Pyramid Farms

It begins again.

2011-02-27T10:23:00.000-08:00

Yes it's that time of the year round here, where it all begins again. This week flats will be filled with our soil mix so the planting in the greenhouse can begin. After years of experience I do not rush planting around here. The Tomatoes will be planted late this week, then come Peppers, and Eggplant. All this is timed so the plants will be just the right size to transplant in the field in early April. Then the cold watch really starts.

Last night it hit 25F here. That's not good for all the Almond blossoms in the county. Sure does make me glad that I'm not a tree farmer, with my whole season hinging on one bad night or day. Last year the cold was brutal. Covering up crops with Agribon, uncovering, covering again. In all there were at least three nights of frost alarms going off and Lisa and I jumping out of bed in the middle of the night to cover plants up. Maybe this year will be different, maybe the same. Life of a Farmer, you just never know what might happen with the weather. My crop insurance is diversification, I have many different crops and if I lose one it's not the end of the year, just a bump in the road. With all my experience I know there will be bumps but I also know that I and the Farm will be just fine.

I wonder what this years bumps will be? Weather? Fuel prices? Marketplace? Economy? It's just to much to ponder so I go about my days, do my best, and practice Gratitude for it all. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

I'm excited about the coming year. I have a few new crop niche's I'm going to fill and they really should add to the crop mix, and bottom line round here. I just can't help myself, I can't just rest on my laurels and not tweek anything. I'm encouraged with still building momentum in the Local Food Movement, and with fuel prices going up that only grows. Farm to School food is growing also, making room in the Marketplace for Farms to expand or new Farms to start up. The last few years I have seen quite a few new Farms pop up. It can be really tough the first few years, then of course comes the danger of burnout. Usually 4-6 years in is the time where a Farm/ Farmer really figures it out they will be faced with the fact of working their ass off for a really small income but a rich way of life. It's not easy to reach this point, but it usually happens. Some Farmers give it up and others keep going. It's my hope that consumers keep learning the real cost of their food, and Farmers can keep Farming and actually make a decent living. It's that or one day all our food will be imported, processed,and virtually lifeless.

So here's to good food, all those that eat it, and grow it, be it vegetable or animal.

2010-11-12T01:21:00.000-08:00

Again it's been quite some time since my last post. 2010 has been quite a year. Year end numbers are promising but matching last years numbers will still take a small miracle, which most than likely will not happen. As a businessman every years goal is to increase sales over the year before. As a Farmer every years goal is to increase the heath of the soil, hence health of the plant, and in turn the bounty they yield.

As it so happens there were a few "victories" in the living work of the Farm here also a few challenges, some of those new, some of those recurring. I'll start with one of the "victories"

Our first Cherry Tomato planting was in the end successful . Somehow I managed to avoid the die off which can turn a beautiful healthy planting, to a dieing, frustrating, "I'm not growing these again" planting. I do have present in the soil fusarium wilt in a few isolated spots. This disease when the heat really gets going can ravage the rows. I do inoculate the transplants with a bacteria that serves to protect the root systems from fusarium, and I don't plant cherry tomatoes in areas known to have fusarium present. And this year I religiously made sure gopher damage to the irrigation lines never went unchecked. The result was a planting that gave and gave, copious amounts of sweet delicious little candy treats. Cherry Tomatoes are not only labor intensive in harvest but in maintenance, so break even is high, and to make a decent profit is really hard. At the beginning of the year I swore if I didn't reach certain profit levels I would reduce the amount I grow greatly. Well this year they did well, I did well, our help did well. Cherry Tomatoes are a bit of job security for our help here as they keep them busy.This of course makes a dilemma for me. Should I have the gall to assume next year the viability will repeat itself? Hah!!! I always have to take in account all the variables, for instance we were spared the normal intense heat, our workforce is not always so efficient in the picking speed, and I'm not always so religious in my duties. Oh the choices I'm faced with.

Now on to one of the which due to time constraints I'll be brief, very brief.
I'm not alone in the marketplace. Competition grows and lately it been intense on a few fronts.
I'm making adjustments, building new niches, and fighting like hell for my position in marketplaces. The last few years have brought into existence quite a few new Farms, and also the home gardening explosion has siphoned off more of my traditional customer base.
So what is good for the "Food Revolution" as a whole, and good for our local environment, has increased pressure of competition in the marketplace.

More on this later as it's a quite important subject with many levels of effects.

Quite Simply
Pyramid Farms

Abducted by Aliens

2010-08-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

No I haven't been abducted by aliens. Just been very busy running the Farm in one of the most challenging years I've had. Been challenged by this years cold spring, been challenged by the economy, been challenged by increasing competition of other Farmers.

All these factors have had me thinkin' about the business side of the Farm.

How do I work with all these factors to insure my continued success?

Well the weather issue I can work with a bit. I'm going to use my extensive knowledge of season extending practices to work on making sure I get good strong first runs of my Cucumbers, Watermelons and other Melons. This will hopefully eliminate plantings that "just don't pay".

What do I mean by just don't pay? Sometimes I will have a planting that due to weather dosn't germinate at the levels I plan for, which generally are levels that it takes for those crops to actually "pencil in" which means when I do the math I actually make money on those crops, not just cover my costs, and by making money I mean I have goals of what $$$'s it really takes to justify the labor, cost, and space to generate those sales. I am continually trying to refine the Farm here to not only grow more healthy, vigorous plants, bearing fruit of better flavor, but do so without ending up slaving away, providing good food for what can be ridiculous rewards.
I've been working full time as a Farmer for 12 years now, and I can certainly tell you I won't "get rich" Farming. But I do have principles and beliefs that all people should be justly compensated for their labor. Many new Small Farmers struggle immensely with actually being able to make a living. I myself have gone through this struggle and did so in times that weren't so favorable for Small Farmers. Food was way cheaper then, the cost of production was still high, the market was smaller, and even plain simple appreciation of good food was relatively lacking.
Our present "Food Revolution" is still in it's infancy, for all the movement the last few years it has a far way to go. I have quite a few "Young Farmer Friends" and the struggle that they are going though is comparable to the one I went through years ago. They continually wonder " can I actually make a living farming?" I wondered the same thing. And I set out on the path I'm on today and yes I do make a living. Why? for a few reasons.
I was blessed to be able to purchase the Land my Farm is on for, in comparison to today's prices more than 2/3rds less than what it would be valued today. I bought my land with NO MORTGAGE free and clear, I live in a cheap double wide mobile home, I'm frugal and a "saver", and I have a smart business sense, plus I downright work my ass off.
Where am I going with all this? Well if I was starting out in the last few years, was going to buy land, start a Farm and make a go of it I would have the world against me. For one land is extremely expensive, even in these days of declining values, the cost of land and mortgage is prohibitive.
Prohibitive in the sense that after all the capital costs of starting a Farm, the income you can actually bring home, even in a good year for all those hours of labor could easily be made workin for the man in some 9 to 5 without the stress, the risk, the servitude and more.

Why Prohibitive? Cause Food is Cheap. Still to cheap in my opinion. And Small Farms selling to Local customers still can produce more than they can sell.

This is only a small part of the story, If your Farming for a living, raise your prices, if your a hobby Farmer selling your produce raise your prices, if your a consumer Thank your Farmer, give'm a Hug, and tell'em their food is too cheap, and buy lot's more.

Who has time to blog?

2010-07-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

Not me. At least the time that I have I haven't taken time to blog. I do write two newsletters each week. One for the CSA and one for my market customers. And then there has been other forms of digital communication that have taken up my time. Then there is the "running the Farm". I also serve on a Farmers Market board of directors and that takes time.

Time it's something that I have lot's of but can struggle with not enough of it either. Lot's of time to run the Farm but not enough time to sleep, eat,goof off,etc. Sometimes I have too much time to run the Farm, seems like in the middle of Winter I have to much time on my hands, but now in the Summer, I don't have enough.

I'm seeking more balance now or at least that was one of my larger goals for this year. Balance a little more fun time with less work time. Then I went out and started a CSA, the weather for the year has been totally hinky, and of course all the other ups, downs, ins, outs, of running this Small Farm. It would help of course if the days didn't vary in length so much, or running a Small Farm was more financially viable and I could afford more help.

What you say? yes the truth of the matter is my Small Farm is rare in that it covers the cost of my living, others too, yet there is a bit of imbalance in the spread sheet. The imbalance for my Farm is not so much in dollar terms, but in Social Justice terms. I work very long days, and without so would not be financially viable. Yet I am rare and blessed to not have a mortgage, which has given me the ability to have saved for every bit of development of the Farm beyond the initall purchase of the Farm and some equipment and our humble rundown double wide. Yet if I was starting out now, with the cost of starting a Farm and maintaining it, and growing it, it would not be possible. Currently this is what our "local food movement" is not acknowledging, everyone wants more small farms and to conserve farmland yet the underlying support as in food pricing and demand is still lacking in providing true sustainability. Right now this has been a topic of conversation amongst those on this Farm, and we are wondering what the next step will be? How will this "food revolution" reach the next level needed? Or will it?

I know for sure, next level or not I will continue to do what I've been doing for the last 13 years. Run my Farm to the best of my ability, pay my bills, save a bit of money, work to balance work and play, teach others these skills, grow the best vegetables I can, eat as many as I can, and know that over the years since I have started farming things have gotten dramatically better as in "food system wise" and hopefully will continue to do so. I will go for the ride, do my best to enjoy it, and help others enjoy it also.

A day off!

2010-05-17T16:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Sunday, which is usually my only day of rest,relaxation, and re-creation I found myself to actually be free to sleep in, enjoy my day, and goof off. Yes!!! after at least a solid month of working on Sunday, I had one free! No tilling, no mowing, no nothing. It was a bit strange, a bit foreign, and a bit unnerving. After working the last month of Sunday's I had somewhat become conditioned to "having to work". I was a little suprised to find myself with the ability to goof off without suffering through self punishing guilt that I should or could be working.

What did I do with my day? Well I slept in a bit ( if you call pretending/wishing to be asleep sleeping in) then my usual Farm blog surfing, also a bit of Scuba diving research, ( it's like a virtual vacation), a bit of leftover pizza for brunch, then a bit of dozing of in front of the tube. Then a bit more napping. Some more internet surfing, a bit more dozing, then time for dinner. I was so out of the loop I almost forgot to water some plants outside of the greenhouse, and I completely forgot that we clean the house at 5:00pm. Lisa even let us slide on that one.

So I must have needed it. My brain had come to a point of almost overload, my responsibilities, we're wearing on me, and I really just wanted and needed to do nothing.

So Joy, Joy I had a day off!

I must have been busy

2010-05-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

Yes I have, I have not had a Sunday off in a month and I'm preparing to go work right now. Yes it's Sunday again and I am not out in the field yet it is 12:30, but I am dreading getting out there yet, if I don't I will lament not working. Oh to be aware that I am my own worst enemy. But I'm going to have some breakfast then another cup of go juice and then I'll drag my dragging butt out to run some tractor.

Yes it's been quite a rainy spring and today it threatens again. So far we've managed to dodge all the bullets thrown our way, and have maintained all the planting schedules. Thsi last week the cover came off the Squash to reveal 95% of the spaces in the green zuchinni are being inhabited by squash plants. The yellow squash is a complete bust. And the yellow I planted in the greenhouse are doing quite poorly. So I have decided to put th kibosh on growing yellow squash. See how easy that was. Oh then to make for a fun night this last week two days after uncovering the squash, the frost alarm goes off at 4am so out Lisa and I go to cover it up again. And this is May I tell you and we are supposed to be out of frost season but here in the hollow--Hahh! How Fun!!

Well I think I've done all the goofin off I can do so I'm going to eat something then go out and work on my Sunday off. Whaaahh!

away with you Rain!

2010-04-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

Yes the Rain has gotten to me. I really wanted to be outside today transplanting Peppers. Why? I'm so bad at staying in the office all day working on projects I'd really like to procrastinate on. So right 'bout now I'm a bit on the grump/crabby side of emotions. On top of the rain, I did have to work on Sunday, because of the impending rain. See how rain kind of rules my life 'bout now?

Instead of resting and relaxing and goofing off on Sunday like a good Farmer should , I was out on the Tractor prepping beds for the peppers to go into. glad I did cause on Monday they had to get covered before the impeding possible rain. Most did and they will soon see nice healthy vibrant Peppers plants transplanted into them. A few didn't get covered so now after the rain they are a bit on the wet side, way to wet to cover, and way to wet to plant into, so now Eggplant gets pushed back a bit waiting for the soil to dry a bit. See why I might be a bit grumpy?

I'll try and see the bright side, which is over the next few weeks I can probably get all the ground worked up at least once helping along field preparation, of course first it has to dry out, and before this last rain it was at the perfect moisture levels to work, and this rain will make all the grass that's hand mowed grow faster so now the bright sides gone and lasted only a few fleeting moments.

Oh the life of a Farmer, some days rejoicing that the rain has come, other days having your whole day/week challenged by some little falling drops of water.

What haven't I been Up to

2010-04-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

That's a good question just about everything as it's spring and I'm very busy.

Big ticket items:
Squash is planted
Cherry Tomatoes transplanted
Carrots done digging
Taxes started ( not finished )
Round two of Tomatoes, Eggplant, Peppers planted
Lot's of field worked up
Ad campaign started
Meetings Attended
Lot's of Emails
ok so now the big ticket items are getting smaller so I better go and get something else done, either that or goof off!

Funky Electronic's

2010-03-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

We've been having some funky electronic stuff goin on round here.

First yesterday, no water so I walk out to the well to investigate and what do I find? Ants. Yes ants had invaded the points that cycle on and off the well pump. So after some removal of crispy fried ant bodies the pump was back up an running. But that is not all.

This morning I go into the walkin cooler to bag/box up Carrots like I do every morning these days and what do I notice? Hmm. It's a bit warm in here. Way to warm. So as I do know how to do I check the points and they seem to be functioning, so I bang on stuff, you know banging on stuff is a great trouble shooting technique and sometimes it even fixes things. But the banging dosn't work so I call my reefer guy- The Ice Man, he comes out and turns out the high/low cutout/pullin which has been a bit finicky is kaput. (It is what I usually bang on to fix) So after being replaced it's up and running cooling Carrots as I type.

Sure do hope trouble dosn't come in three's right now cause I can't afford to have the Tractor go haywire.

Happy Farmer

2010-03-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

I'm a happy Farmer right now. I've just got off the tractor for the day and it's not the first time. On Wednesday I started with the whole mowing tilling process. Since then the only day I haven't been on the tractor is yesterday cause I was at Farmers Market and then off to a Market meeting.

Today I worked on what will be Squash beds and Spring Veggies. I've also mowed all my Cherry Tomato beds and my Slicing Tomato beds. They also have had the tiller run thru once and will get passed over again tomorrow.

The soil is looking really good, fracturing naturally not being cut, destroying the tilth. This is very important to me as I've been really patient and careful all these years, not working the soil when it's to wet, adding gypsum/calcium to loosen it up. On the Farm here I have what is called tight soil. Very high in Magnesium, and clay. When I first started working the soil here it was really tight, so tight you might just have called it rock hard. Over the years my careful tilth practices, and adding Organic Matter by the means of strip tilling has made the soil much looser, with much more Organic Matter. It works up in the spring to a crumbly texture, instead of hard rocks. It really makes me happy,and makes me smile to see the difference time, patience, and careful practices can do.

Where do I start ?

2010-03-14T12:18:00.001-07:00

It's been one heck of a busy week round here. I can hardly remember all that I've done. But I'll try.

I started the week by sowing eggplant in the greenhouse, and of course each day I bag and box up Carrots for storage. And I started selling them to S&S, and Chico Natty, and Briarpatch.

Small interruption for breakfast YUM. Lisa's fantastic Eggs, our delicious Bacon, some potatoes, our Sun Dried Tomatoes, and wilted Wild Lettuce, which is really good- nutty ,a bit sweet, and a bit bitter. I should start harvesting it and selling it to French Laundry and retire early.

Ok back to the busy week. I've already told you I'm itchin to get some tractor work done, and changed the oil and greased er up. Ready and waiting for the field to dry.

On Thursday I killed two birds-one stone, and went to Grass Valley to deliver Carrots, and attend the Grower's Market Board meeting, which went really well with lot's of positive input, and energy.We're moving that Market so have lot's on our hands.

Now on to the big news. On Friday since it was raining I started working on my website. Small Farm Central has some really nice templates and nice features for small farmers so I signed up with them and started geeking on my site. All Friday. After the initial spurts and sputters and what? I got the hang of it and it's just about ready to launch. Yippie I'm moving into the 21st century! Now if I start a Facebook page and start Tweeting I'll really be here.

Yesterday's Farmer's Market started off good but died a bit early, and we didn't meet our sales goal, which has me wondering, am I loosing Market customers to my store sales? I had a few people tell me they bought them at the stores and our sales were off by just about the amount they probably sold. Coincidence?

The Tomatoes in the greenhouse are almost all up and off to growing, really good germination 90% so far, and look really good. And the Peppers are already starting to pop thru the soil which is early but good. The weather looks good for the week so I'll start mowing in a few days and hopefully start tilling late week!

So wish for dry weather!

Itchin

2010-03-09T17:22:00.000-08:00

Yes You say, what you itchin to do?

I'm itchin to fire up the tractor and till some soil. Problem is we had rain last night. And I'll tell you I'm not going to mess up the fine tilth I worked on for years just to scratch that one itch.

Mostly I'm itchin to get something done in the field. 'Sides digging Carrots.

Today I did plant the Eggplant in the greenhouse, and the Tomatoes I planted last week are starting to pop their little leaves up through the coco-peat. Yeah! Go 'maters. I Love it when they start doing that. Pretty soon they'll all be up and off to growing.

So tomorrow I'll change the oil and grease up the tractor so when I start her up she runs silky smooth. Then maybe if it dry's out a bit more I can start mowing and tilling. I still have plenty of time to start working beds, but yes, if it doesn't dry out soon then I start to worry. Or just get a bit nervous. I usually need a good week of dry weather to get to tillin, but 4 or 5 will let me hook up the mower and whack down the grass. We've had a good amount of rain so the wild oats in the field are getting tall and I'd like to take them down a notch. And it's a good thing I mowed the paths between the Onions and Garlic or the grass there would be 18" tall and a pain to mow. Matt- 1 grass -0 doing what's needed- 1 procrastination- 0.

So tomorrow after the oils changed and every thing is greased I'll start up the tractor and hope for dry weather.

Movin Along

2010-03-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

Groovy sunny weather today, and yesterday's Farmers Market was cloudy but the crowd was certainly what it can be on a sunny day.

Which has left me thinking. Is this Food Revolution exponetially growing? It seems to be reaching that critical mass where it spills over into much more mainstream Americana. I'll explain. This year here in Chico there will be two more additional Saturday Farmers Markets. One run by Butte College and located at their Chico campus close to Walmart/Costco/Big Box store central. The other new Saturday Market will be run by the Chico Farmers Market, and located at North Valley Plaza with Trader Joe's/Movie theater/ and other retailers nearby. So three markets on one day. Over saturation?

Could be? could be not? Some of the people who shop the new markets might come from the customer base of the downtown market. I'm thinking short run only 5-10% long run 25% who knows? But what I'm hoping is by being located away from the other markets most of the customers might be people who normally don't shop the Farmers Market. Maybe people who are shopping at Trader Joe's will stop by and buy some really fresh veggies. Of course that's only the start cause once they try Local Food, they usually expand their purchases over time. That's what I'm banking on.

Am I going to do two more markets on Saturday? One. The North Valley Plaza, the other will have flea market type stuff also for sale, and what Organic Veggie Grower can compete with cheap consumer goods from China. I'm going to take a risk, have to get another vehicle and market setup and see what happens. Could be this Local Food Revolution of ours expands and reaches farther throughout the community with greater purchases of Locally Grown Food, supporting existing Farmer's and making room for New Farmers to enter the Marketplace.

Let's Hope

Too Much of a Good Thing

2010-02-28T16:56:00.000-08:00

Yes yesterday's Market was rockin. I new it was going to be a busy one when I was quite busy at 8:00am. It stayed busy most the market, just slowing a bit at the end. Sold just about every Carrot we brought. Which is good cause we have lot's of them. I planted extra cause I was hoping that the schools veggie of the month program was going to have carrots on the list. Nope. Next year. So now either I find a place to sell a couple thousand pounds or till them in. Maybe Ben's Carrot wine will be a place to put them. Anybody want to buy some unmade, untested, untasted, Carrot wine? Well maybe I should get off my but and make some calls and just sell Carrots. Anybody out there want to buy a couple of tons of Carrots.

Actually the overage is a good thing. In two ways. One I always want enough to satisfy the demand at Farmers Market. Not enough Carrots make grumpy customers. Second way of a good thing is actaully I have so many extra cause I tried a new technique in seeding them and it worked out gangbusters. Yes David, if you read this you are the only one that knows. You know, a Farmer and his secrets. So end result is to much of a great thing. Good. Cause now I can grow my Carrot volume for years to come without taking space away from my other crops. It was getting tight but now I got a few years of growth.

Too much of a good thing/ blessing in disguise/ yeay!

It should be easy

2010-02-23T16:51:00.000-08:00

I'm on the Board of the Nevada County Certified Growers Market and my pet project is getting a EBT ( food stamps ) program up and running. You'd think in this day and age, the information/internet age I could just go to a website and submit our application. But no the USDA is in the dark age's. No direct links to a website for each state's application page. Just bit's and pieces of somewhat useful information. So after a phone call where I actually reached a human on the other end, I got another phone# where I can leave my information and have a application mailed to me. I certainly hope that it gets mailed. I'd Love to get a program running as even struggling people should have access to Fresh, Local, Food.

On a positive light I was in the truck today and the producer/director for Food Inc. was on NPR talking about the fact that they've been nominated for an Oscar for best documentary. I've seen it, Loved it, and hopefully it will win, and bring to even more light our little food revolution. It's these things that brighten my day, it's been a long time coming ( I've been full time for 13 years ) but I'm glad there here!!

Back to Market

2010-02-21T08:51:00.000-08:00

Yes I"ve been back to Farmers Market. After being on vacation it was nice to see all my regular market friends, and of course all of our regular market customers. Some are both. Both friends and customers.

I did win the parking lottery and had a car squarely in my stall space and I decided to take one for the team and instead of causing a chain reaction unload everything and set up in my usual stall. It's pretty easy to do at this time of year, as this week all we had was carrots, but lots of them packed in really heavy 60# bins, I didn't wreak my back after a month off, and set-up went well.

The weather was supposed to be not including rain but then about 8:15 it started to rain, not a tiny shower and not a downpour but a good amount so then the topic of conversation starts to be is it going to keep raining which could really kill the market or stop and give us Farmers all a break. Well it stopped, but did put a lull in the customer flow, but all in all we had a pretty good market, did actually come home with some carrots.

The seed orders are starting to come in and I've started prepping coco peat for starting them in, and I've gotten my fertilizer quote ( which of course has gone up in price, more on that later) and tommorrow I'll start in greenhouse #1 getting ready to plant. And no I didn't get any planting done in the field during the February window, I'm very sse against screwing up my tilth and running my tractor the the field just so that I can make a few more bucks. And most the time when I plant this early in the spring the slugs eat it all anyway!

Fertilizer. Yes of course it's price has gone up again. Usually always does. It's one of those costs that slowly eats away at my profit until I finally am able to raise my prices. Want to know what the extra cost of fertilizer for the year will cost me if I don't raise any prices? $782.32. That ain't chump change. But it's a bit challenging finding a way to pass that on to my customers, as I would find it next to impossible to charge an extra penny for something or the other. Oh the travails of being a small Farmer!!

I'm Back

2010-02-17T16:30:00.000-08:00

Yes, Yes, Ive been gone for a while now on our annual vacation to somewhere warm and sunny.
We went to Little Corn Island a tiny little island off the carribean coast of Nicaragua. It was fantastic, relaxing, fun,recharging, healing,and a whole lot more. The island has no roads, no cars, and a small village, and some really good food, nice people, and some good scuba diving. And the diving is about the cheapest place in the world to dive so that fits my bill. We made some new friends, met some very nice people, ate lots of good food, drank some beer ( and they even have some good wine), dove, and had lots of naps, and hammock time. And I do have to thank Ben & Laura and Phil for taking such good care of the Farm and making it a worry free vacation.

So now it's back to work. Today I did my seed order, which can be fun, exciting and a bit stressful.

The fun part is placing all the orders,as it's the start of the new planting year. The exciting part is when one of my seed companies dosn't have what I need. The stressful part is finding someone who does. All in all it all came out good. My famous pretty purple pepper variety was on back order till past when I intially plant so that was the first scramble. I substituted another pepper which could actually be the same variety with a different name. Hope it works out. Then the scramble came. One of my other pepper varietys has been discontinued, and it's one of my premium peppers. I Love them and our customers Love them so off to the races I went looking for other companies that might have some left. I found some, yay!! Now I also have to replace it, so I'm going to trial quite a few others looking for it's replacement. I'm also going to breed it myself and see if I can stabilize the hybrid. Wish me luck!

Also my favorite watermelon variety has been discontinued so I've made a replacement which should work out well if I can educate my customers on it's different exterior color than they are used to.
Then again another discontinuation. My cucumber standby, but I did find some still available from another company but will trial another variety.

So now my heart rate has come down, I'm feeling pretty good, and tomorrow I will do my fertilizer order. Let's hope for no surprise's

Death is Heavy

2010-01-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

Yes it's heavy 'round here.

Death came to the Farm today.
When it left there were some of the finest Hog carcasses on the Earth left.

Organic Fermented Whole Grains, Goats Milk, Veggies galore, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Kelp, and Comfry was what the Hogs ate whilst they were here. Pretty much the best diet a Hog can have. Fermented Whole grains are superfood, rich, sweet, tasty, ALIVE. It's quite a bit more work to feed our Hogs OFWG, since twice a day you measure out the grain mix, add the cider vinegar, kelp, cover with hot water, and that's after you've battled the Hogs to get their food in the trough. They see you comin' and they get so excited, you've got to game them to get the feed in the trough not on the ground. And not down their ears either. Then of course there's snack time which consists of a mid day snack of whatever vegetable we're feedin' 'em.

So this is my first batch of Hogs. Lisa is the person who built the model we use, then she turned it over to me cause she wasn't fully groovin with it. ( Also she loves to build models for other people to take and run with ).

So this morning was the enevitable day. Cause if your raising animals to eat, they have to be killed. It's not the lightest of experiences. I don't butcher the Hogs myself ( I do do chickens) but still, it's heavy. Some living animal that you have cared for and nurtured is giving it's life so you can eat high quality, no fear, no anger, highly respected protien. Super Yummy Protein.

So Hogs. Hope you enjoyed your time here. I've done my best to provide you with the best diet, comfortable living quarters, Loving care, and genuine respect.

Thank you Hogs, for all you have given.

Corner

2009-12-29T14:49:00.000-08:00

Yes I do belive I've turned the corner.

What corner is that you ask?
The one of decreasing light exponentially decreasing my motivation. The days have started to get longer again, of course only by a minute per day but my body, mind, and soul do register it, process it, let it warm me, gradually bubbling up to the ferverous boil of the Summer season that's ever so far away.

My mornings at this time of the year often consist of me saying "it's to cold to go outside" which yes sometimes it is, but most times that simply is a mamby pamby excuse for me to stay inside, have another cup of coffee and pretend I'm getting things done inside. So untill two days ago, after feeding the Hogs I would retreat back inside and get on with my procrastionation for the day. Which is in my mind is well justified with mental notes of " this is the balance of those 12 hour days in the summer" which of course it is, yet I still at the end of the day manage to find myself beating my Self up for "not working enough" . An awful cunnudrum even though I'm well aware of it, and doing my best to Loveingly apply Compassion to my wounded Self.

So when my Body, Mind, Soul start to register those ever increasing daylight hours my motivation starts to creep upward, slowly seeping thru, lubricating my joints and lessing the ennui that plagues me. It feels nice. Even though I know I have started the long slow boil of my blood to the intesity of late summers peak.

Farming is cycles. And after all these years I'm still working on my intimate knowledge of them. No matter how aware of them I am, they still torture me, reward me, generally rule my life, and enslave me to them. For a master they treat me well, only beating me with my own self generated struggle, and they are actually truelly slowly liberating me, enlightening me, showing me the way to true freedom.

Are You Experienced?

2009-12-20T12:33:00.000-08:00

chuk-chukga-chuk-chugga-chugga-chuk-chuk- Let me ask you ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? I AM.

Yes I am a big fan of Jimi Hendrix, Romanesco, and Spiral Conciousness. When I first saw Romanesco it was many years ago at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. Then I was just a burgening gardner, but it blew my mind then,and still does now.

Nature has a wonderfull way of showing us, Truth expressed in Matter. Romanesco to me is a vegetable that shows that Truth loud and clear. No missing it, mistaking it, nor ignoring it. WE all are born from a conciouness that is Exponentially Spiral, constantly Conciouslly Evolving, Growing larger, Wiser, with no limit to that Evolution. So here's to Romanesco, to Life, and my departed Brothers Adam Bodine and Vincent Gallapaga, and that unspeakable bond we will always share.

I learned How to Post Photos!

2009-12-16T16:49:00.001-08:00

Some photos. Yeah I learned how to post photos!!!

I've been spoiled

2009-12-15T11:09:00.000-08:00

Yes I have been spoiled.

Last Saturday's Farmers Market we had rain. The first rainy Market in quite a long time. I might be wrong but I think it's been two years since we had rain on Saturday morning. I like that. Farmers Market is much more enjoyable when it's not raining. Also there are more customers for all when it dosn't rain. We still do pretty well when it rains, as a lot of our customers are what we call "Hardcore", they come out no matter what.

Farmers can be another thing. For the last 4 years if we have a rainy Saturday we've had a really good Farmer turnout. Before that it could be pretty bad. There was one time that we we're getting hit by a really rainy/windy storm and there was like three vendors. I was one of them. Market that day rocked. Anybody that wanted vegetables had to come to me. I sold out by 9:45 and then went home, as after that there were no other customers to be seen. After that market I was secretly hoping for rainy Market days.

The last few years have changed a bit. We have really good Farmer turnout all winter/early spring. Even on rainy days. Why? More Farmers, growing more winter produce and more customers supporting them. It's a two sided proposition. Take away one side the other suffers.
It kind of sums up the whole Local Food System evolution. More people supporting Local Farmers makes Farming a more viable occupation, increasing the number of Local Farmers, more Local Farmers means a better marketplace to buy Locally produced food.

So for now I'll just show up to Farmers Market rain or shine, preferring for the Sun to shine.

Romanescocicles

2009-12-11T11:56:00.000-08:00

Romanescocicles you ask?

What are they? pureed Romanesco then frozen? No. But that would be interesting.
Basically after three nights of 11F, 15F, and 11F you get vergtablecicles. Frozen solid heads of Romanesco. Worthless 'cept for animal feed, or something beautiful to look at. I'm sure the chickens will adore them, same for the hogs, but our customers would probably find the texture to be off putting.

So what was probably $800 worth of Roamaneso is now nearly worthless. Makes me glad I live in sunny warm California and not some other way more chilly region. Crop losses here are pretty few and far between. If I'd have known it was to be so cold, I might have harvested it all and saved it, but the weatherperson here called for mid 20's the first night not 11F. Glad I get to find it his fault and not mine.

Chalk up one more lesson learned the hard way.

bbbbrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!

2009-12-08T16:57:00.000-08:00

It was COLD last night.

Just before sunup, a chilly 11F. I'm so glad I don't live in Minnesota. I just don't think I could take it. We had a high temp of 42F yesterday with a bit of wind. I didn't want to be outside. I'm a cold pansy. So this morning, just before sunup I jumped out of bed a checked the thermometer that reads the outside temp, when I saw 11f I was a bit shocked. I knew it was to be cold, but not that cold. I quickly calmed my worry's 'bout the carrots and went back to bed. Nothing I could do at that point.

Today I did get water running on them as the soil was quite dry and wet soil holds more heat, and with my nice warm well water I wanted to get the soil temp up a bit. The tops of the carrots will take a few days of frigid weather and then if they die they still provide cover for the roots. But if the soil freezes and then the actual carrots I could have some very sweet but unsaleable mush. That definitely would bum me out. Might even make me cry, and I'm a grown man.

What I been up to.

2009-12-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

What I been up to?
Good question. The Sun is rapidly moving to it's place on the shortest day of the year. Days are much shorter round here. And my inner motivation can be a challenge at times. And there's work to be done. All in all it has been getting done.

Some of my tasks that I accomplished this week were: finishing a rain cover over the Hog Yard.
I sealed up numerous roof surfaces. I hauled stuff to the dump. I got a handy piece of stuff from the dump. I ran quite a few errands. I dried out some big pieces of old greenhouse cover that will now be tarps. And did a hundred other little tiny things.

Then today I harvested for Farmers Market tomorrow. Speaking of Farmers Market. Last weeks market was a bit slow. It started really slow and didn't finally get to a good roll till 10:30 which is a bit late for a good market. It was slow the same week last year. Not black Friday but black Saturday. ( Plus the weather was a bit cloudy and chilly.)

Today's harvest consisted of Romanesco, Orange Cauliflower, Broccoli, Beets, and of course not to mention the carrots 'cept they were already done. Garlic too.

Now for a bit of an intermission as I got to go feed some Hogs.

I'm back. Now if were a total computer geek I would have been streaming live video of me feedin' Hogs. I don't think I've spoken much about the Hogs. It's been the first time I've been in charge of raisin 'em. Lisa the one that developed the system we're using. They are fed a fermented Organic whole grain diet with Organic soymeal added. Then of course lot's of Farm veggies. Watermelons make sweet meat. Now their getting a bit of Broccoli, ( don't want to give them to much or they might taste like cabbage ) and sweet carrots! For the first few months they were getting fed lots of fresh Goat Milk. Soon they'll be Bacon and Chops and More!!
It's the sweetest,tasty, most tender, pork I've ever had. Spoils me for any other, which is a statement that cover's all the produce here on the Farm.

Alas a Farmer's Life,
It's for Me.

Heifer part 2

2009-11-25T08:35:00.000-08:00

Last weeks Farmers Market was our "Heifer Market" where we give 100% of our sales to Heifer International. A wonderful aid program that gives livestock and training to impoverished families throughout the World. It again was a fantastic success. Our Thanksgiving market has come to be one of our biggest of the year. I was a bit nervous because of possible rain, but the morning came and it was beautiful blue sky above. Our local community showed up to the market in droves and we sold almost every bit of produce we brought. We went home with one basket of garlic and 5# of butternut squash. We set a new record and we're overjoyed that we can help so many people all over the World with our gift to Heifer. Our gift will be 21 flocks of Chickens, 21 flocks of Ducks/Geese, 4 honeybee hives, 4 groups of tree seedlings, 2 pigs, 2 goats, and 2 sheep. All in all it with help 56 families help themselves to rise out of poverty. Then the extra wonderful part is those families are required to give offspring and knowledge to others in their community making the gift eventually reach 112 families. It's Heartwarming to know that in some small way I can help others, with not just one time food aid, but aid that last's lifetimes. Thank you to all our customers who make this possible.

Giving Thanks,
Mathew Martin
Pyramid Farms

Goodbyes

2009-11-20T11:04:00.000-08:00

Well, Adam and Erin two of our trusty apprentices just departed. We will of course miss them. And I do believe they will miss the Farm. They came here with virtually no experience nor idea of what was involved with making a small farm run and now they have quite a bit of an idea of what's involved. We enjoyed their time here, as they are such charming and positive people, with gentle hearts, and open minds. Last night we celebrated their departure with a dinner at Annies which we all enjoyed. They are going back home to the Cincinnati area. They're lives will be forever altered after coming here and of course ours also. Every one who comes here takes something when they leave but leave something also. It's always a joyous and sad occasion when apprentices leave, joyous to know that Pyramid Farms is traveling elsewhere in their hearts and minds and sad that our family here shrinks for a bit till others fill that void.

So Bon Voyage',and safe Journy's though all of Life to You, Adam & Erin and Jaffy too.

Heifer Market

2009-11-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

It's raining today but I don't care. I was smart and harvested yesterday for tomorrows market. It's usually a huge market being the last before Thanksgiving, and it is also what we call our Heifer Market. Why?

Cause we give 100% of our sales to Heifer International. It's the small part I can do to help reduce poverty around the World. For those that aren't familiar with Heifer they give livestock and training to needy families who also are required to give the first offspring/knowledge to others in their community. So not only does are gift help one family but two. And it's a gift that dosn't just last for a few meals but a lifetime. Many of the recipients are not only able to provide better nutrition for their family's, but are able to sell products and raise their standard of living and send their children to school. And the recipients also use the manure from their farm animals to enrichen their soil in their gardens and get better vegetable yeilds. Heifer also trains the farmers to use organic methods as they understand the downward spiral of pesticide/herbicide use.

So please Mother Earth I don't do this generally ever but please make the sun come out Saturday morning. Not for my benefit but for others.

November

2009-11-01T12:45:00.000-08:00

It's November and the weather is beautiful. This last week we had our killing frost. Bye Bye Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant. It's been good to know ya'll and I'll see you again in March when I starts planting your little seeds in preparation for the months to come. In the planting world we're almost done. Half the Onions are in the ground with the other half to be finished this week. Ten rows of 1300 makes 13,000 onion plants, with all the Garlic added, we have more than 20,000 Alliums in the ground. Alliums are a wonderful test of a Farmers patience. Plant them, wait 8 months of tending to them, weeding, watering, watching them grow then swell their bulbs and in a short quick 3 week period they all come out of the ground for sale thru the summer.

This week at Market it was really good; busy and sales going very well, coming home with only a bit of Broccoli. The Orange Cauliflower sold really well along with the Romanesco. These days we don't get as many" how did the Cauliflower get that color" inquiry's. People thinking that we had been up to hijinks or something. My favorite yarn to spin is to tell them that you go out on a full moon night with a can of cheese whizz and inject it into them and voila'! It used to get downright annoying how many times we had to answer that question, and the vendors next to us were probably so tired of hearing the story that they wished I'd stop growing it. On some days I would be tired of answering the question and just point over to my neighbor and they'd tell the yarn.

Carrots? yes we are now on the hook to provide Chico with the World's Sweetest Carrots. This week we told all that asked we'd have Carrots next week, so we got some diggin to do. But it shouldn't be a problem as we have a full crew still on hand and next years apprentices just came on farm and will be here to help as well. Which is a good thing, as I'm really busy with projects such as rebuilding Greenhouse #1 which is now a relic as it's been up since '00. I must say that I did a pretty cattywhompus job putting it up. It functioned well but looked as if somebody was out of wack when they put it up, which I might rightly have been, having just aquired this place and was putting it all together with little help and less experience. Then I 'm putting a cover over the Hog pen as I hate it turning to a mud bog when it rains. They don't seem to mind ( cept' of course standing in cold mud musn't be fun) but I 'm putting up a simple hopefully windproof tunnel cover. Self designed and engineered but many of the principles are well developed from experience. One semi new one so it all could turn out to be a mess. So I've got a very busy week then next I get to take off for my solo getaway. 10 more days and I'll be diving in Cozumel. Yes I know not very "Green" of me jetting off, but if I don't I'll go stark raving bonkers.

Market Rocked

2009-10-17T18:51:00.000-07:00

Farmers Market today rocked!!! I went home with a empty truck which is always good. The weather was nice, the Broccoli flew as did Tomatoes. At points all I had to do was restock Tomatoes and customers would pick them out as fast as I put them in. That's the MO!

We're getting lots of Carrot inquiry's now, more every week, our customers are clammer'in for 'em.
I can't believe they are so close to diggin time. Actually tomorrow I'm going to raid some for the Beef Short Ribs I'm going to be making. I bought 3 packs from Francis at Alston Farms-Grass Fed goodness, yum, short ribs double yum. First I'll brown the ribs, then saute' some carrots-onions-celery in that fat then add some wine spices and slow braise them for a long slow delicious outcome. That's why since she had them I bought 3 packs.

This week we had our first big rain storm. We had 2' of rain and some wind. So before the storm we had all kinds of chores to get done. We picked all the ripe Tomatoes, covered a couple of rows for Garlic, put lots of bedding in the Hogs sleeping area and put a cover over the entrance. Warm hogs are happy Hogs and happy Hogs are gaining Hogs.

During the rain storm I kept busy by canning 20 quarts of Tomato Soup

Been Busy

2009-10-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

Yes I've been busy. Last weekend right after Farmers Market, Lisa and I turned North and went to our good friend and fellow food producer Tyler's wedding. Tyler and his business partner John run Barbarosa ranchers, and sell Grass Fed Beef and Lamb and Pastured Poultry. We had a great time, and it was a beautiful location. It was at the Family ranch, Big Bluff. The food was all local and fabulous, prepared by some of my favorite caterer/chefs, the company was friendly, and the wedding band, spectacular! They played all kinds of great cover tunes, Ramones,AC/DC,everything under the Sun. I was in a very celebratory mood, danced up a storm, and enjoyed myself tremendously.
Congrats Tyler and Holly, wedded bliss to you!!!

This week in the field we've been planting Garlic and working on summer crop cleanup. Now with impending rain, today was a long day. After harvesting for tommorow's market, we started cutting winter squash, and I prepped more rows for Garlic and covered them, then prepped onion rows. This time of year can be dicey. One day warm and sunny, the next a rain storm. The one that's due is sopposed to bring 1-2" of rain so hence the butternut harvest. I don't like it to sit in the field wet, as it dosn't keep as well, so we harvested a bit earlier than I like. It has been cool at night lately and we had one very micro frost so they should have some pretty good flavor and sugar. It's one thing my high standards cost me. Other farmers will have been harvesting/selling for a few weeks and I wait.Waiting costs me money and accounts but I still will not sell out my standards of the best I can grow. The carrots are looking good and sizing up and this week I tasted a few and found them to be sweet. Not December sweet, but really good for Oct. Makes me think.

I probably did my last delivery to Grass Valley this week. I have two restaurant accounts who are the best. Peter at New Moon and Ike from Ike's Quarter Cafe are culinary hero's. Peter has been buying Local Organic produce at least as long as I've been selling it to him which is 10 years. He also buy's the best sustainable meat he can find, and is one of those people who I call a practicing visionary. He always looks forward to my first delivery and laments the last. This week upon my arrival he had the sous chef fire one of their Pork chimichanga's. Absolutely delicious. Pan fried, delicious Pork, scrumptious rice, perfect ratio, and the salad was delicious with a bit of spice in the dressing. Thank you Peter!! Once, years ago I was dining at the restaurant and he knew Peter came out from the kitchen to visit the table and I felt like such a rock star. And this is when Farmers were not hero's but dum bumpkins.
Ike is one of my other hero's. He started washing dishes for Peter in high school and worked his way up to his number 2 when I started selling to New Moon. And now own's and operates Ikes Quarter Cafe with his wife and their really cute kids. He also buy's Local Organic produce and sustainable meats. I really enjoy talking with him and we both don't enjoy it when I stop delivering. I Love these guys and if all chefs were like them I would sell to more restaurants.

So yes I've been busy.

Re-Creation

2009-09-30T00:12:00.000-07:00

This last weekend Lisa and I went to the coast for the weekend for some re-creation. The Farmers Market in Grass Valley was canceled for Saturday ( yeah I know ridiculous) so I take advantage and take a few days off. By this time of the year even though days are shorter in time and work load I'm burned pretty crispy. I've decided that next year I will take a Sunday/Monday off. Just one day off a week from Feb till now adds up. And if I'm stupid and don't take a Monday off I'll go away for the Sunday. To much work and no rest makes me grumpy, well not grumpy, but just tired and to close to everything to enjoy the Joy of my life.

We had a great time in Fort Bragg. The Sun was shining, and so we sat on the beach, with our dogs, wine, cheese, snacks, and just sit, talk, and relax. I'm pretty good at relaxing, so's Lisa. Then we'd go out to a nice dinner, and relax some more. Very nice, and re-charging.

So things in the field are good. Carrots are all weeded, Garlic/ Onion beds are sprouting weeds waiting to till fertilizer in then we'll start planting Garlic. The Onions didn't like all this heat we've been having, I finally put up the shade cloth to shade them in the afternoon and now they look great and should size up well for transplanting. Summer vegetable harvest is slowing quite a bit but I don't mind as there are a few projects I need/want to get done before it starts getting rainy.

I have to rebuild greenhouse #1. It's been here since the start, the hoops are now 9 years old and ready to start breaking. And I didn't put proper end supports in when I built it so that will get done then I'll recover it and replace the side boards also. Then It will be ready to go for another decade 'cept for recovering it every 3/4 years. And I could realy go thru the shop and do quite a bit of organizing, and then on the back I really need to put up shelves and storage cause it's really shabby and quite a waste of space back there. I don't have all to many big projects which I'm glad cause it's really a bitch working your ass off all spring and summer then working like crazy in the fall to bulid some development project before it gets to mud. Boy am I glad all that's over.

Last week after doing wholesale delivery's in Grass Valley instead of going to the Farmers Market I went to my friend Andrews Farm. Well it's not just Andrews he works it with a friend Logan and lots of other help. I rolled up just as they were sitting down to lunch ( good thing or else I might have been put to work) so we all had a great chat then the crew went back to work and Andrew and I walked the Farm. Wow. He's ( and Logan and all his help) gone from 1 acre last year to ten this year. What a leap. A bit crazy but what the hell, take a big bite, if you choke spit it out, pick it up and start chewing all over again. It is really cool to see what young Farmers are doing for this World. They take what they got and go with it. They help each other out, work for little money, and make this World a better place. Four Frogs ( Andrew/ Logan ) learned alot this year, they had some success, some failure, some in between. What's most important is they are doing what they Love and learning how to make a living doing it and hopefully consumers one day soon, will compensate Farmers and Farmworkers with a Equitable wage. In the meantime Farmers will have to do what they Love, and Love what they do.

Mmmm

2009-09-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

Mmmmm. I smell tomato sauce cookin. Actually tomato soup. I'm cookin down a bunch of Tomatoes and they will be canned as soup. Then if we need, we can make sauce out of it. I'm way behind in canning this year, I'll make the excuse that I've been canning my own produce for at least 12 years. Some things longer. I have a bottle of homemade blackberry wine that's almost 20 years old now. So I'm a bit burnned out on canning.
Canning runs in my blood. My parents were DYI'ers way back before it was hip ( Which has only been very recently). My mother used to grow a huge veggie garden and can/freeze everything she could. ( She probably did this whilst I was in her tummy) (( can anybody say imprinting?)) Then when we moved to California what my parents should have done is dig up our lawn to get a big garden space, but our small one was supplemented with produce bought from farm stands or pick your owns then we would spend the rest of the weekend putting it all up. Not so much fun for an 8 year old, but valuable in it's own right.
So here I am being true to my roots, putting up yummy tomato soup. If I was being trueer to my roots I would be surfin the net on a computer that I soldered toghether from a kit, or my clothes would be homemade. My parents probably didn't know how they were shaping me for my future life as a Farmer but they did a pretty good job of it.

So what's goin on on out in the field you ask? Well the Tomatoes have recovered from our cold spell and rain and are producing nicely. My local wholesale tomato volume has recovered from the competition from heirlooms. I don't grow heirlooms cept for the Farm and even though my produce buyers are nagging me to do it I just won't. I'd rather see someone else work way to much for way to little money. Heirlooms are very challenging to grow profitably, and it's one challenge I just don't feel like taking on. If your growing Heirlooms for wholesale you either have to pick them way to green, and have a low quality heirloom, or just right and go broke tryin. Come on Farmers you do the math. $3/lb and select varieties ok maybee you can make some dough. But $1.50/lb, come on, your subsidizing the food system with your slavery.
We've also started to pick some extremly ugly brocolli for market which of course is selling well, but I still cringe when I pick it. The Carrots are looking really well with just a bit left to go being weeded for the first time.
Garlic you ask? I've been working up the beds which are looking really good. Superb tilth, and the smell of fertile Earth wafts wonderfully when I'm done with the tiller. The smell is incredible, very sweet, a bit of acid, and tiny bits of what must be micro-flora and fauna pee. The beds will get fertilized soon, and be ready for planting in October. I'm really pleased with the tilth. When operating the tractor on this Farm I used to worry so much eyeing freshly tilled soil. This heavy clay with high magnesium dosn't lend itself to being worked wet or dry. It likes just right. Kind of the goldilocks of soil. Unlock it's potential and youv'e got GOLD. So over the years all my work has slowly paid off. My crop rotations, my fertility program, my loving care and labor has netted a soil that I'm proud of. My calsium percentage is way up and almost perfect and most all my other nutrient levels are where they should be. Then of course there is the Organic matter. On my last soil test I forgot to have it measured but I'm sure it's improved even more. When I gaze upon a handfull of the soil here I see so much raw organic matter ready for decomp into humus that I smile. Strip tilling works here so wonderfully, I'm so glad I stumbled upon it when I first started.
I had never even heard of conservation tilling way back 20 years ago, but I started strip tilling then and have done it ever since. It saves time, saves fuel, and is a Organic Matter goldmine. Not to mention the added benefits of Carbon sequestration and and CO2 conversion to O2. it has it's drawbacks and dosn't work for every climate but here it works well.
Speaking of well. Well, I'm ready for a nap.

Labor Day

2009-09-07T15:48:00.001-07:00

Yes it is Labor Day and what did I do? I Labored. You see, Labor Day probably originates from the beginning of the industrial revolution when they had to shut the factory's down so people could bring in their harvests. It was probably labor week. Now it's another reason for Americans to eat hot dogs, hamburgers, and chips and sodas, (Sales of all these items go thru the roof for the holiday) and go to the lake or river, or local park and celebrate the fact that they no longer have to labor. Either in a factory or in a field. They have others to do that for them. Either illegal immigrants in the fields in their own country or some destitute worker in some factory in China or another country working for a couple bucks a day. And everyone wonders how we got where we are now. I just read a study that puts the real number of people jobless in California at 40%, which dosn't really suprise me.
On the bright side. There was somthing cool going on in places all over the counrty, EAT-In's, people raising awareness to bring better food to our schools. What a revolution that would be. Maybee we could have a proliferation of small to midsize farms employing people at a living wage, maybee some of those jobless 40%. I know, nobody wants to work in a field all day, that's for suckers. But what it might bring is real weatlth to our country and state. Of course the farm system would have to be way different, with worker's actually living on the Farms, and we would need some good health care system,( single payer maybee?) and of course people would actually have to pay more for their food. Not much for some items, could be as little as .50#. Wow what a vision, it's not new, just challenging.
Well here's to all those Farmworkers who didn't get to relax today. Cheerup, a change is comin.

Restless

2009-09-06T06:42:00.000-07:00

I'm restless. I awoke this morning at pre 5:00am and haven't slept. First thing I did was go out and look in the freezer for some bacon. Well, we're out here, I have to restock from the freezer at moms. Then of course over to the computer to goof off. Checked my regular sites, cruised my favorite blogs and here I am.
This September is much different than last years, much cooler weather has slowed tomato ripening which has put a damper on Tomato sales. I can't sell what I don't have. Then there is much more increased competition at the Farmer's Markets along with many more people growing their own gardens. Much to say this last weeks numbers were way off last years. Way off. The good news? Broccoli is right around the corner, I'm not putting in 11hour days,and the carrots are looking really good.
Carrots are a pretty big deal 'round here. They fly out of the stand at Farmers Market. They keep us busy in the winter, which usually means profitable, and they help grow our customer base. So with so much riding on them right now you would think I would be pretty stressed waiting to see how they turn out. Ha!! The rows have had excellent germination, and have been pretty clean, with light weed pressure. Weed pressure is a big deal cause if I grow a lot of them (weeds) they cost a pretty penny to deal with. But what remains to be seen is our yields, last year they were off a bit from our averages, I do think this was from the rows in the beds being a bit close, so this year I spread the rows out a bit further so well see. But no reason to get stressed cause I'm not a big fan of worry. At least not now that I have quite a few years of farm experience under my belt.
Well the suns coming up and I'm going to go watch and take some photos.

Visitation

2009-09-02T15:34:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful visitation yesterday. Eric one of last years apprentices was in the state and made the journey to Chico and of course the Farm. Eric is a bicycle fanatic. He hitched from San Diego to Santa Cruz then rode his bike to Chico. Crazy kid. But we love him. When past apprentices come for a visit we are always so happy. It's like a long lost friend coming home.
So to celebrate the homecoming we had a fantastic dinner of BBQ'd chicken, roasted potatoes, grilled eggplant, and roasted peppers, not to mention all the pickles and snacks ahead of time. The party started in the afternoon, (when Eric arrived I jumped off the tractor shut it down and called it a day). It ended at about 8:00 when I came down with heat stroke for the second time in a week. Not pretty. This time I passed out so 911 was called but luckily by the time they got here, my body temp was down, I was clear headed, but had high blood pressure and heart rate. Luckily they don't make you go to the hosptal if you don't want to. ( Yeah like I can really afford a hospital visit) So after checking me out they let me sign a peice of paper saying I won't sue them if I die, and they departed. The first responders all were really nice, and everyone around here chipped in getting my body temp down. Problem was I ruined the party. Other problem is now I'm sopossed to be more prone to get heat sickness, which really sucks, but now I'll have to be more carefull, and act my age. So today I was carefull didn't rush things and have been staying cool and well hydrated.

September

2009-08-30T02:18:00.000-07:00

It's pretty much September, why do I say that when it's still August? Well seeing as there's only one work day left in August in my mind it's pretty much September. Which brings us to a few milestones usually. September can mark the beginning of cool nights, which actually started about 10 days ago and put a kink in our tomato production schedule. The cool nights slow the ripening process and my succession timing is pretty close which can lead to tight spots. Sorry guys.
September also usually marks the beginning of the broccoli starting to head which it is, which means it soon will be at Farmers Market.
September also usually means all the carrots are planted. Which they are.
September also usually means all the brassica's are planted. Which they are.
September usually means cleanup has started. Which it has.
September usually means shorter more manageable days. Which it has.
September usually means some sort of celebration is in order. Which it is.
September usually means a weekend getaway. Which it will.
September usually means projects get started. Which they will.
So in short all hail August, the King of the Months, and all praise September the bringer of the Fall.

Hog Roundup

2009-08-27T00:23:00.000-07:00

No we didn't spray the hogs with roundup!
Our hogs tonight decided they wanted to be free range hogs. They bounced the gate open and went to town. Fortunately our dogs were out and are great watch dogs cause Delilah was barking her "hog bark". So Lisa say's to me "hogs are out" so off we dash for the roundup. This was not the first time they got out, nor the first batch to get out. Thank god for experience cause they're pretty easy to get back in if you know how. So if someone hasn't taught you or you haven't learned from experience it can be quite frustrating. But now we know and have the most powerful hog training item known to man, Goats milk. Just get some milk, put it in a bucket let the hogs have a little sip and then they'll follow you just about anywhere. Until you go by the pile of feather meal bags and they get a little smell of that, then you refocus them (give them another whiff) and off you go piggies to market or just back to the pen.I Love it when they make me look like a pro, cause boy a couple of years ago it was a site to see, us chasing hogs round lookin like rubes.

Onions

2009-08-24T18:53:00.000-07:00

I seeded onions today. It's at least a week late maybe two but it will be ok. Onions take a while. They test a Farmer's patience. They get seeded in August, go in the ground in November, and get harvested in June. Boy what a long time to see the fruits of my labor.
I plant two varieties Red Torpedo and Red Burger. The Torpedo is shaped like a torpedo, and has some bite raw, but when you cook it it' sweet with a fantastic onion flavor. My chef customers love it. Red burger is a sweet red onion. I used to grow Stockton Red but it is now no more. I found it was gone last year when I tried to order it and found it had been discontinued. It was really sweet. I had some year old seed last year took a gamble and planted it. Onion seed degrades fast. I probably was the only person on the planet with them but there was no farewell fanfare. I don't think my customers will notice and I will probably get more number 1's with the red burger.
So here's to you Stockton Red, farewell it was good knowin ya, hello Red Burger, be good to me.

Food Revolution?

2009-08-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

Where is it? Some days I find it in full force, amazing, sometimes surprising , and downright mind blowing. Yesterday at Farmers Market in Grass Valley I found it to be almost completely absent. Where was everybody? It was downright completely dead at Farmers Market. Yes every year after the county fair the market there slows down. But yesterday it just didn't slow down it just about died. My sales numbers were down from the previous years by at least 30%. I do have increased competition at that market but not that much. It was so slow I left my helper to run the stand, and went and checked out the Nevada City Farmers market to see if they were slow. It was really slow there too. Hopefully there might be some promotion of the market cause if not it's going to get really slow and not worth my effort to go up there. I could rant on and on but it's not worth the effort or time or focus on the negative.
But in Chico? It rocked!!! Farmers Market was busy and sales were up from last year. Go figure.Hometown comes out and buys it up. You see, for this Food Revolution to roll it's going to take not only Farmer's but Consumers!! Working together to form up Local and Regional food systems.
You see I have this vision. It's beautiful. Small and large pastoral farms are everywhere, Farmers Market's are attended by most the population. People are truly connected to the land and their food. And that's the simple version.

Arch Nemesis

2009-08-16T10:41:00.000-07:00

My Arch Nemesis right now, and they change, is GOPHERS!!! Every time I irrigate the pepper plantings I have to go through the whole planting and repair the drip tape. and it's not just one hole, it was like 8 holes this morning. It's really a pain. It's not a chore that I have a whole lot of extra time for but it has to be done. It's one thing that I will havemore time for when I revamp things next year.
The whole revamp is really the focus of my thinking right now. First will be my CSA promotion all Winter/ Spring. I've already have some really good idea's on how not to get blown off by my regular customers. But I won't share them here cause there might be spies. Then I will engage in a ad campaign, and I'm willing to spend the money it will take. Then I'm going to make some crop reductions/switches to free up some time for the apprentices, so they can do some more of the tasks that I do and that will free me up to patch gopher holes, increase my marketing, and have some more quality of life, ie cook more, eat more.
On Friday when Lisa and I went to Scottys for some food and beer, and we ran into some Farmer friends and that was a nice suprise. They are getting married this Fall and also will be seaching for a place to start their new farm. We really enjoy their company and do wish them the best in their upcoming wedding and Farm enterprise. John right now is working with Massa Organic's Rice getting some really valuable experience. Even if he won't be working specifically in the Rice cultivation field, simply working on a Farm is a priceless experience. Neddless to say our conversation ran the gamut from weddings ( some day Lisa and I will be married) to Local food systems.

Rare Friday

2009-08-14T16:50:00.001-07:00

It's one of those rare Friday's in the summer where I was done early. Upside- being done early and getting to goof off. Downside- some sales are off and that will hit me in my bankbook.
There's some serious clinkin' and clankin' goin on in my brain right now. The impetus? yesterday's market in Penn Valley was seriously slow and way off last years number$. And this is the second week in a row. Not a good sign. This market used to be a great little market but it's fizzeld and sputtered the last few years and I exactly have'nt been fast on the gun to change. But after yesterdays market or actually at yesterdays market I was crunching #'s, and I am going to replace it with a CSA. Yes I know I was supposed to launch the CSA this summer but my publicity wasn't exactly happening. I had a Micro CSA like 8 years ago, and then it was like pullin teeth to get people signed up now CSA's are everywhere and I'm the last farmer to join the club. So all winter/spring I will constantly nag my customers to sign up/take an interest. Then I will take a pile of money if I have to, and buy the best advertising campaign money can buy. ( don't start me on publicity or you'll hear quite a rant) Then I will have more people than I want banging on my door beggin to be a Pyramid Farms CSA member.
Well I'm off to go eat crappy fried food by the river ( everybody's got to have a weakness)

To Tired To Sleep

2009-08-12T22:46:00.000-07:00

How can that be? I don't know it sometimes happens. After dinner I think I'll just relax a bit and go to bed early. Ha!!!! Then what usually happens is that I have to stay awake till 9:00pm to do irrigation chores then I think the walk out amongst the field wakes me up. So then I try and sleep and alas I fail. Then I get up watch a bit of idiot box and goof on the computer. Thank god for the Internet. I can read my favorite Farm blogs, dream of tropical beaches, dream of tropical beaches and scuba diving, or write on my blog which I'm doing right now.
These days I can tell it's August for a few reasons. First when people ask me how am I? I respond with " well it's almost the middle of August and that means August is almost half over so pretty good" The other reason is today I was genuinely fatigued in the field at 3:00. And lastly my 43 year old knee is getting a bit sore. I am hatching some plans somehow involving me crouching a bit less. First it involves a crop audit. I am going to audit a specific crop and see if it's really working for me. If not I may either take a big whack at it and give it up all together or I will reduce the amount I grow and find some freedom there. Don't get me wrong I Love working in the field, it's just getting to the point that I'm really going to do some bad damage to my knees and etc. if I keep it up. It's the picking that gets me. So I either need to free up some time so apprentices can do more of the picking that I do, get more apprentices, or have a robotic expert make me some really pricey jumpy leg shock absorber thingys. I've already designed them but need to have them engineered and manufactured which would probably cost a million bucks. If only the military would lose a pair in my driveway. You see I know they got'em cause if a person can concieve of it they can make it. They don't call it the military INDUSTRIAL complex for nuthin.

Carrots!

2009-08-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

Carrots are almost half seeded!! I Love it when that happens. It means that most the planting for the year is done and my biggest crop is in the ground. I used to get nervous until the seed started to sprout they're little arms up to the sky but now I'm pretty confident I won't mess up. Of course I always could mess up but I won't.
This last week we had some downright cool weather. In fact so cool it killed attendance at my Thursday market. Every one stayed home and opened a can of soup for dinner. You see in some peoples minds if you don't need anything for dinner that night there is no reason to go to the Farmers Market. What don't they eat any other evenings? pet peeve.
Speaking of eating last nights dinner was made by me, and consisted of some of the finest spare ribs from Lisa' last batch of hogs. And then I also grilled white eggplant and lite purple eggplant, roasted some red gypsy peppers, roasted some of my buddy Andrews fingerling potatoes, and topped it all off with an heirloom tomato salad. Yum, and Double Yum. I love being a Farmer and I even Love it more when I have the energy to make a spectacular meal, enjoy it with good company, and take pleasure in the simple things.
And P.S. thank you guardian angel who kept me from being crashed into at the accident site on my way to market.

I could use a nap!

2009-08-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

It's now August and we can smell September 'round here. July and August are our biggest months. They are very, very, busy, very hot, and if I can get a nap on any day but Sunday it's a miracle or I just fell over from exhaustion. I cannot remember the last nap I had. You see in June when I'm working 9/10 hour days there is just enough time in the day to get a small nap and not be still working out in the field at dusk. But in July it's usually just to freakin hot to work a 10 and then have to be working in the field at 6:00. so the 2:00 nap goes bye-bye. And then lately I've even missed my Sunday naps. I've been busy processing chickens or having a few beers with friends ( I know whaaa) and missed my Sunday naps. Well I'm thinkin today's the day. Nappy time.
So now that it's August we can see the downhill run from here. Ok maybee not see it but smell it. (Smell is much more intuitive) I definately know it's out there, and right now I'm concentrating on enjoying August for all that it is, celebrating every success, and making sure I don't blow things off and screw up my Fall/Winter.
Speaking of Fall/Winer this week the first Carrot seed will hit the ground. They will find it to be fertile and extremely fluffy. The beds have tilled up like chocolate mousee and will taste like it to the Carrots. I'm planting a few more beds this year than last as insurance to the reduced avg. yeilds of last year plus we always have a growth in sales.
So for now this energized but nap starved Farmer is out of here.

Ketchup

2009-07-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

Okie Dokie I'll ketch you up on things.
Last two weeks have been of course busy. Last Sunday instead of my traditional do as little as possible day we processed our meat chickens. It wasn't a big batch but took most the day. Everything went off without a hitch, Adam and Erin did a great job, after training Adam on bleeding the chickens he took over as head vein cutter. He did a good job, and seemed to enjoy learning a new task that could very well serve him chicken the rest of his life. Erin helped Lisa inside with gutting etc, while I ran the scalding/plucker & helped Adam. Erin wasn't quite sure at the start if she could hang in there but she did, and I give her big props. It's not such an easy task gutting a chicken, especially if you've never even cut a whole one up that's already long dead . I was taught how to cut up a whole chicken at age 14. I didn't start processing live birds till a few years ago. So when our apprentices do it for the first time it's always a learning experience for all parties involved. But usually the end result is a simple satisfaction that they helped raise and kill their own meat. Sustenance at it's very core. And boy does it taste yummy.
Then of course Monday and back to the fields. Oh after doing chickens we did take Adam and Erin out to Scotty's ( our local dive bar by the river ) for some beers and deep fried food. Adam sure likes his deep fried food. He ordered up a second round of onion rings. So beers and new friends, the river and simple satisfaction of providing our selves with protein led to quite a nice Sunday even if I had to do more than as little as possible.
Back to the fields again. It started to get pretty hot this last week, huge Cherry Tomato pikin,Sharlyn pickin started, as well as all of our usuall repetoire. The 'Kids" ( it's what I call Adam and Erin ) rocked this week. Even in the blazing heat on they chugged, ( and Angela too ). Friday was wicked HOT, I put in a Twelve with harvesting H20 melons and Sharlyns which I swore two years ago to never do on friday but timing worked against me. Angela had a "falling back asleep" episode, but when it was all over everybody had put in an "ASSKICKEN" day and we were ready to got to Market and sell it all. Needless to say both Markets were hot as blazes but we sold alot of produce and celebrated with a dinner at Annies. I do like to show the Apprentices my appreciation for their hard work and dedication and a celebratory dinner is always nice.

Fourth of July Dinner

2009-07-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

Last nights dinner was Yummy!

It consisted of almost completely Farm produced or Local products. For the Main dish I BBQ'd a Pyramid Farms Pork Loin marinated in Cider Vinegar with our favorite cookin seasonings. The seasonings are made in Oroville, the Cider Vinegar not local. Then I roasted some of Grub's new Yukon Gold Potatoes with some of our Torpedo Onions, with Chaffin Family Orchards Olive Oil and more cookin seasonings. Definately local. Then I made a salad of Pyramid Farms Cucumber, Purple Pepper, Sun Gold Sherry Tomatoes, Cilantro and Basil an again cooking seasonings, Chaffin Olive Oil and Brown Rice Vinegar. So the only parts of the dinner that weren't local were Brown Rice Vinegar, and Cider Vinegar. So now I just need to get Gregg Massa to start making Rice Vinegar and a Apple guy to make cider vinegar. Of course the propane wasn't Local too. But dinner was Yummy and Lisa and I enjoyed it completely.
And I almost forgot! Dessert was homemade Goat Milk Vanilla Ice Milk. It was delicious and I'm going to start playing with the recipe to make it more creamy. Next time I make it, I'm going to separate the egg whites and whip them before adding them in. Then I'll try it with honey instead of sugar, and then agave nectar too.

Stealing

2009-07-03T16:55:00.000-07:00

I'm going to steal a topic here and if anyone wants to sue my go ahead.

Tomorrow on the birthday of our Nation I am going to be engaged in one of the most Patriotic acts one can do. No, not make war on a small country stealing their resources or enslaving their populace, or preparing them to become consumers of international corporate junk, but I will, on the Fourth of July, be selling my Certified Organic Vegetables at the Farmers Market.
Our great Nation ( well?) was built upon the backs of Farmers. Farmers made this country what it is. We fed our populace, and then we built wealth feeding/clothing people in other lands. Somewhere the train jumped the tracks but that is another topic. Now the tracks are being repaired and someday will be ready for the train to run them once again. I'm helping.
Service is in my Genes. But besides being a member of a genetically altered race designed to be slaves, ( digression here) my mothers maiden name is Service. So on I go on, helping to repair the tracks torn up at a time which I don't know, Serving my fellow man/woman, bringing Organic Vegetables of the highest quality to a Local Farmers Market so they in turn can practice an Patriotic act and purchase them, eat them, enjoy them.
So when you celebrate the Fourth of July, which celebrates the signing of our countries Declaration of Independence,( up yours King!) which more than likely was signed by a whole bunch of Farmers, if you are not eating a meal that is completely Locally produced, you are not only more than likely having the finest meal possible, you are committing treason.

Wicked Hot

2009-06-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

Yes it's Wicked Hot. Wicked Hot is when at 8:00 am you are sweating in just a few minutes of being outside. Wicked Hot is when the swamp cooler blows at 90F and it seems cool. Wicked Hot is when you don't really look forward to all the work to be done that day. Wicked hot is when your moving irrigation lines and the hoses burn your hands. Wicked Hot is when you roll out of bed at 5:00am so you can be mostly done by the high heat of the day. Wicked Hot is when you don't feel like cooking even though you have some of the worlds finest vegetables/meat at hand. Wicked Hot is when you have to really stay on top of irrigation or it all piles up. Wicked Hot is when you really see what the apprentices are made of. Wicked Hot is when you see what you are made of.
It was Wicked Hot yesterday too. I got back from Farmers Market at 3:00pm, unloaded the truck, and then watered the Nursery. Market's yesterday were really good.
The Grass Valley Market was a bit more busy and I got to see one of my favorite customers for the first time this year, Rosa. She's a big fan of Pyramid Farms, she just Loves our cilantro, and is one of my good luck charms. She was one of my first customers to show up and wait for Market to open. In Grass Valley years ago Market opened at 9:00am, so people would show up and wait in line for the bell to ring. Some vendors would have 20 people waiting for the start. I was just starting out and new to the Market so I was second on people's stops. Rosa was one of the first people who made me first on their stops. She would get the stands MO goin'. Mo is short for Momentum, which can be huge at Market. It creates even more MO, which attracts even more customers, and so on and so on. I've got a few tricks to keep the Mo goin' when there is a lull. I start putting the cash box away so I can go pee and that's just about a cinch to get somone to show up. Or there's moving boxes, just start moving boxes back on to the truck and it works like a charm, and of course in the middle of the MO restocking an item keeps it movin' or just rearranging something that isn't movin' jump starts it. Working it at Farmers Market is one part Farming, one part your Farms regular customers, one part sorcery ( manifesting the material world). It's like a dance, and a ritual combined. I Love the whole experience, and sometimes wonder if I'll be like some of my other Farmer friends and be 85 and still selling at the Market. (Go Ken & Betty) It's kind of addicting, and is most of my social interaction with other Human Beings off the Farm.

I Love Late June.

2009-06-26T15:32:00.001-07:00

Why?

cause life in the Field is still ... well right now on Friday afternoon at 3:30 all the picking is done,
I'm mostly done for the day. Cept for............minor stuff.. well not minor but it limits my exposure to the outside for much time, Irrigation has to be turned on/off, trucks moved ready to load, Hogs fed, Market prep, stuff like that.
Tomorrow the alarm goes of at 3:45, I jump out of bed, load the truck, drive an hour and twenty minutes, set up for Farmers Market, do Market, breakdown, then do wholesale delivery, then again drive an hour and twenty minutes home. Then of course there is all the stuff I do when I get home. So it makes for a long day.
So when it's Friday afternoon at 3:30 I Love it when I"m done with the strenuous stuff for the day.
See ya later I got goofing of to do.

A few Thoughts

2009-06-19T04:51:00.000-07:00

Yes If you look at the time of this post it's almost 5:00 am right now. I'm a Farmer so I should be gettin up to eat my breakfast before I start my day huh? Well right now I"m not sleeping as I should be in fact I haven't been sleeping for the last 2 hours. INSOMNIA!!!! The dreaded curse of an overactive mind. And right now I don't have to start my day at 5:00am, that will come later of course.

Last evening Lee and Francine from GRUB, a very new, small Farm here in Chico came by for a visit/tour. It's inspiring to know that others in your community are passionate about vegetables. They are ever so new to the Farming Game, but have such a good start. It's my secret desire to see small Farms everywhere, feeding their communities, actively pursuing the New Agrarian Life. I'm somewhat a visionary, somewhat a realist, and I Love food and I feel others could benefit from eating healthy, fresh, local, produce. So when I meet others who are helping take us to the place we could be it makes me excited. I of course feel that right now in THIS day and age that all those who have the ability to do so, could eat more vegetables and fruit, and all those that they do eat should be produced locally. If people would do this we would not just have a few farms who are rockin the World, but we would have a whole New Agrarian Life, everywhere we looked in this valley, one of the finest agricultural landscapes in the world we would see a pastoral landscape of super productive farms. people would have good jobs, producing a REAL economy, with long term growth and sustainability. We would gather with our friends and celebrate life and death, the passing of the seasons, and the harvests that they bring. We would give our selves the opportunity to experience true liberation and self responsibility. This Earth would be a better place for it all.
So here's to You folks of GRUB!!!!

Twelve's

2009-06-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

It's been Twelve's around here lately. That is in hour workdays. Onion and Garlic harvest is almost done, along with most of our summer crop plantings. That's what makes Early June so busy.
Not only do we have to keep our planting going, but get the Onions and Garlic out of the ground. Luckily with the rain that we had here it softened the ground up so I could immediately till the Onion/ Garlic rows to prepare them for Carrot planting. That is a big time saver. I don't have to disk them, irrigate them, then till. Just till. WhooHoo.
The rain/cool weather did help in a few other ways also. Instead of Twelves in 95F it was Twelve's in the low 80's. Quite a difference.
The Farmers Market's have been pretty good. Zucchini sales could be better but I think having Spinach and Lettuce takes some of that volume. It can be quite a balancing act, to much variety and all of a sudden you go home with to much Zucchini. I have been Wholesaling quite a bit, but the Zuch's are so prolific this year we can't sell it all. And the hogs certainly can't eat it all, this week we took some to the Jesus Center and hope to set up even more donations to them. It' saddens me to til in perfectly good produce back into the ground. But I don't have all that much extra time to set up distribution to those in need. Hopefully the Jesus Center can help.
Well I got a hog pen to clean.

Big Week

2009-05-31T10:04:00.000-07:00

Alright most the weeks round here are big. On Monday (yes I worked on Memorial day, I usually have to work on major summer holidays) I went and picked up our 6 Hogs. They have settled in to their life of eating, sleeping, rooting around, napping, snacking, running around, sunbathing, and eating some more. Oh the life of a Hog. if I had to be a Hog, I think I might pick here to live my life.
We of course had lot's of field work that got done. The second planting of Peppers/ Eggplant went in the ground, and it was so hot I had to give them a sun shade treatment so they wouldn't cook. The sun shade treatment is Kaiolin clay, white, very fine and will keep new transplants from cooking in very hot weather. It works wonderfully. I wish I had some for myself, as it was over 95F all week long, and the afternoons were pretty drippy. As in drips of sweat.
I started delivering Squash to my local store accounts and it's moving very well, which is really good as the yields are fantastic. It's really going gangbusters out there.
Then on Friday we had the start of our Harvest Fridays. With two Farmers Market's to pick for and wholesale delivery's it can get really busy here. But it's right now it's early in the summer season so it's a bit more "under control". We harvested Spinach, Giant heads of Romaine Lettuce ( some weighed more than 3#), Arugula, Basil, Onions, and Purple Radishes, as well as the normal daily Squash cutting. It was a well balanced day , and finished with a Yummy dinner of Farm raised Chicken, and Ceasear Salad with two kinds of home made croutons. Double Yummy.
Then as can be the norm for the first Market, I was only able to fall asleep for 10 minutes or so as I was so excited to go to the Grass Valley Market. Market up there was really fun, with my farmer friend Andrew setting up right next to my stall space. He's in his second year of Farming and he's gone from 1 acre to 10 acre's and I'm rooting for him. We had a nice post market conversation, and I do my best to give him tips of success. I drove home after a good market, unloaded the truck, then Angela got back from Chico Market and I found out that she had out sold me. Which is unusall, for I usally sell more produce at Grass Valley, but our local Chico folks are out there showing the Farm The Love and someday I have hopes of selling all I produce in Butte County.

Friday Fun

2009-05-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

Friday was fun. It was our first day of harvesting for the summer. I started with the Spinach. Which has turned out to be a nice trial. I haven't grown Spinach for quite a few years and decided to see If I could. I seeded it at the beginning of April, and was blessed with wonderful weather and little predation. It has matured into a wonderful experiment, tasty, creamy, and ever so not bitter. I brought 30# to Farmers Market and it was wonderfully received. It will be interesting to see if it grows fast enough and dosn't bolt to cut it again next week. I do have another planting of it coming along and it of course will be an experiment/learning experience.
Then I was able to cut a bit of Basil, which is pretty early for us. At this point I'm shaping the plants trimming them ever so carefully so as to encourage them to grow lot's of branches. Again well received at Market.
And now Zucchini cutting has hit full on. We went from 3 boxes that we cut and immediately brought to Market, again pleasing our customers,to 6 today. I already have informed my wholesale customers of the impending arrival and will start delivery's tomorrow. Yippee!!!
It was fun on Friday to start harvesting spring plantings, and always nice to bring them to Farmers Market and have them be so well received. I Love being the Carrot Man but I also enjoy growing and selling a plethora of other vegtables. You see, I sometimes suffer from attention span disorder and multi-tasking is my second name. As a mixed vegetable Farmer it is a quality that serves me very well, and if I had to do one task all day I would lose it.
Here's an update on last Sunday's Slow Food dinner at Chaffin Family Orchards. It went extremely well even with temperatures of 100F. I was part of the volunteer crew and I enjoyed myself, setting up, tending bar and clearing plates. The only drawback was I didn't eat enough of the delicious food. I had a snack here and there but blew it and didn't put together a big plate to enjoy all at once. All the food was fantastic, and it was fun to take part and help, and also quite an education to see what it takes to feed 100 people at a sit down dinner.

Inappropriate for Children

2009-05-16T16:09:00.000-07:00

This morning somehow I either slept thru my alarm or the alarm malfunctioned, needless to say the first words out of my mouth were inappropriate for children. Up I jumped and in to action. The first words out of Lisa's mouth were perfectly appropriate and children should say them more often, they were "How can I help". I lucked out and woke up at the time I usually depart for Farmers Market so I loaded the truck and Lisa got everything else ready and I got to Market with no speeding ticket and enough time for converstation with the Baker/Potter coffee clache. This morning I was late on arrival but provided a wonderfull sumation of the Therom for the morning. However it probably is inappropriate for children.
Next subject: It's blazing hot now, and getting hotter tommorow but all should be well. Tommorow I get to play bartender at a Slow Food event, the forecast is for 101F so I hope I don't wither in the heat. I'm looking forward to it as it's held at one of my favorite farms Chaffin Orchards, they are doing a fantastic job at modeling a Pastoral Orchard system. They are located in one of the most beutiful spots in the valley and have a fantastic operation, give a terrific Farm tour and give away "secrets" to anybody who asks. Fantastic Farmers we need more like 'em.
Our produce is being included in two dishes, our Carrots are being cookedin one dish, and our Garlic Scapes in another. It chould be a fantastic event and I'll fill you in on all the details.

Makin' Rain

2009-05-10T12:23:00.000-07:00

Today I'm making rain. As the temperature has recently turned to the warm side, today will hit 90F, I have to watch things and make sure I don't get behind in my irrigation. In fact when I'm done with this out I go to switch irrigation from the Squash and Tomatoes, to recently transplanted Tomatoes, Spring crops ( Lettuce, Beets, Spinach,Radishes,Arugula ).
This last week went very well with everything proceeding according to plans. Which in Farming can be quite a rare occurance. Last weekend we had almost 2" of rain, wetting the soil pretty well. So on Teusday when it was time to fertilize and till the rows for Cucumbers, Watermelons, and Sharlyn Melons, I was hoping the soil wasn't to wet causing clumping and soil structure damage. When I went through with the tiller the soil came out looking pretty good and ready for planting. So On Wednsday we planted Cucumbers then Watermelons and Sharlyn's on Thursday. And the weather has been pefect for them ever since with wonderfull soil temperature. Go seeds Go!!!!!!!!!!
Then on Friday we transplanted the second run of Shady Ladys and they are happy and the timing a perfect 30 days after the first run. These kind of weeks are occuring more frequently. Perfect timing, and excellent results. Something must be up.

Rain Rain Go-Away

2009-05-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

O.K. I'm done with my little temper tantrum now. You see if I had it my way it would be sunny and warm, but it's not. So I live with it. Actually live in it. Actually it was quite interesting to see the effect the rain had on the Farmers Market today. It didn't totally kill the market but our sales and my friends sales were down quite a bit. We brought Carrots home. That means either I was foolishly too optimistic or somthin' funky's goin' on. The Market did have some competition today ie: parade, endangered species fair, and craft fair. So all in all it was interesting to see how many of our regulars came out and how many went to other events and how many simply just stayed home in the rain. And I'll give props to all those who came out. I just have a bit of empathy for my pal Nick who went home with way to many of the bomb, Organic even, strawberries. Those berries are a cruel mistress and thats why I don't be sleeping with her. One day everybody loves you, standing in line to get your berries, the next ( cause 3/4 of the mkt's strawberry volume is based on fair weather franks ) your tossin' berrys out with tears in your eyes. Ok that's not all the reasons why I don't grow strawberrys but I think it reads better that way.
But back to the first subject, Rain. My grassfed beef freinds are probably dancing a jig right now, cause an inch of rain in May is a Godsend, two is a miracle and we're quickly heading that way. For us on the Farm it means more work, and not the kind that does anything to further our goal of growing yummy vegtables, unless you count mowing weeds and grass as productive.
( Actually it is, and actually adds wonderful organic matter to our soil )
Today at Farmers Market many people asked me if the rain was good or bad for me, and so that's why the subject. I usually just take the weather with a cheery " it's the weather, I'm a Farmer, and if I stress on the weather I'm going to be a cranky old man."

Life of a busy Farmer

2009-04-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

I have the life of a Farmer. Maybee to say busy is redundant. It's been a wild and fast paced two weeks 'round here. Two nights ago ( Friday night) it again got a bit chilly. Again the frost alarm went off at 4:00am. What me worry? Well the agribon had been removed from the Zucchini, and so I quickly dashed outside, turned on water and woke Angela ( apprentice) and away we went unrolling agribon to cover the Zukes. I also turned the water on the freshly transplanted Peppers, Eggplant, and Basil. It all turned out wonderfully with the agribon/water making those wonderfull little microclimates. Off to Farmers Market I went.
Market was again busy. Really busy. The crowds are showing up earlier, and getting thicker. And Carrots are flying out as fast as we can sell them.
We have two new arrivals on the Farm also. New apprentices Erin and Adam, who are working out just wonderfully. They have great attitudes, are eager and helpfull, and both the Farm and they are really looking forward to the experience's this season brings.
Back to busy. I totatlly blew it this week. I had a scheduled appearance at CSU Chico to talk about local food systems and my successes and challenges. I was so focused on finnishing lots of little tasks that I forgot about it till it was to late. I speak to groups pretty often and this was the first time I was late, or missed the event alltogether. Busy Farmer syndrome.

Busy 'round here

2009-04-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's been busy 'round here. A small list of what got done this last week.
Tomato's transplanted
Tomato's covered
Spring crops seeded
Veg starts for sale transplanted
Much mowing
Thistle patrol
Peppers #2 planted
and many many more..............
Yesterday at Market it was just hummin. Loads of people. Busy all around. I came home totally bushed. It could be attributed to being up at 3:30 watching field temps and getting ready for frost. The temp had been dropping 2F an hour and at 3:30 was at 34F so frost was pretty immanent. The Squash is up but under row covers but some leaves are contacting the cover, and I didn't want to lose any. So I cleared the water line of chilly water and started it up on the squash at 4:00am. The external temp was seamming to hold but I've seen it do that then drop really quick, and I wasn't taking any chances. So I kept monitoring the temps and got my micro climate around the squash to 36F and figured I'd be safe. ( I have to leave for Market at 5:30am.)
So today's Easter and we're going to have a nice Linner, but being spring I got to go and work. Life of a Farmer!!!

Brrrrrrr!!!

2009-04-04T18:03:00.000-07:00

Yeah that's what I said, besides the oh crap, when at 3:30 am my frost alarm went off. As my luck would have it just that morning I had transferred 30 flats of the first run of Tomatoes to greenhouse-2. Which just happens to not be heated. So I find myself transferring all those flats back to greenhouse-1 putting them on top of the lights and covering them. Good thing, as if I hadn't it would have been an ugly sight. Would have been toasted tomatoes. It got pretty chilly "bout 28F. And as my good luck for the evening continued I finished just in time to go in the house and find that it was time to go to Farmers Market.
Originally my good luck started when in the evening, I took my frost alarm out of the shop where it was after tracking soil temps the last few days, and putting in back in the bedroom. Smart move. Thank you, small still voice, which by the way is one of the best tools a small vegetable farmer can have. If it wasn't for that smart move I would have been very bummed, and then had to beat myself up for months. Way to go smarty. Give yourself three pats on the back.
This is the season of nights sometimes rudely being disturbed by the beeping of the frost alarm. It can be so simple as, oh no problem everythings covered and it won't be too chilly I can bump the setting down and go back to sleep, to Oh Crap I got to go turn water on and hope that the temp dosn't keep dropping. That was last year. Last year fter a week of being up most nights for a week checking row covers( or spraying ice off uncovered crops at 4AM) and everything going pretty well we had a doosey of a frost. I new we were in for a cold one at sundown but when it hit 32F at 11pm I was a bit nervous. That night I knew we could be in for mid-20's and the agribon will keep us safe for about 28F and those few extra degrees can be fatal. At that point I turn on the drip lines and that will actually give me another 2-3 degrees of protection, that little trickle of warm water makes an itty bitty micro climate, which last year when it got to 24F and I had been up all night doing monitoring things I had reason to celebrate everything making it through unscathed.
Iv'e got many more frost stories but maybee later, I've got to go celebrate this one small victory plus the good market today.

Normally

2009-03-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Normally on Sunday you'll find me hiding inside the house, only venturing outside to water starts turn on irrigation, or a very small task. Not today, after I finish this I'll be out working on a Sunday. BoooHoo. You see we had our rototiller break down two weeks ago and I didn't get it fixed till this week. Part availability problems. But better now then later, when I'm really crunched for time. So this leaves me a bit behind in soil preparation. And the ground is drying fast and I now behind. Today I'll finish fertilizing the Squash beds and maybe get some more mowing done. Who knows if I really am motivated I might spread more Gypsum.
This week is really crunch time. We'll get Squash seeded, some Beets and Turnips, get Tomato beds prepped, prep flats for the second round of Tomato/Pepper/Eggplant. And get the Garlic/ Onions weeded. Now that the Carrots are all dug and stored we can focus on other tasks that need to be done. It's really hitting the busy season 'round here. Days are getting longer and warmer, and I'm putting in 10 hour days. If I fall behind now I'll regret it for weeks. So now I got to get out there!

Secrets Revealed

2009-03-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

I spoke at our local Grange this last Sunday, revealing some of my secrets to a Organic Gardening class. This class series was organized by David Grau who was a Farmer years ago, and currently manufactures a wheel hoe. The class has been very well attended, and was filled with many familiar faces from the Farmers Market.
The first topic I covered was Tomato cultivation. There were lots of questions and I gave them all my secrets on growing the best Tomatoes they have ever grown. I certainly hope that they have a good harvest.
Then many audience members were anxiously awaiting my presentation on Carrot cultivation. I think they were hoping I'd reveal the variety I grow but I kept that secret to myself, while coaching them on all my other practices. And some of these practices aren't secret at all as they have been passed from David Grau to Richard Roth to me. I owe both those guys a bunch. (carrot humor!!!) Every time Richard comes by the stall I try and give him free produce but he tends to throw his money on the table and run off. Maybe I'll one day be able to sit down with these two local farm pioneers and have a wonderful chat.
Both of these guys were ahead of their time. David gave up farming in 1987 way before local or Organic food was on the radar of mass consumption or support. And Richard had a CSA more than ten years ago that again was visionary at the time. We all must remember those who came before us and honor and respect the foundation that was laid before us, and continue to build upon it.

Sprung

2009-03-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Yep, spring has sprung round here. Yesterday at Market it was really busy. Loads of people, carrots flying out of the stall, smiling faces, and dueling band troops. At one end of Market a samba troupe, the other a cumbia troupe.Rockin!!!!
The greenhouses are now glowing like spaceships, it's pretty cool. The first run of Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Peppers seeds are all tucked in their beds ready to start poking up their leaves and reaching for the sky, starting on their mission here at Pyramid Farms/Planet Earth.
The mission?
To germinate,sprout,and grow into healthy, happy, strong, vigorous, disease free, insect resistant, plants bearing an abundance of sweet, delicious, nutritious, attractive, fruit for us to harvest and sell!!!!
It's not a lot to ask of them, seeing as it's their destiny, and mine to help serve them in the accomplishment of that mission. It's a lot for us both to do, but as my Heart fills with as much Love as I can bear, my work becomes less "hard" and more "Joyfully Diligent". I really don't like the terminal usage of "Hard" and "Work Hard" it connatates struggle. And I'm opposed to struggle. It seems that our society values "Hard Work" and this might be at the crux of some of our problems. The inevitable struggle results in lack and leads to greed, which encourages rampant speculation, predatory buisness practices, and enslaves the populace of Planet Earth. Maybee if we pursue "Joyfull Occupation" things might be different.

Back in the Flow

2009-02-22T13:51:00.000-08:00

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!!!

Good Market

2009-01-04T11:22:00.000-08:00

Around here the Market's before Christmas and after Christmas were a bit slow. I attributed it to people shopping for more deals on xmas presents. Yesterday's market was back to normal though. The day started off really cold ( frost forming on the tables ) and market was a bit slow at the start. Lot's of vendors chatting with each other instead of customers. But then as it warmed up the customers started showing up and we eventually sold all of our carrots. I was starting to wonder after a few weeks of stagnant carrot sales but now the volume is back to it's usuall climbing every week. Hooray!!

Mud is Here!!!

2008-12-24T15:23:00.001-08:00

Yes the Mud is Here!!! It's something you almost have to see up close. Or better yet experience.
10# of mud stuck to your boots ( each boot ) as you work to dig carrots, is quite a time. Then if your really lucky it will be raining, and then if your even luckier, cold and raining with your fingers going numb as you scrape mud off of carrots. Ahh the life of a farmer.
But hey I could be stuck inside with 10F weather and wondering if the snow will stop, and will it melt soon enough for me to work the fields. You see in Northern California I'm blessed to be able to farm year round. We do markets every week of the year. which means no matter how much rain,cold,wind,mud there is, we got to dig carrots.There are plenty of people who would be really upset if we decided to stay inside and not dig carrots. Now all we're harvesting is carrots.
All the cauliflower and romanesco is timed to be done by mid-december, rain and cold can decimate a caulilflower crop, but this year it was increadibly dry and mild. Almost too mild as some of the brassica crop matured to early. I had a few rows that were ready to harvest to close to others so they pretty much went off without being harvested 'cept for feeding to the goats and chickens. Goats LOVE cauliflower!!! But those rows were gamble rows. You see the life of a farmer is a gamble, sometimes you play your hand close, other times you got to go for broke, I try not to go for broke to often as my system is pretty well developed and don't really like working for free. But every once and a while I'll push the envelope and see if a gamble will pay off. And then see if I can fit that in my system. This year I did take one crop out of my system.
Sweet Peas. Yum, but after 8 years at this location and one year of the crop being finacially viable I said "goodbye" no more sweet peas. Yes it's sad that we won't have them for our table but I'm tired of saying "the peas look good this year" and then 2 weeks later we get hit with a cold snap and half die the other half freeze to the ground and barely recover in the spring. But it took 8 years of trying 'till the stubborn farmer in me gave up.

Merry Christmas to All, and Peace on Earth,
Matthew

Chicken Roundup

2008-12-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

Today Lisa and I had a chicken roundup. We've been working the layers in amongst the fig trees. We're working up the fertility. Or you would say the chickens are working up the fertility. This is how Lisa took pretty much a waste land with very low fertility and turned it into productive irrigated pasture. Here's her technique. Let the chickens do the work. She keeps the chickens in an area until they've scratched it bare, and the chicken ship has been washed out over the whole space. This takes land that has very low fertility, raises the fertility, and eliminates many weed seeds. Then you broadcast your pasture seed, add water and voila!! You have pasture. I had know idea that it would work so well but it does. So now we're working the chickens in our fig orchard. They were is there this summer and the trees that they were around are way bigger than any of the others.
So where does the roundup come in. Well when you decide on the spur of the moment to move the electric-net you haven't shut the chickens in the ship for the night so you move the net, the chickens roam free and when it's set back up you roundup the chickens. It's really fun and quite an art. Gentle pressure from two people and they eventually go thru the gate.

Farewell 'till Later

2008-12-07T10:23:00.000-08:00

Farewell 'till later, to the Kansas Kid. Who might the Kansas Kid be? Mr. Eric Turtle or E.T. as we later in his stay here on the Farm discovered his initials to make. Eric was one of our wonderful apprentices for the '08 season here. I do believe he learned quite a bit here. And of course he taught us much also. Eric was the first apprentice to be the one and only Zucchini cutter, for the entire season.
What does that entail? As his first task for the day; everyday, sat/sun included, he lovingly harvested fruit from about 1,200 plants. As the only other person to do this task, it can be quite daunting. It takes dedication, care, and fortitude beyond most beings understanding.
This was only one small part of his contribution here this last season. He like all the others before him and all the others to come, did countless duties, and made wonderful contributions to the success of the Farm. His cheerful disposition, dedication to the Farm, and genuine good nature, left a lasting imprint on Lisa, I, and the Farm.
It is always sad to see apprentices go. They are our friends, and members of our extended family. Many times they do come to visit, and some times they return for another season. But they always seem to touch our Hearts in ways sometimes even we can't realize. So again thank you Eric, and all the others for your time here.

Market Update:
this last Sat. Market went very well, despite foggy chill our customers showed up in force and made for a fun and successful mkt. We had Romanesco, Orange Cauliflower, Butternut Squash, Elephant Garlic, and Sweet Carrots. We sold most of everything, and turned some people on the the joys of eating Romanesco. I did figure out that, quite possibly Romanesco is proof of God in the material form. If you have never seen it, find it. Ponder it, eat it, see where it leads you.

Where have I been ?

2008-12-02T05:27:00.000-08:00

No I haven't been abducted by E.T.'s, I guess I've been busy on the Farm. No. Of course I've been busy on the Farm.
Here's a brief rundown. 2006 was a good year. Most plantings went well, and the fertility is really growing. I did quite a bit of soil testing that year and have been using it, and further testing to refine my fertility program. I continued to refine my planting program , with a goal of creating more produce in the late Fall, as the Chico Farmers Market crowds in the Fall are getting bigger. We did get the shop built in the late summer, which was really nice as I really needed the storage, trying to run an 8 acre farm with 200 sq. ft. of storage is a pain, not to mention all the stuff that can't be properly stored.
Lisa's goats were bred in the Fall and kidded in spring of '07. Cute babies, all went well, and goat milk is delicious, with a few nice benefits. First no buying milk!! second raw goats milk has a wonderful effect of loosening up my joints and muscles so in the morning, when I put on my boots I don't feel like an old man!!! ( which I can verify cause do to an incident we are not milking goats right now and I'm a bit creaky!
In regards to my health I did make a full recovery from West Nile. It took quite a while. I was
pretty much back to full strength for our vacation to Thailand. It was fantastic, 'cept on the last day I broke my pinky toe so I hobbled around the farm for a month and couldn't wear boots. for

Now for 2007. Our apprentice for '07-Angela came to the Farm 8 days before our departure on vacation. EIGHT DAYS!!! Eight days to train her on every aspect of the farm, from picking,selling at Market,taking care of the animals,to fixing anything that might go wrong. It worked out fantastic!!! After the first day both Lisa and I had confidence that she wouldn't kill any animals, or not be able to handle what came her way. How did it turn out? She handled the responsibility superbly. I can't even imagine what was like for her to come here and 8 days later the owners wave goodbye with her in charge of everything for a Month. Wow must have been mind blowing. She performed like a champ, our customers at Farmers Market started their Love affair with her, the animals were just fine, she handled every little bump that came along, and we had very few concerns during our vacation.
The field operation in '07 went very well. I didn't have any big changes in plans, just further refinement. Fine tuning things. The field ended up looking the cleanest it ever has. The apprentices ( Elisabeth was the other apprentice) took a great interest in maintaining everthing without me having to micro-manage the mowing. Micro-management is not my style, and who has the time! ( This last year I was working on psychic management which worked pretty well )
Some of the standouts for '07 - No gaps in Tomato production solid production till Nov.
Crazy good cherry tomato harvesters, Pretty Purple Peppers comin' out of our ears, and Gypsy peppers galore! I did try a new technique with the Gypsy peppers. I interplanted them with Basil, which due to prior observation when planted close to Basil led to less disease. It worked very well. None of the usual leaf drop. We had excellent melon production both Watermelon and Sharlyn. And our Fall crops doing very well. Broccolli and Orange Cauliflower being standouts.
Both apprentices as usual were standouts also. Our customers took to Angela very well. Almost too well. When I came back to Chico Mkt. in the Fall instead of saying how nice it was to see me they said "Where's Angela?" . She also managed to learn many of their names which is not exactly my forte'. Making me look bad and raising the bar of customer service.
Elisabeth the other apprentice had the duty of staying on the farm Sat. mornings and cutting Zucchini. She of course was wonderful in her own right. She had prior commercial farm experience, with also having served in the Peace Corps in Africa. Needless to say that woman is hard core. Tireless in the field, a dedicated disposition, and a very grounded world view. Needless to say she was glad when we finally pulled the plug on the Zucchini. All are.
On Lisa's front, she and the girls ( women actually ) milked the Goats that kidded, and evaluated them for production, fat content, and milking disposition. Needless to say the Goat milk turned out to be delicious "like melted vanilla ice cream" and Lisa makes cheese that's Divine. I mean Divine. Most who taste it say they never had goat cheese so good.
She also raised Hogs again. They took a bit longer than they should have to reach mkt. weight but of course turned out again to be the sweetest most tender pork you ever had. She added molasses to their feed ration and boy do they love that. I even got in on the feeding taking charge in the fall as she was a bit tired of feeding them every day.
I also managed to get the sombrero up around the shop, which seems to be one of the last huge development projects. Felt nice to have all that additional storgage and proper storage for Garlic/Onions.
What did we try that was new in '07 I took a huge gamble on the carrots and tried a new triple row bed. If it didn't work I would come up very short in production. If it did work, I would have all I needed ( had a big contract with the school district ) and be able to meet increasing demand in coming years. Well, after a few nervous months, it turned out that triple row beds yield just fine. We had record sales that Winter/Spring and plenty for the school tasting program.
Winter time:
Elisabeth departed for a bike trip to New Zealand and Thailand, and Angela went and visited family for Thanksgiving/Christmas, then returned so Lisa and I could go to the Phillipines for our vacation. The R.P. rocks. Beutifull, ( rice paddy's acoss the road from the ocean) nice people,
great diving. Angela again ran the farm seemleslly, staying till March when whe went to another farm to learn there for the year.
O.K. here's a bit of 2008.
Leo, one of our new apprentices arrived in Feb. He adjusted to the farm pretty well and got to experience the carrot harvest/ marketing in all it's glory. Eric turned up at Farmers Mkt. looking for work and endend up filling the second position. Both turned out to have their own talents. Leo's being very interested in all the aspects of the Farm from planting to marketing. Eric's being able to make Zuchinni grow forever due to his majical whistling and cheery dispositon. Eric likes to say "yup, yup" must be from being from Kansas and nobody hearing yup the first time cause the wind. They both shone in the field with dedication and fortitude. Leo did Chico mkt. and Eric had the daunting task of cutting Zucchini every day. I mean every day. Every single day. I had to tell him if he stopped whisteling the Zucchini might slow down to a point where we ( he) would stop cutting it.
We had challenges of course: Late frost and cool spring. We had to replant Zucchini, and there was a week where I got very little sleep being up monitoring for frost and frost control measures.
We had a low of 26 one night but thanks to agribon covers and additional measures the Tomatos pulled though with little damage. The rest of the year went pretty smoothly. With most crops doing very well. Garlic was one standout with a large amount of jumbo heads and tons of large heads. Tomato sales at Chico mkt. doubled and overall sales at Chico went very well, with increases in most veggies. Our Fall Broccoli was pretty ugly for a long time ( due to a very warm Fall ) but it sold well. And the Orange Cauliflower and Romanesco is flying out of the stall at Mkt. And of course our customers are very happy to have Sweet Carrots again.
We did implement hopefully a new tradition here also. For our Thanksgiving Mkt. we donated all of our sales for the day to Heifer International. Our gift will give 20 flocks of Chickens, 20 flocks of Geese/Ducks, 6 Honeybee hives, 4 Goats, 2 Pigs, and 1 Sheep to family's all over the world to help them raise themselves out of poverty. Life for us here is pretty bountifull, and now I want to help others experience Earth's Bounty.
Well that's about it for now. I'm going to have the goal of writing here every week now, so I'll see how it goes.

What's with me?

2006-12-07T16:12:00.000-08:00

What's with me? Well the West Nile incident was pretty bad. I was bedridden for a month. Then two more weeks I pretty much could walk to the end of the Farm and back then I was exhausted.( Of course I walked like a hundred year old man) I would be out of breath, weak, and sore. At the end of six weeks luckily nothing on the farm had died or got too neglected. The apprentices managed to keep up on harvest and market as things were in a bit of a lull. And Lisa was awsome and kept everthing watered and me cared for.

Then it was time for getting ground prepared for garlic and onions. Boy what a challenge. I could fertilize and till a row then just about crawl back to bed. All in all, all the planned garlic and onions got planted in time. Got by by my chinny chin chin.

Of course the last few weeks I've been catching up on two months of cleanup and farm projects. Most is done now. The greenhouse that needed to be recovered is done. And there is a small amount of drip tape to roll up, but the field work is done. Now I'm harvesting for market,(digging lot's of carrots) and working on other farm projects. It should all get done in time for the holidays and then VACATION!!! YEAH!! I must say both Lisa and I are a bit frazzled and worn at both ends, and really are going to enjoy some time off and away from the farm.

A bit of advise for those who come down with West Nile Virus. Lactoferin, minerals ,probiotics, massage, hot baths with epsom salts. Eat well, tons of leafy greens, get all the help you can from alternative health practiciners. Some stuff I didn't find out till much to far along.

I count my blessing in many ways. I've always been gratefull for good heath. Now I'm really gratefull, I'm gratefull for when I came down with West Nile. It could have been reallybad in the middle of the summer for the Farm. And most of all I'm gratefull that by the grace of God, I manage to make the right choices, meet the right people, and live a blessed Life.

West Nile Virus

2006-10-02T16:36:00.000-07:00

Ok I got it. I came down with the first symptoms two weeks ago. It's not fun. It's not as bad a being bitten by a black widow ( I've done that too) but it's no walk in the park. In fact most days I barely have had enough energy to walk. The first week I slept most of the time, or threw up, or whined about my poor muscle aches. The second week hasn't been to bad except sleeping for ten minutes then waking up for twenty then sleeping for ten more every night. My brain is starting to get a little mushy. My appetite has come back after not wanting to eat the first week and losing 10 pounds. And most of my aches and pains are gone or minimal. But I still am terribly weak. I trimmed some garlic this morning and now feel like I've been run over by a truck, but I'm going a bit stir crazy and want to do something besides lay there.

Axel and Scott have been taking care of the fields and weeding carrotts. Their almost done so now I need to get well so we can start on planting garlic. But thank god for those guys.

Burnout

2006-09-16T15:34:00.000-07:00

Burnout. I'm suffrin' from it. It happens every year at this time. To much work, not enough time off. Most people get two days off a week. But as a Farmer I get one. That one day off I'm gratefull for. But at this time of the year I've had way to many 10-12 hour days, not enough sleep, and get a good case of burnout going. Luckily, one of our saturday markets dosn't run next week so Lisa and I sneak away and pretend we're hip-urban-weekenders. If I'm lucky I'll be able to sleep in for two days and relax without contemplating the Farm too much.

Addding to the burnout is a bad case of insomnia. Two weeks of fitfull sleep. Waking up way to much or spending hours just not sleeping. I geuss now I know just a bit of what some parents go through.

But the good news is the shop is done. I now have a proper place to fix stuff, store stuff, and keep stuff from getting ruined. Praise be!! It's been a long time comin. It took me a few years to save up for it and now it's here and I'm happy.

Oh the burnout? It'll go away soon. I'll get my little break, it will soon start to rain and force me inside ( then I get a break but whine I'm bored) and I'll crave those long days of summer once again.

bad blogger good farmer

2006-08-20T16:44:00.000-07:00

Yes I'm a bad blogger but a good farmer. I should write on my blog more often but I don't. When I can't sleep I should write a bit but then I might stay even more awake thinking about the farm even more. But I've been a good farmer. It really shows out in the field and at farmers mkt. All through the summer I managed to stay on top of things and get all the planting/transplanting done on schedule.

There was only one bump in the road when right around my birthday I pinched a nerve in my back and was bedridden for three days,not being able to move my right leg. Luckily my chiropracter was able to sort it out and I was back at it shortly. Thanks Russ, you are the man. And I owe so much gratitute to my Partner in Life Lisa, as she nurtured me, helped me in and out of bed, and did all the irrigation. And Axel (apprentice) did his best to keep up with everything while nursing a sore heart as his partner had left for the summer.
Life can be a big challenge for everyone and I don't single farmer's out, but in the middle of the summer, when there is so much riding on getting this planted on time, or weeding this area, or preping these rows, Life really can throw you a curve ball by having you out of commission for 5 days.

But now so much time has passed and so much has happened. We had a new addition to the crew here, Scott. A pleasent young man,who was thrown directly into the fire and put in charge of cutting zucchini. Zucchini can be a great friend of the farmer but it can also be a chore you dread, or you can embrace it for what it is. An everyday task, no time off for weekends, no doing it later in the day cause you don't feel like it this morning, no putting it off cause if you do, You end up making more work for yourself and throwing a ton of zucchini on the ground cause it 's got to be from 4 to 7 inches anything else and nobody wants to buy it. So he put his nose to the grindstone and after taking way longer than it humanly should the first day, got it straight and ended up being a wonderfull zucchini cutter. Then I really challenged him and gave him cucumber picking duties. At first he shared these with Axel but Axel had grown weary of picking cucumbers, as this is his second summer and his tolerence for mundane tasks can be low. And Axel was needed full time picking cherry tomatoes. Which has earned him the nickname of The Tomatoenator. Partly because of our Govenor the Terminator, partly because Axel has a german accent, but mostly because he is a cherry tomato picken machine. Back to Scott, and his trial by fire. Well he didn't quit after being assigned two dastardly duties, and he managed to become quite proficent at them both. And he is still here to this day, having gladly taken to many other duties that farmworkers find unpleasent, and with a very bright and sunshiny attitude.
So let's see.So far it's planitng good, pinchned nerve bad, new farm worker good, so far good 2 bad 1. Let's see the rest of the story and how that scores.

We got back at Farmers Market late than usuall after such a rainy spring but sales we're really good. Our Grass Valley mkt. Started setting sales records and kept doing so, and that has been fantastic. Chico mkt has kept plugging along, with good sales but it dosn't even come close to the buisness we do in Grass Valley. We saw many of our favorite customers, and worried about some as we hadn't seen them yet. You see Farmers market is most of Lisa and I's social life, and we love seeing old customers for the first time and catching up with other vendor friends. So all in all Farmers Market good! Score now good 3 and bad 1.

So now it's September and all the fall Broccolli is in the ground and doing well, and the Carrotts are up and the germination is good, with not to many weeds. so all looks well for the Fall/Winter. Summer harvests are slowing a bit but with more runs of Tomatoes and Peppers to come. So now with most planting done I can concentrate on tilling in old crops to may way for the Garlic and Onions.

And some really big news!! After saving for many years we started on building a shop this summer. And it's just about done. No more working on tractors in the blazing sun, or having over stuffed sheds with not enough room to move, and having a proper place to store tools. And even better when we put up the sombrero around the back and sides I'll have a proper place to store Garlic and Onions instead off under trees and tarps. So now the score is good 4 and bad 1.
So after a long summer, one wicked hot heat wave, we are looking forward a bit to the fall slowdown, but very very gratefull for all of summers bounty and success

What's up with Global Warming 2

2006-05-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

So after a super wet winter and spring ( last year spring was wetter), we moved right into summer. The avg. temp was around mid 70's for a week then, KABLAMM 80's. Not just low 80's but mid and high 80's, that was for two weeks then, KAPPOW 90's first low 90's then high 90's. I mean it get's warm here but not that fast, it was 15 degrees above normal and not for just a small few days spike, but every day. So in my mind people who say Global Warming is not proven, just can't read a thermometer. Or they got their head so far up their ___ they can't see one if they new how to read one.

Ok maybee that's a bit mean, but on to other stuff. The plant's loved the heat. The Tomatoes took off like rocket's, and have flower's on. The squash is cruising along with growth rates that rival the kid with the magic beans. The Peppers had it a bit harder as it was a bit too warm, and challenged them to grow roots in all the hot hot heat, but now their lookin good.

This last week we transplanted run #2 of the Tomatoes. I lucked out and the weather cooled down so they won't wilt in the heat. and the second run of peppers will go in later this next week.

In other news, the last two weeks I broke two peices of expensive equipment, not only that but important. Other Farmers will tell you, broken equipment can make the strongest man cry, and cook the brain of the most budddha like Farmer. You see, when something breaks, I usally am using it and need to use it just about every day. Then when it's broke just about everything stops, except that all the things I was soposed to be doing isn't getting done, creating logjams, and mental frustration. Then of course there is the whole process of fixing the broken equipment. You see I don't have a shop or garage here so it's all done out in the open, where the sun beats down on you and bolts and stuff drop in the grass never to be found ( cept by some other farmer 50 years later). Then there's the expense, input shafts can be expensive, bearings costly, and someone else to press them in and out downright budget busting. OK one more then, then there's the whole why did I break the freakin thing in the first place? you see there's wear and tear, then there's downright stupidity. In my case it's both. Old equipment/stupid Farmer. Well, not stupid just first generation farmer stupid. You see when you grow up on a farm your elders either teach you not to break stuff, or they start you out on equipment that, if it breaks, they have backup and then you get to spend the next few days/nights in the shop fixing it, then they tell you why you broke it/how not to break it again. In my case I have to learn the hard way and don't always have backup, and it all get's backed-up. I did buy a second tractor this spring so now I do have some backup, but that of course needed to be worked on a bit. But it got done, tilling got done, mower got fixed before grass got to tall, and Farmer Matt got another lesson in Buddhahood.

About Time

2006-05-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

Well it's about time. There are finally chicken's on the Farm. Strange thing, being they are my domestic animal totem. I must have been really stupid or just way to busy to get living quarters set up and start raising them. It could be that people that know me have always said " yeah that's all you need is another chore." I have to admit Lisa is the driving force of the chicken's. She came up with the design of the "Chicken Ship" all I did was provide manly strength when needed.

Well we now have 18 Barred Rock's out on the lawn/pasture, eating grass, checking out the new digs, escaping through the electric fencing, being thrown back in, and hopefully staying put. We bought pullets just starting to lay. A local hatchery guy has quite an operation. Really clean, happy birds, and an all around good feel to the place. The instant the birds got here they were milling around eating grass and generally being chickens.

Like I said it's about time. Chicken's are awsome. Just about everybody should have a few. And Farms should definately have them. I just hope that I don't spend all my time watching them, clucking to them, and catching them and putting them back in their pasture. If these work out they may become part of the buisness around here, as eggs sell like hotcakes at mkt. I just haven't had the time to start it all up and work out the kinks. Geuss that's the way I am, I really don't do something till I know I can make it work, or at least have the energy to work out the kinks, and take care of things. It's the same way with me and trees. I haven't planted many cause I want them to thrive, I feel horrible if I kill one, and almost worse if it just struggles along.

Also things in the field are going well, Tomatoes are in, Cherry tomatoes, Squash, Peppers, Eggplant, Basil, Cucumbers, and next Watermelons. Then of course it starts all over with second runs. But we've been hustling, gettin 'er done and it's shaping up around here.

What's been up!!

2006-04-23T16:32:00.000-07:00

Well it's been quite a bit since my last post, partially didn't feel to inspired except maybee, to rant on how crappy the weather's been, so I didn't. We had rain, rain, rain till about a week ago. Then the sun came out enough for me to get out and get some mowing done, thank God cause it was getting pretty bad out there. The oat's we're about to go to seed and the thistles we're about to also.
But the initial mowings been done and I even got a few beds tilled for Broccoli and Lettuce. They got transplanted on Fri then of course it rained on Saturday morning. Only a quarter of an inch but enough to slow field work down.

Today I planted the third run of peppers, yet have still to transplant the first run. Everything in the greenhouse is way slow cause all the rain and cool temps. But it actually is better than having things to big. This week I hope to prepare beds for the Tomatoes and hopefully get them in the ground at the end of the week. Then of course more bed preparation and tons of transplanting to be done. It's all anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks late but last year was even later.

The Garlic looks really well, it has the biggest stalks I've ever seen. If they turn out well, the heads will be mammoth, I'm just hoping for some warm weather cause their starting to set up their bulbs. The Onions aren't so huge but they were on the small size when we transplanted them, and then all it did was rain all winter. But all in all it should be an average crop.

Sorry about the sideways and multiple photos I suck with computers.

15 Minutes of Fame

2006-04-01T16:26:00.001-08:00

This is a photo that was taken and published on the 2005 cover of the Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply catalog. It was a great honor for us to be their cover selection and our 15 minutes of fame. It was fun to have lots of our customers comment on the picture, and a few even had us sign their copys. It was taken in the Fall of '04 and just an awsome time here on the farm because the huge variety of veggies, we still have summer crops and fall crops are comin in.
I consider myself to be blessed with the location of Peacefull Valley cause it saves me a bundle on shipping, and they are a fantastic resourse to have so close by.

Where's this Global Warming?

2006-03-31T14:10:00.000-08:00

I'm usally a pretty positive person. But right now I'm sick of the Rain. In the Month of March we've had 22 days of rain, and twice the normal amount in inches. It was like this last year too.

Usually at this time of the year we're plantin summer squash, and just about ready to transplant the first run of tomatoes. Right now the field is soaked to the bone and there isn't a break in the weather in sight. I'm cooped up in the greenhouse or filling potholes in the driveroad. They got pretty kingsize this year, and I was growing tired of them growing bigger and bigger, so 14 Tons of rock and one sore back later it look's pretty decent. I don't think I'll let them get that big in the future.

Speaking of the future, where's this Global Warming? It's colder and rainer than usual, but isn't it soposed to get warmer? Maybee here in Northern California it will be wet longer, and hot hotter.I just can't make it all out. I may have to switch to Aquaculture, or raise Frogs, or at least grow webbed feet. Or maybee I'll just have to not plan on planting stuff in March and early April and make the season shorter. Might be nice; less work, more play?

One thing I can say is "Thank God for Carrots." I can harvest and sell Carrots from November to April, the longest season of anything I grow. The rain and cold just make them sweeter. My customers tell me that my carrots are the best thing they've ever tasted. Their kids will devour them, but turn up their noses at store bought carrots. I have people come from 20 miles away in the middle of winter just to buy them. They tell total strangers standing next to them at Farmers Market to buy them, because their the "best in the world". Well enough bragging.

So for now, Rain Rain Go Away.

Planting Seeds

2006-03-27T16:36:00.000-08:00

I Love planting seeds. I just got done with most of run #2 of tomatoes,peppers, and eggplant. The greenhouse is bustin out with run #1 and looking really good. I had the best germination rates I've ever had and they are all comin along really well. Maybee to well.

If it dosn't give me a big enough dry spell the tomatoes will get to big then I lose some production. We've been getting some breaks in the rain but I need a good week so my soil dosn't muck up when I till it. So I wait, and hope, and slow things downa bit in the greenhouse.

But as I said, I Love planting seeds, there is a simple satisfaction in helping seeds to sprout and grow and fullfill their highest potential. Everyday you get to see how they are doing. It's like I have thousands of little children and I get to care for each and everyone every day. I get to water them, feed them, and tuck them into bed everynight then uncover them every morning so they can live and grow some more. Then when their just right I get to put them into the ground and watch them really take off. Then they start making fruit, then ripen and I get to pick them, eat them, and sell them to make my living.

You see it's this little deal I have with them and Mother Nature. I do my best to care for the plants the best way I know how, and they do their best to help me to make a living. And the cycle goes round and round every year. So that's a few reasons I like planting seeds.

Weather or not

2006-03-19T17:39:00.000-08:00

Weather or not it's going to rain. Weather or not it's going to be sunny, windy, have a frost. Or just about anything else. As a Farmer just about everthing is contingent on the weather.

The weather seems to be contingent on weather or not it's going to be like the weatherman says. And of course that leads to all kinds of other weathers. Like seeds coming up, being able to till and plant, market being busy, losing crops to late frost, losing crops to early frost, having a good year, having a bad year, freezing in the cold, broiling in the heat.
So many things in farming depend on the weather, and it of course has taught me so many things.

How do I go on after waking up and discovering that a late frost has wiped out the tomatoes in the field. How? you scramble for transplants to repalce the ones you lost and buy a frost alarm to tell you disaster is imenent ( then of course the next year when you know it's going to freeze from experience, you stay up all night building fires to make a smoke screen to keep the heat in, but the small amount of wind, but of course not enough to keep it from freezing in the first place, blows your screen away)) you just replant, buy some agribon, (ouch!) and thank god that your whole year isn't riding on one planting of tomatoes.

This spring we've been having one of the coldest and rainest march's I can remember getting squash planted will be a little late, and hopefully the tomatoes won't get to big in the greenhouse before they can go in the field. But of course this all depends on the weather.

Over the years I've learned I can't let the weather stress me out, and that as a Farmer you got to take it as it comes or your gonna end up giving yourself ulcers or some other health condition.
So when it's raining I work in the office, or better yet the greenhouse, when it's sunny I get what I can done and while I wait for the feild to dry out, work on other projects which of course there's many. And then when it gets blazing hot I work until I can't work no more, then go inside and take a break in front of the swamp cooler. Then of course in the fall those first rainy days are so nice to just sit in front of the fire and read, or sleep half the day cause your sleep deprived from to many 15 hour days.

But of course it's all hinging on the weather.

How it all got started

2006-03-19T14:28:00.000-08:00

How did it all get started? Basically I'm a first generation, self-educated, hobby gone wild farmer.

At first it was a hobby. A garden in my front yard between the street and the side walk. Then a half acre to see how much of my own food I could grow. Then bigger, then bigger.
That was almost twenty years ago. My friends said "You should sell you veggies at farmers market" , I put it off for the usual reasons. I don't have enough stuff, it dosn't look good enough to sell, or I can't get into Farmers Market cause there's a waiting list. Then one day about 9 years ago an old girlfreind said let's go to the Grass Valley mkt. and see if you can get in there. Well I did, started selling my stuff, people loved it and I started to transition to becoming a full time farmer.

The first few years I cultivated about 2 acres. Buisness grew, I grew, I learned a whole lot; about farming, about Life, about everything. My motto for farming and life is "Just don't make the same mistake twice!" Easy to say challenging to do.

Six years ago I was able to buy this Farm. It was an almond orchard many years ago, but it had no trees, no fertillity, nothing but grass, and a whole lot of potential.
The soil was hard as cement black clay, but with careful tilth and care it has unlocked it's true potential and become more clay-loam like, soft, full of organic matter, active, and bursting with Life. It still takes a bitof time to dry enough to work with it, but it holds moisture well, keeps fertillity in the root zone, and is packed with minerals making for some of the best tasting and nutritious vegtables.

My buisness has grown along with the Farm. First one market a week, next two. Now it's one year round, two on Saturday in the summer, and two others midweek in the summer/fall. I also sell to 5 natural food stores, and a few restaurants. I've gone from struggling to pay my bills, to making a decent living.

All of this I couldn't have done without my mother, my friends, old girlfriends, past and present apprentices, ( hey and blessings to Mike, Rob, David, Judith, Helen, Axel & Jane ) and certainly last but not least My Life Partner Lisa.

In my blog you'll read about the Farm, my view on Life, and hopefully gain some knoledge or motivation like I do.