Long time, no post

Sorry about the scant posting lately. After a very wet fall, we have actually had a few days of nice weather -- highs in the 40s, and even low 50s, and sunny, sunny, sunny. As a result, the ground has thawed, and I have spent every moment I can outside getting done any work that requires digging in the ground. I finished cleaning the witchgrass out of the big hoophouse, and I sunk some posts and began framing out an addition on the small hoophouse. I also spent some time cleaning up the last of the field crops.

It was also an exciting farm week because I went to an all-day board retreat for NOFA on Tuesday. The other board members and the NOFA staff are truly an inspiring mix of talented people who are all passionate about organic farming. Although I am a little pressed for time these days, I am glad I took on the board commitment because these people are fired up about ensuring a safe, ecologically sound, local food supply. And as solitary as farming can be, it is nice to be around other people who share the exicitement.

I also went with my friend and mentor Richard to a meeting of the Deep Root growers cooperative. Deep Root is a group of about 12-15 organic vegetable growers who market their product to wholesale accounts up and down the east coast. They have a part time employee who co-ordinates the sales, trucking, and grower payouts, and they move a lot of product. On the way to the meeting Richard and I visited the farm of another Deep Root grower and he has 120 acres of vegetables. By comparison, the most we probably will ever have in production at one time is 15-18 acres.

Anyway, Deep Root is another bunch of very inspirational people -- a bunch of farmers who came together to achieve more than any of them could individually. While we will never be as big as some Deep Root growers, we may try to grow one or two crops for them, which would allow us to diversify our markets, and to better utilize the acreage we have.

All in all, a very exciting farm week.