It's That Time Again!

 First Posted; Saturday, May 8, 2010

"The Safety Plantz" by a Man with a Hat

The Dance of the Seedling Trays got me thinking about a certain tune. Then I started playing with different words for that song. I couldn't help myself - so here it is:

Revised lyrics for the Genuine Faux Farm to the tune "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats

We can plant if we want to
We can leave clean hands behind
'Cause the seeds must grow and if they don't grow
We're in the unemployment line
I say, weeds can grow where they want to
Drive us out of our mindBut we can act like we care for this world
Leave the herbicides far behind
And we can plant

We can sow when we want to
The soil is warm, so we can try
And we can mess with peat, spend some time on our feet
And surprise 'em with the brocco-lie!
Say, we'll make a pact if you want to
If we don't, tell me who will?
And you can eat real food, good taste we'll include
And I can be green with chlorophyll!

[Refrain]
I say, we can sow, we can plant
Everything out in the ground
We can hoe, we can till
We're doing it from field to field
We can weed, we can mulch
Everybody look at our hands
We can wash, we can scrub
Nothing is gettin' them cle - e - ean!

We can water 'cuz we need to
We've got our seedling trays in line
As long as they could use it, not gonna refuse it
Everything'll work out right
I say, we can plant if we want to
We'll be plantin' all the time'Cause the seeds must grow and if they don't grow
Well we're in the unemployment line

[Refrain in early Spring when it could still frost or freeze]

Is it safe to plant, oh is it safe to plant? [6x]

==========================

The original lyrics of Safety Dance can be found here:http://www.lyricsondemand.com/onehitwonders/safetydancelyrics.html

A Howling Maelstrom of Silliness

Yes, that's what it was like outside today.  The temps were nice.  There was sunshine.  I now have a headache from being in the wind - and I made sure I wasn't in it all that long.  However, even if you work in a high tunnel, the wind has an impact on your day.  It is really LOUD in that building when the wind is going. 

Some quick news shorts about the farm:

• the disk harrow finally has been made to work.  As a result, we were able to disk nearly every one of our plots in a few hours.  Some will need further work - but this is a huge difference from the time required to do initial tillage in the past.
• the entire length of the old hog building that came down about 7 years ago is now cleaned up.  2/3rds of it now has cold frames along the foundation.  
• Not only have we had to mow some of our pasture areas, we couldn't catch the grass because it was TOO LONG.  April 5?  REALLY?
• It's going to freeze tonight...again....  Not unheard of.  But, the poor fruit trees are going to lose their flowers.  We knew this was coming.
• Mice in the seed trays.  This is bad.  They dig up the seed and eat it OR they mow off the seedlings.  Sticky traps?  Yep.  One down.  ? to go.
• Picked for the Spring CSA today (Monday).  Picked greens for Hansen's  Picked lettuce for Waverly Child Care.  Eggs cleaned.  Yep - ready for Tuesday deliveries.
• R worked on organizing the office for several hours today.  Why does it still look like the howling maelstrom of silliness hit it?  Wait, I think I see two pairs of cat eyes.  Hm.  Of course, it could also be that he's not finished with the job.

It's Late, But So What?

• On-farm Energy Production
  
  Tom Sawyer Days at the Genuine Faux Farm will have a whole new look and feel as a new purpose will be added. The addition of a local fuel production plant in Tripoli will encourage more small farms to grow dry beans with the express purpose of collecting methane gas.  GFF plans to ramp up dry bean production and increase the number of festival days in an effort to support renewable energy.
• Packaging Options
  
  A combination of wax and plastic will be used in an effort to meet new food safety regulations. A wax coating will be placed on each individual vegetable, which will then be surrounded by a vacuum wrap plastic. In an effort to also support recycling, GFF will encourage customers to reuse the plastic for lunchtime sandwiches. Also, a wick will be placed into the wax for each fruit, thus allowing your produce to double as a scented candle - as well as a delicious and healthy part of your meal.
• All Action No Talk
  
  An "All Action, No Talk Day" is being scheduled and sponsored by the Genuine Faux Farm.  Those interested will be required to attend three informational meetings prior to attending the actual event.  Those interested should probably say something.  But, you can put off doing anything else.
• Weed Maze 2012
  
  GFF enters agritourism with first annual weed maze.   Anticipated opening of the maze is sometime in August when the foxtail, pigweed and giant ragweed have had a chance to reach their growth potential.  Tammy was quoted as saying that this would work as long as those pesky tomatoes weren't always in the way.  An attempt to have a weed maze in 2011 was thwarted when the worker who was sent to mow the maze path was lost.  Recent field clean up revealed that the worker had survived the mild winter, eating frozen tomatoes and field mice.   
•  New Pen Pal Program
  
  In an effort to improve the general public's connection with their food, GFF introduces a new pen pal program.  Persons interested in getting to know their food will be allowed to pair up with different plants or animals on the farm to exchange letters.  While this may seem a bit odd to some, Rob points out that, "plants and animals thrive under attentive care.  Finding ways to show that you care results in a healthier and happier creature.  We're pretty sure we can figure out a way to make this work, but participants may have to send one letter (of the alphabet) at a time.  Hey, there's more than one reason it's called the 'Slow Food Movement.'"  Imagine getting to know your own personal radish or garlic friend.  Just watch out for the common taters, you won't get a word in edgewise.  Interested persons should send their first letter, with a request for a particular plant or animal to GFF at PO Box 121 Tripoli, IA 50676.

Let Me Sum Up...

There is too much, so you'll have to do with a summary:

• We are sitting at 95 CSA members right now.  Our goal is still 120.  We like to balance things out and have a few more Waverly folk join us.  Split is 38 Waverly, 3 Tripoli, 54 Cedar Falls
• Thank you to all of you who have been so prompt with payments after receiving the bill and SASE in the mail.  The Spring purchases for farm tools, seeds, etc continue at a reasonable pace.
• Speaking of purchases, there is an auction coming up we plan on attending.  We've got some specific goals for that auction.  Let's hope we can meet them.
• Spring extended season CSA is getting set up now.  We'll be in touch with those of you who have participated in the past first.
• Why are we getting on the Spring season share now?  Well, we have lots of kale, spinach, mustard and other things growing in the high tunnel.
• The spinach, arugula, mustard and radish we put in about a week ago in the field - already up.  Wow.
• The raised bed implement has been created, now we just have to go get it and paint it.  
• The disk harrow has been partially disassembled and its needs have been identified.  Hopefully it can be completed in the next week so we can use it soon!
• We have some flat tires to fix on wheel hoes and carts.  Nothing major, just means we're working on getting tools ready for use.
• Seed trays are getting filled so we can seed LOTS of things today.
• Trying to get some mice caught so they stop digging in our trays and eating the seed we plant.  We're NOT happy with that one.
• Cold frames are out (except two).  We need to fix a couple and finish cleaning up their area to use them.
• Tom Sawyer Day?  Anyone for a TSD this coming weekend?  Saturday's weather is supposed to be nice and we have a long task list that would be friendly to a group of people being involved.  This would be our first EVER March TSD.
• Go Green Fair - we'll be at the Go Green Fair at the W on Sunday.  Come say hello.  And, if you were thinking about signing up (we're looking at you Waverly folks!) stop by and ask questions and see if we can convince you.
• Tammy will be staffing the Waverly Community Gardens table and Rick Montgomery will hold a table for the Waverly Farmers' Market.  Yours truly will staff the GFF booth.
• We have a presentation coming up on Thursday at the Waverly Hospital.  Looking forward to it.
• The Gang of Four (four farms from Iowa who visit each other during the season for a work day) will be having a pre-season gathering coming up at the end of the week.
• Hens are laying!  'Nuff said.
• We start getting chicks at the farm around April 14.  Uh oh.
• Been catching lots of raccoon in the live traps.  So far they haven't hurt the chickens, but have bothered the bees and things in one of our buildings.  Minor, but irritating and often a prelude to more.  We're working to prevent it.
• 45 bags of seed starting mix in the garage, 45 bags of seed starting mix!  Take one out....etc etc...
• Garlic is up (8 inches above the mulch line already)
• Durnik, the Ford 8 1/2 N tractor, started right up this Spring.  Looks like he wants a good run at this year.  Barty, the BCS tiller also took little coaxing.  Biter and Beater (the two lawn tractors) hesitated only a little.  A flat tire on one.   An oil change due in the other.
• We're working on the employment scenario for 2012 summer.  It always takes more effort than we think it should.  Here's hoping we can get the right crew together for the year.
• Jeans and barn lime.  Yes, that was the purchase at a store recently.  
• Still have a couple of turkeys in the freezer we would like to sell.
• Speaking of freezers, the time has come where we are going to try to combine everything into one of these so we can at least have a month or two where our electric bill isn't handling three of them where one might suffice.  Still some question as to whether it will all fit in one.
• Speaking of electric use, ours goes up about this time with the use of grow lights, heat mats and more water.
• Travels are over for us.  And, I think we're both grateful that they are done.  We enjoyed the opportunities, but the 'digging out' after returning is always difficult.

Mulling Ideas and Some News

Participation is requested with this post!

This is just one way you can make your Farm Share work more for you.

The following probably has more to do with our CSA than anything else.  But, as with all things farm...there is overlap.  So, feel free to read and participate even if you are not in the CSA.

1. Tammy and I are taking the time to update our recipe pages on our web page today.  So, take a look and see what we've done.  We added a number of recipes suggested to us over the past year and a half by CSA members (and others).  Sorry it took so long to do that.
2. Speaking of recipes.  Surveys have indicated to us that there are certain veggies that are either loved or hated by our members.  But, more appropriately, people aren't sure what to do with some of them.  As a result, we are designing brochures for certain veg along the lines of the summer squash/zucchini trifolds we did some years back.  We will reprint that one and we will reprint (with modification) one for eggplant.  In development is one for kale, one for greens (other than kale), one for winter squash.  Other suggestions?
3. The idea of having some brochures is so we can have something to hand to people at our CSA distributions (and maybe farmers' market) to help people with figuring out what to do with everything.  We really would like to do better in this area.
4. We've noticed that many people seem to like option boxes in our distributions.  For example - a bunch of kale OR a bunch of chard OR another head of lettuce.  Another example - turnips or beets or a mix of the two.  And yet another - a box of whatever excess we have that you may select from.  See the next point for discussion.
5. The issue here, of course, is that we don't want a situation where someone who comes later has less choice than those who come earlier.  So, there are management issues here.  But, there are if we do this other ways as well.  So, from your perspective - how do YOU feel about these selection options?  
6. Tammy and I both felt we might be able to get a group of people together to discuss ways to make vegetables more accessible to their children.  We have a number of members (past and present) who have children - and everyone has a different approach to introducing foods to their kids.  We'd like to figure out a way to host a group meeting once or twice before the season starts - or during - that can discuss ways to be successful in doing this.  Tammy will be in charge of this - so if you don't want to post here, send it to her.  Either way, it will get to her.  We think this idea is worthy of pursuing and would like to see it happen.  What do you think?
7. Farm gatherings.  We have held three festivals and a myriad of Tom Sawyer work days on our farm each year.  Last year, we participated in the "Farm Crawl" sponsored by NIFFP and UNI-CEEE.  What sort of farm events do you want to see us offer in 2012?  We have not set the schedule yet.  How many of you are interested/willing to participate in a work day or two?  We want to focus our energy on things you want to participate in.

We realize this is a lot to read through and think on.  But, we do want to hear from you about what you think.  One of the advantages to consumers with buying local is that they can make their feelings known and expect that the local producers will either make a change to accommodate OR explain why the proposed change cannot be made.  Try doing that with a large farm 1000 miles away.

Oh, That's Where THAT Muscle Is!

Yes, it is that time of year again.  The time of year where Tammy and I reacquaint ourselves with the locations of various muscles as they make it know that they weren't as happy with the work we've done the last two days as we hoped they would be.  While we know we haven't worked out as much as we probably should have over the Winter, we also know full well that working out in a gym doesn't prepare us for full days on the farm. 

This weather has been fantastic - and we'll be happy that we have it - all the while realizing that we can have snowstorms and below zero temps in April - we've seen it before.  But, that doesn't mean we have to be unhappy about some nice days to be outdoors.  Of course, since we are farmers, we worry about what this weather tells us about the upcoming growing year.  But, we'd worry if everything fell right on all the averages - it comes with the territory.

It's March 18....  we've planted spinach, arugula, mustard and radish *IN THE FIELD*.   That is just plain weird.  But, the soil is workable and the 4" soil temp this evening was 60 degrees F.  You get a better baseline with an AM reading, in my opinion, but I was curious and dug the reader out.  We'll check again in the morning.  We got some annual ryegrass cover into last year's high tunnel location - after cleaning the area up the rest of the way. 

We did a great job last Fall putting all of our equipment, etc under cover for the Winter.  Now we're pulling things back out for use - all the time realizing that things could still get covered in snow.  But, you go with what the weather gives you and prepare to handle it if it all turns the other direction.  I mention pulling things out because we pulled all of our cold frames out for use.  Some need repair - and this is a great time to get to that.  But, the big news is that we are acting on moving the cold frames to the area just south of the old hog building that came down some years ago.  For those who don't know - we've been pecking away at cleaning that thing up for some time now.  The news that the cold frames are going there is *big* because it means we're finally getting it cleaned up enough to use that area. 

We did do a lot more than this, of course - but it's what I felt like typing about at the moment.  We'll give you more tomorrow!

Take a walk between the raindrops tomorrow!

That Big, Bright, Round Thing in the Sky

Tammy and I are back from an extended (for us) trip away from the farm.  We don't travel much, though it might not seem like this were true if we listed all of our roaming around this year so far.  But, this sabbatical thing for Tammy only happens every so often.  And, there were things that were done in her official capacity on this trip as well.  Even so, we both had moments of guilt mixed in with the enjoyment of seeing some beautiful things (see our prior blog posts for some of our best pictures of our travels).

I was tempted to write a quick note to Mother Nature and ask her why she saw fit to put so many beautiful days in Iowa while we are away.  Maybe she knows we can handle the adversity?  In any event, we should send a note to Florence, Oregon apologizing for bringing the nasty (for them) weather that came their way while we were present.  It's our understanding that they don't get snow at all often.  We checked their annual snowfall average charts.  It is essentially a straight line all year at 0".   Ups.  We hope you can get over the 4-6" that came your way our last evening there.  The snow made things beautiful, but it also took down alot of trees and power lines. 

Another thing about heavy snow on the branches of very tall trees.  A little bit of wind sends heavy snow blobs down from on high.  We found that trees can win any snowball fight they wish if they really want to.

The weather wasn't really all that bad and beautiful places in Oregon look good in whatever weather they happen to be dressed in.  On top of that, we were prepared for 'the worst,' so the spells where it wasn't raining and the bits of sun here and there were extra bonuses for us.  And, since we're not used to crowds, it made a difference to be there in the "off season."  All in all, it was trip we'd be willing to repeat, if we are given the chance.  Favorite hike had to be by the Haceda Head Light House, but the hike in Silver Falls Park might have rivaled it if we hadn't felt we should cut it a bit short (remember the trees had too many snow balls to throw).  Latourrel Falls wins for most excellent photo ops, etc  but our best photos were of the North Falls at Silver Falls Park.  We didn't manage to get very close to it, but the picture was stunning from the overlook we had a chance to stop at.

We spent a good deal of time staring at the waves as they came rolling in, or paying our respects to some really big trees.  We were amazed by the complexity to be found in light house lenses and learned to tell the difference between the different sounds of water.  The robins of the forest greeted us and the elk deigned to glance our way.  We even took a liking to lichen.

On top of it all, Tammy got to tour Wartburg West and see some of her students there.  She also visited food banks in Denver and Portland, presented at a conference in Portland and was able to be present when her colleague, Susan Vallem was the esteemed presenter of the Ron Federico lecture.  Social Workers...pretty darned good people with an interest in making things better for everyone.  Got to like them!

Now the farmer and his Social Worker bride are back home.  We are now acclimated to being outside in rain and 47 degrees Fahrenheit.  What's with this sun, wind and 80 degrees Fahrenheit in March?  We cleaned up a couple of plots with the intent of planting spinach and some cover crops tomorrow.  We also worked on cleaning up the new area where the cold frames are going this year.  We'll put in another full day before the rain hits us Sunday night.

We loved Oregon, but it is good to be back home in Iowa.

Picture Fest V

Latourell Falls, OR

Bridal Veil Falls, OR

Picture Fest IV

Silver Falls Park, OR

Winter Falls at Silver Falls Park, OR

North Falls, Silver Falls Park, OR

Siuslaw River, OR

Picture Fest III

South Jetty, Florence, OR

Dunes at Umpqua Lighthouse

Umpqua River

Elk at Dean Creek

Picture Fest II

Heceda Head Light House

Trail over Heceda Head

Holman Vista

Cape Perpetua

 

More that's Likable about Lichen

Picture Fest

Fogarty Creek

Cape Meares

St Helens

Castle Rock

Clearly Not Used To This

We are guessing that a large number of blog posts, facebook posts, twitter feeds and other things mentions something about beautiful weather in Iowa today.  They would, of course, be right.  But, why were you posting/tweeting/typing about it?  Get out there and do something in it!  I can get away with it because the day is over.... so there!

Ok, ok.  I'm just mad that you all beat me to it.

In any event, we did have a fine day to do work on the farm.  Our accomplishments in the last several days are worth reporting.  But, you should first take note of the title.  I'll pause for a second while you read it.

(insert elevator music here)

While Tammy and I did not work as hard or for as long as we will in days to come, we did find that we have gotten a little soft this Winter.  It's something we find out every Winter, so we aren't really surprised.  But, it can be a bit irritating when you feel a bit wiped out - even when you feel what you did doesn't quite justify it.

Now that we have that over with - on to a farm report:

• The organic certification paperwork is *DONE* and will be mailed tomorrow AM.  For those who do not know, this is a big deal for us and represents some amount of effort on our part.
• Billing for those who have signed up for the CSA is *MAILED.*  Again, this requires a some effort on our part and requires a number of things to be done prior to this effort.  So, please forgive us if we mention it as an accomplishment of some import.
• We are currently at 79 members for the Farm Share CSA.  41 to go.
• You might notice we are doing a number of things to get the word out about our Farm Share program.  You might notice a spot on Iowa Public Radio soon.  There are posters up here and there for our farm and brochures are getting pushed around a bit.    You may even notice that we are pushing a couple of aspects more than the past.  First -we are a Farm Share CSA - which means you invest in our farm and you become a part of our operation.  Second, we are emphasizing the fact that we are certified organic.  More on that in a later post.
• Our first year SARE report is sent.  We currently have a 2 year SARE grant to study intercropping spacing issues with "larger" equipment.  
• We have been selected to be a part of two Practical Farmers of Iowa studies in 2012.  One investigates companions for cabbage.  The other attempts to use living mulch in peppers.
• We just rebuilt one of our plant starting tables.  We actually built this in Minnesota and moved it down with us.  It was not initially intended for what we do now, so the shelf spacing was....not efficient.  We have now added another shelf and improved the shelf surfaces so the heat mats will have better contact with the trays.  Here's hoping.
• In order to celebrate the rebuilt shelf, Tammy planted 15 trays of onions today.  There are already about a dozen going.
• Tammy took a trip down to Dyarsville (Farmtek) and picked up about 750 egg cartons.  Among other things.  Let's just say the car was full.
• Tammy just finished editing/working on chapter 12 of a 12 chapter text.  Now she needs to do some of the end of chapter material.  Good work!
• Plants in the high tunnel just got a nice day of drip irrigation.  The plants are small, but they are there.  Surprisingly, the arugula and mustard appear to have made it through this Winter.  We'll have to watch them closely to see if they want to bolt.
• We even got to hang some clothing on the line today.
• Lots of acquisition for the coming year going on right now.  We picked up 3000 lbs of hen feed from Frantzen Farms in New Hampton and 800 lbs of seed starting media from Beautiful Land Products in West Branch.

The roller coaster has only just begun.  You want a front seat?  Pick up a farm share with us!

Our first 2012 CSA "Newsletter"

Below is the email (edited slightly for each distribution group and combined here) sent to those who are already signed up for our 2012 Farm Share CSA.

If you did not receive this email, but expected to - contact us!   It is possible we have the wrong email address OR we don't know you want to be a part of our program this year. 

=========================
Greetings all!

March is time to begin thinking Spring.  And, for us, it is time to do something about Spring heading our way!

We have sent out emails for each of our 2012 Farm Share CSA distribution (Waverly, Cedar Falls and Tripoli).  If this email is going to one of your email addresses that is inappropriate for Farm Share CSA announcements, please indicate this to us at this time.  This is our primary method of making announcements and we will send out emails weekly during the distribution season (June - October).  Thus, we need at least *one* email contact that will reliably receive and be able to read these emails.  If you are splitting a share, we want certain that each family unit has an email so no one is inadvertently left out.

This email is atypical because we are cc'ing all members of the list at this time.  This will allow you to look and see what addresses are on the list in case a person you share with is *not* there.  Typically, we will use a blind CC for security purposes.

And now, a brief Genuine Faux Farm newsletter:

Watch Snail Mail: Yes, we just sent out the billing for 2012 shares.  Even if you have paid, or you use electronic bill pay, we would appreciate it if you return the lower portion appropriately filled out.  The top half is for your records.  Among the things we are asking for are primary phone and email information.  We found that we had a number of members last year where we had no phone number.  Thus, we were unable to call them late in a distribution to remind them about pick up.

Farm Shares Still Available: We still have many spots available in our program.  We're doing what we can to get the word out.  But, our best advertising is YOU!  People will respond when someone they know vouches for a business or program in much higher numbers than they will for any other advertising.  We do understand that this program is not for everyone, but we also believe there are enough people out there for us to fill all 120 slots this season.

Payment Plans: We recognize that the economy works from the coasts to the interior.  That means we're having some difficulties with our economy.  We don't want anyone to feel priced out of our program.  The price per week is quite reasonable and you do get excellent value for your share price.  But, the large check at the beginning of the season may be daunting.  We will work with any reasonable payment plan as long as you help us do the tracking.  The bookkeeper on the farm *IS* the farmer.  He gets kind of busy mid season and can use the help.

Change of Venue: Many of you may already know this, but we ARE moving in 2012.  We will now distribute produce at Hansen's Outlet.  They have been kind enough to offer use of the parking area behind their retail space.  We were becoming increasingly concerned about the traffic combined with a growing number of children coming to our distributions.  The Roots parking lot is simply not meant for the type of setup we require to do our distributions.  The good news is that we are still only a few blocks from Roots.  So, you have the convenience of being able to get dairy products, meat products and other grocery items at Hansen's AND you can make a run to Roots for other items on your shopping list.

Feedback Welcome:  We do appreciate feedback on the services we provide.  Tell us what is going right and what is not.  We'll try to keep doing the things you like and change the things you do not.  This will be our 8th year, so we have the feeling that we are starting to get the hang of this!

Farm Work:  In addition to Rob and Tammy, Jeff Sage will be working to make the Farm Share CSA successful again this season.  We have also identified one person who will work with us during the summer months at the farm and another who will help us at the distribution.

In a fix trying to get to a distribution this year?  There are a few of you who occasionally run into a series of events that prevent you from getting to the distribution.  We are looking at the option of having a person take care of handling these shares for you when this happens.  We are uncertain as to how this might work, but it could take the form of leaving at this persons home to extend the hours.  Or, if there are issues with transportation, we are looking at delivery options for those cases.  We are looking for your thoughts on these things.


Tripoli Delivery  At this point, we are still planning on a Wednesday delivery to your location.  There are currently only two shares in Tripoli.  If more are added, we will deliver to them or find an amenable drop off location on Wednesday.

Egg Shares: For those of you interested in eggs and those who are currently buying eggs from us.  To help us with tracking, we are going to work to make sure all current contracts run out prior to our distribution season.  If you want eggs during the season, we will have you take out a contract(s) for the entire season.  More details forthcoming, but feel free to express interest in eggs and we'll fill the shares in first come first served order.

Thank you for reading all the way to the bottom! 

Rob & Tammy Faux

Everything That's On My Mind

You know, I've been thinking.
A dangerous pastime.
I know....

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately - but that's part of what the Winter months are all about.  For the most part, I enjoy thinking, considering and planning for the growing season.  On the other hand, it gets frustrating when you are aware that there are no "right" answers other than this:

"IT DEPENDS..."

The hard part about that answer is determining exactly what IT depends ON.

Most things on the farm depend on time.  To be more specific, they depend on how much time we have to spend on ... well... whatever it is we are considering.  Assuming we have the time, there is the matter of motivation.  There are just some times when we don't want to do much of anything.  This hits home this time of year more than any other.  We're fully aware that once we really start rolling on the farm, the rolling will not stop until December.  Forgive us if we are just a little bit loathe to start that treadmill.  Nonetheless, we are already walking on that treadmill whether we want it or not.  Today's errands to pick up chicken feed (3000 lbs) and then a truckload of seed starting mix tells us it has begun. 

Then there is the issue of money and resources.  What can we and what should be spend where?  Which projects get priority?  How many can we do?  Which ones are critical?  This is tied in nicely with the issue of securing the income by getting more people to sign up for the CSA.  And, of course, getting the billing out for the year.  Which brings us back to time.  Guess we're going to have to jump into that circle somewhere!

It's time to think a bit less and do a bit more.   Here we go!

Veg Variety Changes for 2012

The seed order is complete.  And, since it is complete, we thought we'd fill everyone in on new varieties, varieties that have gone from trial to full production and varieties we have dropped (and why).

New Trials:
   Chinese Cabbage - Minuet
   Daikon (spring) - Discovery
   Leek - Bandit (for overwintered leeks)
   Romanesco
   Cipollini Onion - Yellow Borettana
   Bunching/Green Onions - Guardsman, Deep Purple
   Kale - Ripbor
   Green Bean - Empress
   Pole Bean - True Red Cranberry
   Melon - Minnesota Midget (for tunnel production)
   Zucchini - Golden Zucchini
   Summer Squash - Success PM
   Pea - Mammoth Melting Sugar

Move from Trial to Full Scale:
   Daikon (fall) - Miyashage
   Onion - White Wing, Redwing
   Kohlrabi - Gigante
   Fall Radish - Misato Rose and Black Spanish
   Lima - Christmas Lima
   Turnip - White Egg, Red Round
   Green Bean - Black Valentine

Returning:
   Kale - Lacinato
   
 No more on the farm - unless we convince ourselves to reverse this in the future - or the seed is available again:
   Broccoli - Packman (seed not available)
   Pea - Blizzard (seed not available)
   Pea - Maestro (cutting back on shell peas - takes too much to produce enough for the CSA)
   Cucumber - Poinsett 97 (seed not available)
   Cucumber - Longfellow (seems that most people won't take these big cucumbers - even if they do taste great)
   Melons - Schoon's Hard Shell, Prescott Fond Blanc, Sweet Granite (we're cutting back on melons since we've had crop failures of late - trying to focus on a few that have had more reliable results in the past - no more playing around)
   Pepper - Buran will not be planted in the field.  We'll try a few in the high tunnel and see if they like that.  If not, that's it.
   Zucchini - Cashflow (seed no longer available - we have a few left over to plant)
   Summer Squash - Superpik and before that Multipik (This one annoys us - the industry has taken both out and it seems as if we can't expect any constancy in this area.  We're hopeful a new (to us) open pollinated variety from High Mowing will work.  If it does - we may have ourselves the consistency for straight neck summer squash we have wanted for years.)
   Winter Squash - Potimarron and Pennsylvania Dutch (neither liked us much, thus we didn't like them so much.  We have to admit that we wanted Potimarron to work and Penn Dutch was just for fun.)
   Leek - Prizetaker (we like King Richard better)
   Onion - Sierra Blanca (had to buy plants = $ with not so good results = "not coming back")
   Onion - Ruby Ring, Copra (we think we've found better options now)
   Lima - Henderson (we're going to try Christmas Limas - trials show there is potential for a more reliable crop that is easier to pick.  No real qualms about Henderson - but if you can opt to pick bent over all the time vs standing up at least *some* of the time....)

Culture Shock

Here we are.  Back at home after a conference full of people who are interested enough in organic agriculture/agriculture/etc to attend.  Talk about a bit of a shock when you get back to the 'real world.'

At the conference, we could discuss something like a vegetable crop rotation and not worry so much about whether those involved in the discussion were even remotely interested in the topic.  In all likelihood - every participant in the conversation had their own thoughts on the subject and their own questions.  It was good to explore them with people who had some experience and definite interest.

  In contrast, while this is our blog and we have posted about our rotations, we limit ourselves to the surface to avoid overwhelming or boring everyone else with the topic.  Why?  Because most people who do read the blog are interested in what we do - but not so interested that they want that sort of detail.  Nor do they have experience or personal reason to fully connect with the topic.  We understand that - and that's why these connections with other growers can be so vital.  We can spend time educating the general public about what a rotation is and why it is important *AND* we can discuss various rotation decisions and details with other practitioners.  But, it sure can be hard to transition from one to the other.

Another culture shock for us is leaving a conference where so many people are sold on organic practices to the general public where most people barely care about them.  For those of you who do support organic food production and local food systems - we thank you and are grateful for you.  But, you have to admit that our farm would be considered a bit of an oddball by most people.  Happily, we don't mind being just a little different.  But, there is still adjustments we must make after we leave the conference.

The last isn't really culture shock.  But, it can be jarring nonetheless.

The conference gives us an opportunity to gather all kinds of new information and re introduce ourselves to things we may have heard before, but weren't ready for at the time.  Our time there is full of big ideas and high-minded goals.  It can be invigorating as we tell ourselves how much we hope to accomplish in the coming months and years.

Then we come home and look at the lists of things we already knew we had to do.  And we begin the work of trying to figure out which (if any) of our big ideas from the conference can be integrated into that which we already know we must do.

It can be sobering if we let it overwhelm us.  Yet, I still can't help but be hopeful.  And, I encourage that hope by looking back and seeing where we were one year ago, two years ago and five years ago.  Believe it or not, we've actually moved forward on a number of our 'big ideas.'  It can be done - it just isn't as nice and neat as we might like it to be when we first conceptualize them. 

And so - we see a big week ahead of us.  Let's see what we can achieve.

An introvert walks into a conference....

Complete this sentence:

An introvert walks into a conference...
(note: this conference had over 3000 attendees)

a. ...and back out again.
b. ...covers his ears, shuts his eyes and starts humming.
c. ...and talks so much his voice is a bit raw by the end.
d.   wait...what?  There was an introvert at the conference?!?
=====================
Yes, we have returned from the Organic Farming Conference in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.  And, yes, I tend to be a bit introverted.  And the answer is "C"

Tammy and I have had the great fortune to find a couple of organizations and conferences that focus on bringing together people who are intent on growing good food and finding ways to care for the land and market our products.  It's a great opportunity to talk about what we (and others) are doing.  We can even tell farm stories without editing or explanation - and find that we're not the only ones who have gotten caught on barb wire, run madly after critters that thought a chicken dinner would be lovely or wondered if a combine could be modified for dry beans.

For all of the fine people we had the opportunity to see and converse with during the conference - it was great to see you and wonderful to hear about what you are doing and what you hope to be doing during the coming season.  Thank you for seeking us out or being gracious enough to seem pleased to see us when we sought you out.  It's the quality of people like you that encourage this introvert to interact and be, if only for a while, an extrovert.

And now, this introvert needs much sleep.  All the running around humming with my eyes closed and hands over my ears wore me out.

Promotional Push and Other Stuff

We're beginning our promotional push to fill up our regular season CSA.  One of the tools is the poster you can see below:

You will find this poster soon in the Hansen's Dairy stores in Waterloo and Cedar Falls.  We've long been avid supporters of Hansen's and their farming and business approach and have great respect for the Hansen family and their efforts.  That - and the milk is fabulous.  We're spoiled and have trouble drinking most other milk now.

On other fronts, we are officially moving our Cedar Falls delivery point to the Hansen's Outlet there.  It is very near our old location at Roots Market, so should not cause any undue problems in drive time for our share holders.  We love the Hansen's product and we feel that this is consistent with our desire to promote local, sustainable agriculture that helps you to see who your farmers are and how things are done.

Don't read anything into this, Roots Market fans.  It is primarily the issue that the Roots parking lot and our method of distribution are not likely the best match.  With the number of small children coming with their parents to CSA pickups, we felt this would be a safer location.  And, since Roots is only a couple of blocks away, you can still get all of your shopping done at Hansen's and at Roots after you pick up your shares!

Liking Winter - Favorite Faux Phauxtos #6

I was waiting to post this picture for a prolonged batch of Winter.  But, we haven't really had that this year.

Winter is my equivalent of most teachers' Summer.  I get to do some different things than when the growing season is going full tilt.  There are conferences I can attend, speaking engagements that people ask me to do and opportunities to be creative.  And, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I have opportunities to FEEL creative.  Sometimes, the growing season even drives that out of me.

So, if you are wondering why some of the phauxtos I like best are Winter shots, its because I often have more time flexibility to go out and take pictures that I think are interesting, in light that seems appropriate - rather than pictures that are intended to simply record. 

I realize many who read this are getting excited by the possibilities of Spring.  I'm with you on that - sort of.  The transition to Spring represents a transition from flexible time use to the "too much to do and less time to do it in" phase on the farm.  I love Spring, Summer and Fall.  Just not sure I'm ready for them just yet.

What's Cool About Intercropping/Companion Planting

Rob just had the privilege to speak to a group of cool people at Wartburg about diversity on the farm.  This included some information on 'companion planting.'

In the process of preparing for the topic, there were some quick searches to see what new things were out there on the topic.  The first thing I ran into was a short article that sounded like it was hot to debunk companion planting.  Since I want to hear more than one side of an argument, I read it.  And, it turns out that they do not like the use of the terminology because many of those who use that term also use questionable analysis in determining good 'companions.'  In fact, they agreed that there are many beneficial (and non beneficial) plant relationships.  In their mind, it is preferable to use "plant associations" to describe the concept.  They also concede that polyculture or intercropping would be a bit better as well.

Ok, I bit.  Web searches  for plant associations find me all kinds of articles, research, etc that primarily covers forests, prairies and even water systems.

While the terminology may be more accurate and less biased, I sure can't find anything I might care about for growing fruits and vegetables using those terms.  On the other hand, "intercropping" is a pretty good term - but tends to provide me with larger farming system information.  Personally, I am happy to see legumes intercropped with field corn.  But, I'm afraid my 14 acres won't accept that as part of my farming efforts!

On the other hand, there are some interesting studies out there with some cool results.  The problem is that there are only 'some' of these studies.  Funding sources don't appear to be as attracted to this sort of research as they are for GMO seed or the relative safety of glysophates (ok, don't get me started).  You can argue that these things have their place - but they are currently crowding out a whole host of viable tools in the farming toolbox.  When all I have in the toolbox is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

Here is one chart that amazed me.

Look at it carefully.  The control would be cabbage in a study that had NO companion plant nearby.  The others are different types of companions.  By June 9, every plant in the control had damage from cabbage worm/cabbage looper.  NONE of the others had damage at that point.  This is a small ISU study which admittedly only has 2 replications and could stand to be a bit more rigorous.  But, consider this - in other fields, a pilot study that produced results this clear would be followed up in a potentially grand scale -wouldn't it?  And, last I looked, four of the five could be a potential cash crop for the farmer as well as the cabbage. 

Well, perhaps not.  But, Practical Farmers of Iowa is looking to perform a study on cabbage looper and cabbage worm control in cabbage.  If it gets the go ahead, we anticipate that we will be involved in this study.  On the docket is thyme as a companion.  We'll see if others are included.

We're Listing Captain

We may be listing, but let's try to avoid the sinking part!

Everything is beautiful in February.  All the crops are growing well and weed free in our mind's eye.  But, our lists are also growing in February.  Who fertilized them so well?  We really want to know!

Things on our minds (and therefore our lists) at this time.

• We really need to work on keeping rabbits out of the high tunnel.  We've identified what we want to do.  Now we have to do it.  But, it's frustrating to go out and see lots of nothing where there should be something.
• Obviously, the barn is no longer an option for use.  That means some of the things we used it for have to find new homes.  We're starting to feel the pressure as the season creeps closer.  
• Then there's all the paper work that really MUST get done.  We're plugging along, but paper work seems to beget paperwork.  Just like each line item on a list begets more line items.  Even when you cross one off!
• Seed starting time is coming!  Yep, onions and perennial spices will get planted in trays very soon.  Uf.  Are we really doing this already?
• Being involved in grants and research is great.  But, they all have their things that need to get done.  And, of course, they need to get done before we get to absorbed by the growing season.  Hmmmmm.
• Are you beginning to wonder why a blog post is appearing when I have lists of things to do?  So am I!  But, there is no denying the therapeutic quality of a blog post for the writer.
• It would be nice to accomplish a few house repair items before the season gets going too.  The humans deserve a decent place to live too, don't they?  No.  Ok, chicken room it is!  As long as we keep the hay fresh in the house, all is well.  And, I thought this list was supposed to help clarify my thoughts - now I'm confused!
• On the plus side, most of our seed orders have already arrived.  Yay!
• If you are familiar with our farm even a little bit, you might recall that there is a building slab with remnants of an old building still on it.  We've been working on cleaning that area up for years now.  This Spring.  We want it done.  It is time.  I said that last year.  Uh oh.
• On the other hand, we don't have a giant maple tree to clean up this Spring, nor do we have to take down and level out a fence line that has been on the farm for decades.  Does this mean we have a chance to get to that building cleaned up?
• The walk-in cooler project is resurfacing.  There is no doubt it needs to get done.  There is doubt in my mind as to whether it *will* get done.  That's the way things on the farm go sometimes.
• More portable bird shelters are on the docket.  We're fine tuning.  There's a fine line between portable and kite-like.
• Hmmm. Maybe we should start working on recruiting a work crew for the season.

This is how we cope.  The list we are thinking about/worrying about/considering/working on (pick the moment and one of these applies) is long and has alot of question marks.  But, we look at 2011 and see the amazing list of accomplishments on the farm for the year.  And we think about all of the help we received from a bunch of people (thank you all!).  That's when we realize that a) a list is only a list  b) we will accomplish a number of things this year  c) the list of accomplishments for the year will have its differences from the wish list of February.  That's how it is and that will be ok.

On the Fly

It's time for a quick farm report.  And, since I'm not feeling 'creative,' we'll just rely on a bunch of blurbs and see if it makes any sense in the end.

• We have attended the PFI Conference (Jan) and will be attending the Cooperator's Meeting this week (PFI again).  We'll see if we can influence some of the research projects sponsored by PFI this year.  
• The vegetable seed orders are in!  We still need to get the cover crop order in and the potato seed order in.  So, I guess we're not REALLY done.
• Started the organic certification paperwork for 2012.  It gets easier every year as I'm able to build on prior years work.  That, and I know better what I'm doing.  Learning...it can be a good thing.
• We're modifying and improving the field plans again this year.  Of course, I was hoping to just reuse last year's plans.  But, we learned so many things last year with our new equipment...  That and we're changing the rotation in hopes that it handles the last of the residual issues form 2008 and 2010.
• Speaking of changing the rotation.... (*we were?!*)  For those who don't know or remember - we have two field/plot rotations.  One is a 7 year rotation and the other is 4 year (soon to be 5?).  We've flip flopped some crops between the two in response to what we've learned.  It sounds like a good move.
• We are taking reservations for CSA spots this year.  Plenty of openings.  Spread the word.
• The hens are laying, the hens are laying.  Something about averaging 4.5 - 5 dozen eggs a day.  
• Speaking of birds.  We still have 2 turkeys available for sale.  Anyone?  Anyone?
• Thinking back to crop changes.  We are anticipating using a paper mulch this year on a trial basis.  We'll probably talk about it more on the blog later, but suffice it to say, we're trying to hold the weeds down to a dull roar.
• Lots of building, fixing and reconfiguring are on the docket for this season (again).  We're looking at new doors on two buildings, making a new hen room and chick room in another building, finally putting a deck on the back of the house... Ok, the list is long.  As always, balancing time and money is the issue.  
• We'll be going to the organic conference in LaCrosse again this February.  Anyone want the A to Z cookbook?  Let us know.
• Tammy is on sabbatical this term.  All I can say is that this is a much deserved change of pace for her.  She still has plenty to do, but it is nice to have the schedule flexibility.  I'm very proud of her work.
• It looks like we're going to have our Cedar Falls drop off at Hansen's Outlet in Cedar Falls - it is only a few blocks from the Roots drop off.  But, we feel this will be a bit safer than the parking lot at Roots.  We were just getting a bit too nervous about all of the traffic combined with the smaller children, etc.  Certainly, Hansen's will be busy as well, but we think we can provide a more contained environment.  More on this topic at a later date as well.
• We keep saying it, but our time seems to get swallowed up.  The big CSA signup push is COMING.  We need to get through the Cooperator's Meeting first, then we go!
• Billing for the CSA.  The stamps have arrived, time for Rob to put the billing together!  
• On another front, Rob is completing a postal history exhibit to be shown in Cleveland.  If you scroll down the blog a bit, you'll get an idea as to some of the contents.
• If you are looking for presentations from the two of us - now is the time to ask.  If not, don't ask.  But, say hello anyway.  We are usually polite.  

Well...ok.  Tammy is polite, kind and good looking.  That guy with the red hat....um... well.  He takes showers periodically.

Are we trying to fix what's broken?

We do a fair bit of reading in the Winter regarding various agriculture issues, philosophies, problems and potential solutions.  We also try to keep an open mind so we can understand all sides of the issue, even if we are decidedly opposed to certain approaches.  This alone can be quite a task, especially when the item just read was clearly written by someone who does *not* care about opposing views.

Some of the topics that I've recently read about that make me a little less than happy include, but are not limited to, grafting tomatoes, GMO seed, atrazine use, plastic mulch and commercial agriculture rotations.

In most of these cases, discussion boiled down to the bottom line - was the approach profitable in the end for the farmer?   I have no problem with this specifically.  In fact, I agree that it is critical for farmers (including ourselves) to earn a profit that is reasonable and appropriate.  But, I disagree with the tendency to boil it all down to dollars and cents to the exclusion of other things of value.  I especially disagree when I realize how easily the facts, numbers and analysis can be turned in more than one direction. 

In fact, I begin to wonder if these issues actually deal with what is broken? 

Example 1: crop rotations
There are now a number of studies that show that Iowa farms that would be willing to add a third year to their rotation would see increased yields.  In other words, conventional farms would get better corn and soybean yields if they added a grain, or some such thing to their rotation (a 3 year instead of 2 year rotation).    And yet, we see all sorts of research attempting optimize the 2 year (or even 1 year - corn on corn) rotation.  Is this because the 3rd crop has no value?  No.  But, it does require more agility or flexibility by the farm instead of a rigidly specialized system.  And, the bigger a farm gets - once it gets to a certain size - the less flexible or agile it becomes.

I realize this is, perhaps, an over-simplification of the whole matter.  But - I still have to ask:

Do we continue to work so hard to develop new seed, sprays and tools to support shorter crop rotations because we are trying to improve yields to "feed the world" or are we doing it to facilitate very large, specialized farms?  Since it tends to come down to the money, I suspect it is more of the latter than the former.

In fact, most farmers I talk to would admit a 3rd crop in the rotation would probably be a good idea.  But, they will stick with their shorter rotations and they have their reasons.  One of these reasons has to do with the system that rewards growing certain crops to the exclusion of others.  Another has to do with the infrastructure that has grown up to specialize in only a couple of crops.  In short, it takes some initiative to break out of a short crop rotation.

So - what really is broken here?  Is it the strains of corn and soybeans we plant?  The tools we use?  The herbicides, pesticides and fungicides we use to control weeds, insects, etc in our crops?  Or is it the fact that we need to increase the demand of corn/soybean products?  You would think so since so much or our R&D goes to these subject areas.

Maybe I'm wrong.  Feel free to tell me here - or tell me what IS broken.  Let's see where this goes.

2011 In Review

We received some positive feedback that end of year "top 10 lists" are fun - even if they are done by everyone who can count to eleven.... er... ten.

Our 2010 year in review can be found here for those who have interest: 2010 in Review

And now for the very thing everyone has been waiting for!  Ok, maybe just what some of you has been waiting for...  Well, maybe just a few of you... 
Fine - maybe it's just that kid in the back.  This one's for you "kid in the back," we hope you enjoy this list!

10. See-through Barn

 

 If you've been reading the blog lately, you'll know we're taking down our old barn.  At present, it is still standing, but you can see right through it. 
 

9. Tom Sawyer Week

We've done our best to incorporate events known as "Tom Sawyer Days" into our farming.  The idea is to give CSA members and other interested parties a chance to be involved in the farm.  Of course, getting help completing various tasks is part of the goal here, but the primary focus is to promote a connection to growing food - something we feel is being lost.

This year, we attempted a Tom Sawyer Week -where we gave a set of optional times.  Our hope was that this would allow more people to find a way to work a trip into their schedule.  Attendance was moderately higher, but we also found that it felt less like a burden to us using this format.  And, several people got to help free up winter squash.  Our winter squash harvest was reasonable this year thanks to this group's efforts.

8. Barty 

Our new BCS walk behind tractor with tiller was a major purchase for the season.  We planned the purchase carefully and debated relative merits for weeks.  After an early false start, Barty did an admirable job for us.  It was a good purchase and we are grateful that we took the leap to get him.

7. Truck barn gets a facelift

We've always just called this building the 'Truck Barn.'  We don't know why.  So, if you think the name is silly, deal with it, because we are unlikely to change that part of it.  On the other hand, we've changed most of the rest of the building.  We still need to put up a door, put in a walk-in cooler, paint the rest of the building and do a few other things.  But, it really has come a long way.

6. Implements at auction and in action.

 We became a "very real" Faux Farm this season with the purchase and integration of several larger pieces of equipment.  Yes, I suppose we are still a "fake farm" according to many since the "big" equipment is typically older, castoff items that are no longer used on conventional farms.  But, they are exactly what we need, so no apologies there. 

We've learned that used equipment comes with their rewards and their perils.  The hay rack at left works well enough, but one of the front wheels still does not turn left or right.  The two-bottom plow at right helped me to break ground in an effort to square off a plot, but it took some learning time to figure out the right depth and angles to make it work well.

5. Granary-Leaks (not quite wiki-leaks)

This should probably read "NO MORE granary leaks."  The problem with buying a farm with several 'older' existing buildings is that you have to repair all of the buildings.  And, the roof is the number one priority if you hope to save the building at all.  Well, the granary makes the cut and the barn does not.  On to the next steps - putting on better doors and painting the building!

4. Huge Boids!

The truck was riding pretty low when we pulled into the parking lot with the processed birds.  You can imagine how much lower the truck must have been riding on the way to the processor.

2011 was a great year for our poultry.  The only thing we feel was really different in 2011 from 2010 for our birds was the weather.  But, then again, maybe we've improved the pastures and the pasture rotation?  There were more veg thrown to them this year?  Whatever the case may be, they were happy and they were healthy.  We'll take it.
 

3. Walk This Way....no... I said *THIS* way.

There were so many changes to our farm this season, we actually found ourselves having to re route our normal walking routes.  In fact, it can be a bit disturbing when you find yourself walking somewhere (with mind on something else) and realize you can't get through to where you are going the way you are walking. 

Major changes included moving the hens from the area east of the barn.  Now that they are in the Poultry Pavilion, we find ourselves treading new paths in the snow.  We rearranged some fields (turning triangles into rectangles), removed some fences, put up other fences, took out a large tree and blamed Gilder for all of it.  Who is Gilder?  Even if you watch the Princess Bride you will only know that it is the sworn enemy of Floren.  So, I guess that may not help you all that much.

2. Gang of Four

 It was a big deal for us, at least.  Four Iowa farms agreed to share work days (a different farm each month from June to September).  And, simply put, we felt it was a success.  There is something about having a chance to share time with people who do the sort of thing you do.  You find out that you are not so special in ways you may have thought you were - and special in ways you thought you weren't.  (Take that any way you want)

But, the most positive thing we got out of the experience was that we are not alone in what we do.  Support groups can go a long ways towards helping you get through a growing season.  Well, that was the second most positive thing.  The first was the opportunity to get to know a really cool group of people better!

Scattergood Farm - West Branch

Genuine Faux Farm - Tripoli

Grinnell Heritage Farm - Grinnell

Blue Gate Farm - Chariton

1. Spinach and a Sunburn...on February 28.

 Yes, you read that one correctly.  We picked spinach and found the sun to be strong enough in the high tunnel to result in a slight sunburn on February 28 in 2011.  Not only did the spinach taste great, it looked great.  And, it did us both some good to do a little bit of work outside/inside. 

While this event might seem a bit small in comparison to the others, consider how different this was from prior years on the farm.  A major change for us in a year full of changes.