March Photos

We actually got out and took some pictures in late March of the farm.  We need to do that again, but it can be difficult to be motivated to take a bunch of pictures when it is cold and raining.  Maybe Saturday?

The barn looking its most forlorn.  Maybe someday we will find a way to get it taken down?  If I'd been thinking, I might have played with the angles and light - but I was just shooting pictures to document life at the farm.

Late Fall is all about trying to compress everything into the shelter we have available on the farm.  This was a three high pile of carts, but I didn't think to take a picture of it until we'd taken one down to be used.  Also, we never quite appreciate our air compressor until we find ourselves trying to fill every tire of every cart, implement, trailer, etc there is on the farm.

Ah...the Duck N Cover looks so sad without its cover on it.  But, this is another Winter thing.  As it stands, this is going to be converted to a plant shelter in the very near future.  that means we have to build new bird shelter(s).  The motivation is, in part, the degradation of the canvas cover for this shelter.  That, and the bottom frame is beginning to rot out.  It may not handle another year of being moved about as it stands anyway.

The high tunnel was opened in late March for the first time this year.  It was actually the first time we could roll up the sides since there was a good deal of snow and ice covering the sides.

And, in the middle we have the spinach that overwintered fairly well.  Trays of things to be transplanted are at the left.  Everything else we tried to overwinter did not fair so well this year.  Some of this has to do with the way last year ended for us.  Some of it had to do with the weather.  It's ok.  We'll get another picture out there soon so you can see the progress.

Meanwhile - spinach anyone?

We lost an oak tree last Spring and we decided this poor sentinel was too close to the house (and other trees) to let it stand.  Just a little cleanup left to do.

You know, that truck barn isn't looking so bad after last year's work.  A little more painting.  We're wondering if we'll get to replacing the door here or not.  Probably not, so we better paint it too.

And, here is a project that needs to happen this Spring.  We were able to acquire the walls from a walk-in cooler in a Hy-Vee that was remodeling.

Upside #1 - this stuff can get expensive and these are in reasonably good condition.
Upside #2 - it only cost a little time and transportation money to get it.
Downside #1 - The rafters in this building are about 6 inches too short to accommodate these walls.  This could get interesting
Downside #2 - We only acquired ONE corner.... hmmmm.

All in all, this represents some serious work, but the benefits for us long-term are significant.  We'll share that with you some day - especially if you ask nice!

What's So Funny?

Sometimes people notice cartoons or other items that remind them of us. Sometimes we wonder *why* certain things remind them of us, but that is another question.

I was feeling the need for a little humor this morning to go along with some rumination on my part.

Spring Time - Where are you?



The first robin of Spring at Genuine Faux Farm was sighted and heard on March 15 this year.  In fact, our records show that this is pretty normal for us.  The difference this year from years just prior is that we were actually having temps closer to normal for Winter.  And, we weren't having the ridiculously warm temperatures in early Spring that we've had the last few years.  In fact, up to this point, we've probably had a Spring that is closer to the norm if you look at the averages.  But, now we're tending towards a bit colder weather.  And, we haven't really had that many warm days that offset the cool days most Springs.

Maybe we're all just being a bit impatient.  Average lows in Waverly for mid-April are in the mid 30's (subtract a degree or two for our farm).   Our recent lows fall within that norm.  Our daily high temps, on the other hand, should be close to 60.  And, if we had some sun, I don't doubt we'd reach those temperatures.  But, with the clouds, we're running about 10 degrees below the norms for highs.  Ok - maybe we're just a bit justified in being anxious for Spring

Is this weather good or bad for the farm?


Aside from our being anxious to get things growing, this weather may be a bit of a blessing for the farm.  But, it is always a frustrating thing how quickly a blessing can become a curse when it comes to weather.  The weather has not allowed us to do any field work, some of our plans to get some things in the field early and covered with low tunnels did not happen.  The frost did not go out until everything got really wet.  And, when things are really wet, you can't do anything in the field either.  The net result is that we are starting to get plants stacked up in trays with less space to put them in than we want.

On the other hand, we have had great weather to get paper work done.  And, this time of the year always has a great deal of tension between office work and field work.  Mother Nature knows this and is trying to tell us something.  I can hear her now!  (* Rob...Rob.... stop typing in a blog and get your paperwork done! *)

Um... Ok.  I'm not sure that's what I wanted to hear. 

Hey! That's not a robin!



We do have hen chicks (about 10 days old now) on the farm to go along with the adult laying hens.  The broiler chickens will arrive at the end of April.  May brings the ducks and the turkeys.  And, as I type this, Tammy is running up to Frantzen Farms to get starter feed for the chicks.  For the most part, we appreciate the opportunity to raise poultry on the farm.  But, there is a reason we have a bit more affinity for Winter than many people do.  November through March requires only that we care for the laying flock.  But, once we get to April, things get so much more complicated.

We just remind ourselves that we're getting better at this every year.  At least, we tell ourselves this.

There's something every season























Each year on the farm brings its own concerns.  Usually, those worries are weather related, but we've been working on ways to handle that.  This year, both Tammy and I admit to being very skittish about anything having to do with chemical sprays.  And, more specifically, we are not looking forward to the aerial applications that are going to happen again this season throughout the state.

We were both tested a week ago as we were driving in to Waverly in the morning.  What should we see on the horizon but an airplane making the familiar swooping patterns of the crop duster?  This plane was diving around the new intersection of highways 63 and 3 east of Waverly.  Its mission was to drop seed onto the medians and newly sculpted areas around the road.

While we were able to deduce that this was likely the purpose of this plane, neither of us handled seeing the plane at all well.  We've never enjoyed hearing or seeing them, nor are we big fans of the ground spraying equipment.  But, now, when we see these things we both feel as if they are a direct and imminent threat to our personal well-being.  Whether this is irrational or not may be left open to discussion.  What matters is that we're going to have to find a way to deal with the realities of living in the middle of land dedicated to corporate agriculture.

All That's Going On

We're working hard to do everything at once.  But, we know people are also asking for information.  So, here are a bunch of quick bits in an effort to keep everyone in the loop and to keep Rob from typing on this too long!

CSA Shares Available?
Yes - especially in Waverly and Tripoli pick up locations.  Send us an email with name, mailing address, share size and desired pick up location.

CSA Billing - When is it coming?
It is being printed today.  Mailed later today (Apr 11).  Yes, it is slower than we wanted.  But, that's the way it is sometimes.

Spring Extended Season - Is it Happening?
Yes, it will happen, but it will likely be shorter than we would have liked.  Still, we expect to have 5 weeks of produce from the high tunnel before the regular season kicks in - and don't forget asparagus.  Those who have done extended season before get right of first refusal (we will contact you about 10 days before we think we'll have something).  Others may email with a request to be notified if we have spots.

How's the Weather Treating You?
It's weather.  Next question.

No, Really - How are things growing?
The things in the high tunnel look good, but small still.  We were going to put some things in the ground outside, but soil temperatures are still very low.  It was a good thing we didn't get things in the ground before the latest weather system came through.  The bad news?  The fields are going to take a while to dry out.  So, it will be about 10 days before we can hope to put anything in.  That' ok, we have enough to do.

Plant Sales - Are these going to happen, and when?
We have tomato plants growing and peppers need to be seeded.  We'll have some broccoli, kale, cauliflower - maybe some cucumbers, etc etc.  We'll have them.  Peppers and eggplant will be late this year, so we may cut down on these a little.
We will sell plants at the Waverly Farmers' Market on Saturdays through May and into the 1st or 2nd week of June.  We do not often encourage people to buy tomatoes and warmer crop plants during the first market week.  The soil is usually too cold to transplant without some shock to the plant.
We also plan on having a sale day or two at Hansen's Outlet in Cedar Falls.
The issue is getting everything into trays and then finding a place for them with the way the weather has been going this year.

When Will the Regular Season CSA start?
The plan is to start the first full week of June.

Any New Veg or Varieties this Year?
Of course. 

Ummmmm.  Would You Tell Us More?
We're interested to see how the Paul Robeson tomato does on our farm.  It comes with recommendations, but it may like areas further south more than our farm.  The Winter Luxury pie pumpkin currently has our attention as well.  The descriptions read well - but that doesn't always mean anything.  We're doing a small trial of the Ella Kropf lettuce from Seed Savers and we're anxious to see if the Midnight Lightning zucchini from High Mowing can give us the production we want from an open pollinated variety.

Garlic - what's the word?
We had to purchase most of our seed for this season.  We did salvage some of our own, but we are not optimistic about how well it will grow.  Our thanks to Blue Gate Farm for the seed.  So far, they are slow to poke through the straw mulch.  Given the cooler start to the season, it is still too early to tell.

New or Old Farm Research at GFF?
We've submitted our final report to SARE for the prior project and have received a grant for a new project that stems from the old.  We will also be participating in a couple of projects with Practical Farmers of Iowa.  And, of course, we always have a few of our own.  If you'd like to see the slides or posters from presentations related to prior work, check out this page.

When are Tom Sawyer Days and Festivals?
We've figured out our calendar for the year.  Go take a look!

Is There More To Tell Us?
Yes. 

When Will You Tell US?
Later.

Ok... Well, thanks.
You are welcome.

Eyes Wide Shut

Summer wasn't summer until the first giant Tiger Swallowtail floated by you as you were trimming the hedge.  And, once you noticed that particular butterfly, you could count on seeing it fly that route every day for quite some time.  Occasionally,  we would have the pleasure of seeing a "black-phase" Tiger Swallowtail (more black than yellow).  Regardless of the phase, or the year, or the time of year, or the number of times that butterfly had been spotted in the day - there was always a little bit of joy to be had in the viewing of these creatures. 

As I was growing up, it seemed like I was seeing butterflies everywhere.  The little yellow and black, Sulfurs, the tiny Blue Azures, Black Swallowtails, Mourning Cloaks, Red Admirals, Painted Lady's and, of course, Monarchs.  Tammy and I observed a hoard of Red Admiral larvae as they consumed much of a patch of nettles at one of our previous residences.  We both believe we could hear their mandibles snapping as the tens of thousands of caterpillars munched away.  The resulting 'flock' of Red Admirals was something to see. 

Another memory that I equate with summer is the sound of the meadowlark as you drive down a country road.  I recall that I would hear that sound from a different bird for nearly every mile of the journey, if you drove during the right time of day.  In fact, it is still a sound that encourages me to relax and appreciate the world around me.  It is a sound that speaks of rural places and the beauty of country living. 

And perhaps many of you notice the Red-winged Blackbirds that sit on the electric lines every so many feet?  Tammy and I have dubbed some of these birds as our 'sign-birds.'  These birds will stake their territories and select certain locations to watch over it.  Often, it will be a road sign.  So, we like to say to ourselves that the 'sign-bird' is reminding us that we are to stop, or we're on the right road.  Whatever the case, we recognize their presence and appreciate that they are there. We also remember seeing Kestrals on those lines on a regular basis - just not so regular as the Red-wings.  The fine markings around the eyes of these little raptors are reminiscent of eye liner and they are fun to watch.

I also vividly remember why I am not someone who is big on sandals or walking barefoot in the yard.  Our yard had some wonderful patches of clover, some of which were fabulous sources for four leaf clovers.  But, where there are clover flowers, there were bound to be bees.  In fact, there were almost always honey bees and bumblebees floating around our yard.  You had to watch where you were walking because one false step could result in sharp pain in your foot - and I suspect the bee wasn't too happy either.  And, while I was leery of the bees, I enjoyed watching them go about their business.  They really didn't care if I was there as long as I didn't step on them.  So, I could follow one bee around the yard for as long as my attention span allowed. 


=====================
And now I ask you - have you kept your eyes open to see?

In the last five years - how many kestrals have you seen on lines, looking out over the ditch in hopes of seeing their next meal?
When is the last time you heard the song of a Western Meadowlark?
Did you see a Tiger Swallowtail last year?  How about the last time you saw a Sulfur butterfly?
Have you ever seen a congregation of monarchs on an evergreen?  How many years ago was that?
How many of the people in your neighborhood actually HAVE clover in their lawn?

And, why am I writing about this?
I've been noticing changes in wildlife populations and it isn't my profession, or even my hobby, to do so.  But, I like to think that I am reasonably observant.  I also like to think that I have some real concern for other living beings on this earth - rather than concentrating on just me.  But, while my eyes are open and I observe, I wonder if I (and many others like me) shut them tight because we don't want to own up to what we are observing.

So, I wondered if others who study these things are observing this as well - and what they make of it:
Kestral populations are declining - "These declines may be due to several factors, including poisoning by pesticides in agricultural areas, predation by increasing populations of Cooper’s Hawks (Accipiter cooperii), development and reforestation of preferred habitats, and potential exposure to the West Nile virus."
Western Meadolark populations are declining - " breeding populations have declined slightly throughout their range in recent years, a trend seen in Washington in both the winter and breeding seasons. Most of this decline can probably be attributed to habitat destruction from livestock grazing, mowing, and development, and contamination from pesticides."
Butterfly populations in Iowa are declining - "In 2002, a DNR report listed butterfly species that were endangered, threatened, and under special concern in Iowa. Two species of butterflies were endangered, five threatened, and 25 special concern species. With that information, of the 122 species of butterflies believed to live in Iowa, more than one-fourth of those butterfly species’ long-term survival is questionable in Iowa." 
and
" Due to their short life span and multiple generations in a year, butterflies are an excellent indicator for population trends or habitat suitability of all animals."

Certified Organic at GFF (Part III)

There is so much we can discuss with respect to organic certification, but the key is for us to share with you how we see organic certification on our farm.  A key item that we feel we should make clear before the season really gets going is how last year's spraying "event" impacts our certification.

If you do not know what I am talking about with respect to the 'spraying event' you can see our most recent post about it here:
Spraying Event Post

Our first two posts on certified organic are here:
An overview of what it takes to certify organic
post 1
How we interpret and apply organic principles with respect to inputs on the farm.
post 2

The organic 'rule' number 4:
Production land must have been transitioned for three years after ANY non-approved substance has been applied before anything from it may be certified organic.  Efforts to avoid contamination (including buffers) are required.


There are two things everyone might like to know about with respect to this section.  First - the unwanted spray applied on the West half of our farm on July 27, 2012 kicks that part of the farm into 'transitional' status.  In other words, until July 27, 2015, we cannot sell anything from that part of the farm as certified organic.  But, in the meantime, if we wish to recertify that half in 2015, we must continue to follow all organic regulations on that half of the farm.

Can we grow in the sprayed area?
This does not mean we cannot grow produce in that area.  But, it does mean we must be careful not to label any of that produce as organic.  In fact, since most of our produce will still be certified, we may go a bit overboard just to be sure no one thinks we're trying to break the rules.  In effect, our sweet corn and pie pumpkins will not be certified organic.  Nothing from the high tunnel can be certified organic (this one really hurts).  Our poultry will graze on pastures that were sprayed last year, so they cannot be certified organic.  Most of our perennial herbs are in the West half of the farm and a small batch of asparagus are there as well.  All other produce will be certified organic -which will be a sizable portion of our farm's production.

Product safety - can we eat this?
Will the produce and poultry grown in the west half of the farm be safe for consumption?  We believe that they will be safe since we have taken actions to help the system cleanse itself and the half-life of the products sprayed indicate they should have broken down.  We will not introduce any other poisons to the system and will continue to treat these areas as we treat the rest of the farm (with exceptions noted below).  To be perfectly frank, this produce, eggs and meat will be as clear of chemical residue as most produce you can find in the state.  But, we need to inform you of it, because this area WAS sprayed.  There is a reason there is a three year setback for transition, so we still have to consider the possibility that there is residue from that event.  That may lead to another post in the future.

Extra work required with split operation.
But, we are required to do additional work since some of our product will be certified and some will not.  For example, any containers used to harvest produce in the transition area must be cleaned before being used in the certified organic areas.  This holds true for farm equipment and tools.  We will have to maintain separate tracking records and we must fill out additional forms for our certification process for the next couple of years.

What else are we doing to address the spray problem?
We are charged with working to avoid contamination of our crops.  Clearly, we cannot be prepared to stop any contingency - last I looked it was illegal to put giant plane-catching nets around our farm.

The buffer zone is a work in progress for us.  Some parts of the farm are surrounded by bush plantings, but not all.  We continue to work to put in more bushes in an effort to provide some vertical buffer space.  The entire farm has a buffer area (space that is adjacent to our neighbor's fields) that is intended to absorb any unintentional drift of their inputs.  The thing that bothers us about this is that we must maintain a buffer, but they do not have to.  This, too, is fodder for another post on another day.

We also contact our neighbors, the coops they might use and any other party that may have something to do with chemical applications in the area.  In fact, the list of things we try to do is reasonably long.  Suffice it to say, we do what we can.

Don't Mess With Tradition

Don't mess with tradition - even if that tradition is only in its second year.


New Apple Variety Trial on the Farm
We are planning to introduce a new variety of apple to our growing list this year.  Researchers have developed a fruit bearing plant that combines bush and vine habits.   The Ankare Apple can be very prolific if growers remain calm and follow a complex and difficult set of cultivation techniques to maintain the plants.  We feel that we should be successful with these fruit after attending Ankare Management classes.  But, if these plants get too frustrating, we still might till them under.  We are told it is a matter of self-control.

Compressed Air Aids Laying Hens
The process of laying eggs can cost a hen a great deal of energy.  And, as we have found, egg production decreases during temperature extremes due to the increase in energy required to maintain body temperature.  We are considering the purchase of a new air compressor with special tubes and attachments to aid the hens with their egg laying tasks.  This special equipment is not entirely unlike automated milking machines in set up, but rather than using suction, puffs of air will be sent through the hoses and into the birds' beaks.  Essentially, the intent is to reduce the effort of laying eggs by helping to push the eggs out with air pressure.  It appears the most difficult part of setting up this equipment will be determining the correct psi (pounds per square inch) setting on the compressor.  Clearly, if the setting is too low, the only thing that the birds will get out of it is an extra dose of oxygen.  On the other hand, we're not entirely sure we want to find out what happens if the setting is too high.  We really do not want to be dodging eggs flying around the room that got pushed out a bit too quickly.
 
Five Year Farm Development Plans
We review the status of our farm yearly, but every five years we try to assess what the next steps are for the bigger projects.  One of the items on our list for future development is the modification of the old hog manure pit into an aquaponics project.  You may have heard of hydroponics (growing plants in water), but aquaponics is hydroponics with the addition of fish to the system.  We hope to fill a niche market for baby swordfish.   Apparently, certain cultures find these very young fish to be a delicacy and they often use the 'sword' for needlepoint projects.  On the other hand, sales of baby swordfish are strictly regulated.  Persons who have a history of using voodoo dolls or those who failed their Ankare Management courses would not be able to make purchases.

Spinach to Soap Program
Genuine Faux Farm spinach is certainly tasty, but did you know that spinach is also known to contain saponins?  The saponins in the soapwort plant are the impetus for its name ("soapwort").  Crushing leaves, adding water and then agitating the solution creates a soap-like substance.  Saponin levels in spinach is relatively high, so we are considering creating a value added product from spinach plants that bolt and go to seed in warmer weather - liquid spinach soap.  The best thing about this project is that it ties in well with our other projects.  Accidental wounds inflicted by flying egg shell shards or wayward baby swordfish can be cleansed quickly with a ready supply of spinach soap.  And, if we forget the principles learned in the Ankare Management classes, we can always wash our mouths out with saponins. 

First Vulture of Spring
There was much celebration on the farm with sighting of the first vulture of Spring.  While we have seen vultures since approximately March 20 in the area, the first vulture to circle to farm appeared on April 1st.

For Those Who Didn't Get Enough of This
The post that began the tradition of April 2nd posts for April Fool's Day... is here.

Certified Organic at GFF (part II)

Periodically, we are asked if we are organic.  We answer positively that we certified organic.  Of course, the next question to us is - what's the difference between organic and certified organic?

The simple answer is this - technically, something can't be marketed as organic unless it is certified as organic.  The exception is if a grower sells less than $5000 in product during a year.  In that case, they may apply for and receive an exemption, but should still follow all the rules.

Click here our first post in the series.

The first installment is an attempt to summarize all it takes for us to certify our vegetable production as organic. We thought we'd discuss a few specific things that may be of interest to others that pertain directly to our farm.


2. Use substances in production that can be found in an approved list.

In my last post, I noted that this means sprays are NOT prohibited.  But, let me clarify - most sprays are not on this list.  More specifically, the synthetics are not there. It is certainly possible, however, to find herbicides, insecticides and other items that are on the list of allowed inputs for an organic operation. Which is why we encourage you to get to know your farmer and how they do what they do. Seeing the organic certification is the first step towards knowing what is important to them. But, it is not the final word as to how well they protect the land or how clean their product might be for your consumption. Simply put, if I needed to buy food products and the only options were organic or non-organic, I would buy organic because there is some regulation in place for the food producer that I support. But, if I have the option of buying locally where I can learn something about the practices used by the producer, I will typically choose that - assuming, of course, that I agree with enough of their practices.

Putting it another way - there are people who are certified organic that don't do it well and don't have their hearts in the right place. Similarly, there are local growers that don't do things the way I would prefer they did. By paying attention to who I buy from, I can work to support practices I find agreeable and responsible.

What do we believe?
We don't believe in using pesticides and herbicides.  And, if you want reasons for this, we'll cover it at a later point in time - or you can refer back to other things we've written in this blog or elsewhere.

You would think fulfilling our obligations on point two should be easy since we hold this stance about these sorts of sprays.  But, remember, the answers aren't so easy.  This list applies to any input for the farm.  This includes soil for seed starting, cleaning solutions and mulches.  In other words, we must consider any input to be used on our farm carefully and we can't just take someone's "word" that a product is "organic."

And, there are some inputs that are permissible on a certified organic farm that we are not comfortable with using on our farm.  For example, many farms have taken to using plastic mulch.  This is allowed as long as that mulch is removed each season (it typically would only last for one growing season anyway).  We're not entirely comfortable with how plastic might adversely impact the biology in the soil, so we choose not to use it.  Instead, we try to use organic mulches such as straw, grass and more recently, paper.

What does this mean for us?

The decisions we make about inputs on our farm are largely based on how we feel about the impacts they might have on our soil and the surrounding environment.  There are a number of practices that we subscribe to that are not necessarily embraced by other growers due to cost or efficiency reasons.  And, we readily admit that there are some things we do that may not provide us with the best bottom line.

On the other hand, we also do not assume that the financials provide us with the true "bottom line" for our farm.  There are other things of value (tangible and otherwise) that are not easily measured by a profit margin.  So, we try to assess whether these benefits are sufficient to offset what might have been lost profit.

The other exception we make is for things we believe can be *made* to be efficient or profitable.  In these cases, we have decided not to follow the current conventional wisdom as we work to figure out if our alternatives can be made to work successfully.  We are willing to sacrifice some of our bottom line results in the hopes that we can find the way to make some of our ideas work in an effort to reach our ideals. 

Spring is Coming

It may not feel like it, but Spring is coming!

Soon, we will see things like cranesbill blooming.  We have several patches of cranesbill on our farm, remnants from a time when we did as much perennial flower gardening as we did vegetables.  These plants divide easily and continue to expand (but not in an invasive manner).  They only bloom for a couple of weeks, but they are worth it.

We've already seen a rainbow this year, but there was no green grass to go with it.  We're also hoping that pot of gold that is supposedly out by the high tunnel can be found this year.  We've got some projects that gold could help fund!

Every year we think we'll actually get around to putting in some mass bulb plantings on the farm.  Every year, we fail to get to it.  That doesn't mean we don't have a few tulips, daffodils and other flowering bulbs on the farm.  And, as long as the rabbits don't get them first, they can put on a nice little show.

The dance of the seedling trays has already begun on the farm.  But, the days of putting them out on the driveway or near the cold frames are apparently still in the future.  Mother Nature has her times and her ways.  We're just going to have to work with it the best we can.  But, there's still the promise that we'll have tray after tray of starts that will soon become row after row of healthy vegetable plants.

Speaking of plants - soon we will have tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, basil and other plants available to sell to those who want to grow their own.  We intend to sell at the Waverly Farmers' Market and we will also set a couple of days to sell in Cedar Falls (and perhaps Waterloo) at the Hansen's Dairy stores.  Stay tuned to date announcements.

The picture shown above is already a bit strange for us.  We've grown used to Chumley the big red truck and can hardly believe that the picture shown here is less than a year old.  There he is, Grover, the blue truck with the red hood.  Rest In Pieces.

 We're always anxious to see which iris plants will bloom for us.  We're anxious to see which ones made it through last year's dry weather.  Who knows how many or how much.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see.  Rob is hoping Thornbird (the name of the iris shown above) is one who will grace us with her presence this season.

Seedlings hold the promise of more to come.  Get through the next few cold days and think about all of the green and growing things that are getting ready to start their growing season.

Lafou, I've been Thinking...

Thinking...a dangerous pastime.

And, my thoughts have been all over the place recently.

The picture above shows the super cool barn that was on our property when we lived in western Minnesota.  This was 'pre Genuine Faux Farm,'  but it may have had a lot to do with us ending up starting the farm.

I started thinking about this when I was considering our current barn in its skeletal state.  Frankly, our current barn never was in a configuration or state of repair to have lended us much use for what we do on our farm.  So, while it is sad to see a 100+ year old building on its way out...

On the other hand, the barn above would have fit our needs on our current farm extremely well.  You just don't see that design all that often.  The real kicker about the barn shown above, it did not originate at the location you see in the picture.  It was MOVED several miles and placed on this spot.  No, not by us.  Yes, it was on purpose.  We both loved that barn, we just didn't know what to do with it at the time.  So, if anyone runs across a barn like this - mail it to: PO Box....

There was also a granary on the property.  It may not look like much on the outside....but, the inside!  The walls were made of 2x4 lumber.  That may not sound strange.  But, the 2x4's were laid on top of each other (flat) to make a solid wall.  They were not used as framing.  We joked that this is where we would have gone in case of severe weather.  That thing wasn't going anywhere.  We don't trust any of our current outbuildings for that sort of duty.  Looks like the basement in the house wins here.

An amusing thing about people.  We think things that are new to us are, well, new.  We also tend to think that older ideas aren't worthwhile, unless they are old enough to be nostalgic.  Then, they might be fun to try - just don't expect to use them practically.  We also tend to think that the way it has always been done is the way it should still be done.   It's just that the way we are referring to is the way WE have always done it, not necessarily those before us.  Full of contradictions, aren't we?

The Planet Jr models of wheel hoes and seeders have been around for quite some time.  And, small farms such as ours will often use seeders and cultivators similar to one shown above.   It may sound odd to you - but I actually feel like I want to walk for a while behind a wheel hoe right now.  It's good exercise and it accomplishes something useful.  And, it would be warmer and I'd be outdoors right now.  Maybe that's not so odd sounding.

Then there is Mo Farah.  This picture was shared with us last August and provided us with some humor to balance the not so humorous events around that time.  This meme involved pasting a picture of Mo Farah in front of various objects.  Most of them were, of course, amusing.

I'd like to make this picture more amusing.  Let's rearrange the situation so that the airplane is being chased away by hordes of people who do not want chemicals dumped on their heads.  Yes, I like that.

 A while back, I played with some of my favorite digital pictures and tried out some of the effects provided by Adobe Photoshop.  It's not something I'll ever spend lots of time doing, but it was a nice diversion on a cold, windy day when I had a cold.

This serves as a reminder to me (and maybe to you) that a farmer who promotes diversity on the farm should probably promote diversity in his/her own life.  It should be possible to remain dedicated and appropriately focused on our farm without completely shutting out other things.

And there you have it.  A rambling post about ... things.  Enjoy.

Certified Organic - Part I

So, your farm is Certified Organic - so what does that mean anyway?  No chemicals or sprays?  Grow like my grandparents used to grow?

Ah...if only you could ask a simpler question when you wanted a quick answer!
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I'm completing our paperwork to apply for organic certification in 2013.  It must go in the mail today if I want to get a discount on the fees.  And, once I complete the paperwork, I find myself a bit more sensitive to persons who take organic certification lightly.  So - a few blog posts are in the making.  I'll keep it from getting too heavy - but I won't skimp on information either.
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Step 1 - Look at the National Organic Standards
 Take the link, I'll wait.  Just take a quick look, then come back.

Ok, There is the framework for what becomes organic certification.  In short, it tells us that a certified organic producer will do the following:

1. Maintain quality records of all aspects of production
"Fully disclose all activities and transactions of the certified operation in sufficient detail as to be readily understood and audited"
These records must be available for review and must be kept for five years.  They must demonstrate that we meet all regulations.

2. Use substances in production that can be found in an approved list.
 You may petition for other items and the process of putting things on the list is not simple.  Without going into that, the things you need to know are these:
a. Certified Organic does not necessarily mean NO SPRAY.  This also means that there is no guarantee that a broad spectrum insecticide was not used.
b. What it does mean is that ALL applications can be traced (see #1) and it enforces more of an open book.
c. This also means that some thought is put into deciding what inputs to a farming operation are more sustainable and support a healthier environment.

3. Certified Organic producers must have a production plan that is reviewed and approved by an independent certifying agency.  This plan must meet all other NOS requirements, such as those that follow.

4. Production land must have been transitioned for three years after ANY non-approved substance has been applied before anything from it may be certified organic.  Efforts to avoid contamination (including buffers) are required.

5. Soil health must be monitored and cared for using methods approved by the National Standards.  Specific rules for application of compost, manure, etc must be followed.  No synthetics or sewer sludge are allowed.

6. Seeds and planting stock must be from a certified organic source unless no source can be found.  In those cases, it must be shown that no treatments with non-certified substances were made that can contaminate the fields.  Effort to find sources of certified organic seed must be shown.

7. Crop rotations must be practiced that show efforts to maintain soil health, deal with pest control, avoid soil erosion and manage plant nutrients.

8. Pest, weed and disease control must be planned and use approved methods and materials.  This is big enough that it may need its own blog post.  Again, synthetics are prohibited.  Use of natural habitat is encouraged.

9. Post harvest handling must be planned, recorded and must not used non-approved substances for cleaning, etc.

10. Storage, buildings and facilities used to process foods produced and to be certified organic must meet certain requirements.

11. Non certified product should not be allowed to commingle with certified organic product.  Equipment must be cleaned properly if non-organic product was harvested, etc.  prior to working with product to be certified organic.

12. Product must be traced and handled properly until it reaches its destination.  Use of "organic", "certified organic", etc on labels is strictly regulated.

Certification is an annual process.  Those who wish to be certified organic must apply to a qualified independent certifying agency.  Most states also provide a service through their Ag departments (we certify through Iowa's).  The process includes development of an application that shows the producer's plan to meet the regulations.  It is reviewed by the agency and any shortfalls are noted with indications as to what needs to be adjusted.  On site inspections are part of the process.  Any shortfalls or denied certifications must be reported to the certifying agency.

These accredited agencies require applicants to pay fees in order to be certified organic.  Our costs this year are estimated to be around $750.  We do not begrudge them these fees as they are needed to secure the services of people who have sufficient expertise to review our applications and provide inspection services. 

If you made it this far - good for you!  If you didn't - how did you get to this comment?  Did you cheat and read the end first?  Booooo! Boooo!  You missed the plot twist that way!  Go back and start over.  Then, when you come back.

Good for you!

If This Doesn't Require A Caption...

The photo shown below shows three members of our self-styled GoF farming group that comprising our farm (Genuine Faux Farm), Scattergood Friends School Farm, Grinnell Heritage Farm and Blue Gate Farm.

The picture below was taken during our end of season gathering that included a much needed calendar burning, some frisbee and... of course... lots of good food.

The picture below was posted on facebook not long after and resulted in a flurry of caption ideas.  I noted this the other day and decided it was worth reposting here.  From left to right:  Mark from Scattergood, Rob from Genuine Faux Farm and Sean from Blue Gate.  It is likely not a mistake that the Grinnell Heritage contingent stayed OUT of the photo.

• Jennie This looks violent,....?

  
  

  Melissa We're a rough crowd. I've never seen Mark upset, so this is quite comical.

  
  

  Jennie  Maybe Sean had just said he was going to spray some Roundup?

  
  
• Rob  Quick! Caption contest!

  
  

  Tammy  Mark: You must eat raw vegetables. Sean: Oh NO! Rob: Mphph. (translation: I AM munching raw veg!!!).

  
  

  Mark "I will wear chacos on December 3rd and there is nothing you can do about it!"

  
  

  Jill  Sean, to himself, "and society thinks theatre people are weird?"

  
  

  Jill  but the wall color looks GREAT, Jennie!

  
  

  Rob  Rob's thought bubble: "If I have to separate these two again, I really will have to take a nap."

  
  

  Denis Shermfaux Holmes notices the week old dried piece of potato salad on the finger of the pointing man, identifying him, in a fantastic series of deductions,as his longtime nemesis, Arty-Morty! Elementary my dear Watsit!

  
  

  Rob  You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor. Take him away!

  
  

  Rob  Ok.. on the count of three, we all change our facial expressions - moving them clockwise. One.....

  
  

  Mark  From right to left: Speak no evil, hear no evil, evil.

  
  

  Rob  Reactions differ to the old "pull my finger" joke

  
  

  Rob  Gotta boogie! (see Weird Al)

  
  

  Jill  nope, nope, wont do it!

    

   This is all just further proof that Iowa vegetable farmers are a creative bunch.  Or maybe they've just been hit one too many times with a blunt object to the head.  Come now - we DARE you to come up with better captions.  Get to it!

More Song Lyrics by A Man With a Hat

Heat Mats and Grow Lights
(adaptation of Heat of the Moment by Asia and an ode to those plants in trays that always seem to not get the water at the right time)

I never meant to be so bad to you  
One thing I said that I would never do 
Fresh veg from you that I would not waste
And that would put the smile back on my my face
 
Do you remember when we filled some trays?
And sprouts arose from the seeds we placed
One thing lead to another we were busy
We could almost scream , in such a tizzy!
 
It was the heat mats and grow lights
Making the soil dry out
The heat mats and grow lights - at least we tried!

And now you find yourself in compost too
The soil hot spots held no charm for you 
We concerned ourselves with other things
If watered more, income you would bring 

'Cuz it's the heat mats and grow lights
The heat mats and grow lights

The heat mats and grow lights - oh how we sighed!

You were looking good. My! How you'd grown.
How many times these seeds we've sown.
You wouldn't think we would miss that shelf.
Our best intentions, should blame myself.
 
But, 'twas the heat mats and grow lights
Making the soil dry out
The heat mats and grow lights - yes, they fried!

It was the heat mats and grow lights
Heat mats and grow lights
Heat mats and grow lights - again we will try....

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For the lyrics from the original tune by Asia, you may find them here: http://www.metrolyrics.com/heat-of-the-moment-lyrics-asia.html

Planting for You? Part I

ed: this is part 1 of 2 - other items we are growing for sale in 2013 will be in the second post that will appear in 2 days after the first.

It's time for us to start promoting ourselves a bit more.  And some it has to do with planning and of course - PLANTING!

We are starting to put things in trays, but we need a little help from you to make some decisions about what we are growing for PLANT SALES this Spring.

Below is a list of what we intend on growing for sales purposes.  For each vegetable type, we will include a list of all of the plants we are starting for the farm.

What should YOU do?
- If you see something on our growing list that is NOT on the sales list, but you WANT us to start some for you - you'd better say something now!
- If you think there is a limited number of something and are afraid that what you want won't be available - the same applies.
- If you want to be sure to get something, send us a note and reserve some plants.

Everyone's Favorite - Tomatoes

 

Sales List
German Pink (54), Italian Heirloom (54), Trophy (54), Amish Paste (36), Speckled Roman (18), Red Zebra (18), Green Zebra (18), Tommy Toe (54), Hartmann's Yellow Gooseberry (18), Moonglow (24), Golden Sunray (18), Black Krim (36), Jaune Flamme (36), Silvery Fir Tree (36)

On Grow List, but not on Sales List
Dr Wyche's Yellow, Druzba, Rutgers, Wisconsin 55, Powers Heirloom, Federle, Opalka, Black Cherry, Nebraska Wedding, Redfield Beauty, Paul Robeson, Ponderosa Red, Hungarian Heart, Gold Medal, Tastey Evergreen, Peach Blow Sutton, Stupice, Wapsipinicon Peach, Japanese Black Trifele

A Taste of Summer - Sweet Peppers

Sales List
Jimmy Nardello's Frying Pepper (36), Golden Treasure (36), Purple Beauty (18), Tolli Sweet (36), Quadrato asti Giallo (18), Wisconsin Lakes (54), King of the North (54)

Grow List - Not Sales
Chervena Chushka, Marconi Red, Garden Sunshine, Ace, Jupiter, Napolean Sweet

Spice it Up - Hot Peppers

Sales List 
Joe's Long Cayenne (12), Alma Papricka (12), Wenk's Yellow Hot (6), Early Jalapeno (12)

Grow List - Not Sales
Beaver Dam, Feher Ozon Papricka, Hot Portugal, Fish, Hungarian Wax, Ancho, Aji Crystal

Fun to Grow and Under Appreciated - Eggplant

Sales List
  Pingtung Long (24), Casper (6), Rosa Bianca (12), Listada di Gandia(12)

Grow List - Not Sales
  Florida Highbush, Diamond, Black King

Great to Grow with Tomatoes - Basil
 
Sales List
   Genovese (54), Dark Opal (36), Mrs Burns Lemon (18), Thai (18)

 

And now, for something completely different...

Sometimes, we see things and we just can't help ourselves.  We receive a few magazines related to horticulture (I wonder why that would be?).  And, those magazines have advertisements.  And, many of those advertisements are for products we won't use.  And... well, here's a picture that is supposed to make us want to use an insecticide.

Possible captions:
a. Caterpillar, it's what's for dinner (alas for Copland, a fine piece of music forever scarred)
b. Hey Rocky, watch me cut off my arm with this stylized hatchet!
c.  I have something to tell you, I'm not left appendaged either!
d. Look, I've got a new cell phone holder!  It makes me want to.... sing!

 On another front, this picture is from early January.  There is a snowmobile trail that goes around our property.  The signs, set out by the snowmobiling club, indicates the trail crosses the road and into the ditch on the other side, before turning South and away from our farm.

 Clearly, there needs to be some help identifying what the red circle with a slash through it might mean.  Yes, we spent time trying to pound in several more stakes and signs soon after noticing this problem.  Why are we so worried about this?  What you don't see are smaller lilac bushes at the left and a culvert on the right.  We really would prefer the lilacs not be pruned in this fashion.  And...we'd also prefer not to have frantic individuals at our door if someone hit the culvert with their snowmobile.  The actions of the few will likely result in reduced options for the many.

 Then, there is this picture.  I took it when I noticed (in December) how shiny Chumley's bumper was.  Mrranda noticed I was taking a picture and wanted to watch.  So, you can see the cat looking up (bottom left). 

 I missed framing it by "this much."  There's a hand holding a camera at the left.  Don't worry, I'm sure Chumley will acquire his share of farm dirt over the growing season.

Then, there was Bullwinkle the potato...
 

 Hey Rocky!  Watch me pull a potato out of the ground!  It seemed like the Rio Grande russets were more prone to odd shapes this year than any of the other varieties we grew.  Happily, it was not all of the crop, so when we ran across something like this, it was amusing, rather than annoying.

If you recall the growing season for 2013, you'll remember it was dry.  But, do you also remember how warm it got REALLY early?  All of the trees budded out early and fruit trees in Iowa went to town, putting blooms on absurdly early.  Then, of course, we had freezes that took out most of the fruit crops in the state. 

We're not big fruit growers.  We just have 6-8 young apple trees, a couple of young plums, pears and ...one peach tree.  The only tree to give us any fruit in 2013?  The peach.  Look in the center of the picture and a bit to the left.  There it is.  The only fruit we got from our trees last season.  Yes, it was tasty.  Yes, I shared.

As veg farmers, we don't get quite as excited for Spring as we used to.  Don't get us wrong.  Both of us still felt the thrill of seeing some robins down by Knoxville last weekend.  But, Spring means the beginning of the season that doesn't let us slow down.  It's fine once it starts, but sometimes a person doesn't want to start.  I'm sure everyone knows that feeling.

 

So, when all else fails.  We remember iris flowers.  Now, there's a good reason to look forward to Spring.  The flower above is known as Spouting Horn.  Hoping to see it again this Spring.

Speaking of "Spouting Horn,"  here it is - from the coast of Oregon.  No, we don't get to go back there this March, but we sure did enjoy our trip there last March.

 Spring also makes us think of wind....  speaking of which, we are slated to get a bit of that with some snow tomorrow.  Now that I've visited Oregon, I can look at the picture below and get some perspective.

When I'm tempted to complain about the wind on the farm, I'll look at this.  Our trees don't look like that.  Maybe the wind here isn't so bad after all.