Walking Picture Tour Part II

And, our final installment for the Kauai trip is now here.  We will return you to your regularly scheduled farm blog after this.  I suppose we may be inspired to do more on this in the future - never say never.  But,  it feels like this is a good stopping point for the moment.  After all, we realize that the pictures will mean more to us than to you because we were there and it includes our 'adventures.'  There is fun in the sharing - as long as you don't wear out your welcome!

Kalalau Sunset
We were lucky to see another sunset from the Kalalau Lookout.  There is a neat phenomenon where the trees on the hills to the West of the lookout turn gold as the sun sets.  I haven't taken the time to identify the very best picture of this, so you'll just have to settle for this one.

Sunset to the West (imagine that!) of the Kalalau Lookout

During Winter months, things aren't always clear enough to experience a good sunset from this spot.  And, in fact, there may have been only one evening that was clear enough while we were there during this trip and we made sure we caught it.  What amazes me most about the Kalalau Lookout is how calm the wind has been each time we've been up there.  I'm sure there must be days or nights when the wind howls, but we sure haven't experienced it.

The Return to the Edge of the World (Waipo'o Falls)
One of the goals I held for myself was to hike the trail to Waipo'o Falls again.  Last time was quite the traumatic experience for me in particular.  Why?  Well, I am not particularly fond of heights and I can say that once you get on top of this ridge, it sure seems like you could very easily take a tumble for a LONG way down.  With Tammy's help, I managed it last time - there's something about conquering one's fear that makes you want to show that it wasn't a fluke.  So, we did it again.  And, it was easier this time around.  Although I did stay further from the edge than many people.

Tammy surveys the Edge of the World

And, once again, we went to the top of the first drop of the 800 foot Waipo'o Falls.  This time around, there was a good deal more water in the stream, so we did not cross it.  I suppose it could have been done, but we weren't in the mood for walking a couple miles in wet boots on the return trip.

The top of Waipo'o Falls

Makaha Ridge Road
Each time we would drive by the intersection for this road, Tammy would say that we should drive down it sometime.  So, on our last day at Koke'e State Park, we did just that.

And, we were rewarded.

There are a significant number of hunters on Kauai that work to control the wild pig populations.  Not only are these piggies used for food, but controlling them is necessary in order to prevent them from tearing up the ground and significantly increasing the erosion and harming native plant populations.  The pigs were introduced by humans (of course).  The reason I tell you this is because this road (and most others) have trails that are primarily used by hunters and are also hiked by people like us once in a while.  We found a short trail at the end of the road that took us to this viewpoint.  Makaha Ridge juts out towards the ocean.  I'd share one of the pictures that had the ocean in it, but it just doesn't show up as well as I'd like, so we'll go with this one.

Power Line Trail
Once we moved to the North side of the island, we worked to explore new things (to us).  One of our hikes was on the Power Line Trail (so called because it was created for maintenance/construction of the power lines from the North to the South side of the island through the interior).

Not a bad looking waterfall!

The hike was a bit less strenuous than some of the ones we'd taken thus far.  But, we'll admit we stopped a bit earlier than we thought we would because the trail was covered by water.  I suppose we could have slogged through it, but it would only remind me of days I have to work in mud on the farm.  So, maybe not.

The Christmas Tree of the Powerline Trail

We found this little tree next to the trail that had been decorated for Christmas.  It looks like a Norfolk Pine and is surely related to them.  We found it amusing enough to take a picture of it.

And, we were able to get a decent picture of the mountains to the West of the Powerline Trail.  It was always interesting to watch clouds gather on the North face. 

Kalalau Trail and the Napali Coast
We got up early to avoid the normal crowds that hike the first segment of the Kalalau trail to Hanakapi'ai Beach.  We succeeded in avoiding most of the other hikers by doing this, but we also dealt with more overcast/cloudy conditions than we've seen at other times. 

Sun hitting the top of a ridge on the Napali Coast

The brilliance of the colors really shows when the sun comes out.  They are muted somewhat when it is cloudy/foggy.  But, the whole thing is beautiful regardless of the amount of sun.

The different colors in the water always amaze us.

This trail is rated as being appropriate for a "Hardy Family," which is a notch less difficult than the "Strenuous" trails like Nu'alolo, which we hiked earlier.  But, frankly, I find this trail to be more difficult because of all of the rocks on the trail that like to try to roll my ankles. 

Well, not THESE rocks specifically

And, like most trails on Kauai, there were ups and downs to it.

How about rocks AND ups and downs?

Kilauea Lighthouse
The lighthouse itself was closed for work to shore up the paths to the lighthouse.  Erosion is doing its work on Kauai.  It's just the way things are. 

So, we went to an overlook that let us look towards the lighthouse instead

The point of visiting was the hope that we would see some whales.  No whales this time around (though others reported seeing them earlier in the day).  So, that was a small disappointment.  But, it was still a beautiful viewpoint and we got to see the Red Footed Boobys that were nesting in the area around the lighthouse.  If you look carefully at this picture, you'll notice the different colors of blue in the water AND the sky. 

Inini Beach
We alternated hiking with trips to various beaches on Kauai.  We did enjoy Kekeha Beach on the Southwest side.  There were big waves and lots of sun and sand there with mostly locals enjoying the surf.  Salt Ponds was a decent place to visit on the South side as well, we could explore some of the little fishy creatures that were in the rocks there.  But, we really enjoyed Inini.

Another farmer selfie?!?

Technically, the water near the beach is a lagoon that is protected by a reef further out.  It was strange how calm the water was near the beach.  Yet, we could still see huge waves breaking on the reef that was about 1500 feet out.  And Rob took great pleasure in disturbing a poor little crab that could rapidly cover itself in the sand.  Ok, he didn't disturb it THAT much.  Just a little.  All in the interest of science.  Or, something.

A Last Hike: Kuilau/Moalepe Trails
On our last full day on the island, we took one more hike.  I'm not sure how to describe the decision making process for us to go on this hike.  Suffice it to say that we started this trip by making sure to space out our hiking trips to allow time for recovery.  After all, this was a vacation, not a boot camp.  Most of our hikes were 4 to 5 hour hikes and some were fairly strenuous.  Since it is Winter, our conditioning isn't what it might be in the Summer.  That, and we don't do so much of the up and down stuff in Iowa for some reason.

Viewpoint towards the Makaleha Mountain range

We'd hiked on Kalalau Trail the day before and Powerline the day prior to that.  So, mentally, we were thinking there wouldn't be a long hike on this day.  But, we looked at the map in a region of Kauai we really hadn't explored much and decided the rating for this trail made it sound pretty easy.

The trees on Kuilau were friendly.

And, for the most part, it was easy, compared to most of the other trails.  There was still a climb (maybe 500 feet or so?).  But, the trail was wider than many and it wasn't covered in rocks.  There were even places we could walk without watching our feet.  That's actually the biggest danger for most of the Kauai hikes.  There is so much cool stuff to look at, you want to keep your head up.  If you keep your head up, you end up tripping on things.  So, it's much safer to walk with your head down and stop as often as you wish to get a good look around.  That does not mean that each of us didn't fall prey to the rubbernecking and then tripping issue on this trail at least once.

We both had a great time on this trip.  Of course, part of it was the location.  But, the biggest thing was the fact that Tammy and I could relax a little and spend quality time together.  Thanks for a great 25th Anniversary trip T!

Aloha Kauai! and Mahalo.

An Appreciation for Different

We won't do too many more blog posts on our trip to Kauai, so hang in there - the farm focus will come back very soon.  But, for now, we bring you this.

One of the things farming has done for both of us is increase our awareness for the natural things that surround us.  This time around, we tried to record a few more of the things we observed with the camera.  Some with good success and some with ... um.. less success.  If you wish to view any of these in larger format, just select the picture and a larger version will pop up for you.

We took notice of more birds this time around.  One of these birds had a really great call that I wish I could describe.  Maybe one day I'll find a recording of it so I can share.  It's a cute little thing... and it's green, so it blends in well.

Can you find the little green bird in this picture?

We also had a good time finding flowers and taking pictures of them.

Ohi'a Lehua

And we found that fog/clouds can really highlight things differently and give you a whole new perspective on what you are seeing.

Yep, it really was THAT steep,.

We also got lucky and saw a fogbow.  It wasn't really a rainbow and it didn't show the colors as strongly as a rainbow might.  But, it was fun to see.  For a short time, it was a double fogbow.  Cool.

Today's new word is FOGBOW...yes, I created the word.  Neat, huh?

We stopped places that weren't exactly marked as an overlook or scenic spot.  This little waterfall was just off the road on the way up to Koke'e State Park.  We've seen it before and finally managed to get to it with some good light.  I'm not sure I picked the best photo we took of it, but it gets you the idea.

Note the red dirt.

And the day was bright and the sun was starting to go down.  And, the farmer got an idea.

A "Farmer Selfie!" perfect for introverts!

We also couldn't help but notice some of the signs on our hike.  If you read the signs you might wonder what possessed us to take this trail anyway.  If it helps, this was the second time we had taken this particular hike.  Ok, maybe it only helps you to revise your opinion of us, whatever that might have been to start with and whatever it might change to... We really can't say.

Remember.  Don't Cliff Dive!

We took the signs seriously. 

See?!?

But, the reality is that hikes in Kauai are typically a bit rougher than what we might be used to in Iowa. It's not too hard to turn an ankle or wrench a knee on these trails.  And, they can be dangerous if you aren't paying attention and listening to yourself when the internal alarms go off.

We also learned that they grow nasturtiums REALLY BIG in Kauai.  Something about being perennial versus annual plants on the island... among other things.  We grow nasturtiums as a companion with some of our vine crops but we shudder to think what might happen if the nasturtiums we grow got to look like.....

THIS!

And we got to see some wild orchids during a couple of our hikes. 

And we got to watch waves.  Just don't ask how many pictures Rob took to try and catch just ONE of them with the curl this one has.

Oh, did I mention that we saw a number of birds?  And, we have no idea what this bird is.

Does anyone out there know?

On the other hand, we know what this bird is.  Why?  Because there was a sign there.  And because there were people there who told us.  And... well.  I guess I have no other reasons why.

Look!  A Red-Footed Booby.  No, really.  It has a blue beak.

And, for your next "Where's Waldo" experience on this blog.  We did experience seeing Geckos and other lizards like this one.

Yes, I think you bipeds are very silly and quite unstable.

Then, suddenly, on our last hike of our trip, we got the feeling that we had entered the pages of a Dr. Seuss story.  Again, we don't know what these plants are, but they certainly got our attention.

Inspirations for the Lorax?

We hope you enjoyed the pictures and the observations as much as we enjoyed bringing them to you!

Walking Picture Tour

Tammy and I invested in a trip to one of our favorite places (Kauai) to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.  The trip was a great time for us to just spend time together and put aside the daily worries and concerns that sometimes prevent us from appreciating our life as partners.

While this is not necessarily a "farm thing," it does have something to do with the farmers.  We've been farming now for enough years that everything we do is still tinged a bit with the farm.  We hope that everyone who reads this blog and looks at the pictures will enjoy them and take them in the spirit the sharing is intended.

Wailua Falls
Tammy and I tend to avoid "touristy" things most of the time, though we do recognize that the definition for touristy is changing since the internet gives all of us more resources to hunt for and locate less common locations.  Wailua Falls, assuming you take the back road that ends in a small parking area, kind of fits into the touristy side of things.  People drive their rental cars up to the lookout, stand behind a railing, take a few pictures and then drive back down the road.  The falls are beautiful of course, but getting a really good shot from the standard viewpoint is pretty difficult.

The two of us enjoyed the drive up as much as anything because it goes through some rural/ag area.  We made sure to stop at a local stand and purchase our first Kauai fruit of the trip.  We had a swallowtail butterfly decide we were pretty cool, but we couldn't get it to slow down enough to take a photo of it.

We really took the road up on a whim more than anything and we made sure to stay and enjoy the falls for longer than most people allow themselves to do.  We're always a little shocked how people will get out of their cars, stand for two minutes, take a few pictures and then climb back into their cars.  It's almost as if a large portion of the visitors think it is a huge treasure hunt - but they forget to appreciate the treasure while they're there.

As we watched the falls (and the butterfly), we noticed our blood pressure dropping and we started talking about things other than the farm and school.  A good part of the reason for going in the first place.


Pu'u Hinahina Lookout of the Waimea Canyon
Our first day was spent locating a farmers market and acquiring supplies for our stay in Koke'e State Park.  Our goal was to get to the cabin before dark since the drive is a typical windy road up a mountain.  Since Waimea Canyon is probably our favorite spot on the island, we couldn't help but stop and take a peak at the Pu'u Hinahina lookout.  The sun was starting to go down and we wanted to see how it highlighted the East canyon walls.

The picture above is a familiar one to us.  The last time we were in Kauai, we took a hike to Waipo'o Falls that was a bit on the 'scary' side (the link takes you to our adventure a few years ago, it's a fun read).  We realized this time that we could actually use the long lens and record some of the view we had at Waipo'o from this lookout.  We're both captivated by the arch in this picture.  No reason why.

We spent the first part of the trip in a cabin up in Koke'e State Park.  The cabin is on the rustic side, which is fine for us.  Temps got down into the 40's a couple of nights, which maybe was a bit less fine, but we dealt with it ok.  The real advantage was the proximity to some of our favorite views and some of the trails we wanted to take.

Waimea Canyon Lookout
The main lookout for Waimea Canyon is heavily trafficked by tourists, so we made sure to get up and get there before larger numbers of people would arrive.  The shadows really displayed the texture of the canyon.  If it weren't for a little bit of overcast, these pictures would be outstanding.  But, we'll settle for just pretty good.  We ended up viewing the canyon several times while we were up on the mountain, so we could catch it with sun at different angles, or with clouds.  Let me correct what I said earlier about Waimea Canyon.  It isn't just one of our favorite spots on the island, it is one of our favorite places in the world.

Waipo'o Falls
The Waipo'o Falls are about 800 feet tall and can often be overlooked by persons who only go to the main overlook.  There are a couple of pull-outs further up the road that give a better view.  If you look at the picture above, you CAN see the falls.  It did amuse us to hear people as they tried to figure out if they were seeing a waterfall or not.

We did take the hike to Waipo'o again during this visit.  If you look at the rounded rock to the left and up from the falls, you can see where we hiked to get there.  In fact, we encourage you again to take this link to the story about our hike a few years ago.  Check out the falls in that picture there - there was MUCH MORE water in it this time around.

We've got ALOT of pictures of the falls now and we just need to figure out which ones are keepers.

Pu'u O Kilo Lookout of the Kalalau Valley in Koke'e Park
We also thoroughly enjoy looking into the Kalalau Valley from the two overlooks.  Once again, by staying in the park for a while, we could pick and choose times and be patient as the weather changed.  It's Late Winter/Early Spring on the island and clouds/rain were to be expected.  We managed to get a nice sunny morning and caught some cool shadows from the Pu'u O Kilo lookout.  Since we had a different trail in mind this time, we decided not to walk the Pihea Trail, which starts at this lookout.

While it is nice to get a big picture of the entire scene, I've been enjoying trying to locate a subsection of the whole picture and try to capture the texture and color.  Both Tammy and I thought the one above turned out well.

The other thing you need to know about Kauai is this: The colors are brilliant.  These photos were not taken with a filter, nor have they been "photoshopped."   If anything, they may not quite have captured how electric the colors were at times.

Nu'ololo Trail in Koke'e
This trail was a very good challenge for us.  It had rained, so there was mud and Tammy took a bit of a slide early on.  No harm, no foul - just red dirt on the pants.  This trail goes up a few hundred feet right away, so we got our cardio workout.  Then, we went down 1400-1500 feet in altitude for the rest of the hike.  Which means - yes - we had to go back up on the return.  We REALLY felt this hike afterward.

Sadly, this is what we got when we reached the overlook portion of the hike.  We certainly do not regret taking the hike at all, it's just too bad we didn't get the end of trail reward that we'd read about.  We may have to go back and try it again? 

Kalalau Overlook on a cloudy day
It would be easy to let yourself be disappointed if you go to some of these places hoping to see the beautiful views and you find clouds.  But, in our case, it simply allowed us to see the beauty of these places in different clothing.  This was part of the advantage of staying in the park, we could experience the area more fully.

The picture above is probably one of our favorites for the trip.  We caught sun, color and clouds all in one try.

And, if you scroll up to the sunny day picture from Pu'u O Kila, you can see what this ridge looks like in the sun.  We both like this one because I was able to catch the clouds framing the ridge.  The trees give the whole things some balance and perspective that I like.  We were able to stay up there and watch the clouds move off (most of the way) and then come back in. If you would like to see what this area looks like in a brilliantly sunny day, a picture from our previous trip opens up this post.

Deep Breath

Every so often there is a need to take a deep breath.  A very deep breath. 

Tammy and I have been lucky enough to have opportunities to take some time off now and again.  But, this time around, we've arranged to take some time just for the two of us.  It wasn't until we arrived at our destination that we began to understand exactly how much we needed to take some time and release some of the stresses that are placed on us.  Some of them internal, some of them external - but all of them as real as we make them.  And, it turns out that maybe we were making them too real.

One of the things we enjoy doing is taking pictures and trying to be creative in the process.  We thought we'd share a few.  If you already know where we went, don't spoil it for others.  But, if you don't know, but want to guess, put a comment in with where you think these photos come from.

Per the norm, we like to start with some potential misdirection.  This picture could be a part of a larger photo that many other people who visit this place might take.  Of course, Rob had to focus on one part of it because he liked the shadowplay.

And how can you NOT like a droplet picture?  Ok, maybe you can't, but we like it.  I suppose there is some clue as to where we are based on this picture alone.

Dew on a spider's web?  We love spiders, as long as they aren't crawling on the back of our necks.  This little one was just fine where she was.

Catch You Up

We took a little bit of time away from the blog and facebook to recuperate and build up energy for the upcoming year.  As a result, there is a batch of things that maybe we need to catch everyone up on with regards to the Genuine Faux Farm.

Currently on My Mind
Since Tammy and I have spent a large portion of today either conversing about this topic or attending a legislative subcommittee meeting on a bill pertaining to it, I thought I'd start here.

Most of you know that in 2012, our farm was oversprayed by a flier with Stratego, Lorsban and Sniper.  As a result, all of the crops from the West side of our farm and the crops in our high tunnel (the only one we had at that time) had to be destroyed.  We destroyed eggs for 10 weeks and we had to make emergency moves for our poultry to get them off of sprayed pasture areas.  Of course, our initial response to figure out how we would address things on our own farm.  But, we have also tried to be active in trying to encourage change that will help reduce the likelihood of scenarios such as the one we lived.

Iowa Senate Bill 3125 had a subcommittee hearing on February 17th (today) and Tammy and I felt it would be important to attend this fact-finding meeting.  We were given the opportunity to share our story, our insights and our knowledge of the process and its relative shortcomings in hopes that it might help this bill along.  In the end, we were informed that the bill would leave the committee
and go to 'appropriations.'  In short, the bill still lives and could see action yet this session.  This is good news.

This bill focuses on addressing slow testing turn around times, reporting issues and low fine structures that fail to discourage misapplication.  We feel this bill is an excellent first step that, regardless of your position with respect to the use of chemicals, is a reasonable and practical approach to address a problem that is becoming more prevalent for those who do not grow row crops in our state.

If you agree with us that this is a good idea, contact your Senator.  We intend to provide more detailed information in a future post.

Looking Forward to Nota
Every year during the Winter months the Gang of Four farms (Blue Gate Farm, Grinnell Heritage Farm, Scattergood Friends School Farm and Genuine Faux Farm) hold a "Nota" Conference.  We spend some time together at Blue Gate, enjoy some good food, some great company and we have a chance to talk over a myriad of farm issues with people we know and trust.  It's coming up and we're shifting gears so we can be ready for it!


CSA Workshop
Rob was asked by Practical Farmers of Iowa to help lead a CSA workshop for those who are in the beginning stages of running a CSA farm share program.  Since Rob was a teacher in a former life, this gives him the opportunity to revisit the process of facilitating learning.   Yes, he still likes that kind of stuff.  But, best of all - there wasn't any grading.  Just good opportunities to give feedback and to encourage critical thinking.

Since the workshop was a two-day affair, you can guess that it required a bit of preparation prior to the event.  So, if you wanted some idea as to what Rob was doing with all of the time he was spending NOT weeding in January, now you know.

Research Agenda 2016
Every year we undertake a series of trials and/or research projects on our farm.  Some of them are simply to explore techniques or varieties that we might use on our farm.  Other things are a bit more formal.  For example, we have applied and received SARE grants for research in the past.  We have also participated in numerous Practical Farmers of Iowa projects in the past.  This year, we have a few projects going on that we thought we would share with you.

1. Summer Broccoli Variety Trials
Many growers in the state have a difficult time growing summer broccoli, which is something our farm tends to focus on.  A fairly large number of farms will be running trials of three broccoli varieties (Belstar, Gypsy and Imperial).  We will be running randomized, replicated plots to measure yield and other qualities of these varieties as we grow them this season.  The side result for the CSA and others interest in our product?  There's likely going to be a bit more broccoli this year!

2. Annual Flowering Companion Trials
After Rob showed a picture of the 2015 GFF melon field at the PFI Cooperator's Meeting, several people wanted to try and figure out what annual flowers they could add to their fields.  We will be trialing borage, lemon basil and anise hyssop in an effort to assess their relative benefit and cost to our farming operations.  We will be measuring speed of germination and establishment, canopy density, flowering period and attractiveness to pollinators.  Plus, these plants should look great in our fields.

3. Living Mulch in Cucumbers
Cucumbers sprawl and cause a myriad of problems once they do so.  Among them is the issue of weeds and muddy fruit when it rains.  We will running a
trial using New Zealand white clover in a randomized, replicated study to determine if yield is affected and if there is additional cost (or savings) associated with this.

Go Caucus with This

If you are going to caucus, please remember that this is an opportunity to bring plank proposals for the political party of your choice to consider.  This is AT LEAST as important as who you stand for in the presidential races.

These are planks that were drafted by the Iowa Organic Association, of which Rob is a board member.  Print these out and bring them along so you can easily submit them.

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

General Support for Organic: We support a farmer's right to farm as they see fit as long as the practices used do not infringe on the rights of others.  These rights include clean air and water, the ability of future generations to successfully farm, and the rights of farmers to use alternative growing practices on nearby farms without fear of loss due to the actions of a neighbor.  It is a farmer's responsibility to adopt practices that support a healthy and diverse environment and use techniques that prevent chemical drift, promote soil health and protect water quality.  We believe it should be the government's role to support sustainable and organic agricultural practices, education and research.  Similarly, the government should discourage actions that are shown to have deleterious effects on the quality of our shared natural resources.
Labeling of GMOs:  We believe that people have a right to know what is in their food; and thus, the FDA should require mandatory labeling of GMO ingredients.  Studies show that more than 90% of Americans support mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods (GMOs). State and Federal officials are urged to support mandatory, on-package GMO labeling at the State and Federal levels.
Pesticide Drift:  We believe that pesticides should not travel away from the intended area of application and that pesticide applicators have a responsibility to apply pesticides so that they do not cross property borders.  Pesticide drift can damage neighboring crops and it can cause bodily harm to people and animals when it drifts off-target.  State and Federal officials are urged to better execute their delegated responsibility to regulate pesticide drift and enforce the federal pesticide label requirements around pesticide drift.
Water Quality:  Recent research published by USDA Agricultural Research Service in Ames and Iowa State University in the journal "Sustainable Agriculture Research" showed that a typical organic crop rotation reduced farm nitrate leaching by nearly 50 percent, compared to the conventional Iowa corn and soybean rotation. Iowa's Nutrient Reduction Strategy calls for a 41 percent reduction in nitrate leaching across Iowa agriculture. Changing to an organic cropping system could by itself achieve the goals of the INRS for those farms that make that conversion.  We believe that subsidizing the transition of conventional farmers to organic management is the most cost-effective and efficient way to achieve the water quality goals of INRS.  State and federal officials should recognize and fund financial and technical assistance programs that help Iowa farmers transition to organic agriculture to mitigate nitrogen pollution in our waterways.
=======================================

Because we want tomatoes like this.

News of the Farm - It's Still January - Right?

One of the hardest things to do is to get back into something that you purposely set aside in an effort to take a break and rebuild energy.  In this case, it is our blog and all of the accompanying online presence-type stuff that we do to promote our farm.  It actually goes a bit deeper than that.  By nature, I am a planner/analytic type of personality.  I really prefer to spend time figuring out what should be done and how it should be done before I take action.  The problem with that?  Well, time doesn't seem to stop while I sit and figure out exactly what it is that I want to have happen.  Why is that?

What does it mean when the burning bush freezes over?

Since time is not sitting still - I will work to get a quick January Newsletter type thing out there.  Then, we should be able to continue with our regularly scheduled blog posts for the month.


January - Time To Plan
There really is a good bit of that going on and we thought we'd let you in on some of what we're looking at.  Of course, you get the short version of it all.  Yes, I am SURE you are all relieved to hear this.

Of course, there are the normal things that we do every year.  We've got to figure out seed orders, planting plans and workers for the next growing season.  This year has the added complexity of a second high tunnel in the plan.  It's not that we're unhappy about having it - far from that.  But, its presence changes everything from crop rotations to seed varieties.  For that matter, it might change how we focus on labor and it may even encourage us to make a change in tools.

It won't be long until seeds are out again.

And, while we're at it, we're trying to figure out how to add a packing shed/plant starting building to our farm in the near future.  That's not a small thing.  But, rather than keep it simple, we are sold on doing our darndest to add solar PV to the mix as soon as we can manage it.  We've had the idea of going solar from the beginning, so this isn't new.  We're just getting the idea that the time is right.  The difficulties - as always - are time and money. 

Looking forward to this building working for us

The high tunnel also brings us to a couple of things regarding distributing our tasty produce.  Assuming our plans work out, we will have a larger volume of yummy things available May through July and also at the end of the year.  Without counting 'chickens before they hatch' we have to be prepared so that we have sales lined up for this food.  As a result, we are looking at early season sales in both Waverly and Cedar Falls, expanded sales through Hansen's Outlet and increased membership in our Fall Shares.

With lots to plan, there are moments where we might be a bit overwhelmed.  Usually, we have a few moments where everything seems to be in disarray, but we know we have the facts gathered.  Soon after that point, we typically have a flurry of planning activity where a number of things get pruned out and the overall plan becomes clear.

Available For Sale Right Now!
We gave ourselves a little time off from promoting what our farm has for you, but that time is coming to an end.  We're getting our email lists updated and we're taking stock of what is still in our freezers and our cellar.  At present, we know we have the following available if you want it.  Send us an email if there is something here you have interest in.

They made short work of the old tomatoes!

• Broiler chickens.  Whole and Cut up.  $3.50/lb  About 80 available.
• Ducks.  Primarily hens (4-6 lbs)  $6.50/lb
• Potatoes.  Blue, red, yellow and white.  Mostly roasting size.  $1.50/lb  (lower for larger orders)
• Garlic.  Maybe 500 heads still!  $10/lb (about 10 bulbs) or $1.50/head.
• Butternut Squash.  6 to 8 left?  75 cts/ lb
• CSA Shares for 2016.

The Farmers Speak (or Write)
Rob is happy to speak to interest groups and/or classes during the Winter months.  In the past month, he has had the opportunity to speak at the Exchange Club and Dr. Lindgren's class on food issues at Wartburg.  He is planning on speaking at Dr. McCullough's class (environment) at Wartburg and Dr. Perez's class at UNI.  Somewhere in the mix is a CSA Workshop he will be helping lead (sponsored by the Practical Farmers' of Iowa).

Cucumber Frog sleeps - but she WILL awaken!

Both of us had the opportunity to attend the Practical Farmers of Iowa conference this past weekend.  We were pleased to see a couple of our good friends, Jill Beebout (Blue Gate Farm) and Andy Dunham (Grinnell Heritage Farm) give excellent presentations at the conference.  We even managed to NOT heckle either of them.  We aren't sure how that happened.  Rob is also on the board of the Iowa Organics Association and was recently elected as Secretary for the board.  Meanwhile, he is involved in a coalition that is looking to promote legislative change with respect to pesticide drift.  Well, he did need more to do, after all.

Tammy, of course, is merely working hard at Wartburg.  Anyone who knows her will recognize that understatement immediately.  She has been working on an instructor's manual for a new edition of a textbook and she has some research for an upcoming conference presentation that needs to be completed.  In addition, she took a bit of time during the holiday break to write a self-assessment portfolio for the college.  Oh, and she was elected to be President of the board she serves on.  She will fulfill these duties in addition to being Queen Boss on the farm.

Newsy Odds and Ends
You have probably detected that this post is a little disjointed.  It falls under the "Lemme explain... no, there is too much.  Lemme sum up" category.

So, here are few shorts that you may (or may not) have interest in:

• The ducks are starting to lay eggs again and we're trying to sell them!  Let us know if you want to try some.
• We were able to harvest spinach FROM THE FIELD on Thanksgiving this past year.  This would be the latest we've harvested that crop when it isn't under cover.
• Rob's Nation's Cup team for Ticket to Ride won the tournament in 2015, defeating France's Team I in the final.  
• We broke the 10 ton mark for produce during the 2015 season.  We'll take it!
• We were able to donate somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 pounds of produce to the NE Iowa Food Bank and Cedar Valley Friends of the Family thanks in part to help from those who volunteer to help us get the produce to these locations!
• And, we're looking for a few more votes before we close the voting on 2015 picture of the year!

Misunderstandings and Irony

I have been asked by people if I plan on expanding our farm to year-around growing by trying hydroponics or growing in a heated building.  It doesn't take me very long to respond in the negative.  Rather than bore you with the financials and realities of that sort of operation, I'll give you one good reason why.

I need my January.

Pretty easy to be up in time for the sunrise in January.

While I am not particularly fond of very cold weather and I KNOW I am not pleased with the nice little head cold I landed, January gives me a chance to exercise other parts of who I am and do other things I like to do.  A critical part of staying healthy and being successful (in my opinion) is maintaining a balance.  And, simply put, year around growing is a good way to promote the farm running me rather than the other way around.

I certainly have enough to do for the farm right now as it is.  But, it sure is nice not to have to worry about harvests and all of that other stuff hanging over me every day.  Yes, we still have birds to care for and we still have chickens and ducks to sell.  Oh, and there is garlic and potatoes as well.  But, this isn't the same as having to maintain a crop, harvest it, clean it and sell it.  Thank goodness! 

So, one treat to me is that I get to play with postal history. 

I try to select things to put on the blog that might be interesting to a wide group of people without being overwhelming.  I find this one to be amusing, so I thought I'd share.

3 cents for a normal letter + 13 cents for "Special Delivery" fee

The Misunderstanding
This letter was posted by a person who probably wanted to do business with the Spencer Fire Works company located in Polk, Ohio.  You would think that someone who lives in Chicago (where this was posted) would have some idea as to the difference between Ohio and Iowa.  Yes, yes, I know.... They both have alot of vowels.  With two of the three letters in common, you *might* be able to suggest that they were having trouble with a vowel movement.  

No, no.  We shan't be punning here.  Oh, it's too late?  Sorry.

In any event, a helpful postmaster found that there was a Polk CITY in Iowa, so they added "City" to the address and away it went.  The Polk City postmaster probably rolled eyes to the sky and said, "we've got another one."  I'm guessing this wasn't the first (or last) time that something was incorrectly addressed to the Spencer Fire Works company and sent on to Polk City, Iowa by mistake.  The postmaster dutifully re-mailed the item to Polk, Ohio and a backstamp on the envelope shows that it did arrive there on June 28.

The Irony
Items like this are a bit more interesting to a postal historian, such as myself, because something didn't quite go according to plan in the delivery process of this letter.  That's why the item caught my attention when I first saw it.  I was able to purchase it for a couple of dollars and I could then take a little time to research it.

Initially, I thought it was interesting that someone would try to send something to a fireworks company in Iowa of all places.  After all, there has been a ban on the private sale and use of fireworks in this state since 1938.  By 1947 (the time this letter was mailed), I suspect most people in surrounding states might have some idea that fireworks were illegal in this state.  One could say that it is ironic that people are confusing one state with legal fireworks with another state with no fireworks allowed.

But, that's not good enough.  I like a full dose of irony when I can get it.  And, I got it this time.

In the process of confirming the date that the ban was put in place, I was able to learn some information about a key event that had much to do with the fireworks ban in the state.  Before I tell you about it - look again at the NAME of the fireworks company.  Got it stuck in your brain now?  Good.

The year was 1931 and a very dry weather was beginning to take hold of a significant portion of North America.  Have you heard of the Dust Bowl?  Well, there you are.  In any event, things were dry in Iowa, but towns in the state were still intent on celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks.  On June 27, 1931 temps were in the mid to high nineties and winds were strong.  I think you know what comes next...

There was an accident in one town.  A local retailer had a display of fireworks that was accidentally set off.  Fires spread rapidly.  By the time they died down, one hundred buildings in the center of town were destroyed.  Amazingly, no one died in the fires.

The name of the town that burned due to a fireworks accident?

Spencer

And A Bit More of the Story
One major event wasn't quite enough evidently to spur the ban.  The Remsen Holocost of 1936 simply provided more impetus for change.  Legislative action in 1937 led to the ban taking effect January 1st of 1938.  This ban exists up to the present day, though the presence of large retail outlets at the border attests to a long-standing tendency of Iowans to cross the border to purchase fireworks regardless of the ban.  As recently at 2013 there were more than 25 fires started by personal fireworks in the state.