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8-28-09 WELCOME TO THE FARM BLOG
This is not our farm, but on one of our trips to Bowling Green to pick up our processed chicken, this is what the sky looked like. The clouds were so pretty that I just had to take a picture and wanted to share it here. 8-21-09
I have said it time and time again..wow, what a ride we have been on this year. Farmers markets and CSAs have suffered all over the country. The rain this summer has helped some things, but has caused a lot of disease on many others.
We feel so fortunate though, despite the year that we have had, we have had a successful CSA season. We have heard from so many that they are very happy with their shares; we have worked real hard to make the best for all involved. Many CSAs in our area have had to shut down; some for the summer, some for the rest of the year.
There have been cantaloupes, peaches, blackberries, watermelons, tomatoes, red and white potatoes, sweet corn, broccoli, cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage, squash (several types), winter squash, pears, snow peas, peppers, green beans, eggplant, kale (3 types), swiss chard, napa cabbage, radishes, green onions, candy onions, basil, thyme, dill, and much more....and there is much more to come. Just think of all of the fall items to come........yum.
8-30-09 CHOGS YOU SAY?
What great weather this weekend, unseasonably cool. This is good and this is bad, depending on how you look at it.
But you are asking...what is a chog and what does that have to do with good or bad weather. Well, the CHOGS, as Ralph calls them, are the most gluttonest (is that a word?) chickens we have ever had. They eat, and eat, and eat, and then eat some more. They forage free on the farm and get rid of little bugs for us...I sure wish they ate flies! I wonder if their "odd" behavior is due to the "odd" weather that we have had this year.
But if we didn't know better, we'd think they were from the HOG family. They run to us, barely letting us get down the driveway and if you come to visit, you will become a victim of the "stop before they get under your tires" drill.
We are accustomed to the hogs bowling over Ralph when he tries to feed them, we expect that; but never have we had the experience of chickens so hungry that they can't wait another minute.
The other day I got out of the car and they tried to eat my sneakers. Now come on, what is so tasty about a smelly sneaker! Go figure.
I'm not sure what I'd caption this picture as, except to say that I had a feeling what the Pied Piper might have felt like.
The CHOGS otherwise known to us as The Chicken Hogs!
9-7-09 LABOR DAY WEEKEND AND STILL LABORING
We had Southwest Farmers Market this weekend in Louisville. Several of our vendors didn't show up and it looked rather sparse at the market. We did okay, but it lead me to think about, actually to dream about, what it would be like to take a weekend off from the labors of farming.
Well, for one thing, one week away and most customers think you are done for the year; as this is our livelihood, we just cannot even fathom that. The goodies growing on the farm don't go on vacation, so they have to be picked anyhow...so we'd take a loss there. With all the losses we've incurred this year between being robbed and the weather, it was just not something we could even consider. I think how nice it would be to be able to go to all those Saturday events that we have "missed" for almost 18 years and then I think "We are one of those Saturday events."
Then Sunday came and I think, "okay, just kick back and relax" but planting awaited us and so we spent the day planting cabbages and other things so that our great customers and CSA members could enjoy the fruits of our Labors.
This morning we woke up to rain, thunder, and lightning and my first thought was "a day of house work, relaxing, vacation"... no such thing. As if to read my mind, the sun came home, the humidity came up and the work began.
Labor Day Weekend takes on a whole new meaning for the farmers. No vacations, just work as usual.
