who knew

This is the moment we've all been waiting for...all the months of planning...all the hours of labor...all the thoughts and conversations and disagreements and growth...for the big debut: our first market.

Who knew 9 years ago when I was learning how to make the world's best sandwiches at the local bistro, that today I'd be growing its very ingredients. Who knew 8 years ago when I was designing Ritz Cracker boxes and DiGiorno pizza trucks, that today I'd be avoiding as much of that processed food, especially from big businesses under Monsanto's wing. Who knew 5 years ago when my boyfriend gave me a copper watering can that today I'd be using it to urge seeds to sprout. Who knew 3 years ago when I took a sabbatical from corporate Chicago that today I'd call Colorado my home. Who knew a year ago as an intern that today I'd have a farm of my own. And who knows what will happen in years to come! I have a feeling this will just be a stepping stone to the next great undertaking. Whether or not it's a farm undertaking...well, tomorrow and Saturdays for the next few months will determine that!

If I thought anyone was crazy for working more than 40 hours in the corporate environment, perhaps I have just deemed myself crazier. I had such a great on/off switch, perhaps because I'm so great at conserving energy that I could usually work with the lights off...and could never understand how a picture with 2% more magenta could keep someone awake at night, until I'm wide awake thinking of tomato suckers which account for about 2% of the plant...after I've already put in 60 hours of physical labor for the week. My friends wonder why they haven't seen me in a month. I wonder why I have 'rubber bands' written backwards on my face. Yes, my hand is a great notepad at night...apparently also a great pillow.

So we have sprouted and watered and mulched and weeded and fertilized and pruned and weeded and watered and sung to the plants in the field for over 2 months now. Some couldn't survive the living conditions. Some we forgot about. But the ones that grew, they soared. It's been unbelievable to watch how these tiny seed packets can make a field a little green. And then we harvested. In the field, you can hardly notice we harvested. Yet back at our house, we are overflowing 5 coolers, 2 bins, and a fridge with all these goodies. 50 bunches of arugula, 50 bunches of kale, 30 bunches of broccoli rabe, pounds of spinach, a basket of herbs. It's a blessing to have more than we imagined...I think it will be a great impression for the community to see that it's not just a teeny tiny garden plot.

Our neighbors excitedly come over and ask us about the farm and what we're growing and when it will be ready. Our friends ask how it's going. We post on Facebook, on our website, we have people naturally spread the word, and we have a busy street of passing cars. Will it all be enough?! Tomorrow our hours are 9-noon, or until we sell out. If we sell out fast, we should have more land. If we sell too little, we will be swimming in kale for days. I'm sure it will be somewhere in-between, but who knows! To be continued!!! 

Same same, but different

...as they say in Thailand. That seems to explain my situation these days.

I'm finally feeling a little settled into my new place in Wheat Ridge. It's been a bit tricky merging two households, but I like being forced to fit my belongings within a space, and purge all the unnecessaries. I know I still have too many clothes for those 'just in case' instances, when really, all I will wear this summer will be a couple rotated dirty farm outfits, and a couple casual summer dresses for when I want to be seen in public. I would love to burn all my corporate work attire, but I'll hold off until the farm, and or my freelance design, becomes sustainable income.

Long gone are the days I could pack with 4 suitcases vs. 4 vehicles.

My roommates may be some of the most compatible roommates I have had to this day, with the exception of my dear Kate from the farm, or my siblings, if that's fair to count them. Obviously our lifestyles and values are quite parallel, especially owning an organic farm together. So we equally appreciate healthy meals, bike rides, our backyard complete with perennials, a huge grill, and fire pit, local restaurants, zero cable, and overall just simple living. I especially enjoy that they love to cook and I can trade-off with washing dishes. And when Christa saved two bites for tomorrow's leftovers, it felt as if we've been sisters our entire lives.

Homemade leek and potato soup, with a side of chicken salad on a rice cake...mmm...

Thankfully Dan and Christa have lived in the neighborhood for a year and a half, so they know the in and outs of where to go. They too came from Cap Hill and have my same appreciation for the city life, while finding home a little further out. Wheat Ridge is a wide mix of grandparents and retirement homes, Italians, Hispanics, and newly married hipsters who just can't quite afford Denver Highlands...and/or, they want bigger yards and fixer-upper houses. A brand new Wal-mart just opened a few blocks from us. I hate to admit that I've already been there twice in the past two days for a silly watch band. Somehow I'd feel better buying a knock-off in SE Asia because it seems like it would support a local small business. My watch broke a month too late though!

Anyway, the farm is a few blocks from Wal-mart, along the other main road of 38th. I'm sure many folks will drive past it on their way to Wal-mart or other chains and not think twice. But here's hoping we might peak a bunch of curious minds, enough so that they stop in. There is probably no chance of us beating the price of big chains, but I believe we'll provide much more valuable produce. First up will be peas and radishes...they are looking great from all this snow we've had!

Peas surfacing!

In many ways it feels as though I'm on a sabbatical again: farming and living with roommates in this (semi) country space. I even saw a fox on my walk tonight...like one of the first signs of wildlife that I saw up in Loveland. I've spent so much time in Highlands over the years that it's practically home...I do wonder if I'll have the desire to move six miles back to the city or if I'll stick around here for awhile...or go even further out where there's more land. Only time will tell!

I could not have said it better myself...

http://www.highmowingseeds.com/blog/myanmars-floating-gardens-and-golden-buddhas-winter-farmer-travel-part-ii/

things I've learned from funemployment...week one

1. I crave pancakes. Perhaps because everyday feels like Saturday, and I would love making pancakes Saturday mornings as a kid...so much that I had the recipe memorized to a tee. Perhaps I'll be able to memorize it again.

2. The grocery store is fully stocked at 8 am. Now that I'll be relying heavily on sale items, I come before the shelves have been raided.

3. I'm still not ready to own a dog. I thought I was...I really did. Maybe it's like a kid...you don't really think you're ready until you just have your own...or like kissing boys, when dirty slobber miraculously became ok, to a point. I dog-sat this week for a beautiful, well-behaved Doberman. It didn't attack me or chew up my furniture, but having a little one count on me to be let out and walked a few times a day was enough responsibility for my jobless self. No wonder people post so much dog and baby stuff on facebook all the time...it's a full time job that becomes your life! which leads me to my next point...

4.  My days have actually been pretty productive, therefore I find less and less need to be on facebook. Or maybe I was just sick of only reading about the election this week. And I had my own dog to look after.

5. I'm going to use public restrooms a lot more from now on. If I'm home all the time, that means I won't be saving money on toilet paper.

6. Libraries are awesome. Not only for public restrooms (per above), but also for the FREE movies (take that redbox!) and hello...FREE knowledge. I think I have about 10 books checked out right now. Note to self: when I'm down to my last few hundred dollars, fly to a warm tropical island with a library. I feel like I can learn anything in there.

7. All my farm ideas are terrible. Hence why I will be going to the library more (per above). I have a range of directions in mind for where I can go with farming. My teacher talked me through them and at the end of our conversation I asked...

'so it sounds like just a regular small farm starting on an acre is the best idea?' 

'Well, they're all terrible ideas, Shannon, but none of us are in this for the money, are we?' 

True, true. At this point, any profit looks good to me. And per my friend Patrick...technically I'll be growing money, so it's like something from nothing!



8. Chicago is my number one dealbreaker. I am open-minded to lots of things, like nose picking or dirty lingering laundry or Packer fans, but I have a zero tolerance policy for dating men who want to live in Chicago. Unless you're Oprah...there's 0% chance in anything that I will follow you. I wonder if I can convince anyone else that the concrete jungle is greener there, not here with the endless sunshine and mountains and outdoor activities and freedom of feeling like a kid...

9. I'm learning to do things that I hate because it's good for me. Like making my bed and flossing around my permanent retainer.

10. I'm learning to be productive with my time. Which means I should stop here and get to some homework.