May Farm Tour Photos / Farm Work Day Info

Farm News
12 December 2007

Winter Wind

The rain last week was good for everything, the soil soaked up as much of it as possible and the remainder ran off into the ditches and streams. A powerful wind moved in behind the rain clouds. I am always impressed by the power of wind - the amount of energy that in contains is very humbling – everything on the farm is pushed around by the wind. Before and during the rainstorm the fruit trees had managed to hold onto the last of their colorful leaves – today all of those leaves are off of the trees and piled into the little pockets of the wind.

The farm has a crisp winter look to it. The fruit trees are bare, the hills are turning green behind the yellow layer of last year’s dried grass and the mornings leave a layer of frost on all the crops that prevent the crews from starting the day’s harvest at first light. The heaters in the office are on and there is a stack of firewood on the front porch of the house. The house smells of the fresh cut Christmas tree that we harvested from Lassen National Forest this weekend. The dog Jersey Girl has settled into the routine of spending the nights in the house, curled up on her blanket at the foot of the bed. Winter is here.

With all of the day’s real activities focused around the winter I have been in the office drafting next summer’s plans of tomatoes, melons, squash, basil and cucumbers. It really does seem odd to be thinking about these things when it is so cold outside but the reality is that in about a month we will begin planting tomato seeds into the green house.

Ricardo has already started planting some of our spring crops. This week we are seeding fava beans and snap peas. I think we are a little late but I am not too worried about it. By the time the spring warmth comes these little seeds will be little plants and they will take full advantage of the added energy the sun is providing to their world.

Many of the crew are submitting their requests for a month off to go back to Mexico with their children to visit their extended families that they left behind to come to the United States. It works out fairly well given the fact that we are quite a bit slower during this period of time, however it does require me to do more juggling and training of people. In the end it works out well because it forces me to use other people for more skilled jobs and the more trained everyone on the farm is the better the farm handles all of its operations.

Enjoy your boxes this week;

Thaddeus

June 27,2007
Already Thinking of Fall-Thaddeus

June 20, 2007
A Week of Benchmarks -Thaddeus

Jun 6, 2007
Goslings in the Creek -Thaddeus

May 30, 2007
Tomatoes -Thaddeus

May 23, 2007
Summer Smells -Thaddeus

May 9, 2007
Muddy in May -Thaddeus

May 2, 2007
What a Busy Week-Thaddeus

April 4, 2007
Gopher Food - Thaddeus

March 28, 2007
Spring Silence - Thaddeus

March 21,2007
Spring Buds and Worm Food - Thaddeus

March 12, 2007
Spring Gobbles - Thaddeus

March 7, 2007
Spring Time - Thaddeus

February 26, 2007
Summer Food Please - Thaddeus

February 19, 2007
Peach Blossoms and Arundo Burning - Thaddeus

February 12, 2007
Chris Leaves - Thaddeus

January 31, 2007
Heart Attack- Thaddeus

January 24, 2007
Turkeys Can Fly- Thaddeus

January 10, 2007
Live the Seasons- Freeman

January 1, 2007
Happy New Year Thaddeus

Nov 29, 2006
Organic? - Thaddeus

Nov 15, 2006
Winter Preparation - Thaddeus

Nov 1, 2006
Canal Dries Up - Thaddeus

Oct 25, 2006
Beets - Thaddeus

Oct 18,2006
New Database - Thaddeus

Oct 11,2006
Rain, Sweet Rain - Thaddeus

Oct 4, 2006
Organic Fertilizers- Thaddeus

Sept 27, 2006
Windy Days - Thaddeus

Sept 20, 2006
Clean Produce - Thaddeus

Sept. 13, 2006
Cools Coming - Thaddeus

December 12, 2005
Wrapping Things Up For Winter - Thaddeus

December 5, 2005
Au Revoir, Automnal - Noah