7z-Ait7KPH5VNIt1HfF0AeQCgeBSbBVZAfeqRSk4nAanzxNstOPCysV3AbWADnKjdHAq_R1JZt8eBn1V6EljezWHu0p2ok/s1600/Luke+paints+the+cupola-+full+barn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvjY1umv7BqiibAmGxq8_i9IKmB5N60HVjvky4_4pWrzWN7z-Ait7KPH5VNIt1HfF0AeQCgeBSbBVZAfeqRSk4nAanzxNstOPCysV3AbWADnKjdHAq_R1JZt8eBn1V6EljezWHu0p2ok/s400/Luke+paints+the+cupola-+full+barn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473025590109458658" /></a>Yep. Crazy.<br /><br /><br /><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Knowing When to Stand Around</span></i></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div>'Standing Around Time' is critically important on a farm, and you have to give it proper respect and attention. Usually you are Standing Around looking at some piece of equipment that is not behaving quite like you want it to, or Standing Around waiting for something or someone to show up, and sometimes you are just plain Standing Around. But it always results in <i>something</i>, even if it is just a good bit of gossip.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKHN9SUssQihnlt2_mbR_r-_9JLyIL4CeNhZNgvLFMiXd3RQlwEG4SDBbgKmX8qROcNq0nu5aJSHPHMA9NPqskHDLz2w8do_Fh_baHqAuYyxFC9H_Z_D4Q_6ZZoYbBfasZ0IRIZMVb2w/s1600/Standing+Around.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKHN9SUssQihnlt2_mbR_r-_9JLyIL4CeNhZNgvLFMiXd3RQlwEG4SDBbgKmX8qROcNq0nu5aJSHPHMA9NPqskHDLz2w8do_Fh_baHqAuYyxFC9H_Z_D4Q_6ZZoYbBfasZ0IRIZMVb2w/s400/Standing+Around.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473025790399786546" /></a></div><div>Packy and Dan are world class, Olympic calibre Stand Arounders. Dan says a truly epic Stand Around involves opening a bottle of whiskey and tossing the cap into the brush, but we haven't tried that one yet.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87yztgYIIoArwkz6uvVXe_UAXtn6OHZ6XwgNI7P4HAc3Y2YY6s9Xsh1qMENJFq6KRF9s0TgGGVOkKWrZY_6TXEPf6TOSOv8sLynYGa6hZSb3CNY8AIDk7K7MWF3-VDsAoR4bWr0xPR8I/s1600/Moving+the+tiller+thing.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87yztgYIIoArwkz6uvVXe_UAXtn6OHZ6XwgNI7P4HAc3Y2YY6s9Xsh1qMENJFq6KRF9s0TgGGVOkKWrZY_6TXEPf6TOSOv8sLynYGa6hZSb3CNY8AIDk7K7MWF3-VDsAoR4bWr0xPR8I/s400/Moving+the+tiller+thing.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473026066332571714" /></a>This Stand Around resulted in the application of the Farm Jack, a tool of Dan's that Packy absolutely covets. It all had something to do with moving the tiller over so that the tire track was covered. Accomplishing this also involved banging on things, a car jack, some super lubricant, a bit of creative swearing, and a velcro strap (because we couldn't find the duct tape) which eventually resulted in whatever needed to happen happening. Success!<br /><br /><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">The Greenhouse Rises Again!</span></i></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I cannot even tell you how excited I am that the greenhouse is finally getting rebuilt. I am beside myself with joy. I have missed it so much, and cannot wait to fill it with plants, and stand inside its steamy warm space and listen to things grow. </span><br /></span></i></b></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTFF-ehiiyngikbeCFOMnspH7kLzEMY2ivzJFlm-xT3vL_Oc4G5lNftIhdhWL49LBe4G9rxPpVXtKonbv4woZoG7n01d2jtJM8PJv7Y1180bcab7nj3VXkCFgACbeZzAr8rOdOAF_rIU/s1600/Squeaky+helps+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTFF-ehiiyngikbeCFOMnspH7kLzEMY2ivzJFlm-xT3vL_Oc4G5lNftIhdhWL49LBe4G9rxPpVXtKonbv4woZoG7n01d2jtJM8PJv7Y1180bcab7nj3VXkCFgACbeZzAr8rOdOAF_rIU/s400/Squeaky+helps+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473026438079461122" /></a>Squeaky the Cat was <i>very</i> excited to help set the corner markers in place.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozYstqD0YwnvHOuBQBmlkiGqvkXs-71wcn-guiUm3rhH-qew3NJX2kV-mdkCzYAT5pYagYWjeqjwfKtcXC85gr6Y4eTABs7fAF0kYyP5I0uFWOvgdKAN7mLfa3RdBWTrR2IWhNe6ferE/s1600/Packy+Auger.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozYstqD0YwnvHOuBQBmlkiGqvkXs-71wcn-guiUm3rhH-qew3NJX2kV-mdkCzYAT5pYagYWjeqjwfKtcXC85gr6Y4eTABs7fAF0kYyP5I0uFWOvgdKAN7mLfa3RdBWTrR2IWhNe6ferE/s400/Packy+Auger.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473026550009722018" /></a>The post holes were easily dug with the loan of our friend Doug's auger. Thanks Doug!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZL7rMqDEZQawIVdULWO60UJzCV70jwzrOTXBNBQ5mcEJApLe5zQjMoAONKIn9-ppHgxPWn1QhpAELAnDPUxUU9KR4_WH9kCc8oSa-i5FgP6C1gEZhq9YWxHj2rVNMzII2D_Y2ooc8Nk/s1600/Setting+the+posts+with+Fawn-Fawn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZL7rMqDEZQawIVdULWO60UJzCV70jwzrOTXBNBQ5mcEJApLe5zQjMoAONKIn9-ppHgxPWn1QhpAELAnDPUxUU9KR4_WH9kCc8oSa-i5FgP6C1gEZhq9YWxHj2rVNMzII2D_Y2ooc8Nk/s400/Setting+the+posts+with+Fawn-Fawn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473026822742544034" /></a>Fawn Fawn the Deer (visiting from the Wildlife Rescue Center next door) was very intrigued to observe Packy setting the posts in concrete. (More on Fawn Fawn in another post, I promise...)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhHpxfIoftFDj7Rh7gopJ8AQq3jXWuHbIiprM7KxTW9FElo_Bj2shTfav_ceF1uRiUv4O169h17fuxICPza5GqVYbVDFNcI02jRjG7DeXZouh3288P9MPSjvxoctH2lNczhYnsEaAn1U/s1600/Joe+greenhouse.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhHpxfIoftFDj7Rh7gopJ8AQq3jXWuHbIiprM7KxTW9FElo_Bj2shTfav_ceF1uRiUv4O169h17fuxICPza5GqVYbVDFNcI02jRjG7DeXZouh3288P9MPSjvxoctH2lNczhYnsEaAn1U/s400/Joe+greenhouse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473027313153544562" /></a>Joe (of <a href="http://www.bluescorcher.com/Scorcher/Blue_Scorcher.html">Blue Scorcher Bakery</a> fame), Luke and Packy moved so fast, I missed the action shots of getting the spans back up. We decided to extend the greenhouse as we were rebuilding anyway, as our old greenhouse was already starting to feel a bit small in the spring when it is heaving with plants. Our original 20'x30' greenhouse is now 20'x50'... I cannot wait to fill it up!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZUCBTdQEKQ0UvIrJk0sRtyeS6OgGQcBPVBOmfECpfPSl-QCaq4CrUIpk_0mzwil70HMB3MwzQIh15xWJwAsESI4KjRCYM_7athyphenhyphennVq-sstMGz_NqEe2aV78gxxbMhcR730bac6KRD-U/s1600/Fawn-Fawn+observes+the+greenhouse+crew.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZUCBTdQEKQ0UvIrJk0sRtyeS6OgGQcBPVBOmfECpfPSl-QCaq4CrUIpk_0mzwil70HMB3MwzQIh15xWJwAsESI4KjRCYM_7athyphenhyphennVq-sstMGz_NqEe2aV78gxxbMhcR730bac6KRD-U/s400/Fawn-Fawn+observes+the+greenhouse+crew.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473027659122745682" /></a>Fawn Fawn came back to check out the construction. I think she approves. Or she might have just been waiting for some private time with Luke, whom she adores more than anyone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqciNVdYyxJ0bEurfbb9TjcJj_tKnJ1ly4vg4O_r8IJU3EuMoE1bL7_ufyykFH952dPFruycFrxqANzRiDNs8tAe9aS5c8RfRRtv6yT85ICmssnn7rcVnr8lKfiEoAAXHYvguAthzbz0Y/s1600/luke+greenhouse.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqciNVdYyxJ0bEurfbb9TjcJj_tKnJ1ly4vg4O_r8IJU3EuMoE1bL7_ufyykFH952dPFruycFrxqANzRiDNs8tAe9aS5c8RfRRtv6yT85ICmssnn7rcVnr8lKfiEoAAXHYvguAthzbz0Y/s400/luke+greenhouse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473027460553329298" /></a>Luke played it cool, trying to pretend he was focusing on the greenhouse, but we know he really just wanted to be hanging out with his girl F-F.<br /><br /><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">My Old Bones Weep with Gratitude</span></b></i></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div>At the end of last weekend, after a whole lot of mowing and digging and raking and planting, I could barely walk. I was six years younger the last time we did this kind of 'building the farm infrastructure' work, and I hadn't been spending months sitting in front of a computer on top of that. To have lovely young(er) people show up and actually <i>want</i> to do this kind of stuff... </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxT2g2Pslg9hPWAO8fuRQuFzUpib0mLQBl4r6SY5UgqbuwVnWnc0fjDDYZw3LLlPYtIeQvbDkdI8ZNvO88merSIvkvRq-OnZQkHCPg-Mx-BhHigugGKCIe7BI249ksVbN4JwBHeCjFFVk/s1600/katie+%26+rennya+build+rows.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxT2g2Pslg9hPWAO8fuRQuFzUpib0mLQBl4r6SY5UgqbuwVnWnc0fjDDYZw3LLlPYtIeQvbDkdI8ZNvO88merSIvkvRq-OnZQkHCPg-Mx-BhHigugGKCIe7BI249ksVbN4JwBHeCjFFVk/s400/katie+%26+rennya+build+rows.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473028014228831698" /></a>So, while the greenhouse rebuilding was taking place, Luke's other girlfriend Katie, and his lovely sister Renia (a professional <a href="http://www.wwoof.org/">WWOOFer</a> just back from a stint in Spain and Serbia) got inspired to dig into the bed shaping project. They were <i>amazing</i>, and I was honestly close to tears with gratitude and relief. I just did not know how we were going to get it all done in time to get the plants in this year. I am so much more hopeful now. There is still so much digging to do, but there is slightly less of it now, thanks to these two fabulous people.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_lVgXf8dzzUWGmXiHRSRCDLrxGw55oWzIcyjiU6RNNG69VeFNz6_Bf8FuP9d8msS0ZUmXeDmDjuYmOaZk96IrbF4UGgelTsFXDliFNgoIcffSf-fhvd1R9hA874CfNb8tr_AGTH66pQ/s1600/Leaning+on+Tools.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_lVgXf8dzzUWGmXiHRSRCDLrxGw55oWzIcyjiU6RNNG69VeFNz6_Bf8FuP9d8msS0ZUmXeDmDjuYmOaZk96IrbF4UGgelTsFXDliFNgoIcffSf-fhvd1R9hA874CfNb8tr_AGTH66pQ/s400/Leaning+on+Tools.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473028177684021906" /></a>Packy tried to give the girls lessons in How to Stand Around. This is the classic and always popular 'Leaning on Tools' technique. They're pretty good, but they work way too hard to really qualify as serious Stand Arounders. We'll continue to give them lessons, and see if we can improve their performance.<br /><br />We finished up this super productive work day with a lovely al fresco meal inside the future greenhouse, and the rain held off long enough to let us get all the tools picked up and put away. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bIh50XA38-pjNlWq-h7hooL1hkzq5J0HB6k2fitXRP4W74AZT-MijzTweGgzMiniRi41TheE7KAE_xkBKHPgLo-DM8eBttG0udOkaPO68063AOv9_YJutmi3VdKlg-G8aJAum7SqwcI/s1600/First+meal+in+the+greenhouse.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bIh50XA38-pjNlWq-h7hooL1hkzq5J0HB6k2fitXRP4W74AZT-MijzTweGgzMiniRi41TheE7KAE_xkBKHPgLo-DM8eBttG0udOkaPO68063AOv9_YJutmi3VdKlg-G8aJAum7SqwcI/s400/First+meal+in+the+greenhouse.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473028356182754418" /></a><br /></div><div>Fingers crossed that this squall that's blown in will blow itself away again soon, so we can get the end walls built, the plastic stretched, more plants planted and rows dug and cover crop sown and the barn painted and... </div><div><br /></div><div>It's going to be a busy year.</div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-29038656674123892272010-04-20T20:06:00.000-07:002010-04-21T07:11:55.607-07:00Relocation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyOjwBdumK1IHQVkzrEyKJlVl6gu3xz7T_je8HF2oMII7ltZYoi2aOpzRkhkvabHyffYYHUnrlJbkGvd2xFm4yTJyq-t1AUDGwvNhVQ3N0RAlUGUBq4pFmRP5lLs44GhX-yvBfXyTlW8/s1600/bees!+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyOjwBdumK1IHQVkzrEyKJlVl6gu3xz7T_je8HF2oMII7ltZYoi2aOpzRkhkvabHyffYYHUnrlJbkGvd2xFm4yTJyq-t1AUDGwvNhVQ3N0RAlUGUBq4pFmRP5lLs44GhX-yvBfXyTlW8/s400/bees!+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462584998521753202" /></a><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">"Two inches or two miles"</span></i><div><br /></div><div>The idea of moving a bee hive can can seem pretty intimidating if you spend any time reading about the <i>many, many </i>details that you are supposed to be paying attention to. Fortunately, we've approached bee keeping much like we approached farming in general, by using the ' jump off the cliff and flap really hard until you figure out how not to crash' technique. </div><div><br /></div><div>Packy did take the precaution of <a href="http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/osc/osc69.htm">telling the bees</a> about their impending move, and I'm pretty sure that's what made the difference.</div><div><br /></div><div>We inherited our hive from our good friends the Quennell Family a couple of years ago, when they left Oregon to move to upstate New York, where they are thriving on <a href="http://www.threestonefarm.com/">Three Stone Farm</a>. (We mostly forgive them for moving.) The hive is a top bar design that Roger built himself, and he gave us some quick, basic advice about moving the bees before driving off into the sunset, which basically was:</div><div><br /></div><div>Move the bees when it is dark, or on a cool rainy day when they will not be out flying around, so you won't loose the foragers. Block up the hole with something that will allow air circulation, but not allow the bees to get out- straw is good. Know where you are going to put them, because once you let them out, they need to be able to find their way home again. If you move the hive even just a bit more than a foot, but keep the hive within their familiar area, they will not be able to find the hive's entrance again, and will die. If you are going to move it, either move it a tiny distance–two inches– or you have to<i> really</i> move it, more than two miles. That way the bees will realize that they are in a totally unfamiliar environment, and re-orient to their new location.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sHP7DRCGlGZpIbDhk7UmBBFdNBlpWT1WFr0krOnKI5t3aFtFOPaflnOPAGkFIdNZGaiEp4O6v8_1_or8oxjqSFpnECfGDTIbB2ibE9GeAdCKza17lwipBaR4XgT9WoH8cPQPrCQk-I4/s1600/bee+hive+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sHP7DRCGlGZpIbDhk7UmBBFdNBlpWT1WFr0krOnKI5t3aFtFOPaflnOPAGkFIdNZGaiEp4O6v8_1_or8oxjqSFpnECfGDTIbB2ibE9GeAdCKza17lwipBaR4XgT9WoH8cPQPrCQk-I4/s400/bee+hive+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462585486783767186" /></a><br /></div><div>It doesn't sound too complicated, right? Fortunately the bees took their first move to Seaside in their stride, which means we did something right. We decided not to harvest much honey from it the first year, as the hive was a bit small, although we did open it up under the guidance of our friend Mark, and enjoyed a wee bit of the most delicious, sweet honey we had ever tasted. Is honey more flavorful when it comes from your own hive? I think it might be. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mostly we just loved having the bees on the property. I would often find Packy down by the hive, watching the bees in fascination as they buzzed in and out of the hive entrance, covered in pollen. The bees, not Packy.</div><div><br /></div><div>It seemed a good idea to know exactly where we wanted the hive to go on the new farm before we moved the bees again, given that we did not plan to ever move them again if we could help it. Finally we felt that we had the right spot identified, near where we hope to plant our orchard next winter. The Quennells– Roger, Youngiee, Romneya and new family member Avani– were back on the North Coast for a brief visit a little over a week ago, and that seemed like A Sign- it was Time to Move the Hive!</div><div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisq8VrspvoUVQYxy5iazlFkfciN1PAS6h-wfFlGqo9DGGL8JKx6UEL6mmtEhYdmz4iIAsd7E_rHxX6eFWUv79lxBXOKqIWeyCjv6IROhUlbyYjW3MxrNLAti6aVtdj3CkrYrZK5Y56duI/s1600/moving+the+hive+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisq8VrspvoUVQYxy5iazlFkfciN1PAS6h-wfFlGqo9DGGL8JKx6UEL6mmtEhYdmz4iIAsd7E_rHxX6eFWUv79lxBXOKqIWeyCjv6IROhUlbyYjW3MxrNLAti6aVtdj3CkrYrZK5Y56duI/s400/moving+the+hive+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462585216479647138" /></a><br /></div><div>Packy and I drove down to Seaside at dusk, checked the hive to make sure everyone was still alive inside (I have to say, putting your ear up to the entrance of a buzzing bee hive is an amazing sensation), </div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWMG4MeBjNmjwM9HGcAsEu3Zu3N42gSJZxM_QeKxvHAmskKKyJuQuDvJN4rOugasOEy4_ewtlTS5apyfephi2RWche3Un91XfMJkWM4U504Dvi4kWwCu4xdJCJ0jVOEDtE9fGtWuULFs/s1600/hive+entrance+blocked.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWMG4MeBjNmjwM9HGcAsEu3Zu3N42gSJZxM_QeKxvHAmskKKyJuQuDvJN4rOugasOEy4_ewtlTS5apyfephi2RWche3Un91XfMJkWM4U504Dvi4kWwCu4xdJCJ0jVOEDtE9fGtWuULFs/s400/hive+entrance+blocked.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462586021828910738" /></a></div><div>stuffed the entrance full of straw, </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gGM405No3AxfTTlbjXRVheU6LU1pJAuSAUcwk6-m9LRRR9LAC5g_ng4__9wVt8o9QVQhAsKa99LauM5oXr6RIERXiMRa_o3dokWKi9UGfqWpbO3plxOmPenZvx3K73V7msFsG8GIGUg/s1600/moving+the+hive+1+sm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gGM405No3AxfTTlbjXRVheU6LU1pJAuSAUcwk6-m9LRRR9LAC5g_ng4__9wVt8o9QVQhAsKa99LauM5oXr6RIERXiMRa_o3dokWKi9UGfqWpbO3plxOmPenZvx3K73V7msFsG8GIGUg/s400/moving+the+hive+1+sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462586321763798018" /></a>loaded it into the truck and then drove <i>very slowly</i> back to Olney.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrwbq1crVlfs2NTm5tBu3IcEPEXoHDEhbL8HdVPU4vDziPir8_gdLUvKA5kqt2lfFA5akPH6amQeYEpQ1B4rnnF6GH-Ugwcs8kPFUVRF3rGg3SwDGHmmq6twdp_07scsw3gqBqLTU9oY/s1600/hive+new+home.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrwbq1crVlfs2NTm5tBu3IcEPEXoHDEhbL8HdVPU4vDziPir8_gdLUvKA5kqt2lfFA5akPH6amQeYEpQ1B4rnnF6GH-Ugwcs8kPFUVRF3rGg3SwDGHmmq6twdp_07scsw3gqBqLTU9oY/s400/hive+new+home.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462586619756036690" /></a>Somehow, It didn't occur to us that it would be pitch dark when we got home. We found one of our emergency lanterns and set it out in the field to mark the designated spot, and then carefully carried the hive out, squelching and stumbling a bit in the dark through the boggy pasture soaked with recent rain, to the hive's new home.</div><div><br /></div><div>After much arguing about which way the prevailing winds came from and which direction was which, (something you would think we would have sorted out before hand as it is <i>not</i> a discussion to be having in the middle of the night in a boggy pasture while carrying a hive of buzzing, annoyed bees) we set the hive down, unplugged the hole, said "Welcome!" and then took ourselves off to bed.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30SFqTOQrEA6akoTO-srizm4QvRDQu-aJ2HHnRIwIQklc5ONlsDYA-Y0K9se5Uc4rCHBkUJhF1-9FOResVQgpwH863QilLXWjaYsEZikMHEw1geHIp3ECf0daNJoYU92I8Fh2mmXreHY/s1600/hive+first+exloration.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30SFqTOQrEA6akoTO-srizm4QvRDQu-aJ2HHnRIwIQklc5ONlsDYA-Y0K9se5Uc4rCHBkUJhF1-9FOResVQgpwH863QilLXWjaYsEZikMHEw1geHIp3ECf0daNJoYU92I8Fh2mmXreHY/s400/hive+first+exloration.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462586828320466994" /></a><br />The next day was bright and sunny, and when Packy went out to check on our gang, there were bees buzzing in and out and all around the hive- exploring the new location and some even, he was relieved to see, coming home covered with pollen.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinsiwcOfd-Y8zAW4zfdjKFRyABdvh7A9GkQaep32dJjWhQHFjaZorK_vdO3rMX-WV8IHe7uk01aqOuxODEwlUmKBsXUSxf448LbLjBjtdVfPTplKIe9eUReVDMj_uB42jW3LGN6dfsuR8/s1600/hive+new+home+exploration.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinsiwcOfd-Y8zAW4zfdjKFRyABdvh7A9GkQaep32dJjWhQHFjaZorK_vdO3rMX-WV8IHe7uk01aqOuxODEwlUmKBsXUSxf448LbLjBjtdVfPTplKIe9eUReVDMj_uB42jW3LGN6dfsuR8/s400/hive+new+home+exploration.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462587048271126802" /></a><br /></div><div>Now we just have to take some soil tests, get the orchard area sowed with cover crop (dealing with the Canada thistle infestation we've discovered in the area first), use the ten yards of compost that just got delivered to get some beds ready so that we can get our lavender finally moved, and figure out how to afford several thousand feet of fencing. </div><div><br /></div><div>And that's just the short Farm To Do List.</div><div><br /></div><div>Still, the Bees are Happy, and that is good for today.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfIjiqG8OLcQjo49WLpRLodKASh7r0LZWwgxJ32A-DN4kllQVoyT3rR53LkayueurLQP1OgtNUidYAyeq74-1gchdK6yfY7bNx-rpL4OybmEG91VB54wMtCvILf0Ts_pgy9vbxxrzRQw/s1600/The+Hive%27s+New+Home+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfIjiqG8OLcQjo49WLpRLodKASh7r0LZWwgxJ32A-DN4kllQVoyT3rR53LkayueurLQP1OgtNUidYAyeq74-1gchdK6yfY7bNx-rpL4OybmEG91VB54wMtCvILf0Ts_pgy9vbxxrzRQw/s400/The+Hive%27s+New+Home+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462587231990874818" /></a><br /></div><div>All is well.</div><div><br /></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-87618612181798102562010-04-11T08:17:00.000-07:002010-04-11T13:11:06.375-07:00Burning Chair, Man!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIU_4CrDXrTXdmNBPgTI5lwtgNJQtOjf34NdxXfUywzayoJ6sx18fH-npqyDCPNlvsC8EkPqpcYd4GiOg_NK9KojPO7pipj_7CBSzIvvl-LtD9etqXu9FKTFlFvEsxl_jrT-UsTu90dY/s1600/The+Chair.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIU_4CrDXrTXdmNBPgTI5lwtgNJQtOjf34NdxXfUywzayoJ6sx18fH-npqyDCPNlvsC8EkPqpcYd4GiOg_NK9KojPO7pipj_7CBSzIvvl-LtD9etqXu9FKTFlFvEsxl_jrT-UsTu90dY/s400/The+Chair.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458940952849778178" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I really meant to just have a small birthday party for Packy this year- a week late, since this year his birthday fell on the day before Easter, and people were busy that weekend. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Last year we had a great little birthday party for him- a farm work party followed by a bonfire, good food and a spontaneous Effigy-in-a-Chair burning. We dubbed the day '</span><a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2009/04/burning-chair-man-09.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Burning Chair Man'.</span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So we thought it would be fun to have Burning Chair Man 2 this year, to celebrate Packy's birthday on our New Farm. Which I guess really makes this our First Annual BCM for 46 North Farm. I want to apologize in advance for the shocking lack of good photos here- we were both too distracted to take pictures, so you will just have to use your imagination, or maybe people will send us some and I can add them in.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It wasn't a very well planned day. We started mentioning the idea of a birthday party to some friends, sending out some emails, and mentioning it to a few more friends, having the "Burning What Man?!?" conversation a lot. The 'work party' project was going to be attacking the invasive plants on the property- especially the impressive infestation of holly around the edges. We asked everyone to bring a potluck dish; extra points if the potluck dish included ingredients from local farmers. I made homemade marshmallows and graham cra</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:'Lucida Grande', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ckers for s'mores again. (And for all our vegetarian/vegan friends- next year I promise we'll figure out the vegan marshmallow recipe!) Naturally there were delicious baked goods from the </span><a href="http://www.bluescorcher.com/Scorcher/Blue_Scorcher.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Blue Scorcher Bakery</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, and our great friends at the </span><a href="http://www.fortgeorgebrewery.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Fort George</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> supplied a keg of Oatmeal Pale Ale for the thirsty workers.</span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBvAXywBNncqX0JCywKKGcdnlAYsiYSju8th5Uu8JZmIpooCyzEcjwFFsuDRneTGH05smirSW1oJCHl0DLb3fb-Sg0hRbAV_0z65dChSep0tyvdrMXaRXWH7RciZOOEo2ePykXPQjiGg/s1600/bcm+13.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBvAXywBNncqX0JCywKKGcdnlAYsiYSju8th5Uu8JZmIpooCyzEcjwFFsuDRneTGH05smirSW1oJCHl0DLb3fb-Sg0hRbAV_0z65dChSep0tyvdrMXaRXWH7RciZOOEo2ePykXPQjiGg/s400/bcm+13.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458941698798204786" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">The food and drink begins to assemble</span></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I was chatting with our friend </span><a href="http://www.blindmoseswoodworking.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tim Kennedy</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (the wonderful woodworker behind our </span><a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2009/12/appeasing-nisse.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">new barn roof</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">) about needing to find an old chair to burn, and he said, "You know, why don't you let me make you one? We've got all that scrap wood left from re-roofing the barn, and I'll get a bit more. I'll take care of that." </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I think our Barn Nisse is still looking out for us, and took care of the weather because after a wretched week of rain and hail, the day dawned clear, with just a light breeze. It was a glorious, sunny day. Packy thinks we should have called the place 'Lucky Weather Farm', but I think that's tempting fate.</span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUl05fjm8gN3m6jsweYizW4sHzeRC9iO-Cc6wuxkdCVDBgy0YUTMz_cyLUMi-xX-0SF4vCfODHrTOHdl5481jkj_mF8YKKuwKl8vbRLfvGJO3M88zc_TCrziFnxrLJd3PaXlkyvMZn0TA/s1600/bcm+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUl05fjm8gN3m6jsweYizW4sHzeRC9iO-Cc6wuxkdCVDBgy0YUTMz_cyLUMi-xX-0SF4vCfODHrTOHdl5481jkj_mF8YKKuwKl8vbRLfvGJO3M88zc_TCrziFnxrLJd3PaXlkyvMZn0TA/s400/bcm+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458941230288981042" /></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tim and our friend Luke rolled up early Saturday morning to build the chair. Their rules were: only scrap wood, and the only tools could be a chainsaw and a nail gun. I glanced over at the field a few times in the course of my running around doing party prep and wondered "Why are they setting up </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">scaffolding</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> to build the chair?!"</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As they arrived, Jean-Marc, Dennis and Luke #2 all joined in the construction project, and I stood there watching as they raised the first side of The Chair up off the ground. This thing was HUGE. Over 15 feet tall huge. Closer to 20 feet tall.</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNFIyXMWG5wAXRZLCxURAU1UuPTAw8wz2J7R4QHqqzkiN5UQdCvHJHFLh-B_Up3j0zd0uwSewQfJR0_6uzte-eS5ZvG04NgYlLV1r07mdgqKzppgF4SZXnsPBJCxwW_ouParu4eOlR6I/s1600/bcm+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNFIyXMWG5wAXRZLCxURAU1UuPTAw8wz2J7R4QHqqzkiN5UQdCvHJHFLh-B_Up3j0zd0uwSewQfJR0_6uzte-eS5ZvG04NgYlLV1r07mdgqKzppgF4SZXnsPBJCxwW_ouParu4eOlR6I/s400/bcm+4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458942036241979762" /></a><br /><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Sv4CbvZZRYWwPjS-C40PtpQQaWGbtSleeslaEFeRV70tzBJ5zaZl5O6M0-5oWkE6_eFkGD-XtKTVbYTh_iXmXHw4rTTdQMKYWpB5Nc1sFWeB9Mi4CWbGS4sQ116JO4sL2DEqaM2q18U/s400/bcm+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458942215691266114" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i>Trying not to think about what is happening behind me...</i></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I confess to a few twinges of nervousness at the thought of setting the thing on fire, but the look of sheer joy on everyone's face as they banged The Chair together was so lovely, I just tried to let go of it. "Don't Worry!" Tim and Luke cheerfully assured me. "It's far enough away from the barn that when it collapses, it won't affect it. Probably." Packy turned to me with a huge smile on his face. "This is GREAT! " he beamed. "Terrifying, but totally great!"</span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />Somehow the day just happened. People showed up. There was enough room for everyone to park. Everyone's dogs got along, and as the cats Eddie & Squeaky were safely hiding upstairs in the house, there was no cat chasing.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauJPN0kLY719T6VzvbLbhj3fdjIdmtoqrDz2qWIlypfBGJYBFQQfF71BIbUUJv2rJKScaujvE48T_eXNMpu6RRwMvUrDgxldJz1onamcogX6B7rZQtcyQHq1oc4lChO7pbdiF9sKqJLU/s1600/bcm+6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauJPN0kLY719T6VzvbLbhj3fdjIdmtoqrDz2qWIlypfBGJYBFQQfF71BIbUUJv2rJKScaujvE48T_eXNMpu6RRwMvUrDgxldJz1onamcogX6B7rZQtcyQHq1oc4lChO7pbdiF9sKqJLU/s400/bcm+6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458942509102132962" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">The holly brush pile begins to form..</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">.</span></div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">An amazing crew of people with loppers and machetes followed the sound of Doug and his chainsaw to the holly infestation battle site, and they cleared out </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">so</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> much holly from our woods, Doug bucking the larger trunks up into firewood for us to season for burning next year. Mark and Kristen helped James get a lot of trees planted, although I don't know if he's managed to offset the carbon footprint of those trips to New Zealand yet.</span></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEPXLzrb2RqEH6gyVRYNzduTyKf04hlaikuYdjd8YArYenlN9-YaRgZbK0FH4eQSD7OEM-p9IW2kxqjramOZyP3GhiJgobUzNcK9znbTYQkOP1GmNSmG4sLQbUQ1cDX91KpR0vr5smpQ/s1600/bcm+7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEPXLzrb2RqEH6gyVRYNzduTyKf04hlaikuYdjd8YArYenlN9-YaRgZbK0FH4eQSD7OEM-p9IW2kxqjramOZyP3GhiJgobUzNcK9znbTYQkOP1GmNSmG4sLQbUQ1cDX91KpR0vr5smpQ/s400/bcm+7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458942688278363250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Jean-Marc is always up for a destructive project....</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnl_uHvwdsmjkm3Qf-AwIPoRH4WudlQG8cnMgqy8R4_-VRZ-nAmsnrg_5jDF70U6SiINb7x6dHMXQlL-g3mHK1e7GtKVsH51fr1FnPao4j3gEc26GpCqPEE8m_84i4ogRtBARe7tcP4SM/s1600/bcm+8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnl_uHvwdsmjkm3Qf-AwIPoRH4WudlQG8cnMgqy8R4_-VRZ-nAmsnrg_5jDF70U6SiINb7x6dHMXQlL-g3mHK1e7GtKVsH51fr1FnPao4j3gEc26GpCqPEE8m_84i4ogRtBARe7tcP4SM/s400/bcm+8.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458942884409103250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">T</span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">eaching the next generation about invasive plant removal</span></i></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjIfAG9wH0IJmM0oswLjPuhGGGPhUKlK-w1em2sMqoz67k5NHr2iicHUg-QKX4hcnBiyBLC-HgZC8kxq0u_YHygSwhp3vsvrdLAXCXJJytvetp_ajeOZNVjAIIBX_eECyRPI4yrY8o00/s1600/bcm+15.jpg"></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjIfAG9wH0IJmM0oswLjPuhGGGPhUKlK-w1em2sMqoz67k5NHr2iicHUg-QKX4hcnBiyBLC-HgZC8kxq0u_YHygSwhp3vsvrdLAXCXJJytvetp_ajeOZNVjAIIBX_eECyRPI4yrY8o00/s1600/bcm+15.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 287px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjIfAG9wH0IJmM0oswLjPuhGGGPhUKlK-w1em2sMqoz67k5NHr2iicHUg-QKX4hcnBiyBLC-HgZC8kxq0u_YHygSwhp3vsvrdLAXCXJJytvetp_ajeOZNVjAIIBX_eECyRPI4yrY8o00/s400/bcm+15.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458943394108568850" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Dan tries out the straw bale seats, while Bob documents the day.</span></i></div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Dan brought hay bales for seating, as the ground was super muddy from all the rain, and a bushel of oyster too.<br /><br />In fact, every one brought </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">great</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> food- special thanks to the Amazing Fred Johnson of </span><a href="http://fredshomegrown.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Fred's Homegrown Farm & Produce</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> in Naselle, WA. A chef turned farmer, Fred took charge of the barbeque, grilling the lamb ribs we got from </span><a href="http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M20018"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Lance's Farm Vittles</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> that were marinated in the sauce that Dana (chef at the Fort George) made for us, making burgers out of the local beef and elk meat that Doug brought, and making To-Die-For onion rings on his portable tempura set up. (!!) Our friend Sandy jumped in to frost the birthday cupcakes that I ran out of time to do, along with bringing some of her always delicious soup to share.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I think Michelle, our friend from </span><a href="http://www.friendsoffamilyfarmers.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Friends of Family Farmers</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> wins the most local food points for her contribution. A former chef herself, she made the most amazing salad using ingredients both from her own garden and sourced from her local farmers around Portland, and also brought these incredible local ingredient fig and some-other-fruit cookies that were </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">phenomenal</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. Everyone who had one was stunned. I need to get that recipe from her. We can't wait to have her and Fred cooking together next year. It was, as someone observed, a very high quality potluck, and there was enough for everyone to go back for seconds, and even thirds.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2KdH7ffx7A7EaotdMww3YMynhcgsOh3dHgNYhivctrPaKueXt2DjRD8OQfZpk1R7qLBSb0S1pBeSLhtbXbe9PuM7uLbsRA2dlGwNcufz5f_4yfgeA0aEsAYf7zDm3CJ5NcNifGzJCDI/s1600/bcm+10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2KdH7ffx7A7EaotdMww3YMynhcgsOh3dHgNYhivctrPaKueXt2DjRD8OQfZpk1R7qLBSb0S1pBeSLhtbXbe9PuM7uLbsRA2dlGwNcufz5f_4yfgeA0aEsAYf7zDm3CJ5NcNifGzJCDI/s400/bcm+10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458952147119965234" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">It was SO great to see the lovely Romneya again!</span></i></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">An award for the greatest distance travelled to the party goes to our beloved and much missed friends Roger and Youngiee, and their two lovely daughters Romneya and Avani. Former North Coasters, they now </span><a href="http://www.threestonefarm.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">farm just outside of Ithaca, N.Y.</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, and were back in town to sign the sales papers on their former farm land here in Astoria- it was bought by people who are hoping to farm it, which we are thrilled about. More farmers on the North Coast- yes!</span></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">But you don't want to know about the food, or the people. You want to see The Chair Burning, right? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">All the creative energy had been spent making The Chair, and we never did get a Man put together this year. I decided that really, it's all about the punctuation. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This year it was ' Burning Chair, Man!' </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">From first ignition to final collapse: about 30 minutes.</span></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0prOsKrwkS6E24Cqjl1Dr66UUfZhacxOORKxuU0TPSZpbnRBcpCTa5UWpnwJgcb-JFWncQ34IhUNmTOYOpiI8TbSoWddSdOt76eDd4zxxlrc9XdLV1XOSRiwoMfFdUAtAheGCvzZOa1s/s1600/bcm+16.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0prOsKrwkS6E24Cqjl1Dr66UUfZhacxOORKxuU0TPSZpbnRBcpCTa5UWpnwJgcb-JFWncQ34IhUNmTOYOpiI8TbSoWddSdOt76eDd4zxxlrc9XdLV1XOSRiwoMfFdUAtAheGCvzZOa1s/s400/bcm+16.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458943950749911810" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">The crowd waits patiently for ignition</span></i></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIXEPodI8vLaPccfKH7GLQ8Koj_K6CYwJkHNOb9norEC394CZdhYoAGHdPHXoFxhCAwyDsYJw5-xHm3g3HUbpTmD09CqMIuqfDi61IPnHuOB145jtJsQVGZOaTFeMXJ53h-e1A7JRAd0/s1600/bcm+22.jpg"></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIXEPodI8vLaPccfKH7GLQ8Koj_K6CYwJkHNOb9norEC394CZdhYoAGHdPHXoFxhCAwyDsYJw5-xHm3g3HUbpTmD09CqMIuqfDi61IPnHuOB145jtJsQVGZOaTFeMXJ53h-e1A7JRAd0/s1600/bcm+22.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 270px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIXEPodI8vLaPccfKH7GLQ8Koj_K6CYwJkHNOb9norEC394CZdhYoAGHdPHXoFxhCAwyDsYJw5-xHm3g3HUbpTmD09CqMIuqfDi61IPnHuOB145jtJsQVGZOaTFeMXJ53h-e1A7JRAd0/s400/bcm+22.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458944170364751938" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Luke and Packy head to The Chair with the Super Fun and Handy propane torch</span></i></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpoQR8jZsJChtSdY1TLLiDzJVVzcEQEKnEDuEc6Vdeh1_PO4SCOu86nfpj4mIvuCAn-uIylxxENcLMgfCFedF6dupVzfaCI-p_LsdsV4Xy-CYAd2picKP6qnK_wqkZOeu5be6aJ7zDR4/s1600/burning+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpoQR8jZsJChtSdY1TLLiDzJVVzcEQEKnEDuEc6Vdeh1_PO4SCOu86nfpj4mIvuCAn-uIylxxENcLMgfCFedF6dupVzfaCI-p_LsdsV4Xy-CYAd2picKP6qnK_wqkZOeu5be6aJ7zDR4/s400/burning+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458946018064625858" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidCYPjoyJ3RrBel0Qz1t44p8ctYdhegNPZ6XiIvYuIDPA2N4Rgn9-DdOIw7iWKjsjwfN1CQ1rWy_7fEovl4G2IP4oxt0-ii7LHuZ2UNDJ7Y-xzUByRokWHB6hYv1hGI3uY5Zk1KdvO3I/s1600/burning+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidCYPjoyJ3RrBel0Qz1t44p8ctYdhegNPZ6XiIvYuIDPA2N4Rgn9-DdOIw7iWKjsjwfN1CQ1rWy_7fEovl4G2IP4oxt0-ii7LHuZ2UNDJ7Y-xzUByRokWHB6hYv1hGI3uY5Zk1KdvO3I/s400/burning+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458946190752441762" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4xMypIPDLbPkMhxtanTublYzb9e1WErBLVqUNTBBCIXBBLE0jw4gz1orTiqXDBZVSfeGHSbiz4mPzBRDet0KTd7lwTRKzBXk1qo7rCvqyNHiXWSuCd73R_LSQ6oLAuB3DMgMNS37DQs/s1600/burning+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4xMypIPDLbPkMhxtanTublYzb9e1WErBLVqUNTBBCIXBBLE0jw4gz1orTiqXDBZVSfeGHSbiz4mPzBRDet0KTd7lwTRKzBXk1qo7rCvqyNHiXWSuCd73R_LSQ6oLAuB3DMgMNS37DQs/s400/burning+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458946344973594946" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7le2MQrT-oFo-QmJfJCqfbcDFUnxre2DtSmVO8MvulwLxckt0SfAxTpgn1u1yyBWxGKqko4QQTa5nQs5kDX4oVCCaDx2AN4fTKkrGmRcU6qGicLblu09gFjsvgkTjRszftljoeJuLac/s1600/burning+6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7le2MQrT-oFo-QmJfJCqfbcDFUnxre2DtSmVO8MvulwLxckt0SfAxTpgn1u1yyBWxGKqko4QQTa5nQs5kDX4oVCCaDx2AN4fTKkrGmRcU6qGicLblu09gFjsvgkTjRszftljoeJuLac/s400/burning+6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458946503252332258" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJS9ZtaGzBZqxR46B0p06JHvMRTLw5efxWY05wv3lCW7qf8iMuyyllqF_f9DHEmjrdQ1MQOmCRMepRZBFePdKLmBbdq4u5W7Jkqt635YUa7QhA6AOv7c3Qa9Rwy6abuAtepQeLel85v8/s1600/burning+8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJS9ZtaGzBZqxR46B0p06JHvMRTLw5efxWY05wv3lCW7qf8iMuyyllqF_f9DHEmjrdQ1MQOmCRMepRZBFePdKLmBbdq4u5W7Jkqt635YUa7QhA6AOv7c3Qa9Rwy6abuAtepQeLel85v8/s400/burning+8.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458946645483419522" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JvMS7AhBjw4W7FgwVg3lIdWjXdRyIzOPvr8CwaBwH7JKJ_a2aas49Gs7pdd77fqVUikedPQA7z8UgrK9uZYBomavFYv-VfDU4r8_ZuiOsvpyS3syXazdDZ-11J3D4H_m35rd-Rsd3oo/s1600/burning+10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 258px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JvMS7AhBjw4W7FgwVg3lIdWjXdRyIzOPvr8CwaBwH7JKJ_a2aas49Gs7pdd77fqVUikedPQA7z8UgrK9uZYBomavFYv-VfDU4r8_ZuiOsvpyS3syXazdDZ-11J3D4H_m35rd-Rsd3oo/s400/burning+10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458946842357870226" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6D2BvCa6Tu1Xa2_TnWHha951OzgbZrMkGsbvhXcv-dMVOrFcIlANFT7H2PDwRS-KClwOcpNw4plTf5hWrA8HVNLnOwUI6-CjmqnD9kcnIuQToxEYc_ezmhdgXDXJm_mpyvVYyK3RsFoA/s1600/burning+11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6D2BvCa6Tu1Xa2_TnWHha951OzgbZrMkGsbvhXcv-dMVOrFcIlANFT7H2PDwRS-KClwOcpNw4plTf5hWrA8HVNLnOwUI6-CjmqnD9kcnIuQToxEYc_ezmhdgXDXJm_mpyvVYyK3RsFoA/s400/burning+11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458947020916484258" /></a><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">It was SO satisfying!!</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9swyxZwT-tg_uF5oKQmFwnRd6iClxsWb2cXJcqu_W45ieESaFhPrxaZqZhmOIsQkCr7-42w0ofQJSM9MlD22Whsq7_plPdZBGSUuW0iCfFQ2PdzmHaIDzC5tBZYYaCxSMayKT8Klj0w/s1600/burning+the+holly.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9swyxZwT-tg_uF5oKQmFwnRd6iClxsWb2cXJcqu_W45ieESaFhPrxaZqZhmOIsQkCr7-42w0ofQJSM9MlD22Whsq7_plPdZBGSUuW0iCfFQ2PdzmHaIDzC5tBZYYaCxSMayKT8Klj0w/s400/burning+the+holly.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458947184429295970" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then a hard core crew of pyromaniacs burned all the holly brush, and everyone ate lots of s'mores and cupcakes, drank more beer, explored the property, ate more food and sat around and talked until the fire turned to embers, the sun went down and it was time for bed. And there really wasn't even that much to clean up.<br /><br />It was a completely awesome day. Thanks to everyone for coming out to share your time, your food and your friendship with us, especially our farm friends like </span><a href="http://fredshomegrown.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Fred</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, </span><a href="http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M20018"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Lance</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, and </span><a href="http://www.revolutiongardens.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ginger</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> who took a rare sunny spring day away from their farms to come celebrate with us. Our farm feels very warmed, and very blessed, and Packy says it way the best birthday party </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">ever</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiksf5iaE2Bpb3KqlJQpbI9rY2fe88o8iQd42RHgOrJkFJVIdYGbJAnzqsTT7a1BSscuhE7H3DpMa3Ind_bD59KTIyM8yquLXtmIxtzvRoFlzrw4vLZv9aKlK4TcvQTZEgsH1NUhj13k/s1600/bcm+18.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiksf5iaE2Bpb3KqlJQpbI9rY2fe88o8iQd42RHgOrJkFJVIdYGbJAnzqsTT7a1BSscuhE7H3DpMa3Ind_bD59KTIyM8yquLXtmIxtzvRoFlzrw4vLZv9aKlK4TcvQTZEgsH1NUhj13k/s400/bcm+18.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458965826841279602" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Tim and Luke are already plotting about next year. I thought I heard Luke mutter something about 'pyrotechnics', but I'm </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">sure</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> I was mistaken....</span></div><div><br /><br /></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-22079959756049266602010-03-03T21:48:00.000-08:002010-03-04T15:16:22.895-08:00Inspiration<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdShk-0BWcWfzjnZtyWyRH-P-_eyw5Fpv7JrUXW94_s8PhOoCX5qdKVpyZLsnnjBZDx7KnZ3aQ3AzArF3G7RcsgLXsU-_SE74aKKCD43ZzHDpl2yyKFDG5Si45_sZ8IVsdmM2wpXN2xfY/s1600-h/kitty+supervision+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdShk-0BWcWfzjnZtyWyRH-P-_eyw5Fpv7JrUXW94_s8PhOoCX5qdKVpyZLsnnjBZDx7KnZ3aQ3AzArF3G7RcsgLXsU-_SE74aKKCD43ZzHDpl2yyKFDG5Si45_sZ8IVsdmM2wpXN2xfY/s400/kitty+supervision+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444910387331691634" /></a><br /><div>It's been four days since we got back from our weekend in Corvallis, and I am still buzzing. Last Saturday we attended the OSU Small Farms Conference- 600 people all gathered in one place to talk about small family farms, farmer's markets and the challenges and joys of running a small farm in Oregon. It was <i>great</i>, especially the opening talk by David Mas Masumoto, author of ' Epitaph for a Peach' and 'The Wisdom of the Last Farmer', which I look forward to reading as soon as Packy is finished with our new (signed!) copy.</div><br />We had never been to the OSU Small Farms conference before, and it was such a good experience for us both that we will definitely be back. It was great to run into so many friends from the North Coast food and farming community there, and to meet up with fellow farm enthusiasts from all over the state.<div><br /></div><div>One of the best things was seeing how many other first time attendees there were at the conference. Interest in farming is exploding in Oregon, especially among younger people- I've heard that our state is actually seeing an <i>increase</i> in the number of farms in operation, running against a declining national trend.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCojKi5_Rg2efQYjygiG7GAEIt2kpcPBLnLH9sM5maBBBa6q4J6-ASeymBiO7eTXcO7SEy_H5wdJw-6CmpgzJMPSTFa3Tgdlk4534c4pXFVZKOfYWaEr3KH39DXd4oazxq9x5eZDbhro/s1600-h/where+the+greenhouse+will+be....jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCojKi5_Rg2efQYjygiG7GAEIt2kpcPBLnLH9sM5maBBBa6q4J6-ASeymBiO7eTXcO7SEy_H5wdJw-6CmpgzJMPSTFa3Tgdlk4534c4pXFVZKOfYWaEr3KH39DXd4oazxq9x5eZDbhro/s400/where+the+greenhouse+will+be....jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444910905784266770" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Even better than Saturday's experience was the gathering we attended on Sunday sponsored by<a href="http://www.friendsoffamilyfarmers.org/"> Friends of Family Farmers</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div> The Farmer and Rancher Delegate Meeting to discuss the Agricultural Reclamation Act has to be one of the most inspiring days of my recent life, as well as one of the best run meetings I have ever attended. (And given that this was a meeting of 60 or so highly opinionated farmers and ranchers, that's really saying something.)<div><br /></div><div>The best description I can give for what this was all about is in the words of FoFF themselves:</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000066;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On February 28th, 2010, we will host our first Farmer Delegation in Corvallis, where a cross-section of family farmers will come together to establish a statewide platform for food and family farming in Oregon. Through this process, the Agricultural Reclamation Act for Oregon will be written. Our combined strength, represented through this document, will put family farms first, and ensure that public officials hear and understand the needs of farmers who are practicing a type of agriculture that respects the land, sustains rural communities and contributes to the states econ</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000066;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">omy.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;color:#000066;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div>You can go and watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/FamilyFarmFriends">this short film</a> that FoFF made about the process to learn more- if I was tech-savvy enough to embed the video I would, but I'm not, so you'll have to just follow the link.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was a phenomenal day- great discussions and debate about some of the biggest issues facing small family farmers all over the state. There are a lot of seriously talented and smart people farming in this state, which gives me great hope for the future of small farms in Oregon. I have never felt so sure of my decision to become a farmer, and of the importance of that work to the communities we farm in as I was that day. When we were all asked to come up at the end of the meeting to sign our names to the ARA declaration, it was pretty powerful stuff. I will admit that that was not just a speck of dust in my eye- I was genuinely moved by the courage and determination of all of the people in that room to find a way to continue farming and providing healthy food for our local communities. Packy and I both came away so fired up, and determined to find a way to get our farm up and running again. We had a lively discussion throughout the long drive home to Olney shifting between the ideas and questions raised at the meeting and our plans for our farm's future.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many thanks to all the hardworking people at FoFF, both staff and volunteers, for organizing the meeting and for pulling the whole day off so brilliantly. You are all amazing.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWG9cv7p8U-IA7IwDRyJulQDPRAzdto5erAdX6-UAVW1OHhwtOMw3hEgpPlxbTNW-3_kqW3wM-a57xxUMRjRpJynMwJU54MpLZncIJAbQ27BJqQkMxzpl_Fzy1dxM4xc015Z834_fUAME/s1600-h/seedlings+2010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWG9cv7p8U-IA7IwDRyJulQDPRAzdto5erAdX6-UAVW1OHhwtOMw3hEgpPlxbTNW-3_kqW3wM-a57xxUMRjRpJynMwJU54MpLZncIJAbQ27BJqQkMxzpl_Fzy1dxM4xc015Z834_fUAME/s400/seedlings+2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444911211600768498" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>Thanks also go the the <a href="http://www.astoriacoop.org/">Astoria Co-op</a> for helping to sponsor the event when they saw that we were attending as delegates from the North Coast. Their commitment to supporting more local food production in our community is so encouraging, and we hope to be able to supply them with great locally grown stuff in the not-<i>too</i> distant future. (Maybe even some edible plant starts this year, if we can get the greenhouse rebuilt in time.)</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdJiIsTb0AmrY2X4yQoc7lXFGqChZRZsReM13rNMQgLz_Ltes_2FYal94b6Ead7A7ID7Ve4YWrWJp-KXhWWk65oKYZCX_N0y4wTEvpgYQrahMin8cGJyZ8adq-osANrC-HBQBeXp_Zsk/s1600-h/seedling+trays.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdJiIsTb0AmrY2X4yQoc7lXFGqChZRZsReM13rNMQgLz_Ltes_2FYal94b6Ead7A7ID7Ve4YWrWJp-KXhWWk65oKYZCX_N0y4wTEvpgYQrahMin8cGJyZ8adq-osANrC-HBQBeXp_Zsk/s400/seedling+trays.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444911464895490306" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Getting ready for more seedlings... you can never have enough!</i></span></div><br /></div><div>It was more than a little hard for me to come back down to earth on Monday morning, get in the car and head off to work to help make sure our mortgage gets paid. We still have a long way- and several thousand feet of elk fencing- to go before we can truly start farming seriously, but for a couple of days I got to think of myself as a farmer again, and to remember why I love doing it so much.</div><div><br /></div><div>Which is why I know that I will find a way to make our farm rise again- I can't <i>not</i> do it.</div><div><br /></div><div> As hard as the work is, I have never done anything so satisfying in my life.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhteUPPlML4hAxFwtiV70dHdy_fe8pFkusFXV78_JZiWh_Zd-gk_iIQE4o3HT311bN2Zwj6JPuyY782hckFKHWL-iHLB-8hVIHa4pYpZc7eFaqHiLs26t8oArMsF8iGo0ihUw5eN0cx4/s1600-h/elk+in+the+%27orchard%27.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhteUPPlML4hAxFwtiV70dHdy_fe8pFkusFXV78_JZiWh_Zd-gk_iIQE4o3HT311bN2Zwj6JPuyY782hckFKHWL-iHLB-8hVIHa4pYpZc7eFaqHiLs26t8oArMsF8iGo0ihUw5eN0cx4/s400/elk+in+the+%27orchard%27.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444911635389830994" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Little do The Elk know that they are standing smack in the middle of our future orchard. </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We need SUCH a huge fence.....</span></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px; font-size:medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 14px;font-size:medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span><br /></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-27218205577755839162010-02-23T06:42:00.000-08:002010-02-26T10:12:54.316-08:00Discovery<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUT6v00siRiYWRFfHMv46VRyRMVEzLU0r7zl_uT8QKO80p0K8NbeKsLfxSgF5J_hNex0CkZ9ZDWIIUup7k8L7vadQtCH33MFgPJLHCPE0t5EDYaiL1OmBTFlJMWx9YtS652hT18cf-g98/s1600-h/farm+in+January.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUT6v00siRiYWRFfHMv46VRyRMVEzLU0r7zl_uT8QKO80p0K8NbeKsLfxSgF5J_hNex0CkZ9ZDWIIUup7k8L7vadQtCH33MFgPJLHCPE0t5EDYaiL1OmBTFlJMWx9YtS652hT18cf-g98/s400/farm+in+January.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442610109870084802" /></a><br />For any gardener, one of the most delightful aspects of getting to know a new growing space happens in the first year you live on your new property: <div><br /></div><div>Discovery. </div><div><div><br /></div><div>When we moved here in October of last year, things were pretty much dying back. The leaves on the trees were almost gone, the rose was covered in rose hips and whatever plants had been planted to cheer the place up and make it attractive to potential buyers figured that their work was done, and had long since given up and died off. <div><br /></div><div>There are a number of older trees and shrubs around the house, some of which I am excited about, and some not. I love that there is a huge lilac right by the back door, and the tulip magnolia is covered in velvety buds- I can't wait to see what it looks like in bloom. I've never been a big fan of rhododendrons, but as they are the quintissential Northwest flowering plant that deer and elk don't eat, I am working on developing an appreciation for the three we have inherited- I just hope they are not that cloying pink one. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3In6ZSmB1tirG0IEboSR7xaGswcyGk96TdlpVugllND_UC9lcabjeswkMSjDuH-VRDUmtq__umbgl1WLwyQAKFGLJDcwXtTOP8X33oAx0kUmqvSd9AB_JtQioUyn1TdbzN0Sc-MrX61g/s1600-h/purple+tree.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3In6ZSmB1tirG0IEboSR7xaGswcyGk96TdlpVugllND_UC9lcabjeswkMSjDuH-VRDUmtq__umbgl1WLwyQAKFGLJDcwXtTOP8X33oAx0kUmqvSd9AB_JtQioUyn1TdbzN0Sc-MrX61g/s400/purple+tree.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442610584546787218" /></a><br />The big surprise so far has been this tree that we thought was possibly some kind of purple beech. We had only ever seen it in leaf, or without leaves. There was a huge, beautiful purple beech tree near our old farm in Seaside, and I suppose my mind just associated 'purple leaves' with 'purple beech'. It's a good thing I'm not an arborist.</div><div><br /></div><div>Years ago, back when I was still fairly intellectual and read things other than seed catalogs and books about propagation, I read a book by Nikos Kazantzakis called 'Report to Greco'- not in the original Greek, I'm not <i>that</i> good. I have always remembers this haiku that he wrote in that book:</div><div><br /></div><div>"I said to the almond tree,</div><div> "Sister, speak to me of God,</div><div> and the almond tree blossomed."</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEa83eQHvJ03TPI_TkXiVPDMCIVixtjemQzrcGcG9t-Djb1XVJKCUw8ekTWqpasSpITNR0CQ1tjP67BhJ3imLU7EReyG5Tit7xhODDNhij_cR3oCxq2mU6j_DSNvhMrlB-_ZLNN-3TD8Q/s1600-h/blooming+tree+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEa83eQHvJ03TPI_TkXiVPDMCIVixtjemQzrcGcG9t-Djb1XVJKCUw8ekTWqpasSpITNR0CQ1tjP67BhJ3imLU7EReyG5Tit7xhODDNhij_cR3oCxq2mU6j_DSNvhMrlB-_ZLNN-3TD8Q/s400/blooming+tree+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442611535609524066" /></a><br />I'm not a particularly religious person, but the morning I walked out of our back door to see that tree blooming, backlit by welcome winter sunlight, I really got it why people are. I could almost hear that choral note sounding around me, which in Western pop culture is always the signal that something miraculous has happened.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfVv8llLpZ-NUzTtmaS521w17Yo_JhvUwj58JNAgVLitUe3CmizqjEuyrA7Ur9vATcOYgs3mQt40YJsmvJWMpPcEX3imSgXAuEljuxYetK7x7Pn60qZXxf8Lc9b-YBSsEFD2l2vp8cKg/s1600-h/blooming+tree+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfVv8llLpZ-NUzTtmaS521w17Yo_JhvUwj58JNAgVLitUe3CmizqjEuyrA7Ur9vATcOYgs3mQt40YJsmvJWMpPcEX3imSgXAuEljuxYetK7x7Pn60qZXxf8Lc9b-YBSsEFD2l2vp8cKg/s400/blooming+tree+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442611956835442834" /></a><br /></div><div>Or that the credits for Star Trek (original version) have just begun.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We are off this weekend to attend the <a href="http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/2010SFC">OSU Small Farms Conference</a> in Corvallis on Saturday, and even more exciting, we are North Coast delegates to the <a href="http://www.friendsoffamilyfarmers.org/?p=796">Friends of Family Farmers 'Agricultural Reclamation Act'</a> gathering the following day. I know we will come back inspired and even more determined to make our farm a success. I will let you know how it goes...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6vJRhk4HjEvy50-OrefO5GX3phGCHeqhPkXaQiiOYYz89LlKUi1GPXAi-rufTWLbWXVi8SVu6LkirxXnJVtrFAQLwbm1GC5ER0vKJSCfpLEjoCCJtkL37tjnebUC3uij78Duv4amKTQ/s1600-h/blooming+tree+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6vJRhk4HjEvy50-OrefO5GX3phGCHeqhPkXaQiiOYYz89LlKUi1GPXAi-rufTWLbWXVi8SVu6LkirxXnJVtrFAQLwbm1GC5ER0vKJSCfpLEjoCCJtkL37tjnebUC3uij78Duv4amKTQ/s400/blooming+tree+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442612291048126578" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i>...and when Packy got close to the tree, he realized that it was </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i>humming with happy honey bees.</i></span></div></div></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-27720916458203558652010-02-04T06:48:00.000-08:002010-02-04T07:25:12.252-08:00Reassurance<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcP0ov0nJX54HYSMgV9z6097eYpLGBp0h0Km6RysbGPBQZt_r0GsMAyt4zNPO-vqAAhA5M50IPfqL5eHmLifzmKAE87UkV_gMaVH5lwZh9q56pxOLhiORf4z-BDv6Tvphs9FaKV4zagSE/s1600-h/tomatoes+on+the+vine.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcP0ov0nJX54HYSMgV9z6097eYpLGBp0h0Km6RysbGPBQZt_r0GsMAyt4zNPO-vqAAhA5M50IPfqL5eHmLifzmKAE87UkV_gMaVH5lwZh9q56pxOLhiORf4z-BDv6Tvphs9FaKV4zagSE/s400/tomatoes+on+the+vine.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434407540129624146" /></a><br /><br />I've gotten a lot of questions lately from concerned customers and friends about plant starts. "What do you mean, you've moved the farm?!" said the guy ringing up my purchase at Costco the other night. "I just got my garden all sorted out and ready to plant this year, where am I going to get those tomato plants?"<div><br /></div><div>It's going to be OK. </div><div><br /></div><div>We have to take a short trip to visit family this weekend, and as soon as we get back, the seeds are getting started. (It seemed a bit much to ask the lovely person staying with the cats to also babysit several hundred seedlings as well.)</div><div><br /></div><div>It won't be as big a selection as we've done in the past, but all the North Coast tomato favourites will be there: Stupice, Sungold, Paul Robeson, Black Cherry, Yellow Pear, San Marzano, and several others that I am blanking on right now. It's terribly hard- the seed catalogs have been SO tempting this year, and I am trying hard to maintain some self control.</div><div><br /></div><div>We'll have lettuce, spinach, peas, beans, greens and an assortment of other veg plants, as well as the flower and herb favourites- calendula, poppies, nasturtiums, cerinthe, cilantro and basil too. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJc9lwKiqgYpsTlv5GDPGIn0ABXIVE8Fq9vEE2EcWTvMiHiCobJtDRfmMtaEHOKLb5S6UoLvWKMQ9MRM2mlZPTZ3Iu9x-EZq_3kh0A5PAcRB7neBb-NYyC7khNsUV_P9ecpFJbpKgP1w/s1600-h/popies+small.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJc9lwKiqgYpsTlv5GDPGIn0ABXIVE8Fq9vEE2EcWTvMiHiCobJtDRfmMtaEHOKLb5S6UoLvWKMQ9MRM2mlZPTZ3Iu9x-EZq_3kh0A5PAcRB7neBb-NYyC7khNsUV_P9ecpFJbpKgP1w/s400/popies+small.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434406774214807234" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>It won't be the same, but it will be better than no plants at all. I've got to get poppies and calendula growing here as soon as possible to start building up the seed bank in the soil. Things were just getting perfect at the old farm with plants sowing themselves (<i>mostly</i> ones that I wanted) and I just cannot imagine not having poppies growing randomly throughout the farm. I am interested to see what comes up here this spring, but I fear it is mainly going to be some morning glory right around the house, and Canada thistle in the pasture (right where we want to put the orchard). Ugh. I don't see many bulbs at all- I will miss <a href="http://ostmanfarm.blogspot.com/2008/03/color-of-spring.html">Mrs. Ostman's daffodils</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>We've been spending time walking the property, figuring out what will go where, and if that makes sense from a work efficiency viewpoint. We've marked out where the greenhouse will go, and as soon as we get a stretch of dry weather our friend Dan will come over with his tractor to scrape down the site, and we can get it re-built. We're dreaming of adding on to it, on the theory that it was already feeling too small. We'll see if our budget can squeeze out an extra twenty feet of growing space- I will happily live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches if it gives me more room for seedlings!</div><div><br /></div><div>Stay tuned. </div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCLFzLfeq69apW2JNJc7sZGrcKA64ZamgcEJCLdf_uLPNcU3csEi0hagFkcca0HnI4wqCqydAW9XBHZbP5ln2-Z6XPbu6yvxoUimKm8B-1t5zLEk7QCybRZJCREJmpfJ_KVI-nGL-Or0/s1600-h/eddie+seedlings.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCLFzLfeq69apW2JNJc7sZGrcKA64ZamgcEJCLdf_uLPNcU3csEi0hagFkcca0HnI4wqCqydAW9XBHZbP5ln2-Z6XPbu6yvxoUimKm8B-1t5zLEk7QCybRZJCREJmpfJ_KVI-nGL-Or0/s400/eddie+seedlings.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434407916822436642" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Eddie the Cat can't wait until we turn on the Indoor Sun again</i></span></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-83265705041588208662010-01-19T06:12:00.000-08:002010-01-19T20:38:34.754-08:0046 North Farm<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOmNcOg2by2Bh4QBFXNPMvYottz-jOdXrK98DF5Yu4dTUZblFJGa4d3Bn1T-9NJ04RYRoKgjLjkf7ZGO2MOzgGBtqRbnuprz99OoxU27hMtFsjzY-uNHvBY2CvETqdM_24EDVVgD66Mo/s1600-h/Farm+View+three+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOmNcOg2by2Bh4QBFXNPMvYottz-jOdXrK98DF5Yu4dTUZblFJGa4d3Bn1T-9NJ04RYRoKgjLjkf7ZGO2MOzgGBtqRbnuprz99OoxU27hMtFsjzY-uNHvBY2CvETqdM_24EDVVgD66Mo/s400/Farm+View+three+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428613458571110034" /></a><br />After a tremendous amount of talking and searching and way,<i>way</i> too much thinking about what to call our new farm, we realized that there was never going to be a perfect, bolt-of-lightning-out-of-the-sky name, and that it really didn't matter. <div><br /></div><div>In looking for our name, I came across hundreds of farm names, and you know what? They are all pretty odd. Some are boring, some are obvious, some are funny, some are weird, and in the end if a farm is a great farm and has a good reputation, people will think highly of it and the name will just work. <div><br /></div><div>I realize that this statement flies in the face of the work that many highly paid "branding professionals" make careers out of. I don't mean to claim that if we had fixed upon 'Rabid Flying Killer Squirrel Farm' as a name, we might not have someday come to question our decision! But I think that as long as your farm name isn't too offensive or bizarre, then it's up to you to make it work and make people connect to it and remember it. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19nL4Jy-__o-LSA9CR_wQaHpKvRcEar-B8tRhfcgHQqNdDOxGzm-Z2uw5LgoPi3p91EL_oXYOef4jTK5iFhS0jNBCKh0hIXGSMpF3WKq2Ko_jLBJvCbyUQwxqORuj4SEEHoTjqJGIB-M/s1600-h/Farm+View+One+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19nL4Jy-__o-LSA9CR_wQaHpKvRcEar-B8tRhfcgHQqNdDOxGzm-Z2uw5LgoPi3p91EL_oXYOef4jTK5iFhS0jNBCKh0hIXGSMpF3WKq2Ko_jLBJvCbyUQwxqORuj4SEEHoTjqJGIB-M/s400/Farm+View+One+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428613708539833682" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i>With all this winter rain, we are learning where the wet spots on the property are..</i></span>.</div><br /><br /></div><div><div>So thanks to my brother-in-law Andy, cartographer with the U.S. Census Bureau (it is so cool to have a professional map maker in the family- we <i>always</i> know just where we are), we were able to agree upon a place-based name that no one else had yet registered the domain name for, 46 North Farm. Our farm's location is at roughly 46 degrees North (latitude), and 123 degrees West (longitude). There are minutes involved to make the location more exact (why <i>are</i> they called minutes, Andy?) which I believe are somewhere in the comments section of the last post, if you really need to know exactly where your fabulous heirloom tomato plant will be grown this year.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes! We are going to grow some plant starts this year Not many, and we probably won't do any markets- maybe one or two days depending on our schedules. We are talking to the Astoria Co-op about selling plants at their store, and if that doesn't work for you, we will figure out some way to get you the plants you want. I think we've figured out where to re-build the greenhouse, which will start happening soon, but in the meantime our basement is going to become the grow-light capital of Olney. </div><div><br /></div><div>It will be a much shorter plant list this year, because we just don't have the time to do a huge run. But we will make sure to grow all our best and favourite varieties of tomatoes, lettuce, peas and beans, leafy greens, herbs and flowers. If there is a particular variety you want to make sure we are growing, ask for it now while there is still time to order seeds!</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll post a plant list soon. In the meantime, stay warm and as dry as you can, and savor the longer days. Spring will be here before you know it.</div></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEics8zcVCDI6RjTQzqCXsAxZIOhBIorSRx9rMUNqVU8JEhuev1AF8K1Qb4lgN21Qi9sQd5nEjhSITNkNnlJ0WOReBRHeWsrZOiTviQzdzKG3QyFtftuQlh45KRykAjU4ukywNbW3EqiZuE/s1600-h/Farm+View+Two+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEics8zcVCDI6RjTQzqCXsAxZIOhBIorSRx9rMUNqVU8JEhuev1AF8K1Qb4lgN21Qi9sQd5nEjhSITNkNnlJ0WOReBRHeWsrZOiTviQzdzKG3QyFtftuQlh45KRykAjU4ukywNbW3EqiZuE/s400/Farm+View+Two+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428614014494126626" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i>Coming to this site soon: Greenhouse 3.0 (Or would it be 46 North Farm's Greenhouse 1.0?</i></span>)</div><br /></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-28294167165055483772009-12-14T06:19:00.000-08:002009-12-20T09:07:52.543-08:00The Farm Formerly Known as Ostman<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3RiwgPL-jX0Dj6Cv9DR41sPEzmoPamz83M0ZzxQOgWvW0P8tUPHG-cCBpGnPHcKG6hP0zxtrDkweV-IQvAD8FeE6YLkqMCNQiuLocn0tfdRTe-of4dzSzEoJ__EbZ5eix-fhqQF2axfk/s1600-h/new+south+side+barn+roof.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3RiwgPL-jX0Dj6Cv9DR41sPEzmoPamz83M0ZzxQOgWvW0P8tUPHG-cCBpGnPHcKG6hP0zxtrDkweV-IQvAD8FeE6YLkqMCNQiuLocn0tfdRTe-of4dzSzEoJ__EbZ5eix-fhqQF2axfk/s400/new+south+side+barn+roof.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416578375627852738" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">New South Roof! Our resident Nisse managed to hold the good weather for another week, so Tim and his crew blew through the barn's south side roof in a couple of days. Unfortunately we weren't able to document it due to our Real Job commitments during daylight hours- but it is Beautiful to see it DONE.</span></i></div><br /><br />I agree with what Shakespeare was getting at with his <i>"What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" </i>comment. Fortunately for him, Mr. Shakespeare never had to deal with modern marketing issues like domain name availability.<div><br /></div><div>When we decided to leave the land Ostman Farm lived on, we knew we would be leaving the name behind as well. We called the farm that in honor of John and Hilma Ostman, the land's original farmers, <a href="http://www.ostmanfarm.com/a_history.htm">who ran Ostman's Dairy there from the thirties until sometime in the early sixties</a>. We are not related to the Ostmans or their descendants except by friendship. The idea of keeping the name– even though we are now reasonably well known on the North Coast by that name– always seemed weird and just wrong to us. If we ever started a new farm, we knew would start over with a whole new identity. Possibly not the smartest marketing move, but the only one that we could live with.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfklFrgmGUacI26srlwkgbZPOVAStAWQ7LI2GXfaATmxITA0VVLvGlm0w9h1oiEl3laQeEUDM3ykbCaSeGAK2oRODLAFpD86w6e8g3xvOIc871KIxUt2a6pY9XV06aGm4_2Vjc1WixlI/s1600-h/barn+roof+close+up.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfklFrgmGUacI26srlwkgbZPOVAStAWQ7LI2GXfaATmxITA0VVLvGlm0w9h1oiEl3laQeEUDM3ykbCaSeGAK2oRODLAFpD86w6e8g3xvOIc871KIxUt2a6pY9XV06aGm4_2Vjc1WixlI/s400/barn+roof+close+up.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416577678192726578" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Up close, the roof is incredible, but even standing twenty feet away you can smell the fresh cedar shingles. It is a wonderful scent- to me, it smells dry and safe and secure.</span></i></div><br /><br /></div><div>So here we are! New land, new farm, new barn with gorgeous new barn roof. So our new name is now.... hmmm. </div><div><br /></div><div>Originally, when we first tried to buy this land back in the summer of 2008 and had to call it <i>something</i> in our business plan, we were calling it Home Farm. Simple, easy to remember, and meaningful. While trying to work out how to run our farm on land we were leasing from someone else, we had come to understand that essentially what we needed was a place to call <i>Home</i>. A safe place where we could put down roots, both figuratively and literally, and know that we had some say in what would happen to those roots in the future. We wanted to spend years getting to know a piece of land- how the sun moved across it, where the water went, what wildlife lived there, when the migrating birds arrived and left. I wanted to spend time building our soil, watching the plants respond year after year, and someday, hopefully late in my nineties, I wanted to just keel over while picking green beans in the sunshine. Just toss me on the compost pile, I will have died content.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had always liked the simplicity of how in England, the Home Farm was the name given to the farm near where the local landed gentry's estate was, and was where the household would get their eggs, milk and produce from. It's almost a generic term for a farm in England. Simple. Easy to remember.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately in this age of online marketing, no small business that wants to be even reasonably successful, farms included, can be without the obligatory website, blog, e mail list and possibly facebook page at a minimum. I don't think our farm will twitter, except in the traditional sense when the migratory song birds are moving through. But the rest of it? Working on it, as much as we are working on getting the greenhouse and the rest of our plants moved.</div><div><br /></div><div>When you fix on a name that is so simple, and already very much out there in traditional usage, you can be pretty sure others will have gotten there before you, and such is the case. There are several Home Farms, (<a href="http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/personalprofiles/residences/highgrove/homefarm/">even the Prince of Wales has one</a>), and on top of that, someone is squatting on the domain name. If we had an extra $40k to spend on homefarm.com it might be something to consider, but I would rather put any funds we have into rebuilding the farm itself.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFPDLYLFZaKtGzyM3yDE__Hs7ZU7FBqDQxDHm5kZQKN_SMB9ueilOPn-RfYOmeay7Lff97EQ5DY0SD571mGYaOLEITIWsZTDYhvRpt2lhgo_cc7T7puaGlUplJnZeE5bhApWUTArJFQA/s1600-h/looking+at+trees.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFPDLYLFZaKtGzyM3yDE__Hs7ZU7FBqDQxDHm5kZQKN_SMB9ueilOPn-RfYOmeay7Lff97EQ5DY0SD571mGYaOLEITIWsZTDYhvRpt2lhgo_cc7T7puaGlUplJnZeE5bhApWUTArJFQA/s400/looking+at+trees.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416583941328950066" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Looking for a New Name- Tall Trees Farm?</span></i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So we now find ourselves playing a verbal game all day long. Name that Farm! We've been through some of the obvious choices. We could name it after ourselves, or a combination of our names. Retzlaff Farm? Too hard to pronounce. Coleman Farm? People will think we sell camping supplies. Retzman, or Coleoff Farm? Not <i>quite</i> right. Teresa's Farm? Packy's Farm? TP Farm? Definitely not. There isn't a creek running through the property to give us one of those obvious landscape feature names like 'Circle Creek Farm'. We do have a unnamed gully cutting across the pasture that runs seasonally, but 'Seasonal Gully Farm' just doesn't sound right.</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>What about where we are located- 202 Farm? (We are on Highway 202.) Kind of bland. 9 Mile Farm?(We are just past the 9 mile marker.) Aside from being an oddly popular word combination, (and the name of a Canadian pop band) we don't want to be confused with the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Reactor.</div><div><br /></div><div>Olney Farm? Olney is the name of the area we live in- not a legal town with it's own post office and such, but there is The Olney Store (with the Big O Saloon next door), and the Olney Grange already out there. Would the Olney Farm be unique enough? Apparently not. There is already an Olney Farm- a fifth generation pony breeding farm located in Maryland that has the domain name olneyfarm.com nicely tied up. </div><div><br /></div><div>We love wildlife- what about naming it after some bird or animal that lives here (that we are not planning on driving away). Packy is very stuck on Kinglet Farm, because during all this freezing weather, we had little kinglets flying into our enclosed porch looking for warmth, and banging on all the windows trying to pick bug remnants out of the frozen cobwebs. But to me that is way too close to Kingfisher Farm, the legendary organic farm that Jeff Trenary runs down in Nehalem. </div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvC4i9TaVUKMAJpSkty-O45xRzuVk6m2AD5NYvgMbtWaEShc3Yq3RdpT_ZG3sxm_WK5oRLHK1A2FxUAcpHzCMDjNsuiEZzOOTG0rUwomNyBwnxI4lhiIjGUYNu4-5nRGn8rbOtWPHRZNw/s1600-h/new+farm+elk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvC4i9TaVUKMAJpSkty-O45xRzuVk6m2AD5NYvgMbtWaEShc3Yq3RdpT_ZG3sxm_WK5oRLHK1A2FxUAcpHzCMDjNsuiEZzOOTG0rUwomNyBwnxI4lhiIjGUYNu4-5nRGn8rbOtWPHRZNw/s400/new+farm+elk.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416577941593637042" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Olney Elk are bold as brass and take no crap from anyone. </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We are going to need some serious fencing if we are </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">going to be good neighbours...</span></i></div><br />40 Elk Farm? We've now met the herd, and they are a somewhat daunting prospect as neighbours. But will people think we raise elk for meat? We'd love it if some beavers would take up residence down in our seasonal gully, so what about Welcome Beaver Farm? Yeah, get your minds out of the gutter. See? This isn't easy. Plus we run the risk of alienating all the University of Oregon Duck fans. The Beaver-Duck rivalry in Oregon is fierce, best not to wade into those waters. Wildlife names can be tricky. We haven't hit on one that is just IT.</div><div><br /></div><div>Plants? We have a lone apple tree (possibly crab apple) on the property from an earlier agricultural time, so I thought about Wild Apple Farm, which I like and of course Packy doesn't. However, it's irrelevant, because the domain name takes you to a weather site in Maine. (?!? More squatters, I think.) I kind of like the idea of using the word 'wild', so what about Wild Roots Farm? taken. Wildroot? taken. Wild Life Farm? Takes you to a family website with lots of photos of their travels.</div><div><br /></div><div>Packy liked the idea of naming the farm after our newly discovered Nisse, in hope that it will continue to do good work on our behalf, but guess what? Nisse Farm? Taken. </div><div><br /></div><div>I thought about a comment someone made to us when we described all that was going on with our farm. "You sure do have your hands full!" "Hmm", I thought. "Hands Full Farm?" Already taken. But not Full Hands Farm, so that's still on the table, although Packy isn't keen on it. He might be persuaded if things get desperate.</div><div><br /></div><div>Full Belly, Full Moon, Full Harvest, Open Hands, Four Hands, Many Hands, Clapping Hands, Wild Moon, Harvest Moon, Wild Harvest... taken, taken, taken.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's a good thing we've never had kids. They probably would have spent the first 18 years of their lives being known as ' Hey You' or 'Number Three'. </div><div><br /></div><div>How is it that we can immediately come up with snappy names for our cats, but not for our farm??</div><div><br /></div><div>Got any Farm Name thoughts? You may as well toss in your two cents. Maybe we can figure out a prize for the winning suggestion.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqT6YhB47yoWUdBJoIXWITaPq-5hARqh0Zt_4NXGq8GIJ-gyimP7gfGEf91JgVqe8cRoAdVm90q4q3J_YB7KvoDxg1DP2QRJFsSr4-KkwWHUITEq8AFb-22P_6T37FAxwAxWeCfhOFUUQ/s1600-h/finished+roof.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqT6YhB47yoWUdBJoIXWITaPq-5hARqh0Zt_4NXGq8GIJ-gyimP7gfGEf91JgVqe8cRoAdVm90q4q3J_YB7KvoDxg1DP2QRJFsSr4-KkwWHUITEq8AFb-22P_6T37FAxwAxWeCfhOFUUQ/s400/finished+roof.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416580449602098018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Even if we don't have a new name, we have a New Barn Roof.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In late December on the North Oregon Coast, that is even better.</span></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687786808709000963.post-77114956608088709712009-12-06T15:03:00.000-08:002009-12-18T06:57:55.443-08:00Appeasing the Nisse<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOS8nyQbtdyGTjaRtcFIPVG-yUyCRXYD8CMi-qQ_WQ37q8FhcsebjXU7W1oWKTBLmkuZNl19UxbAgJl_kvzPW6X90uDYjW6v9Fdr18XQCuMQ8rgLzJ97QgHVn94F6LKt7gWsAhdMsrLqw/s1600-h/farm+view.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOS8nyQbtdyGTjaRtcFIPVG-yUyCRXYD8CMi-qQ_WQ37q8FhcsebjXU7W1oWKTBLmkuZNl19UxbAgJl_kvzPW6X90uDYjW6v9Fdr18XQCuMQ8rgLzJ97QgHVn94F6LKt7gWsAhdMsrLqw/s400/farm+view.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337302268951138" /></a><br />We've been so consumed with thinking about how much we wanted to buy this farm- <i>needed</i> to buy it, if we were going to be able to someday continue farming. So many times the deal seemed just impossible. We kept trying to give up on this place and find somewhere else, anywhere else, but this farm kept calling to us, and we both just had a strong feeling about it being The Place. Even when we'd given up on it completely, we still thought of it as ours.<br /><div><div><div><br /></div><div>I'm only a slightly superstitious person, but I'm beginning to suspect that there is a spirit that guards our farm, and that it knew that the farm, and the barn in particular, really needed new owners- ones who would love it, and care for it. Maybe the spirit spotted us the first day we walked around on the property. Maybe it saw us keep coming back, over and over, trying to figure out how to make it all work out and thought "Hah! <i>These</i> two will put everything they have into keeping this place going." </div><div><br /></div><div>Most of the farmers who settled in Clatsop County were Scandinavian, or from Finland, which is not quite Scandinavian but close. So I suspect that what we have here is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomte">nisse</a> (or tomte, depending on where you come from) - a household spirit type of creature responsible for the care and prosperity of a farm. They seem to have a fair amount of potential for mischief, but if properly respected can actually help a farmer get quite a lot of work done. However, if our nisse was residing in the barn, as they seem inclined to do, he had to be pretty damn concerned about whether or not he'd have a home after this winter.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5NzPQCQPUfNK_j__0XePgR89A4KAq7furczwFo0WG9SKw1ekkr9VrhRPX4Vjsmx9zz3IUwL_WCyZ6kMNvnpO8CpLHPKh1LohwkRNFwsp3QOZRuqJpH99W-MOyH9YI8Hy_RT9ZQtvtVQ0/s1600-h/barn+repair+day+one.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5NzPQCQPUfNK_j__0XePgR89A4KAq7furczwFo0WG9SKw1ekkr9VrhRPX4Vjsmx9zz3IUwL_WCyZ6kMNvnpO8CpLHPKh1LohwkRNFwsp3QOZRuqJpH99W-MOyH9YI8Hy_RT9ZQtvtVQ0/s400/barn+repair+day+one.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412337763023773810" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Just about a week ago, <a href="http://blindmoses.com/the_builder.html">Tim</a> and his crew began stripping off shingles on one side of the barn roof. It was right at the end of a wretched two weeks of pouring rain and wind that had soaked and pummeled the North Coast into a soggy mess. But that Monday morning it began to clear, and all this week it has been sunny- cold and frosty, but clear. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd3W_Pv8vBnwLd3ak4JJQcyh4oPcTrzFD6XM8MTh0qe95pNSCyPTBLqja054SG95lrBb1F3YELJpcercbbiA5S7m4kI1kovoI0_5gwDyO00ACFcxVpJ3GBEKTBkpiXi0PyD2uxdGcSbA4/s1600-h/no+shingles.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd3W_Pv8vBnwLd3ak4JJQcyh4oPcTrzFD6XM8MTh0qe95pNSCyPTBLqja054SG95lrBb1F3YELJpcercbbiA5S7m4kI1kovoI0_5gwDyO00ACFcxVpJ3GBEKTBkpiXi0PyD2uxdGcSbA4/s400/no+shingles.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412339118642116690" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The roof was stripped off in a day. Tim and his guys told us that when they were pulling the old shingles off, in places it was almost like scraping compost off the roof, the shingles were that decomposed. It looks like this was basically the original roof that had just been patched and repaired over the years, but never fully replaced. We aren't quite sure when the barn was built, but people who grew up around here remember it being here in the thirties, so that's seventy years old at least.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd8OFcxqSu72Z655E7wmO8HfFWtr6ivnIeZ75eWt37VjXPyUwrSTiUQLry3ShVBuWaFs1Dcq_07yGIMtUHNyv4HS3SXZ-MceBQth4Ydh_KRkV6vedLGHBYdJRA8Ug0kvwgdZOBF8pIVg/s1600-h/barn+roof+looking+out+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd8OFcxqSu72Z655E7wmO8HfFWtr6ivnIeZ75eWt37VjXPyUwrSTiUQLry3ShVBuWaFs1Dcq_07yGIMtUHNyv4HS3SXZ-MceBQth4Ydh_KRkV6vedLGHBYdJRA8Ug0kvwgdZOBF8pIVg/s400/barn+roof+looking+out+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412342708125332290" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>With half the roof off, the barn began to dry out, and the swollen floor boards of the hay loft settled back down. It was an amazing experience to climb up into the hay loft early Wednesday morning just after dawn and stand there looking out through the skip sheathing at the cold, clear sky. I'm happy to have seen it, and hope Packy can see what it looks like when the other side of the roof is stripped off, (he had to leave the farm in the dark at around 4am that morning to get to the <a href="http://www.bluescorcher.com/Scorcher/Blue_Scorcher.html">bakery</a>) but then I hope we never have to see it again in our lifetime.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCj-80OpLfKw5MYKoAJxu2GGM7QOwtcOOUSU_mMn9nBKqkllEskxze7nCAIND9HzegkSDzmKn-4PzEqN-nfiPDDWeyWYWHlklRdpeY8dwphr14x1mgW4K_Tt8u2OJ0WWY-6mUs512USo/s1600-h/barn+roof-+looking+out+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCj-80OpLfKw5MYKoAJxu2GGM7QOwtcOOUSU_mMn9nBKqkllEskxze7nCAIND9HzegkSDzmKn-4PzEqN-nfiPDDWeyWYWHlklRdpeY8dwphr14x1mgW4K_Tt8u2OJ0WWY-6mUs512USo/s400/barn+roof-+looking+out+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412342917861486002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJJ1ZT1MYLeb7WMIaJlX4IcFeofqRzTyyb85uVu1BiVsDo_bU22c6rrjgHIjLZ6FYZMMMan9y3RPx5wvgsKhAcXigrUTq4ZBXnpTkdMa79XCNiXmkOr8GVqt7gIV3OVhK4TvZ0mZQabE/s1600-h/barn+roof+looking+out+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJJ1ZT1MYLeb7WMIaJlX4IcFeofqRzTyyb85uVu1BiVsDo_bU22c6rrjgHIjLZ6FYZMMMan9y3RPx5wvgsKhAcXigrUTq4ZBXnpTkdMa79XCNiXmkOr8GVqt7gIV3OVhK4TvZ0mZQabE/s400/barn+roof+looking+out+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412343111996620482" /></a><br />Later that day they began to nail on the gorgeous new cedar shingles. I still can't believe how fast it went, at least the first half of the side. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJlFf2Z-3aUE-L-EAEIFriS00ksDWFw24d296xhR-FKy-abKS_DIkHagEl127CggWsyQoeq2lESeB9C_n4k7d6iSjvAx-J-Dhyphenhyphenp4pcsu5irvHZvyYDo-cstkHzc7Ft9XMC-3iZbbwPf4/s1600-h/new+shingles.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJlFf2Z-3aUE-L-EAEIFriS00ksDWFw24d296xhR-FKy-abKS_DIkHagEl127CggWsyQoeq2lESeB9C_n4k7d6iSjvAx-J-Dhyphenhyphenp4pcsu5irvHZvyYDo-cstkHzc7Ft9XMC-3iZbbwPf4/s400/new+shingles.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412345568316082706" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGD7HMFqHIHNareWvRXiKSnD7efnobdJYRpurnCgqSl5L4wC3O_2VjeyPGzTAiMhwxsTeNoA1bDxqJkCjLMF-YkY52C9J3KseDI-NNvSOmA0RVvKa0xCutpyIahETBo_cjTqB02rxfDk/s1600-h/tim+on+the+roof.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGD7HMFqHIHNareWvRXiKSnD7efnobdJYRpurnCgqSl5L4wC3O_2VjeyPGzTAiMhwxsTeNoA1bDxqJkCjLMF-YkY52C9J3KseDI-NNvSOmA0RVvKa0xCutpyIahETBo_cjTqB02rxfDk/s400/tim+on+the+roof.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412345782340310370" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> The top part where the roof curves in the tricky bit- I'm sorry I wasn't here to see them manage it, although perhaps it's better that I didn't see it, it would have been like watching the high wire act at the circus. Very nerve wracking for those of us on the ground- I can't imagine what it is like looking at it from up there.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDLAAvf1r4657gRMxfIipuDra0NX05pdN4R3XuB2VCALWD9uj4Mm13O26MCCG8tWy5xmSn29bqUWj689yYZ6gUxOzlsKwAVPhJtl8rY4HsULZegjEyxYTUb9xJsbccLh38q19h3mCm_k/s1600-h/top+of+the+barn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDLAAvf1r4657gRMxfIipuDra0NX05pdN4R3XuB2VCALWD9uj4Mm13O26MCCG8tWy5xmSn29bqUWj689yYZ6gUxOzlsKwAVPhJtl8rY4HsULZegjEyxYTUb9xJsbccLh38q19h3mCm_k/s400/top+of+the+barn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412343511838255106" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>Another interesting discovery was that the nails that held the skip sheathing to the rafters were mostly rusted away, and they had to re-nail them all to hold the roof together. I keep wondering- what was holding the barn together during this last big storm?? I still can't figure it out. Sheer willpower on the part of our nisse, perhaps. He must be exhausted, and ready to settle down to a nice rest in a finally dry, cozy barn. If he can just hold off the rain for another week, all will be well. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hopefully he will adapt and protect greenhouses as well, as Packy and our good friend Joe plan to dismantle the greenhouse at the old farm in Seaside this week in preparation for moving it to it's new home. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sure the nisse is already happier, but just in case he's still a bit cranky at getting so wet this year, we'll make sure to leave him the traditional bowl of porridge (don't forget the butter on top) in the barn on Christmas day. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hey, we need all the help we can get.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsitZcNhwcPTPZrihBC8hmp9-ekd02HB7W_VycnBNdb_vzNTkp2k0M9IPnlgOgulSpk18UDCC2KSo1fAzQWxhtFZXZhMkUPknGpFrRiFJCGFD5MTwgKXrbRn2TPNitMNugJtLbVv6Lfs/s1600-h/barn+roof-+side+two.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsitZcNhwcPTPZrihBC8hmp9-ekd02HB7W_VycnBNdb_vzNTkp2k0M9IPnlgOgulSpk18UDCC2KSo1fAzQWxhtFZXZhMkUPknGpFrRiFJCGFD5MTwgKXrbRn2TPNitMNugJtLbVv6Lfs/s400/barn+roof-+side+two.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412346255088841298" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i>This week- the south side gets its turn..</i></span>.</div></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Teresa Retzlaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03796025614634098720noreply@blogger.com3