
Visit the FRESH website to watch a trailer for the movie. Tickets are only $10 and there's a limited number available, so it is sure to sell out. There will also be a panel discussion after the film. Hope to see you there!
Jessica
The real-life story of one sustainable small farm.

 (Posted Monday, August 10, 2009....not 8/1/09 as blogger says.)
(Posted Monday, August 10, 2009....not 8/1/09 as blogger says.) Which is also to say - this will be our last week at our regular Farmers' Markets.  After Saturday (8/15/09), we'll be taking a hiatus for a yet-to-be-determined amount of time.  Studioplex & F.A.R.M. : We'll miss you for a little while, but we'll be back!  I really want to thank all of the volunteers over the past several weeks who responded to my ads for help with the harvests on Tuesday and Friday mornings, but especially Joann who came out to help every Tuesday morning before market.  Not only couldn't we have attended the market without her, she was also great company in the field.  And AMBER - You've been incredible.  Thank you thank you thank you for everything you've helped with!
Which is also to say - this will be our last week at our regular Farmers' Markets.  After Saturday (8/15/09), we'll be taking a hiatus for a yet-to-be-determined amount of time.  Studioplex & F.A.R.M. : We'll miss you for a little while, but we'll be back!  I really want to thank all of the volunteers over the past several weeks who responded to my ads for help with the harvests on Tuesday and Friday mornings, but especially Joann who came out to help every Tuesday morning before market.  Not only couldn't we have attended the market without her, she was also great company in the field.  And AMBER - You've been incredible.  Thank you thank you thank you for everything you've helped with!



 drenching the soil near the plant roots with his concoctions.  He's working hard to ensure a healthy eco-system between the bugs  and the plants in the field.  And it's been fun using the microscope I bought him for his birthday to see what exactly is going on inside that life-giving tea.
 drenching the soil near the plant roots with his concoctions.  He's working hard to ensure a healthy eco-system between the bugs  and the plants in the field.  And it's been fun using the microscope I bought him for his birthday to see what exactly is going on inside that life-giving tea.

 
 
 

 Our Sun Gold cherry tomatoes are on!  We sold our first pints of this crop on the 4th of July as our small birthday present to this country.  For those of you who have never ventured beyond the flavorless red cherry tomatoes from your local supermarket, or thought those little yellow pear tomatoes were adventurous, you really need to pick up a pint from our stand early one morning before they sell out!  These are undoubtedly the best cherry tomatoes you'll ever taste.   I won't even waste precious planting space on our farm with any other variety of cherry tomato.   (Take my advice: save some seeds and plant them in your own garden next summer.)
Our Sun Gold cherry tomatoes are on!  We sold our first pints of this crop on the 4th of July as our small birthday present to this country.  For those of you who have never ventured beyond the flavorless red cherry tomatoes from your local supermarket, or thought those little yellow pear tomatoes were adventurous, you really need to pick up a pint from our stand early one morning before they sell out!  These are undoubtedly the best cherry tomatoes you'll ever taste.   I won't even waste precious planting space on our farm with any other variety of cherry tomato.   (Take my advice: save some seeds and plant them in your own garden next summer.)

 My personal market favorite this week were easily the Sugar Snap Peas  - they really were the embodiment of perfection!  I'm glad people enjoyed them as much as I did, because they were our first and last harvest of snap peas off those particular plants, which were planted too late and quickly done in by the summer heat.  We'll definitely be planting more this fall.
My personal market favorite this week were easily the Sugar Snap Peas  - they really were the embodiment of perfection!  I'm glad people enjoyed them as much as I did, because they were our first and last harvest of snap peas off those particular plants, which were planted too late and quickly done in by the summer heat.  We'll definitely be planting more this fall.


 Back in the field things are growing like crazy.  I couldn't tell you what's winning, the crops or the weeds.  We have a few rows of tomatoes where the grass must be a foot high in parts.  And there's little hope left for weeding the squash & melons, which were planted too close together and have themselves completely taken over the beets & turnips.  We're trying to keep on top of things, one thing at a time, each of us holding down "paying" jobs too.  It's a continuous learning experience in balance.
 Back in the field things are growing like crazy.  I couldn't tell you what's winning, the crops or the weeds.  We have a few rows of tomatoes where the grass must be a foot high in parts.  And there's little hope left for weeding the squash & melons, which were planted too close together and have themselves completely taken over the beets & turnips.  We're trying to keep on top of things, one thing at a time, each of us holding down "paying" jobs too.  It's a continuous learning experience in balance. make it have proved their determination to grow into strong plants and are now producing beautiful fruits.  The squash bugs (that still concern me every now and then) don't seem to be taking over our plants.  No aphids anywhere thus far; just ladybugs everywhere we turn!  We're learning as we observe, rather than reaching for the chemicals, and I feel blessed that it's paying off.  I'm sure at some point we'll lose crops to bugs, if not this season then in the seasons to come - but I hope we'll welcome it as a challenge to restore our ecosystem.   And, I'm more than happy to share a little :)
make it have proved their determination to grow into strong plants and are now producing beautiful fruits.  The squash bugs (that still concern me every now and then) don't seem to be taking over our plants.  No aphids anywhere thus far; just ladybugs everywhere we turn!  We're learning as we observe, rather than reaching for the chemicals, and I feel blessed that it's paying off.  I'm sure at some point we'll lose crops to bugs, if not this season then in the seasons to come - but I hope we'll welcome it as a challenge to restore our ecosystem.   And, I'm more than happy to share a little :)

 Sea of Green - the Squash, Melons, & Cucumbers
Sea of Green - the Squash, Melons, & Cucumbers
 Honeydew
Honeydew Casaba Melon, our one and only plant
Casaba Melon, our one and only plant Butternut Squash
Butternut Squash Patty Pans
Patty Pans Yellow (Sebring) Zuchinni
Yellow (Sebring) Zuchinni Pie Pumpkin
Pie Pumpkin Carrots
Carrots Broccoli
Broccoli Tomato Jungle
Tomato Jungle Artichoke
Artichoke Onions & Leeks
Onions & Leeks Sugar Snap Peas
Sugar Snap Peas We've lost a few turkeys and guineas over the past couple weeks.  First to a predator (we're not exactly sure what though, perhaps a weasel?), and then two more to the heat.  We keep them as shaded and as hydrated as possible, and now there's a box fan blowing on them as well.  But hot southern summers are notoriously hard on poultry.  Still, our remaining turkeys are plumping up, and the guineas are really finding their voices.  Plus the baby chicks arrived in the mail today, so keep your eyes out for cute pictures of peeps in my next post!
We've lost a few turkeys and guineas over the past couple weeks.  First to a predator (we're not exactly sure what though, perhaps a weasel?), and then two more to the heat.  We keep them as shaded and as hydrated as possible, and now there's a box fan blowing on them as well.  But hot southern summers are notoriously hard on poultry.  Still, our remaining turkeys are plumping up, and the guineas are really finding their voices.  Plus the baby chicks arrived in the mail today, so keep your eyes out for cute pictures of peeps in my next post!
