Farm Fresh To You

Retail Store

Online Store

Home & Office Delivery

May Farm Tour Photos / Farm Work Day Info

Oct 11 , 2006

Rain, Sweet Rain - Thaddeus

The farm enjoyed its first rain last week. It really is an event; coming out of a season plagued by hot, dry weather and realizing that water is falling from the sky - amazing. Living without modern agriculture and irrigation, the Native Americans of our land must have rejoiced to see the land finally getting a drink. And to think what the place would look like if it never rained.

There is a very distinct smell that comes with the first rain of the year. Musty would be the best word to describe it, a good musty. The water mixing with the dust, dry grass, fallen leafs and filling the air with moisture produces a smell and sensation that is alive and of the land. To me the smell is in the ranks of fine wine or perfectly aged cheese and indeed all three of the smells are filled with the life of microflora existing on a level we are seldom conscience of. I found myself breathing deeply and filling my body with the smell while wondering around the farm. On the highway my window was open and my head poked out of it just enough to get the light raindrops on my face and the smell of the earth into my body. The first rain of the fall season is a breath of fresh air.

Rain to people who make a living off of the land equates to a complete shift in operations. After spending the last season pumping thousands upon thousands of gallons of water onto thirsty crops Mother Nature will soon relieve of us that job. Now Chris and I will compile the “Preparing for Winter List.” This is the process of preparing for inches of rain that will soak everything and stop all tractor work. There are fields to disk, stakes to remove form the ground, garbage to be hauled out, tractors to be put away, equipment to put under cover and miles of irrigation pipe to be gathered. The first sprinkle of rain is a reminder of the pounding of rain we will have in December – which is just what we need to get motivated.

We are also getting the last of our fall/winter plantings done. This week we will finish transplanting some fennel and cauliflower. There are two more seedings of lettuce, spinach, bok choy and sweet pea flowers that need to get into the ground. The crew is on top of the hoeing and soon we will be able to sit back and focus on harvesting and watching the weather reports to see when the sunny days are expected.

Enjoy your box this week – Thaddeus

Special Date! Sunday October 29

Capay Organic, our store in the S.F. Ferry Building, will be hosting free pumpkin decorating for any
children (or adults too). Pumpkin decorating will start at 3pm and we will be serving hot apple cider. We will be giving a talk on
how pumpkins grow and will have recipe cards for great things to cook with pumpkins.
Event will be from 3pm - 5pm

Farm Tour Update
Fall 2006
Get ready! We'll be hosting a work party on the farm in the fall. We
hope to see new faces along with familiar folks getting their hands
mucky in Capay dirt. Stay tuned...

We look forward to seeing you!

Please contact: Georgette at Georgette@farmfreshtoyou.com or call 800.796.6009 to
reserve space for you, family and friends.

Plan on arriving at the farm early in the morning, as close to 8am as possible. There will be actvities and walks planned for the whole family.

Farm News

April 16, 2008
Spring Heat

April 9, 2008
Farming Weeds

April 2, 2008
The Canal Season

March 26, 2008
Spring Overload

March 19, 2008
The Spring Rush

March 12, 2008
The Frog Hole

March 5, 2008
Light Brown Apple Moth

February 27, 2008
Herb Garden

February 20, 2008
Cental Valley Agriculture

February 13, 2008
Greenhouse Time

February 6, 2008
The Science of Farming