T-Minus 2 Days!

It's time everyone! The first CSA pickup is this Saturday! That's got to be some of the most exciting news you've heard in awhile, right? The first box has got some very tasty items, but I'm not giving away any secrets until Saturday. 

The farm has gotten some excellent farmy additions recently. My handy dandy boyfriend Adrian and I built a nice shade structure, under which I get to relax and drink iced tea all day. Ha! Just kidding. It's actually for washing veggies, because washing head lettuce in the hot sun is bad news. Check out this excellent before and after:

This looks like a good spot...

...to wash veggies! 

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The farm is also half way on its way to becoming the proud parent of a real, life size walk-in cooler. I'm lucky enough to live in a crazy house that has an existing structure for a walk-in, but no way of making it cold. In no particular order, an angle grinder, duct tape, Great Stuff, and a 12,000BTU window a/c joined forces and the room is maintaining a cool, steady temperature. With a little electrical fanagling to the a/c, it will keep the room at 45 when I tack up more insulation. There's no such thing as too much insulation. After that, I'll have an 8'x9' walk-in for less than 500 bucks. Not bad, even for a farmer!

We measured twice. Maybe three times. 

The angle grinder cut through it like butter. 

Artsy fartsy picture of Adrian cutting
 the hole from inside. 

Please pull up the first window. 

Wa-la! Easy as pie... sort of. 

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It's about time for some chicken pictures... (chix pix? get it!?) The mamas are very excited about the arrival of spring and their egg production is up into the 80s per day. They got their first taste of the farm this week... turnips greens that were thinned out. Lucky ladies!

Just hanging out in the shade.

The three stooges. 

She was knocking to come inside. 

That's one big chicken! She does a lot of egg-sitting-on.

Farm fresh turnip greens.

I dunno... ya think they were excited?

One day's worth of huevos. Busy mamas!

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Sooo, the garlic is HUGE. Just look at this picture. It looks more like a small forest than anything. And what's really, really great is because it's so big, it's overpowering all the pesky weeds growing around it. Meaning, weeding is not necessary. Meaning, music to a farmer's ear. Let the plants do the work for you.

It hit a growth spurt.

Guinea hens poking around for bugs. 

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Here's some pictures of whats cooking under the row cover. Everything looks beautiful, but... I've got growing suspicion that the guinea hens are pecking more than just bugs. I've uncovered a few rows, and they always come around and seem to peck for the sake of pecking! They don't eat what they pick off, so I'm am a little confused. Luckily all this means is that the greens might have a few holes until I figure out a solution. But seriously... a few holes on organic produce versus no holes on pesticide produce? It's a landslide.

Broccoli, happy to be covered from grasshoppers.

The strawberries took very well and have grown very fast.

Anyone dare to name this veggie? 

Red Russian kale.

The first troopers to be planted without row cover. This
killer kohlrabi survived the May 1st snow and 21F night.

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Okay, okay I gotta skip outta here. I've got hungry mamas and thirsty seedlings to take care of! So I'll see everyone on Saturday for the first pick-up @ Los Ranchos market, 7-11am. I'm so excited! 

Happy CSAing!

-Christina