Business on the farm

Farmers are such backwards people, they are almost, unAmerican. We work weird hours, spend most of our time talking to life forms in a different species (if not genus or kingdom), don't mind a little dirt, barely detect most repulsive smells, and worst of all, suffer from a completely backwards calendar.

Out in the real world people are already a buzz about an early spring. They are talking about camping and days on the lake and barbecues. On campus the tension is mounting as finals begin to loom on the horizon, but mostly folks are sitting on the grass tanning, reading or just enjoying the warm weather. Our student population is already looking past those dreaded days of finals to leisurely summers. . .

For us across the asphalt river business is picking up. We are loving that we are so far ahead of last year, and ae working like mad to get, and stay, ahead. We are just coming into the beginning of our busyness. No thoughts of vacations or leisurely days by the lake - although barbecues are always a topic of conversation. Instead we are looking forward to planting and weeding, shearing and composting (okay, maybe only I am looking forward to composting. . .).

Regardless of what tomorrow brings, life is in full bloom now. Here is a bit of what we have been working on. . . .
Interns and volunteers prepping beds for the 2010 growing season planting.

Garlic planted in October of last year peaking up through the mulch enjoying the early warm sunlight.

Shearing our sheep. . . this is harder than it looks!!!!

Lettuce growing in the hoop house (its good to get close to your food occasionally).
Chickens are laying like crazy - eggs are for sale now, or find us later at the Lakes Region Farmer's Market.
Dinah with Bates out in the "portable pasture" for the first time.

More spring greens.

Duck nests are hard to find. . . even in the coop. Will there be ducklings??? Stay tuned. . .