A long overdue update from the Homestead.

There’s something about summertime that just makes you absolutely want to steer clear of the computer. There’s also something about depending on a new farm business to feed you and keep a roof over your head to that prevents much down time. I’d apologize for being an absentee blogger, but it’s just how it is. It’s my first year of juggling a farm and an attempt at a career as a writer so my time lately has been about prioritizing and creating smart systems to work with.

As you might expect, much has happened recently. We’ve been trucking along with weekly CSA distributions. We’re on week 11, or 12 if you can believe it. I scarcely can. Time has just flown. We’ve had some crop failures, what with the crazy heat wave and excessive rain this season. Our cucumbers and zucchini performed worse than I’ve ever seen before. Our sweet corn was decimated by raccoons. Harlequin beetles nearly destroyed our kale. But we planted more crops, salvaged the kale by picking the bugs and their nymphs off nearly every day. We salvaged what we could by making pickles and pestos and chutneys. So it goes. What we lack in foresight as farmers we make up for in our ability to roll with the punches.

That skill set will come in handy soon, as I will be taking over management of the farm on my own starting in December. Michael will have been here for a year, helping to build a farm from the ground up. He has been instrumental in giving life to this farm. I’m sad to see him go, but he has dreams of his own and I of all people know how important it is to follow your gut.

With Michael moving on, I will have to work harder to get back to the basics of what I envisioned for the farm. A small CSA, a little crew of aspiring farmers learning how, an arena for teaching folks how to make the most of whatever self sufficient journey they choose to embark on, a place to demonstrate what real beauty is. That’s what I want this farm to be.

On the sunny side, we’ve got some fun stuff coming up soon: Farm-to-table dinners, more workshops, volunteer work days and yoga picnics. I hope you’ll keep following. I’ll be posting updates as often as I can sit down!