Taking apps!

My little feets are getting twitchy for some more world travels! Anyone who's interested, let me know!

Timeframe will be between Halloween and March 1. Preferred Thanksgiving and Christmas in the midwest. I'd love to visit a couple continents I haven't seen, like Africa and Australia, but I'd go back to SE Asia in a heartbeat. Maybe Europe fall, and winter/New Year further? Bueller? 

Wild neighborhood animals

Yesterday, I was blanching and freezing our boatload of hail-damaged swiss chard, when I went outside and saw this!...

I didn't have my camera to capture the exact puppy, but it was a black chihuahua giving me the same 'who are you? what are you doing here?' expression...that mimicked my thoughts exactly. I had a hunch he belonged to our neighbor, but there were no tags. I didn't want him to run further, but he yelped when I tried to pick him up, so instead we did a little 'I chase you, you chase me' act to the neighbors house. I was pretty impressed that he followed. The little freaky yipper behind the fence turned out be a pretty cute pup after all!

when you love someone...

I'm not married, I don't have kids, I don't have a ('real') job. People must think I have it easy. But I promise, the farm is a relationship like no other. I won't say it's worse than the rest...heck, I'm barely in the dating world these days, so I can barely compare it to anything.

In church last Sunday the preacher was talking about having kids...how something so small and innocent can just take everything from you. Energy, sleep, money, time, etc... with absolutely NO return of investment. Except for a return of pure love and joy.

My previous farm manager would constantly tell us she wasn't dating because she was married to the farm. There was no time for anything or anyone else. Alas, I can relate to both of these.

And last week, I'd do what any sane person in a consuming relationship would do...the farm and I took a break. How could I go even say hello to it when it was breaking my heart. I tended hours and hours of backbreaking weeding, yet it stuck its tongue out at me, mockingly, as the weeds overgrew once again. We found tomato leaves on a few plants: diseased. We yanked them. We stepped closer, our noses to the ground, where we found thrips...hundreds of them, frolicking in our dirt...hopping onto our plants. Infesting, tomato plant by tomato plant, they must be. And bed after bed in the field we looked, only to find that these pests were coating our entire field. Somehow most of the plants were surviving, but I still felt defeated. What can we possibly do to save our entire supply of tomatoes?

The markets are getting business, and we're selling more now that we're getting our name out there. Yet still, we need to double sales each week in order to just break even in the end! When I think of it that way, the weeds seem like a waste of time to pull, and the tomato disease seems even more devastating.

Thankfully with 4 partners involved, I was able to step back and find some silver lining again. Maybe we just needed space. I came back today after a huge rainstorm last night, and remembered how much I love this place. I was happy to weed through the jungle and find the hidden, yet strong growing basil. Happy to see that thrips were still happy and frolicking, but at least not spreading more tomato disease (that I can see). And happy to see new seedlings and new colors emerging now that I've been patient.

When you love something, set it free. So they say.

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!!! 

sprouting sweetness

I rekindled an ol' flame: grapefruit! I think I only semi-liked them as a kid because they were another breakfast dish that allowed me to get my daily dose of a few tablespoons of sugar. Maybe that's why I still like it...but now that they are in season (at the end, actually), they are much more sweet than tart. So needless to say, I'm going to miss these when they are out of season, and will have to find a new fruit or berry to top my oatmeal in the mornings!

And to have a part of them in my life everyday...and since I've attempted with some success with other fruits...why not try to sprout some grapefruit seeds and grow my own tree? Considering my other stone fruits haven't sprouted and my roommates rolling eyes from all these cherry, peach, plum, avocado, and mango pits...I was surprised when I unrolled the moist paper towel to find these beauties! Perhaps my next venture will include orchards...

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/