Not Any More

I was asked for a couple of particular photos by one person, then I was asked for a photo that depicted something else by another.  You know how this thing goes - we all INTEND to organize all of our electronic (and physical) photos so we can find what we want quickly - but it never happens.

There is a benefit to that problem.  When you go looking for one thing, you get to enjoy seeing other things that you have not seen for a while.  I found myself saying things like, "Wow, it's been a while since..."  and "We don't do that anymore.."   Needless to say, that got my brain to consider the idea of a blog post.  So here we are!

Boule d'Or melons

The Genuine Faux Farm has long been known for trying to grow a wide variety of produce, with many of the cultivars being heirloom or open-pollinated.  The upside of being willing to go with these types of things is that we avoid directly competing with other food outlets.  The downsides?  Well, if you don't grow what people know, they don't usually want it.... so you have to convince them to want it.  And, of course, you're not going to have success with many of the varieties you try.

As I scrolled through the pictures, I recognized a wide range of produce pictures that showed varieties of years past that we have found ourselves no longer growing for a host of reasons.  Not productive enough.  Didn't taste as good as we thought it should.  Too big.  Too small.  Doesn't like wet years.  Seed no longer available.  We had too many with similar characteristics.  Etc etc.  While Tammy and I will remember most of those varieties, we wonder if any one else would.  Who remembers Boule d'Or melons from our farm?

Gone, but not forgotten.

Was it really Fall of 2012 when we had two small, four-legged critters join our farm and encourage bowling for kittens when the snow finally fell?  Yes, Mrranda and the Sandman were pretty darned cute and they knew it.  After a few good years of 'farmer surfing,' being 'cooler than us,' helping to roll up electric fences and imparting wisdom, both of these fine felines moved on to wherever cats go when they die.  In the picture above, they were both interested in helping us paint the side of this building.  The Sandman already had this coloring, so it didn't show so much.  But, Mrranda did have a little spot on here that was not her natural coloring.

I know we had these set up there at one time, but...

Perhaps one of the oddest things to see are pictures of things when our traffic patterns on the farm were EXTREMELY different than they are now.  There was a time when all of our plant starts surrounded the garage and the truck barn.  I know we had things set up this way and I know it worked well enough.  But, it just doesn't seem right anymore....

Where on the farm was this?

 Ok, I KNOW where it is, but I can barely recognize it.  So, this is a photo for those days when we feel like we are marking no progress on our farm.  Some of the changes include permanent fencing for the hen pasture, multiple trees and bushes that would now be visible in this area and a couple of compost piles. 

We do still use the electric netting for the birds, but both of the portable buildings you see here are no longer in service for poultry.  The white building on the back finally fell apart and the metal frame in the front is being adapted to another purpose.

Can you list the things that have changed here?

 Perhaps you can't, but I can.  First, the garage is now that nice wheat color you saw in the other picture.  The cleaning station is no longer in this area.  We don't use that type of container anymore for cleaning.  The blue in the background at left is our previous truck and the barn was still in use and actually has siding and a working door.

How long ago was this?  Surely it was AGES ago?  How about 2011?  Seven and one half years ago.  Enough time for a lot of change apparently.