What We're Doing:
Aside from the normal routine, this week we are also finally repairing some of the damage from the storm. That means dismantling the mangled high tunnels and rebuilding the smashed pasture pens.
We are also finally receiving our cattle! (If you haven't reserved your whole, half, or quarter, do that here.) Cows are great animals and we enjoy working with them. Its also amazing to see how they help restore the landscape and build fertility and resiliency in the ecosystem. All while being such docile and gentle creatures!
Apart from those two things, we're still just getting up each morning and taking care of all the regular stuff. A big part of farming is just staying faithful to the details every dang day of the week. And staying faithful ain't no small thing....
What We're Feeling:
Some of the shine of the season has certainly worn off. Its hot out now. The first big harvest is exciting for sure (though there is also some anxiety about getting back into that rhythm). It will be nice to actually ENJOY the lush growth we've been carefully tending.
I guess we're at a pivotal week---spring prep is turning into harvest season. We're on the edge of a new part of the season. Change is good. Change is scary.
What We need:
We need a smooth first week of harvest. Getting that first load out the door and successfully delivered always helps calm the jitters and establish the new weekly flow. But of course, the first week also often has a couple hic-ups. So please be gracious with us on the first week while we get the kinks worked out.
What We're Doing About That:
Well, the first thing we have to do is fix up the washstand. We wash, process, and pack all our veg in one of our high tunnels and THAT washstand tunnel was one of the ones flattened in the storm. So getting that tunnel dismantled and rebuilt this week is critical for a smooth first harvest day. Other then that, all we have to do is check and double check all our lists and stay vigilant during that first big harvest day. (and be gracious with ourselves when we miss something!) With any luck it will all go smoothly and we'll be off to the races in the harvest phase of the season!
And Here's the weekly video (with pictures below)!