Just a little note, Mother Earth News has taken me on as a blogger for their “Happy Homesteading” Blog. Here is a link to my first blog post for them. And for those of you who are finding this blog for the first time through them perhaps, welcome! I encourage you to start from the beginning…and the rest of you for that matter.
Father’s Day, does it always fall on a Sunday? Sundays are our Farmer’s Market day, so we watched all of the daddy’s with their children, young and old. Channel 5 news was there, a local news outlet here in Northwest Arkansas and they interviewed Paul, Oliver and Isaac about Father’s Day and what they were going to do for their Dad. I have a link posted. We were the first to this market with tomatoes. Lest you forget we sell at the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, every Sunday, from 9am-2pm. Also, I take that back about the first with tomatoes, that accomplishment was shared that day. Another vendor had tomatoes also, they weren’t quite ready, but it’s important to be first. The people are tomato hungry right now and I don’t blame them.
Paul and Isaac at the farmer’s market on Father’s Day.
Later in the day we sat and prepared garlic to cure. Here is Shiori doing an amazing job.
My apologies, now let’s move forward. These pictures are of the kids and I planting their garden, and the beginning day of our CSA. This day we also welcomed two new WWOOF‘ers from Brooklyn (represent) Nora and Will.
Isaac planted some tomatoes in his garden. Isaac LOVES tomatoes and probably won’t share his crop.
Oliver adding amendments to the soil for his tomato plants.
Paul adding fresh jam to the sacks for the CSA customers. Did I mention this was day one?
Jonathan in front of house #1 on delivery day. Doesn’t he look EXCITED!
Lucky customer #1.
I had to take a picture of these radishes, they were so pretty.
Maybe this shot should have been earlier, nonetheless, Oliver, loading sacks into the car.
As of present, we just finished week 6 of delivery…maybe that’s where I’ve been.
Today we were supposed to welcome two WWOOF’ers coming from Little Rock area, originally from Japan, Shiori and her friend Kyohei. Unfortunately someone hit her car as they were preparing to leave town. So, we will welcome them on monday instead. In other news, Farmer’s Market take two tomorrow. Paul, the kids and I will b e standing out in GORGEOUS weather hustling. I’m so glad the weather will be nice. Last week, if you read, rained and only a few people showed up. Hopefully the crowds manifest themselves tomorrow. Also, to all of the Mother’s out there, Happy Mother’s Day! I can’t forget to call mine tomorrow, I’ve been so busy, I didn’t even mail a card…I feel bad Mom. I LOVE YOU. It’s because of her that I have a green thumb. What a true inspiration she has been in my life. Shiori, Kyohei, we will see you Monday afternoon. To all of my other WWOOF’ers past, I hope your journeys are going well. Thanks for the post cards ; )
Our first Farmer’s Market experience was a fun one. There were only a few vendors there because there was rain in the forcast. We decided to go to break the ice and meet some of the vendors. The rain kept the folks away, but there were a few diehards who came out, umbrellas in hand. We mad a whopping $25. It’s no fortune, but it’s a start.
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
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Wish us luck.
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.
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!
Click on this to view our upcoming 2010 workshops!
The Farm will be hosting a series of workshops that are all coming up for the Fall season. You don’t have to live here in Northwest Arkansas to attend. Tell your friends!
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