Update: The Homestead Organic Journal
April 23: Semi-monthly self-reminders: I'm keeping a somewhat truthful farmer journal for my readers this year. I need to gather up all that irrigation hose I left lying outside the nursery. Someone's going to trip on it.
April 24: Baked cookies for Torbin, a departing visitor from Germany who was doing some house-sitting on the property and ended up helping me with a big fencing job. Stepping out of my soiled work pants, decided there was no need to throw on another pair while baking, given I'd just have to change back to work pants in twenty minutes. Regretted that decision ten minutes later when Jennay, farmer-owner of Paynter's Fruit Stand, stopped by to drop off the carrot seeder she'd borrowed and looked through the window to find a hirsute, heavy-set guy mixing cookie dough in his underpants, Pearl Jam blaring on the speakers.
Same: Headed up to a local condo complex to give a talk on organic farming. One of my favourite speaking gigs so far. They fed and wined me first, and clearly they've been reading my articles, because they chose to give me a bag of candy as a thank you (much better, if less salutary, than what I received for speaking to folks at the Central Okanagan Association of Dental Professionals, who gave me a toothbrush and some of those loopy things for flossing behind one's retainer). It went so well, in fact, that they invited me to join their group--The Ladies of Eagle's View. It called to mind my three brothers' previous proclamation that I'm the sister they never had. I politely declined the invitation.
April 25: While fencing in the new garden, found my beloved hammer, Fat Bob, half buried in the soil. I'd long given it up for lost. If I can find the time this week I'll write a Haiku to celebrate its return.
Same: The first ever Homestead Friday Night Farmgate Market at the top of our driveway. Well attended. Its hippie-dippie vibe was converted to more of a tailgate one when a customer and his friend pulled in to grab some veggies after a day of golf and hauled out a case of beer. I wasn't complaining. We'll be doing these markets every Friday, 5-7pm, until October, he writes in his farm journal.
April 26: There you were! Dirt-sheathed
Your shaft now half-composted
I missed you, Fat Bob.
April 28: Nearly tripped on the irrigation hose outside the nursery. I really do need to get it out of there.
April 29: There are long workdays when so much stuff comes out of my hair in the shower that it begins to feel like I'm in a Warner Bros. cartoon, and I half expect an Acme Anvil or a fish skeleton to suddenly pop out of there. That hasn't happened yet but I did find a tick today. I smushed him.
May 2: Was rushing out of the nursery with a tray of onion seedlings in my hands when I tripped on the pile of irrigation hose. Tray went flying. It landed face down; I landed tits up in the rhubarb patch. I really need to move that hose.
May 5: Those with risk tolerance could plant their beans and corn now. We're not out of frost season yet but by the time they germinate they'll likely be okay. The risk averse should wait 7-10 more days to plant.