The Gang of Four Strikes! (Again!)

Every year, the Gang of Four arranges to spend a day at each farm (Blue Gate Farm, Grinnell Heritage Farm, Scattergood Friends School Farm and Genuine Faux Farm).  Last weekend, we spent some time at Scattergood and we actually managed to take some pictures!  We thought everyone might enjoy seeing some of what we are up to during these gatherings.

Apparently, we make the Dunham children work!

Typically, we try to lend a hand and get a project or two done for the host farm.  Often, weeding is on the agenda.  But, we've done everything from transplanting sweet potatoes to tearing down a building.  Never a dull moment.  This time around, we had more than one project going.

We got to dig a hole - YAY!

Scattergood does some work with vermiculture (using red wiggler worms to create quality compost).  The issue is that they need a place for the worms to overwinter.  Our job was to dig a hole a bit deeper and square it off.

Then, we wrapped up the hole so we could present it to Mark as a gift.

Part of the issue is that the worms could travel through the soil and leave captivity.  Hence the reason for some of what you see here.

Has Andy read any Poe recently?

A second project was building raised beds against the side of the high tunnel.  It's an effort to make an area of the building that is largely unusable into a useful addition.

they must be discussing plans...

There were a few issues with the hardware, but these farmers are tough.  No problem too difficult.  No problem beneath them.  And, every problem can become a bigger problem if enough of us work on it at the same time!

Are you sure that's square?

Hey! You're compacting the soil!

Mark says it's A - OK!  Compact away!

There was some drama during this weekend's get together.  Scattergood has a number of "Shelobs" (our name for the neat yellow & black garden spiders).  So, you had to watch for them.  They are not going to hurt a human, but it can be creepy if you back into a web.

Hey.  Um... Sean... There's a spider on your... uh...

Oh, okay.  Perspective thing. 

Some of us also helped to move some sheep to a different pasture and we ALL helped eat food after the work was done.  The hardest part of the day, as always, was leaving to return to our respective farms.

Next stop?  Genuine Faux Farm in September.  Can't wait!