Lots of Seeds
This week I began working in the greenhouse. To start the season, I picked up a truck load of seed starter mix. After dusting off the growing trays and wiping the cobwebs off of my various greenhouse supplies I was…
Planning Out the Season
This time of year is all about crop planning. I start by determining how many pounds per week I would like to harvest of each crop. From there I can determine exactly how many seeds I will need for each…
Farms Speeding By My Window
Last week I returned from a cross country train trip. My husband and I hopped on the California Zephyr train in Davis and rode for three days to Chicago. Then switch over to the Capitol Limited train which took a day…
End of the Season
Except for bagging up popcorn, I have not been doing much farm work. This time of year the labor does not involve heavy lifting. It’s the end of the year and I’m spending time reflecting on this growing season. Thinking…
Getting Gifts Together
It is the gift giving time of year. I’ve been busy making most of my holiday gifts. It can be tough to figure out what to give friends and family but I have always found handcrafted items bring a smile…
Cleaning Up For the Season
After a bit of a dry spell, the rains are back. In December this hauls any fieldwork and sends this farmer inside to stay dry. But there is plenty of farm work to do like organizing everything in the barn,…
Oh Drip Tape
I’ve been doing a lot of mowing and removing a lot of irrigation. This is the early winter work involved in putting the field to bed for the season. It’s typically this time of year that I realize there is…
Farmers Love Books
As a farmer with winter coming and farm life slowing down, now is the perfect time to stay inside and get cozy with a good book. Books make great presents this holiday season either as a hostess gift or a…
Finally Heirloom Popcorn
The long wait for local popcorn and beans is over, this week I visited a fellow farmer to use his thrasher. This was a speedy way for me to shell all the popcorn and dried beans that I had harvested…
Time Change
It is hard to get work done at the farm with these shorter autumn days but as a farmer you have to work with the rhythm of the seasons. The summer, with its long days is chanting you on, to…
Rainy Day Work
Recently it’s been grey and chilly out. Most days there seems to be some rain, even if it’s just a sprinkle or two. So I have found my rain boots and I’ve pulled the sweaters out of the closet. With…
Tomatoes and Pumpkins
The tomato production has started to slow down. The recent rain has encourage the tomatoes to crack and split. And of course the short days and cold nights of autumn make it harder for a tomato to ripen. But I’m…