Here is a picture I couldn’t resist sharing with you all since many of you have met Chella, our “ferocious” Farmdog, and Clover, the farm’s 2 week-old baby Pony.
And, I hope you will join us here on the farm for our first Community Farm Day/Strawberry U-Harvest on May 31st (click here for more details).
Happy members with their strawberry harvest.
Now, on to News & Reflections –
Farming can feel like a dynamic entanglement of priorities where there is always more work waiting to be done. At the moment we are in the middle of Spring’s crescendo having to orchestrate planting and sowing schedules to coincide with field and soil cultivation, time weeding and watering schedules, and balance harvest, packing, and deliveries to meet weekly orders for stores, restaurants, CSA shares and Farmer’s markets.
In the orchards we are watering, thinning fruit, weeding, and keeping an eye out for insect and deer damage. The tomatoes and raspberries are being staked – plants are growing so fast it’s important they get trellised to grow upright and not fall over.
At this time of year equipment breakdowns are always a bit stressful since timing of certain tasks are thrown off. Yesterday, for example, our flail-mower developed a big crack in the housing that holds the shaft and bearing which will take several days to fix, resulting in a delay to set up the irrigation in one of our orchards and tilling a field where the next lettuce crop will be planted. Breakdowns are unavoidable, however we try to minimize them by doing daily routine inspections and performing most maintenance and preventive repairs right here on the farm.
Like weeds, the list of chores right now never stops growing and their harmonious orchestration wouldn’t be possible if there wasn’t an amazing team of dedicated and super motivated employees who wear many hats, paying attention to the well-being of the farm’s soils, crops, animals, and the diverse community of people – workers, members, school children, and the many customers throughout the Bay Area we deliver our fresh, delicious produce to.
Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
