News, 9-3-12

Good News

Despite an extraordinarily dry Summer, a prolonged period of sweltering heat, and numerous setbacks, we enter the last 1/3 of the season in a good place.  Enough Summer crops with enough irrigation have held on well enough, and enough Fall crops germinated and survived and are actually looking quite impressive.  Of course it’s too early to claim victory, but it appears this CSA has weathered yet another roller-coaster year in fine fashion.

And despite a mere 0.2 inches of rain over the past weekend and my inclination this morning to curse the weather gods, today brought several more series of showers to boost our grand total up over ½ inch.  Compared to the trifling rains we have become accustomed to, this seems monsoon-like.  It’s not nearly the multiple inches the weather people had me anticipating, but the clouds and intermittent misting these last few days have brought a greenness to the farm we have not seen in some time.  The drought is not exactly broken, but then neither are my spirits.

Chickens still available

We have done a few rounds of butchering already, and we are rather pleased with the way these chickens have turned out: tender and flavorful.  Again, we’re asking $3.50 per pound, which ends up around $10-12 per bird.  The opportunity will not be back around until next Summer, so jump on it now if you are interested.

High tunnel construction begun

It is unclear just yet if construction will be finished in time to plant this Fall, but the hard part is done.  As anyone around here will tell you, once you start digging feet down into the earth, be it for foundation or fence posts, you are likely to hit rock.  So it was not all too surprising (but a bit disappointing) when we began hearing the familiar, stubborn sound of rock as we went to set the ground posts for the high tunnel (high tunnel=greenhouse without supplementary heat).  In any event, a few blisters and cuss words later, the ground posts are in.  Pretty soon we’ll have metal arches spanning across the 96 foot long shelter, then plastic, and then, with some luck, maybe we’ll have some green things growing in there this Winter.

The baby in Courtney’s belly that Clark likes to kiss

Is now 24 weeks along towards its Christmas due date, and is kicking away.  We have just started seeing the midwives at Clark Memorial Hospital and are happy to have their support through this process.  It is amazing how much faster this pregnancy is progressing than the last.  I guess it is true what people say: once you have children, time hurtles ahead.  Farming is going to be so much easier next year with two little sets of big-time helping hands!  Life is endlessly interesting, isn’t it?

Gratitude for good help

With Courtney back in school and the days growing ever shorter, there is no way I could even approach getting everything done on my own.  I hope every one of you know how crucial your contributions are; you may feel it is small, but trust me it all adds up.  While CSA shareholder numbers are down this year, the strength of spirit that drives this CSA only grows.  I hope together we are able to make this living, breathing, meaningful endeavor last way out into the indefinite future.  The world at large often seems to spin frighteningly out of control.  But I believe the community that all of us are accomplishing brings a real kind of peace and purpose, light and delight to a spiritually hungry planet.  Keep up the good work, and thanks again.