Refining our Farm Share program
Our farm share program is so fun. I know that sounds self-aggrandizing, but seriously, I love our members and the community we are building. Getting to know our farm share members (especially the little ones :) has been the most rewarding part of this season. The farm share program is the aspect of the business that is the most fun to dream about, has the most compelling narrative, and really makes me the most excited about building a vibrant community around healthy food and sustainable agriculture.
Breaking new ground!
It may still be mid-summer, but my head is already exploding with plans for next year. Today we broke ground on the site of our expansion field. This new piece is about a half an acre of flat bottom land on the front part of our farm.
Green beans, yellow beans, dilly beans!
BEANS. I love beans, particularly the little french filet variety (yes those ones that are reaaaalllly a back-breaker to pick). Their tinder snap and crisp flavor screams summer and always gives me a pleasant wave of nostalgia. So, in honor of the green bean, the blog this week is a throw back to a few years ago. Below is a little reflection piece I wrote about green beans.
Flowers
I love growing flowers (obvious from the overabundance of flower pictures peppering my social media and marketing efforts :). At one point I had hoped to only grow flowers. I would fantasize about long days in my green house tending plants and arranging flower bouquets. In the fantasy growing flowers is really easy, I always look beautiful and unhurried and the flowers are never damaged or overrun with weeds, people weep with joy when they see me and my armfuls of ranunculus, dahlias, lisianthus, and tiger lilies, and there are rainbows and unicorns in the background. Well, ok, not that last part, but you get the idea..
The halfway point
Today marks the beginning of the 15th week of the Thornfield Farm market season—the halfway point. I can't decide whether to be amazed at how fast it's gone or terrified by how much further we still have to go. Every week moves by so quickly I can't believe it's over, and yet there is so much work packed into every day that it always feels like three weeks in one. I'm exhausted and very happy.
Why is the government watering cotton in the desert?
This week I listened to a story from ProPublica about an investigative series on the Colorado River. Western states are seeing one of the worst droughts in decades. This is not news. But, this investigation goes into an incredible analysis of the history of the Colorado River and gives depth and explanation to some of the issues surrounding our latest water crisis. Of particular interest to me is the exploration of crop production in the West and the US Farm Bill.
An ode to Zephyr
Zephyr is tall and lush, her hair hangs out in big green lobes of vegetative health. Her fruit is long and lean with a delicate yellow body and a sweet green tip. Her babies come in fast and keep coming for weeks, and weeks, and weeks. The flesh of her fruit is tender and delicate with a subtle sweetness. As a mother Zephyr hangs tough when the other squash bend to the Virginia disease cycle. She's not an automatic target for the stripped cucumbers beetles or the squash bugs. Zephyr is sturdy, bodacious, prolific, and a beauty to behold.