Sunday, February 22, 2009

Back in the Flow

Yes we're back in the Flow. This last week we got back from our vacation. This year we went to the Philippines again, we love it there, it's beautiful, the food is good, the scuba diving is great, and it fits our budget. There are small farms everywhere. You see people working all different seasons of rice at one time. They will be transplanting, harvesting, prepping paddy's with these small walk behind tiller type things, tilling fields with water buffalo, and all at the same time of year. The rice is harvested by hand, run thru small threshers and then they dry it on the side of the road.Then there are small veggie plantings, goats, chickens, beef on leashes, bananas, coconuts and your typical tropical paradise foliage. Just beautiful !!!! We did come down with a minor case of some flu we probably picked up on the plane but I was recovered in time to be able to do yesterdays market.
The market yesterday was great, good weather, a good crowd, and we sold all the carrots by 12:00. I was so excited to go back to market on Friday night that I could not get to sleep. Not one wink. It happens sometimes but usually I will get a few hours of sleep. But I was fine at market, not sleepy, just a bit worn out at noon.
I have ordered all the seeds, and only one case of scrambling to find Gypsy peppers when my usual source didn't have any. Every one in a while you get thrown a curve ball and have moments of panic, when a supplier says "we're out" or "crop failure" most times I am able to find a different source. But I have tried and true varieties that I really count on and if they're not available it sucks. I do trials of different varieties but not as many as I could or should. This year I am trialling some new green zuchinni variety's as I'm trying to find a good performer that's availible in "organic" ( Oganically grown seed"). And I'm going to switch from my yellow bar zuchinni to a yellow straigtneck. The yellow zuchinni that I've grown for years needs to be replaced with something that yeilds more but is just as desirable to my customers. Hope there are not to many people that are disapointed. I will be trialling a new yellow bar zuchinni, but won't plant it en-mass till I see how it works out.
Speaking of work. This week the crew will be starting to dig/wash carrots to store, and I will be prepping the greenhouse and start planting tomatoes etc. Yes the season is here and I'm excited!!!