Basking in the Turkey After Glow

Over the weekend I was busy working outside: picking up, putting away, and doing all round general clean ups preparing for the winter snows to arrive.  Nothing yet!  In fact, yesterday (the first day of buck season here) it was cloudy and 63 degrees.  Go figure.  I have to say, it has been a very mild fall season still.  In spite of germination problems, I do have some lettuces doing fairly well and some nice baby radishes.

However, in spite of this warmth, I do recognize that it won’t last forever and that winter will rear it’s sometimes ugly head.  It’s not all bad you know.  Actually, I’m looking forward to seeing snow coat the trees and ground.  It can look so pretty up here.

Well, as I started preparing for winter’s inevitability, I got a speck of good news.  One of the guys on the rodeo circuit may not have his rodeo partner for the upcoming season.  So, as he and I were talking, the idea came up to both of us— being partners for a couple of team events involving rough stock.  Although you wouldn’t immediately think so, these particular events oftentimes lead to more injuries than most of the other events.  That’s the problem when you have a steer who just won’t be steered.  Oh, what the heck…I’m healed now from the bull wreck back in September.

In spite of the visions running through my head of my deceased Mother worrying about my safety and saying Novenas by the pearly gates…all the while, clicking her tongue and admonishing me, it looks like me and John are going to give it a try.  I just hope his old partner won’t change his mind before season starts.

Of course, in a fit of selfishness, I figured it’d be good for me, since the potential partner is already a buckle winner in at least one of these events (good to be teamed up with a champion).

Now, we’re trying to figure out which rodeos to compete at.  He has his favorites and so do I.  I’m sure we’ll come to a compromise along the way.  The rodeos will run from Florida to Alberta, Canada and seemingly, everywhere in between.  I’m so looking forward to it.

Thanksgiving Is Almost Here

Ah yes.  It’s that time of year again when thoughts turn to roast turkey, turkey gravy, turkey a la king, turkey hash, turkey croquettes, etc.  Turkey has to be one of my most favorite foods.  I’m proud of the Heritage Breed turkeys I raise–very tasty and so good for you.

Here’s a link to a recent article about Heritage Breed turkeys that you might find interesting:

http://www.grist.org/sustainable-food/2011-11-14-something-to-be-thankful-for-real-turkeys-make-a-comeback

 

 

 

A Challenging Fall Season

Well, it’s been almost two months since my last post.  So many things going on.  September through early November has seen a few challenges on the old homestead.  The first problem encountered was that of germination.  A massive seed failure left me spinach-less (and speechless).  I figured that the humidity over the summer and a lack of placing the seed in sealed containers rendered my spinach seeds useless.  After several attempts at re-sowing, I gave up in mid-October.  Interestingly enough, the collard and romaine seeds experienced the same germination problems.  Again, humidity must have been the culprit.  I did however, get some romaine to germinate in the tunnels, albeit fairly late.

On another note, the girls (bees) were attacked by a bear this past weekend.  As you can see in the photo, the bear got the late honey super and ate all the honey but left the deeps (the big boxes that serve as the bees’ home) intact.  He just upended the deeps.  This past Sunday morning, I donned my gear and got to work cleaning up the mess and putting the one hive back together.  Needless to say, the girls were ticked. 

I put up some fencing around the hives now although it’s only welded wire fencing.  Put rolls of barbed wire around the fenced in perimeter, making it look like some gulag or a nazi prison camp.  Ahh, live and learn.

Overall, it’s been a warm fall season, nights around 35-40F and days around 50-60F with a few frosty mornings thrown in for good measure.

Finally, computer at home had been giving me grief.  Seems to be working now alright.  I guess that good swift kick in the diodes helped.

Market Day Coming Up

I’m so gratified about the responses to my presentation at the Mother Earth Fair!  And grateful too for some of the suggestions.  We all have some knowledge to impart to each other and it’s all about learning.  I think we all can agree we all had a great time and got more excited about what we’re doing!  Special thanks to PASA for sponsoring that stage!!!  If you haven’t gone to the PA Assoc for Sustainable Agriculture‘s website, please do it!  They’re a great resource for what we do.

I was recently invited to be part of a panel of independent filmmakers at the Harmony Ridge Film Festival next Saturday the 8th of October, so I won’t be at the Ligonier Country Market that day (coincidentally, the last day of the market for the season).

I’ve moved my market day up a week to this Saturday October 1st.  As a result, I’ve been frantically trying to get everything picked and/or dug for my last market day of the season in spite of the injury.

Sweet potatoes have done well this year.  After two failed years, this year was the deciding year.   They were either going to do well or I was going to give up on them.  The reasons for the past failures have been mostly due to damage from chipmunks, of all things.  This year, I thwarted “Chippie” and his friends by surrounding the sweet potato bed with chicken wire, digging it into the ground a couple of inches to make sure they couldn’t get under it.  Another thing I did was to move the location of the bed to an area less frequented by the little “angels”.  It all seemed to work out although “Chippie” is none too happy…oh well.  Can’t please everybody.

The sweet potato harvest is yielding a half pound per square foot of bed…not too shabby.

Here’s a shot of some of the sweet potato crop and a few of the pie pumpkins.  The basket of sweet potatoes here weighs 23 lbs.  Other produce that will be for sale:  yellow beans, hot peppers, edamame, leeks, shallots, celery, pea tendrils, and turnip greens.  I’m sure I forgot something.

 

Mother Earth News Fair Presentation

Thanks for the wonderful comments about the presentation folks!  Here’s a copy of my presentation from the Fair yesterday for those who are interested.  Mother Earth News Presentation: A Year in the Life of a Micro Farm

Day 1 of Mother Earth News Fair

What a great day!  So many people…thousands…from all over the country.  The talks were wonderful too!  I’m looking forward to the second day today.  Photos of the event will be up soon.  By the way, here’s the link again to my film short about my place in case you haven’t seen it:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cyhqnHMZ60

Battered And Bruised But Still Tickin’!

Got back from the rodeo in San Francisco at 2:00 am on Tuesday morning.  What a weekend!  Frisco was neat.  Unfortunately, I didn’t make the full time on my bull on Saturday, got thrown, and got injured.  Shucks!  Wound up with 2 broken ribs and a banged up ankle.  But, I walked out of the arena!  Always a good thing.

Doc at ER in San Fran said it’ll take me about 6 weeks to heal.  Good thing that this was the last regular rodeo of the season.  The new season starts up again in February so I’m looking forward to that.  In the meantime, thinking about how, logistically, I’m going to harvest, pack, and sell veggies for this Saturday’s Ligonier Country Market.  Still have yellow beans, carrots, and beets to sell!

As they say, “where there’s a will, there’s a way”.

At any rate, a bunch of us cowboys got a chance to go out on the town last Friday, the day before the rodeo.  We had a blast!  Even went to a Dim Sum place for the first time in my life!  Here’s a shot of me (left) and buddy Tim from Texas visiting Chinatown in San Francisco!

Good Day At The Market

Well, market day went well on Saturday.  Not a lot of people when the horn sounded at 08:00 but the crowd picked up by 09:00.  Gratefully, I sold out by 11:15.  After market, I went home to till up soil, spread manure, and plant again.  At this time of year, I’m starting to plant the spinach, beets, and carrots for the fall/winter.  Soon, I’ll be planting lettuce when space opens up in the beds.

I’ll be hitting the road once again on September 8th.  This time, to  the San Francisco area to ride bulls at the  rodeo in La Honda, CA.  Having a great time with all the wonderful folks at the different rodeos.

Celery Time

It’s that time of year once again when the celery is ready to be pulled.  In spite of the dry spell in mid-July, it did well.  I’ll be bringing some of those to sell at the Ligonier Country Market tomorrow, Saturday August 27th from 08:00 until noon.  See you there!

Home Again!

Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit like a bouncy ball…going from one place to another.  After being away from the farm for a few days, it’s nice to be home again!  Had a great time competing in and working at the rodeo in Chicago.  The rain up there last Saturday was incredible!  The arena was a complete mess.  Fortunately, nobody got injured and by the second day of the rodeo, the arena dried out well.

Donated produce to the Crooked Creek Watershed Association last week before I left for Chicago.  The group sells produce at the Indiana, PA farmer’s market to raise funds for the good work they’re doing in protecting that watershed.

Busy trying to play “catch up” with my duties around the farm.
I’m getting ready now for my next market day at the Ligonier Country Market on Saturday August 27th.