As I'm sure you've noticed, I haven't updated this blog in about a month. Summer really is the busiest time on a farm. The days are really long and there's always more work to be done. But it's also the most fun time as everyone is trying to fit in as much hanging out as possible before the days get short and cold. I'll try to give you all some quick anecdotes to catch you up.
A few important updates: the farm has started paying me a monthly stipend. I'm going to stay at the farm for at least a few more months, but they've also asked if I would be interested in working at the farm again next year. I haven't decided if I want to or not, but it's cool to have the opportunity.
We harvested some winter wheat trials on the farm this week. We were all out in the field with sickles cutting the wheat down at the base. Then we bunched the wheat and stuck it into a thresher to break the wheat berries off the stalk. The wheat is now being tested by WSU to determine nutritional content, yield, etc. The goal is to find a variety that grows well in this climate but also high in nutrients. Next week, we're going to get the wheat back and then we'll mill it into flour and bake some bread with it.
I've been having a lot of run-ins with bald eagles lately. They want to eat the meat birds, so basically every morning I have to chase them away. It's so beautiful to see them up close, though.
I planted four varieties of carrots in front of my cabin and they should be ready to harvest in about a month. Carrots are my favorite vegetable.
21 August 2009
13 July 2009
Always With the New Experiences - Week 6
While it seems like life would become repetitive after a month and a half. However, farm life still proves to be interesting and challenging. This past week provided numerous adventures and learning opportunities. The week started out right with some beekeeping. It was definitely nerve-wracking experience to be surround by hundreds of angry bees and to trust that the bee suit would provide sufficient protection from their sting attempts. However, it was definitely good meditation practice to stay calm amidst so much chaos. And, I came out sting-free.
Later on that same day, the whole farm crew headed out to a hay field that Keith had recently bailed. We spent the entire day bucking 200 bails. By the end of the day we were all exhausted and battered, but it was a really fun day none the less. The hay is being stored on a neighboring farm, which has an abundance of interesting animals. The most notable is their 800 pound boar with a snarled lip. They also have piglets that constantly snored. My favorite, though, was their rooster. He was so beautiful with gold feathers and a big, red comb. I stared at that rooster for a good 5 minutes.
We spent most of the rest of the week putting up bird-netting over the blueberry field. There's a very intricate system of unrolling a strip of netting, pulling it over a series of wires, and then connecting it to the fence and to the other strips of netting by weaving them together with small rods of bamboo. During this netting process, I proceeded to get a gnarly bird-netting burn that I've been showing off to everyone.
On the social front, we threw an awesome party on Saturday. We made pizzas in the cob oven, had a full keg, and projected a movie (Harold and Maude) on the side of the barn. Probably about 50 people showed up and everyone had a sweet time. The next morning, we had pumpkin pancakes with all the people that camped overnight at the farm.
What an awesome week.
Later on that same day, the whole farm crew headed out to a hay field that Keith had recently bailed. We spent the entire day bucking 200 bails. By the end of the day we were all exhausted and battered, but it was a really fun day none the less. The hay is being stored on a neighboring farm, which has an abundance of interesting animals. The most notable is their 800 pound boar with a snarled lip. They also have piglets that constantly snored. My favorite, though, was their rooster. He was so beautiful with gold feathers and a big, red comb. I stared at that rooster for a good 5 minutes.
We spent most of the rest of the week putting up bird-netting over the blueberry field. There's a very intricate system of unrolling a strip of netting, pulling it over a series of wires, and then connecting it to the fence and to the other strips of netting by weaving them together with small rods of bamboo. During this netting process, I proceeded to get a gnarly bird-netting burn that I've been showing off to everyone.
On the social front, we threw an awesome party on Saturday. We made pizzas in the cob oven, had a full keg, and projected a movie (Harold and Maude) on the side of the barn. Probably about 50 people showed up and everyone had a sweet time. The next morning, we had pumpkin pancakes with all the people that camped overnight at the farm.
What an awesome week.
05 July 2009
Reflections on the first month
I've finally started to sink into the rhythm of farm life. There are days when I get up and the thought of all the chores I have to do makes me want to stay in bed. But, of course, that's not an option. However, once I get out with the animals or get out in the field, I remember how great life on a farm is. I get to be outside all the time, I get to grow food that will nourish the community, and I get to hang out with cool people all the time. I'm also in one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. It's hard to believe, but I feel like I might want to stay here for the long haul. I guess we'll see, though.
Life up here is just cool in general, too. Becca and I went out to a local creamery the other day to help them out (the woman had just had surgery). We helped her package the cheese and she paid us in cheese. It was awesome. They also have a pond on their property, so Becca and I took a quick dip in the scummy water. Then we walked down to the general store and had awesome root beer.
A few days later, I had the best 4th of July I've had in a while. Janet's parents had us over for a barbecue full of deliciousness. From their house, you can see the ocean and the mountains across the water. Then, we took a two minute walk down to the beach to watch an amazing fireworks show ($10,000 worth of goods). Afterwords, we walked along the beach looking at phosphorescence in the water (glowing sparkly things). We all crashed in Janet's parents' backyard for the night.
There are just so many cool aspects of living around here.
Life up here is just cool in general, too. Becca and I went out to a local creamery the other day to help them out (the woman had just had surgery). We helped her package the cheese and she paid us in cheese. It was awesome. They also have a pond on their property, so Becca and I took a quick dip in the scummy water. Then we walked down to the general store and had awesome root beer.
A few days later, I had the best 4th of July I've had in a while. Janet's parents had us over for a barbecue full of deliciousness. From their house, you can see the ocean and the mountains across the water. Then, we took a two minute walk down to the beach to watch an amazing fireworks show ($10,000 worth of goods). Afterwords, we walked along the beach looking at phosphorescence in the water (glowing sparkly things). We all crashed in Janet's parents' backyard for the night.
There are just so many cool aspects of living around here.
22 June 2009
Chicken Overload - Week 3
So, this has definitely been a week centered around chickens. The biggest news is that the farm got an order of 250 baby chicks on Thursday. They're the cutest things. We're raising these chicks as meat birds, so we'll have to butcher them in about 3 months. Luckily, I've heard the chicks get really ugly soon, so we won't have to butcher cute little things. I'm a little apprehensive about the butchering, but I realize that the meat I eat has been killed, and I want to participate in that process to understand and respect the food I eat. I'm kind of in charge of the baby chicks, meaning I check their food and water 4 times a day (baby chicks eat and drink constantly) and I make sure that their domes are sufficiently warm. We've already had a few die, but that's to be expected.
In other chicken news, I got attacked by one of the roosters, Ralphy. It's not really dangerous or painful, but it's just annoying. His neck got all big and puffed up and he kept pecking at me. I had to kick him away continually until he calmed down. The next time I went into the chicken coop, I just ignored him and he ignored me too, so hopefully we won't have to battle time and time again.
The last bit of chicken news is that we've lost at least 3 hens to eagles in the past week. The eagles come in the night and fly off with a hen in their talons. We built the hens a shade cloth structure, and that seems to have kept them safe from the eagles for now, but we'll see. It sucks that eagles know they're safe from humans.
In some other animal news, I think the decision has been made to get rid of the goats (Flora, L.D., Juniper, and Jasper) and get a milking cow instead. The goats are annoying, only one of them gives milk, and the milk tastes really bad. Becca's disappointed because she's really into the goats, but I think the cow will be much more appreciated.
In other news, we celebrated two intern birthdays this week, Sean and Mark. We fired up the cob oven and roasted two chickens and baked cupcakes and cookies. We also hung out with the interns from a nearby farm that night, Sarah and Eric. The food was so delicious. And, it's really fun when we all hang out in the evenings and cook in the cob oven.
Last, but most important, I'm falling in love...with the dog (Pippin). She's the best dog ever.
In other chicken news, I got attacked by one of the roosters, Ralphy. It's not really dangerous or painful, but it's just annoying. His neck got all big and puffed up and he kept pecking at me. I had to kick him away continually until he calmed down. The next time I went into the chicken coop, I just ignored him and he ignored me too, so hopefully we won't have to battle time and time again.
The last bit of chicken news is that we've lost at least 3 hens to eagles in the past week. The eagles come in the night and fly off with a hen in their talons. We built the hens a shade cloth structure, and that seems to have kept them safe from the eagles for now, but we'll see. It sucks that eagles know they're safe from humans.
In some other animal news, I think the decision has been made to get rid of the goats (Flora, L.D., Juniper, and Jasper) and get a milking cow instead. The goats are annoying, only one of them gives milk, and the milk tastes really bad. Becca's disappointed because she's really into the goats, but I think the cow will be much more appreciated.
In other news, we celebrated two intern birthdays this week, Sean and Mark. We fired up the cob oven and roasted two chickens and baked cupcakes and cookies. We also hung out with the interns from a nearby farm that night, Sarah and Eric. The food was so delicious. And, it's really fun when we all hang out in the evenings and cook in the cob oven.
Last, but most important, I'm falling in love...with the dog (Pippin). She's the best dog ever.
14 June 2009
Events of Week 2
I'm finally starting to feel really at home on the farm. I'm getting into the groove of farm life. The hard work plus the slow pace suit me well. I'm also getting in better farming shape. My muscles were so sore the first week, but it's getting better. I'm also starting to feel like the other interns are becoming like family. It already makes me sad to think about us all going our separate ways.
This week, I started to really enjoy the quality of the food I get at the farm. The best thing I've discovered is fresh cow milk. While my farm doesn't have any milking cows, a nearby farm has two cows and they get 8 gallons of milk a day. They can't sell the milk because they aren't accredited, so they give a lot of the milk away. We get milk from them and make butter out of the cream and then use the milk. It is so good, I can't even think about drinking milk from the store. Another thing that's been ruined for me is strawberries. Eating strawberries straight off the vine makes strawberries from the cooler taste like nothing. I'm sure I'll just continue to have experiences like this.
Another new adventure I had this week was cow wrangling. When I first came to the farm, they had two cows, Carmela and Rojo (mom and son). The original intent was to milk Carmela after she had Rojo, but she has huge horns and she's really skittish, so no one was ever brave enough to try milking her. Because Carmela and Rojo pretty much just took up space on the farm, Keith decided to sell them to a guy who lives just down the road. One afternoon, he came out with a trailer and we all had to wrangle the cows into the trailer. We lured them with kale and had the guide them toward the trailer. It took a couple tries, but it went pretty well.
This week was also my first time preparing the CSA. I had to pick everything out and make sure everything was ready to go. Then, Mark and I drove into town to deliver the CSA. This week, everyone got a chicken, honey, spelt, 2 dozen eggs, a head of lettuce and two pints of strawberries. My dad is a CSA member, but since he's out of town right now, he donated his CSA to the interns. We've really enjoyed the delicious food.
I also worked at Saturday market this week. It was so fun to be in town and to see all the different types of people. It was a good market day because we completely sold out of strawberries.
This week, I also began to grow very fond of bluegrass music. Everyone on the farm listens to bluegrass, and I'm starting to catch on too.
This week, I started to really enjoy the quality of the food I get at the farm. The best thing I've discovered is fresh cow milk. While my farm doesn't have any milking cows, a nearby farm has two cows and they get 8 gallons of milk a day. They can't sell the milk because they aren't accredited, so they give a lot of the milk away. We get milk from them and make butter out of the cream and then use the milk. It is so good, I can't even think about drinking milk from the store. Another thing that's been ruined for me is strawberries. Eating strawberries straight off the vine makes strawberries from the cooler taste like nothing. I'm sure I'll just continue to have experiences like this.
Another new adventure I had this week was cow wrangling. When I first came to the farm, they had two cows, Carmela and Rojo (mom and son). The original intent was to milk Carmela after she had Rojo, but she has huge horns and she's really skittish, so no one was ever brave enough to try milking her. Because Carmela and Rojo pretty much just took up space on the farm, Keith decided to sell them to a guy who lives just down the road. One afternoon, he came out with a trailer and we all had to wrangle the cows into the trailer. We lured them with kale and had the guide them toward the trailer. It took a couple tries, but it went pretty well.
This week was also my first time preparing the CSA. I had to pick everything out and make sure everything was ready to go. Then, Mark and I drove into town to deliver the CSA. This week, everyone got a chicken, honey, spelt, 2 dozen eggs, a head of lettuce and two pints of strawberries. My dad is a CSA member, but since he's out of town right now, he donated his CSA to the interns. We've really enjoyed the delicious food.
I also worked at Saturday market this week. It was so fun to be in town and to see all the different types of people. It was a good market day because we completely sold out of strawberries.
This week, I also began to grow very fond of bluegrass music. Everyone on the farm listens to bluegrass, and I'm starting to catch on too.
06 June 2009
Plants I've Worked With / Things I've Learned - Week 1
The farm keeps their chickens in an electric fence at night to keep the predators out.
Jeff and Janet are growing spinach for seed and they're trying to create a hybrid variety. In order to do this, you have to have males from one variety pollinate females from a different variety. You have to plant the spinach in rows based on the gender, so there are male rows and female rows. At the moment, we're at a stage where we have to go through the female rows every couple days and remove any male plants. If male plants are left in the female rows, the females will be pollinated by males of their own variety, which ruins the project. However, it doesn't matter if there are females in the male rows because, after pollination, all the male rows will be tilled back into the soil. This is because you harvest the seed from the females, and you wouldn't want to eat the spinach after it had gone to pollination, because it loses it's flavor and nutrients. The local spinach expert comes out about once per week to help us along, and he taught us all how to recognize a male versus a female.
One of the worst things for blueberries is a fungus called mummy berry. This fungus ruins the blueberries. What's worse, though, is that any blueberry that has mummy berry will fall off the plant, live throughout the winter, and send up buds during the spring to infect the new berries. So, this fungus can really devastate a crop. Last year, Finnriver lost 1/3 of its crop to mummy berry. The blueberry plants are at a stage right now where the blueberries that have mummy berry are shriveling up and turning a really deep purple color. We've spent a lot of time this week going through the blueberry field pruning off the mummy berry.
This afternoon, we planted a Three Sisters field in the bottom-lands. Three Sisters is a Native American growing technique to grow three of their staple crops - corn, beans, and squash. The technique calls for creating a pattern of circles or mounds in a grid. In one mound, you plant beans and corn, alternating. In the next mound, you plant squash. You continue to alternate this pattern. The idea behind this planting technique is that the corn provides something for the beans to grow up on, eliminating the need for poles. The beans create nitrogen, which corn really benefits from. Then the squash creates a good ground cover to eliminate most of the weeds and also to retain moisture in the soil.
Jeff and Janet are growing spinach for seed and they're trying to create a hybrid variety. In order to do this, you have to have males from one variety pollinate females from a different variety. You have to plant the spinach in rows based on the gender, so there are male rows and female rows. At the moment, we're at a stage where we have to go through the female rows every couple days and remove any male plants. If male plants are left in the female rows, the females will be pollinated by males of their own variety, which ruins the project. However, it doesn't matter if there are females in the male rows because, after pollination, all the male rows will be tilled back into the soil. This is because you harvest the seed from the females, and you wouldn't want to eat the spinach after it had gone to pollination, because it loses it's flavor and nutrients. The local spinach expert comes out about once per week to help us along, and he taught us all how to recognize a male versus a female.
One of the worst things for blueberries is a fungus called mummy berry. This fungus ruins the blueberries. What's worse, though, is that any blueberry that has mummy berry will fall off the plant, live throughout the winter, and send up buds during the spring to infect the new berries. So, this fungus can really devastate a crop. Last year, Finnriver lost 1/3 of its crop to mummy berry. The blueberry plants are at a stage right now where the blueberries that have mummy berry are shriveling up and turning a really deep purple color. We've spent a lot of time this week going through the blueberry field pruning off the mummy berry.
This afternoon, we planted a Three Sisters field in the bottom-lands. Three Sisters is a Native American growing technique to grow three of their staple crops - corn, beans, and squash. The technique calls for creating a pattern of circles or mounds in a grid. In one mound, you plant beans and corn, alternating. In the next mound, you plant squash. You continue to alternate this pattern. The idea behind this planting technique is that the corn provides something for the beans to grow up on, eliminating the need for poles. The beans create nitrogen, which corn really benefits from. Then the squash creates a good ground cover to eliminate most of the weeds and also to retain moisture in the soil.
Interesting/Wacky Things That Have Happened
In my first week on the farm, there have definitely been some interesting moments. Here are a few of them:
I started my first day by milking a goat for the first time in my life. The goat (Flora) gets bored while you're milking her, so you have to distract her with food. However, that doesn't always work, and sometimes her foot ends up in the milk pale.
The farm recently built a cob oven, which is an outdoor oven made out of cob (a mixture of clay, sand, and straw). These ovens are often used to bake bread or pizza. Mark is really into the oven and likes to bake bread pretty often. The cool thing about the oven is that you spend two to three hours getting it really hot with a fire inside. Then, as it cools, you bake different things in the oven. For instance, on Wednesday, Mark fired up the oven. He started by baking some flat bread, then loaves of bread, then a pizza, then a quiche (which I made), then cookies and muffins. So, when you fire up the oven, you can plan out a whole order of things that you're going to bake.
The interns and Jeff and Janet all drink beer in the evenings and we always fill up the recycling really quickly, so we decided to buy a keg and keep in the walk-in cooler. Each person will pitch in $1 per pint.
The farm has a field in the bottom-lands which are across a creek. We were planting squash out there yesterday, and as we were walking over there, I fell in the creek. While it felt good to be wet on a hot day, my iPod didn't like it so much. I'm super bummed about my iPod especially because I used it as an external hard drive and it had all my photo projects on it. But, at this point, what can you do?
Also, I forgot to mention Pippin in my last post. She is the farm dog and she loves to make the rounds to visit everyone on the farm. She's really sweet, but also keeps the farm safe from deer and hawks and the like.
I started my first day by milking a goat for the first time in my life. The goat (Flora) gets bored while you're milking her, so you have to distract her with food. However, that doesn't always work, and sometimes her foot ends up in the milk pale.
The farm recently built a cob oven, which is an outdoor oven made out of cob (a mixture of clay, sand, and straw). These ovens are often used to bake bread or pizza. Mark is really into the oven and likes to bake bread pretty often. The cool thing about the oven is that you spend two to three hours getting it really hot with a fire inside. Then, as it cools, you bake different things in the oven. For instance, on Wednesday, Mark fired up the oven. He started by baking some flat bread, then loaves of bread, then a pizza, then a quiche (which I made), then cookies and muffins. So, when you fire up the oven, you can plan out a whole order of things that you're going to bake.
The interns and Jeff and Janet all drink beer in the evenings and we always fill up the recycling really quickly, so we decided to buy a keg and keep in the walk-in cooler. Each person will pitch in $1 per pint.
The farm has a field in the bottom-lands which are across a creek. We were planting squash out there yesterday, and as we were walking over there, I fell in the creek. While it felt good to be wet on a hot day, my iPod didn't like it so much. I'm super bummed about my iPod especially because I used it as an external hard drive and it had all my photo projects on it. But, at this point, what can you do?
Also, I forgot to mention Pippin in my last post. She is the farm dog and she loves to make the rounds to visit everyone on the farm. She's really sweet, but also keeps the farm safe from deer and hawks and the like.
First Impressions
This is the first access to internet I've had since starting at the farm, so this is a bit delayed.
After my first week on the farm, I've really started to get to know everyone and I really feel like we're going to be like family by the end of our time together.
Keith and Crystie are the owners of the farm; he runs the farm and she's a teacher. They have two kids, River and Coulter.
Jeff and Janet manage the vegetables on the farm. Janet is really nice and helpful. Jeff is really funny and he's always singing loudly in the fields.
There are three other interns, Sean, Becca, and Mark. I see them a lot since we all live in "intern village" and share the same kitchen. Sean has been at the farm since February, so he really knows the ropes. He's from Southern California, so it's fun to talk with him about the beach and stuff like that. Becca and Mark are a couple and they've been at the farm since April. They live very simply by eating pretty much only things from the farm. I'm sure my posts will include more about all these people throughout the weeks.
A typical day on the farm starts at 8:30am. We work with Keith in the morning and we usually work down in the blueberry fields, since that is his main crop. We have an hour lunch break and then work with Janet and Jeff in the afternoon. We spend a lot of time weeding and planting various crops around the farm. Every person has a day to do animal chores, which include milking the goat, collecting eggs from the hens, and giving food and water to goats and chickens. The farm does three markets a week (Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday) so we all rotate who goes to market. The entire farm crew takes Mondays off, and then each person has an additional day off. My day off is Sunday, so I have a two-day weekend.
The work is hard, but it's getting easier. I'm already getting into the rhythm of farm life and I'm loving it so far. The biggest thing to get used to is being around so few people. Sometimes I miss having lots of friends around, but these people are slowly becoming close friends.
After my first week on the farm, I've really started to get to know everyone and I really feel like we're going to be like family by the end of our time together.
Keith and Crystie are the owners of the farm; he runs the farm and she's a teacher. They have two kids, River and Coulter.
Jeff and Janet manage the vegetables on the farm. Janet is really nice and helpful. Jeff is really funny and he's always singing loudly in the fields.
There are three other interns, Sean, Becca, and Mark. I see them a lot since we all live in "intern village" and share the same kitchen. Sean has been at the farm since February, so he really knows the ropes. He's from Southern California, so it's fun to talk with him about the beach and stuff like that. Becca and Mark are a couple and they've been at the farm since April. They live very simply by eating pretty much only things from the farm. I'm sure my posts will include more about all these people throughout the weeks.
A typical day on the farm starts at 8:30am. We work with Keith in the morning and we usually work down in the blueberry fields, since that is his main crop. We have an hour lunch break and then work with Janet and Jeff in the afternoon. We spend a lot of time weeding and planting various crops around the farm. Every person has a day to do animal chores, which include milking the goat, collecting eggs from the hens, and giving food and water to goats and chickens. The farm does three markets a week (Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday) so we all rotate who goes to market. The entire farm crew takes Mondays off, and then each person has an additional day off. My day off is Sunday, so I have a two-day weekend.
The work is hard, but it's getting easier. I'm already getting into the rhythm of farm life and I'm loving it so far. The biggest thing to get used to is being around so few people. Sometimes I miss having lots of friends around, but these people are slowly becoming close friends.
31 May 2009
Readings
So, before I head to the farm tomorrow, I thought it might be a good idea to brush up on my reading about sustainable agriculture. You'd be amazed how much great material is out there on the subject. The first book that got me really excited about this whole world was Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I happened upon this book accidentally in an airport bookstore (and I bought it because the cover was cool - against the rules). Reading this book reminded me of the fact that no person needs to depend on others for food. In today's economy, it's nice to know that I could live entirely off things I grow myself. I hope the time on the farm will help me gain more skill.
Another book that really inspired me (and, surprisingly, inspired Kingsolver's book) was This Organic Life by Joan Gussow. This book was so amazing because Gussow started thinking about local, organic food before it became chic. It also showed me that, if Gussow could live that way 20 years ago, I can absolutely live that way in today's world where it's become so much more accepted and encouraged.
Some other books on my reading list are:
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Slow Food Nation by Carlo Petrini
Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health by Marion Nestle
If you are at all interested in this world of sustainable agriculture, all of these would be great books for you to read. The most accessible is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I think this is because Kingsolver is a novelist and knows how to communicate well.
I hope these books will provide me with a good foundation for this summer.
Another book that really inspired me (and, surprisingly, inspired Kingsolver's book) was This Organic Life by Joan Gussow. This book was so amazing because Gussow started thinking about local, organic food before it became chic. It also showed me that, if Gussow could live that way 20 years ago, I can absolutely live that way in today's world where it's become so much more accepted and encouraged.
Some other books on my reading list are:
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Slow Food Nation by Carlo Petrini
Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health by Marion Nestle
If you are at all interested in this world of sustainable agriculture, all of these would be great books for you to read. The most accessible is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I think this is because Kingsolver is a novelist and knows how to communicate well.
I hope these books will provide me with a good foundation for this summer.
28 May 2009
Three Days Until the Farm
In three days, I will begin my 4 month internship at Finnriver Farm in Chimacum, WA (aka the middle of nowhere). A friend of mine suggested that I keep a blog about my experiences on the farm. I'll have limited internet access, but I'll keep it as updated as I can.
I found this farm because my dad knows them, and they invited us over at Christmas-time for tea and snacks. I instantly fell in love with their farm. I couldn't think of a better way to unwind from four years of craziness in Southern California.
I've already met most of the people I'll be working with. When I was visiting my dad over Spring Break, I went out to the farm to work for half a day. The other interns are all around my age (23 or 24), so at least I'll have some company. I also went to pick up my dad's CSA share from the farm today. This farm grows blueberries, apples (used to make cider), chickens, cows (Scottish long-horns), and goats. They are also one of the first farms on the Peninsula to try growing various types of wheat.
For those of you who don't know, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Most small, organic farms offer CSAs, in which, members from the surrounding community pay a fee in the spring and then recieve fruits, vegetables, and flowers weekly from the farm. This is meant to benefit both sides. The farm gets money when they need it most (during planting season) and the consumer gets local and organic produce all while supporting their local economy.
For more information on CSAs or to find one near you, check out:
http://www.biodynamics.com/csa.html
I found this farm because my dad knows them, and they invited us over at Christmas-time for tea and snacks. I instantly fell in love with their farm. I couldn't think of a better way to unwind from four years of craziness in Southern California.
I've already met most of the people I'll be working with. When I was visiting my dad over Spring Break, I went out to the farm to work for half a day. The other interns are all around my age (23 or 24), so at least I'll have some company. I also went to pick up my dad's CSA share from the farm today. This farm grows blueberries, apples (used to make cider), chickens, cows (Scottish long-horns), and goats. They are also one of the first farms on the Peninsula to try growing various types of wheat.
For those of you who don't know, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Most small, organic farms offer CSAs, in which, members from the surrounding community pay a fee in the spring and then recieve fruits, vegetables, and flowers weekly from the farm. This is meant to benefit both sides. The farm gets money when they need it most (during planting season) and the consumer gets local and organic produce all while supporting their local economy.
For more information on CSAs or to find one near you, check out:
http://www.biodynamics.com/csa.html
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