Tag Archives: Paul

Jul9

Filler and Good Times

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Filler and Good Times

We have lost Annie, but gained Jake and Patrick, brothers from Springfield Missouri.   The brothers have been here a week now and are enjoying their time here on the farm.  They have a fun story, sorry guys but I’m going to tell it.  They both worked for Expedia, the travel web site.  They worked in the call center to help you book your trip.  Well, they both got fired on the same day and decided it was time to move on.  They said that their higher-ups did them a favor because they saw how unhappy they were.  So they started to travel themselves , instead of helping all of you book your vacations.  They also drastically changed their lifestyle choices, including their diets.  Jake was over 400 lbs.  Through good old eating right and exercise, he was able to drop over 160 lbs!  Talk about a monkey off your back!  I’m so inspired by their enthusiasm and will power and in turn they are inspired by ours.

Annie D’s last breakfast with the team.  We miss you already, happy trails.

(L-R) Jake, Patrick, since nicknamed the “Missouri Angels”.

The greatest job on the farm.

Picking tomatoes.

Oliver likes to hang out while people are working.  He makes sure this ship sails smoothly.

I’m glad he does, because we can get cute pictures of him doing super-cute things.

Paul put him to work picking green beans.

Jake displaying his tomato harvest.

We are currently selling produce through numerous avenues.  A few local grocery stores are the proud recipients of Ozark Alternatives potatoes, as well as a few local restaurants and of course the Fayetteville Farmer’s Market.  The tomatoes seen here were sold through our CSA, Northwest Arkansas Local Harvest.  We also have sold some through the Farmer’s Market.

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Jun29

How we spent our father’s day

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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.

 

Jun23

Where have I been?

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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.

 

May7

Car Accident

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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 ; )

May2

The Farmer’s Market

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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.

Apr30

SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!!!

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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.

Apr30

The Farmer’s Market Through Isaac’s Eyes

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Isaac decided to take pictures of the Farmer’s Market this morning.  Here are a few:

They’re fun.

Again, : )

Apr30

Flood, Flooding, Floodish

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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.

Apr18

Pre-Earth Day Earth Day!

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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!

Apr15

Arkansas DIY

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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!