I know I’ve written very little the last few months. Part of it is that I’m sleeping again, so no more 2am-4am writing times. The other part is this farm vision is taking effect before my eyes and it’s just so much work.
Today my husband and son-in law and the rest of us got part of the new fence up. This will increase the garden to about four acres. I’m trying to fill part of that with fruit trees, part of it with ornamental gardens, some rows of berries, then more vegetable space. I’m looking at it from an irrigation point of view. How I can run the systems and how much landscape can we reasonably water. Marketing what we produce seems to be relatively easy, so I’m trying to focus on what we like to eat and how to grow the most diversity of product to eat with year round. Also to try to grow mostly what will do well here.
These last few days have been like a farm camp here. Dennis riding three kids all piled around him on the four-wheeler. Dragging small sapling fir trees up to hatchet off the branches and hand peel the bark with a draw knife. They are all making a teepee, an authentic large sized one . Tonight our instant hot water heater washed six of our dusty bodies in a row, then did dinner dishes as well. I finally succumbed having typed the first part of this with dirt all over me and my clothes.
I feel it’s very important to include our whole family in farm and house chores. So visiting grandchildren harvested strawberries, weeded paths and then collected flower seed on their own inspiration to grow their own flower gardens at home. Helping with running errands picking food and preparing lunch out of the garden seems to make the food taste even better.Today doing a taste test of six different types of beets.Then gobbling them up in a salad .
Our freezer is full of Sherry’s cow and an extra lamb, plus lot’s of tan oak bark smoked salmon. We feel stocked for the winter. But the summer garden is going full force harvesting french filet beans, so far eating more of them in the garden than we have cooked, lettuces, spinach, beets, mizuna, peas, cauliflower, kale, potatoes, garlic, onions, leeks, broccoli, mixed greens: cucumbers, tomatoes and squash are just starting here on the coast in August. Winter vegetables are starting to go in, more potatoes, garlic, brassicas, peas, spinach, lettuces planted in the next months for winter harvest.
Since my family is coming here for Thanksgiving, I’ve been planting acorn squash, pumpkins, etc. specifically with that holiday in mind. It’s inspiring me to finish many undone projects around the ranch, hopefully many will get done. Three turkeys were ordered from http://mendoorganicscsa.com/2011/07/01/thanksgiving-christmas-turkeys/. To reserve for the holiday. My brother made the comment today, his birthday, when I called; ” You know Katie, we could always just go buy something from the store, if we need it ” . Yeah cranberry bogs just don’t grow around here, but we could dig a pond and try ? OK Ok .