Summer Visitors

Time to spruce up the brooder; baby chicks are on the way!  This week we ordered 60 Cornish Cross chickens to raise for meat.  Thirty of them should be arriving next week and the others a month later.  With the risk of literally counting our chickens before they hatch, we should have whole broiler chickens available for purchase starting in late October. 

This week we are sharing our house with two drop-ins.  Randy’s friend Scott called on Monday to say he would be stopping by and – no doubt persuaded by our lush accommodations – decided to stay all week.  On Thursday a sweet little dog showed up, complete with fleas, ticks, and a bum leg.  He then proceeded to get bitten by the neighbor dog and is recovering from two nasty wounds.  If he sticks around until Monday he’s got an appointment with the vet.  So in addition to farming we’ve been entertaining and being entertained – a pleasant change of pace.  

This is the last week of our summer share, and we want to heartily thank you for your support this summer!  It’s been a doozy.  Turns out we decided to start our farm operation in a crazy drought year.  We have insect pests I had never heard of (pickleworm?).  The weeds grow faster than I remember and had tractor trouble all spring.  But hey, if everything was predictable we’d just get bored!  This is why the CSA concept exists.  We promise to work our butts off, and you agree to share the risk.  Hopefully, we managed to turn out a rewarding experience for you and your family. 

While we complain about the pests, we are constantly amazed by the biodiversity of insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals in and around the farm and are thankful to be able to provide a safe habitat for them.  You make that possible.  We have taken a piece of land that used to support a family through farming and turned it back into a productive, diversified homestead.  You make that possible.  We made a big commitment to this land, and we appreciate the commitment each of you made to us.  Thank you for bearing with the boom and bust of the season.  (Has there been enough eggplant for you?)

Thank you for being part of our community.  We are looking forward to a challenging and rewarding fall season.