Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Planting Planting Planting













The second week has been of beautiful, warm, work filled days. As the temperatures have found their state of perfection hovering in the 70's and 80's, both plants and gardeners rejoice. Plants in a show of rapid root and leaf development and gardeners in a gleeful studious observation of everything in the universe still happening just as it should.

We have kept very busy getting transplants from the Gro-Dome out to the beds, setting water lines, building trellises, as well as keeping it all going by planting more seed starts in the Dome. Everyday we anxiously search the beds for any signs of new sprouts poking through the rich earth. Both Shanna and I have really taken to the daily chores of making a big food garden happen well. We especially enjoy the early Saturday morning of harvesting the many various greens currently prolific for the local farmers market. Both greens and healthy starts make up the majority of our early season selection at the market. As spring warms into the long days of summer we will see the bounty of selection grow.

We have also been putting in a lot of time and love into the more domestic tasks of getting our little farm house feng shui'd the way we like, as well as making a ton of home made food. Its been so good learning to make things normally too busy for. Bread baking has quickly become my favorite with, among some casualties, some absolute winners. Shanna is becoming quite the Indian food chef too. Other staples along with an endless amount of greens from the garden and beautiful rich eggs from the hens keep us well fed.

Despite the absolute quietude and isolation of living out in the sticks we are finding the constant company of the farm animals superior. Tasha, the farm dog, accompanies us in just about every thing we do. She's very young and full of so much energy and necessarily must be a part of all facets and happenings around the property. The sheep received their annual sheering this week which i think coupled with spring, has made the herd a bit friskier...the boys especially have been squaring off for the rights to the booty...which are conveniently displayed in the following picture. The baby ewe is getting bigger by the day and has to be, and i don't use this word often, the cutest damn thing ever.
It seems too that no matter what we're busy doing through out the days there are always a chicken or two hanging around voicing their curiosity of things. Its obvious these chickens live a ridiculously good life and you can taste it...in their eggs.

With things really beginning to move into full swing out here we anticipate and look forward to another lovely week of playing in the dirt, watching and nurturing life as it becomes a part of this natural world and benefiting from a symbiotic relationship with it. We all have a thing or two to learn from such observations as we so often forget we are one and the same with this great life force. Wish all of you a lovely week. Be well.

Oh yeah...for anyone who wants to call us we have an actual land line now!!! 707-895-2435

Tony & Shanna

Monday, May 11, 2009

The First Week

Well, the first week has come and gone and what a week it was.














Spring is in full swing in northern California which means plenty of work in the gardens.


Beds are being prepared...


Starts from the GrowDome are making there way out to the gardens...
spring greens are flourishing...,


Beneficial flower beds are going in(thats our little casa in the background)...

the sheep and cattle are enjoying the gluttenous conditions of the tall spring grasses
and the chickens are fully occupied in the unending search for bugs and providing us with beautiful, delicious eggs.

We are all excited to work with and see the unfolding evolution of our food crops this season. There is so much much to learn and we are enjoying every step of the process. Learning as we grow...and growing as we learn. More to come!