Tomorrow we start the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks Farmer’s Market, weather permitting. There is a high chance of rain, but not until 1pm or so…so “they” say. All day today we have been doing chores getting ready for market. I haven’t gone to this farmer’s market before, even as a patron, so I’m not sure what to expect. I’m full of all sorts of apprehension, trying to drown it with a doughnut and blogging.
Onions and Leeks
[/caption]
Wish us luck.
I absolutely LOVE this picture!
Here is Rose, volunteer extrordinaire, milking “Girly” Friday. I wasn’t out there while she did it, but looking at these pictures, I enjoy seeing her confidence. I’ve milked that goat once, and let me tell you, you get hand cramps…it’s not easy, atleast not for me.
She's a pro!
Let’s also pay a visit to the American Red Cross website, and see how you can help those affected by the storms this week.
Last week a series of thunderstorms rolled through these parts of Arkansas and beyond. Tornadoes touched down further south across several states, the hardest hit being Mississippi and Alabama. Up here, it rained 10″ in 24 hours. The next day more rain fell, causing flash floods in NWA. On the farm, the rain washed down our footpath to our house, which is its natural draining pattern, and washed over my bed which was planted with carrots. It washed over it so much, that eventually cut channels through the bed, washing the soil into the onion bed. We tried to alleviate some of the damage by putting straw bales into the path of the water, but when thousands of gallons are running off of a large roof over a matter of hours, you just can’t compete. We tried, but it did no good. It was interesting talking to some of the farmer’s at the Fayetteville Farmer’s Market today, listening to their stories of what the rain washed away. One farmer said it washed his topsoil away. Another mentioned, how his topsoil didn’t leave his property, but that it had washed to the bottom of the hill. That’s something to think about, right. Your dirt. And how important it is. Treat it well.
Paul and I were standing at the windows watching the lightning
Lightning just struck and lit up the sky. You can kind of see how hard it's raining, or maybe it's just blurry
A result of the rain, 2"+ of water inside
This is the rain, day 1
The rain creating a little creek
Flooding the onions
Here is a link to the American Red Cross, to see ways you can help those who were affected by the tornadoes in the south this week.
NWA has had an unbelievable amount of rain over the past few days which has caused severe damage to infrastructure as well as personal property. Here is a link to KNWA which has a few albums of photos showing flooding all across the region.
Do something with it! For all of you local Fayettvillians, here is a link to the Eco Passport with scheduled events around town.
Have a good one peeps. Hopefully in this neck of the woods it doesn’t rain!
Jason and Eric sailed off into the wild blue yonder today upon the wings of a graceful, black Skylark. It was interesting dinning alone tonight. We’ve had house guests since February, it’s lonesome, one gets used to having all that company. The last set of WWOOF’ers, Courtney and Grace headed west, Eric and Jason be headed east. Jason wants to see more “southern” farms. Around the campfire last night he mentioned how he hasn’t heard a single southern accent since he started his trip. He had been in St. Louis, Springfield, to Patrice’s farm and here. I respect that he’s trying to find a black owned farm and get the stories of those who stayed opposed to those who escaped to the cities. I hope you find what you’re looking for. You were a good worker Jason and Paul’s a little misty you took off, but life goes on and you’re always welcome.
On one of their last days here, Jason and Eric stuccoed the inside of the greenhouse, and it’s almost complete!
Adios Gentlemen!
Yesterday, Sunday April 17th, the family and WWOOF’ers joined in the fun at the World Peace Wetland prairie on the south side of town. It was an OMNI sponsored event and we were asked to put up a little information at a table, which Paul manned and talked to people who wanted to talk about the CSA. It was a lot of fun! There was free food and folk music, the kids went on a wild animal parade walk with Mother Nature. Mother Nature also had story telling in her tent where there were shrines to endangered species. It was very kid friendly and enjoyable
Paul doing a tai chi move along with Eric holding up the display.
Isaac hula hooping
Eric chatting with farm friend Bob Campbell
Jason exploring the World Peace Wetland prairie.
Folks reading some posters outside of Mother Natures tent.
Photo Credit: Isaac Chapracki
Bicycle powered PA system
Dr. Dick Bennett and Mother Nature
Isaac enjoyed all of the sweets offered, again and again!
Folk Fun!
The wilder side of the wetlands. Photo Credit: Eric Geiken
Photo Credit: Eric Geiken
Photo Credit: Eric Geiken
Photo Credit: Eric Geiken
E. Geiken
E. Geiken
E. Geiken
"Owliver"
Mother Nature
Kiddos getting masks for the wild animal parade.
Isaac was an arctic fox
Paul listening to Joanna reading a poem about nature.
Wild animal parade.
Me, trying to convince Mother Nature to buy a CSA share, when actually she already has.
This is just one of many fun events coming for Fayetteville over the next two weeks as a part of “Earth Week”. Here is a link to the Eco Passport if you did not pick one up, it has all of the events listed. Hope to see you locals out at some of them!
Yesterday the gang was busy doing farm work and such, but broke for siesta to build a rain catch for the storm that was gong to hit in the evening. Now it isn’t a permanent system, but with the amount of rain forecasted, it was hard to pass up throwing something together to harvest rainwater.
The scene in the yard.
Alex, from York Pennsylvania.
Johnathan and Eric talking logistics.
Working out kinks.
The problem was how to keep it from falling over in the high winds.
E-town surveying the situation.
This is Shannon, also from York PA.
A side note, here are Alex and Shannon together. They left really early this morning. It rained cats and dogs last night, and they stayed in a tent…Hope yous guys (some Penn. speak) stayed dry. Happy trails, thanks for your help!
Today. I was out taking pictures of the “Take” and Rose B. volunteer extraordinaire was sticking her tounge out at me, I missed that but caught her laughing smile.
The “Take”. A little more than 200 gallons of rainwater!!!
A look at the finished project. Cinder blocks helped with weight and stability.
Rose B. and Eric (E-Town) pouring out rainwater out of another barrel to water some seeds just planted.
This is some Arkansas DIY in action!
Kelly Mullhollan came by the other day to give Paul a check for his CSA share. Kelly and his partner Donna used to live on the farm and are excited that it is finally turning into a working farm. He saw Paul and Jonathan speak at and OMNI event on Campus about sustainable agriculture and committed to being the first customer that night. Thank you Kelly for supporting Northwest Arkansas Local Harvest and understanding the value in a local, sustainable form of agriculture.
Photo credits: Isaac Chapracki.
2greenthumbs's Weblog 