For many, the Summer Solstice is imbued with significance. the cyclical nature of the seasons; new beginnings and change; the return, for a little while, of Nature’s dancing days. For me, it’s the the latest in the year I can maintain the fiction that I publish a farm newsletter without actually publishing one. So let’s reflect on the year so farm, together, while I slip in, as subtly as I can, links to my online store for this week’s farm pickup.
Beds of salad greens, which hide under ugly nets except on harvest day because of flea beetles. As an organic grower there are organic pesticides I could use instead, but I don’t use them because I hate the idea of killing non-target bugs.
It’s been a decade since Vanessa and I started the farm. She’s long since shifted her focus to her midwifery career, but I’m still here, developing my elephant knees (kneepads, like gloves and longpants, feel too oppressive, so I live with dirty knees and hands, cracked fingers, and a bad tan). I still really enjoy farming, which is primarily because I still haven’t mastered it, and because there are endless opportunities for change any time part of it starts to feel boring, pointless, or discouraging.
When picture taken, I had not kneeled in the soil since my last shower.
This is a year of change on the farm, as I continue to develop a niche I’ve become very interested in. Much more of my acreage is devoted to dry beans, chilies, and grain corn, and I’ve even planted some corn at the farms of a couple sets of friends. I’ve got a small patch of blue tortilla corn going up at Fresh Valley Farms, and another flint corn over at Spray Creek Ranch in Lillooett . I’m obsessed with these three crops right now, and happy that all three can be stored for sales throughout the year.
This is the logo for my newish online store, where I’ll be offering corn, dry beans, and smoked/dried chilies with shipping across Canada. It’s live right now, but it won’t really look impressive until I put this year’s harvest into the store.
“Tending the corn crop” at Spray Creek Ranch in Lillooet. Really, half the point is seeing farmer-friends during the farming season, instead of only when there’s snow on the ground.
Another change has occurred in the back half of the acreage. With the help of my staff (mainly Carlos; thanks Carlos), I’ve completely redesigned the layout to maximize coverage of the soil. Each row is spaced 4’ apart, with the majority of the pathways in between to be maintained in permanent cover. The goal is to significantly reduce bare soil in order to increase biological activity and reduce erosion and degradation. A lot of crops will be trellised to 8’ high, and I can’t wait to share some photos of those crops later in the season.
Carlos.
There’s so much more I could mention, but there’s so much more time for newsletters! We’re only at the solstice, after all! So: good-bye for now. I’m hosting a produce pickup at the farm on Saturday, June 26 in the morning. Visit the store to see what’s on offer. I’ll end on some random farm photos.
