News and Blog

We had that early rain and it was easy to get in to rototill.

Dante and Freddie hard at work.

Fall is a good time for planting French Shallots.

 Generally they are smsller but some are the size of onions!

Then it was time for Perry Cormo, the cormo ram, to have some fun with the ewes.

He's wearing a harness that holds a green colored crayon marker. When a ewe has been bred it's obvious!

Gestation is 5 months, so there will be lambs in April!

Snow Day! Boy, was it beautiful Monday! Everything so white. Poor plants, though.

This is the area where the shallots and garlic were planted, now under the white blanket.

More growing area with just a few plants showing under the blanket.

A few onions are still showing!

You'd think I'd want a vacation from gardening, but no. When you love what you do, you do it all the time! I went to NY to visit my sister & her family. She wanted to get her garden going, so we helped fill raised boxes.

We did take some time to play. Storm King is an area where artists have created fascinating sculptures. http://www.stormking.org/highlights.html

Must have group shots-my sisters and nieces at Storm King. We are standing by Andy Goldsworthy's 2,278' long stone Storm King Wall.

Now, back in Jackson, back to weeding, feeding and seeding!

On Wednesday, May 13th Sean Kriletich facilitated the second meeting regarding the creation of a co-op here in Amador County. Something like 16 people attended and many more who couldn't attend expressed interest. One participant, Mike Pulskamp created a webpage for all interested to keep informed and express opinions.

Please help support this with your ideas and attendance whenever possible.

Technical problems . . . I can't make it link directly. I'll get this cleared up for you, but in the meantime, you can cut and past it.

http://amadorco-op.ning.com/main/authorization/signIn?target=http%3A%2F%2Famadorco-op.ning.com%2F

Next meeting is planned for May 27th.

Market Season opened in Jackson today. At 1:45pm when I was packed up heading home, the temperature on the El Dorado Bank sign read 101° Yes, it was hot! Sean and crew at the Kriletich Family booth had a crowd under the misters he's set up! Smart man!

Shirley Bollinger brought some of her lavender products and sold with me. It was great to have the help and company!

Siberian Kale and Simpson lettuce were ready for this market's harvest.

Carolyn sells, red and green lettuce, 3 kinds of kale and sunflower greens.

Thanks to all of you for coming out in the heat, supporting the market vendors and stopping by to say hello! I enjoy chatting and getting to see you all! See you next week - Jackson Market opens at 10am and we're there until 1pm. Come on out!!

This week, with the onset of the warmer weather and the seed heads drying on the weeds, it was time to shear the sheep! There are 14 ewes and 1 ram. Leslie wasn't able to do the shearing this year, so Derrick took over.

Here they are, in the line-up. These are Rambouillet and Cormo crosses, bred for wonderfully, soft wool.

Derrick says these girls are much bigger than most sheep he shears. It was quite something, grabbing one, pushing it back to him so he could tip it up onto the porch! I only got kicked once!

They were not sure who they were, without their coats! Lots of baaaaing yesterday. Today, they don't look as white!

Thank you Lara and Noah! I couldn't have done it without you! These are the fleeces! Our hands were so soft from all the lanolin! If you know any spinners that are looking for fleeces, give them the website! It is for sale!

What's that saying, Man plans and God laughs . . . That's what this week was like for me! I plan 2 outdoor events for the weekend and wow, 2 inches of rain! I guess I should keep planning, as we sure need the rain!

Thanks Tracy, Dave and Ian for being such hardy souls and not minding  the drizzle on Saturday. We put on our rain jackets and boots to work in the greenhouse and potting on parsley.

Ian helped by filling a 6 pack or two with soil, feeding the worms a banana peel and telling me the names of many plants, such as nettle!

Dave hooked up a new thermostat so seeds in the "hot box" will germinate faster at warmer temperatures. Saturday afternoon I was back up there seeding the hot peppers, onions, collards and pak choi. Maybe I can get to the squash tomorrow morning!

The ground was too wet to weed, so that and chicken pen repairs/summer awning are still on the list for the next work day.

This week with more sunshine lots of wonderful plants are growing, besides the weeds! Yesterday the green and orange bell pepper seedlings got potted on to larger containers. They have a ways to go, but should be ready to put out when it warms up! Yesterday morning there was still a lot of frost, so they don't want to be out yet!

Other herbs are doing well, needing homes . . . how does your herb garden grow?

These 2" pots of chives are ready to go. Did you know that the flowers are edible and very tasty in salads?

Peppermint is ready to go to new homes, too! Best to plant it in large pots, unless you want it going everywhere. It makes a wonderful cooling tea for the summertime heat! I make lots of peppermint and chamomile sun tea during the hot months.

Get those pine nuts, garlic and olive oil ready! Here comes the basil! It's ready to sell, but don't put it outside unprotected yet.

How many of you have heard of CSA's?

What's your feeling about them?

Might you be interested in participating if I were to create a CSA program?

What crops would you like to see grown? Anything you are hoping someone grows this year, a special variety or specific vegetable?

If I am at only one market this year, which do you frequent most often - Sutter Creek on Saturday or Jackson on Sunday?

I am planning this season and would love customers' ideas!

                              Happenings at the Farm!

Spring is so much fun! Turkeys are starting to nest, orioles and bluebirds are out in their bright colors and here on the farm, baby chicks are hatching . . . and arriving from the feedstores!

4 hens have been sitting on Ameraucana eggs. It takes 21 days for them to hatch.

This is a Buff Orpington who decided she wanted to be broody. I figured if she isn't going to lay, she can work hatching the Ameraucana eggs! Everyone has to work for their keep here on the farm!

The Black Astrolorps seem to be more interested in nesting than other varieties. Ok, they can be mamas.

Hen #1 with a few of the 8 Ameraucana chicks.

Now, for the main crop! This year, so far anyway (sometimes I get carried away!) 25 Barred Rocks, 25 Golden Sex Links, 25 Ameraucanas and 25 Rhode Island Reds were purchased on Saturday. They are amazing . . .  seem to know what chickens do from the very start!

Eat, eat, eat!

Plants are also germinating, growing and getting ready to be transplanted. Salad, anyone? This Simpson Lettuce is going out to the beds and will be ready to harvest soon!