EverGreen Farm

Farm Update and Photos, Spring 2008

Spring photos from EverGreen Farm:  Spring is good.

A few times a year we are privileged to behold the wonder of about 100 horses parading down the lane past our farm.  Sometimes they are being pushed in one direction or the other by their cowboy who boards them on his ranch at the Southern end of EL Clark Lane.  Sometimes they are are on the loose and being chased back home by their cowboy.  It has been interesting a few times because this "field" where we built our home in 1999/2000 was once the habitual cut-off for this herd to access their "greener pasture".  (Sorry fellas.)

This is what the garlic looked like on May 5, 2008.   The first sign of life on the farm.

May was busy for us.  We had a month's back-log of planting to get caught up on.  Here are some of our workshares transplanting out the first batch of Swiss Chard starts. 

We start 1,000's of seeds in seedling trays like this.  Then the seedlings are transplanted outside in long rows.

The rows are then hooped and covered with agricultural cloth.  This creates a micro climate under the cover which will promote growth rates and hopefully keep out the bugs.

May was also a month of picking rocks.  We bought 4.76 acres of adjacent land a few years ago.  We'll be picking rocks from this area for many years to come.

We host several groups of people throughout the year on farm tours:  church groups, elementary school classes, summer school kids, CSA members, and other people who are interested in how we farm here.  This group of people have been some of our most interesting to date.  They are from Finland! 

During a break in the hail/rain/snow, Shain shows them field #3.

Here they are looking at our drip irrigation system and how Shain tests the moisture level of the soil near the roots of these tomato plants.

We enjoyed meeting them and hope we gave them a positive impression of Wyoming.

On June 7th we had a party for the folks who regularly come work on the farm, a small gesture to express our thanks for their commitment to EverGreen Farm and for all the work they help us do throughout the season.

The highlight of the evening was the entertainment provided by some members of the Star Valley High School Blue Grass Band. 

When the weather turned cold and windy outside, we brought the fun inside.  As you can see from all the smiles on these faces, I think everyone had a great time.

It was a full house....

even all the way up the stair case,

and up into the overlooking loft.

One of the last songs the band performed was a song I think most of us know from the old country show "HEE HAW".  They invited us all to sing a long and I still can't get this tune out of my head.

Where, where, are you tonight?
Why did you leave me here all alone?
I searched the world over,
And thought I found true love.
You met another and
Phht! you were gone.

 Love that "phht" part.  (It was particularly fun trying to capture it on film.)

Signs of Spring

Spring can show itself if many different ways, despite the snow.

One of the first indications of Spring to me is when the chickens start laying eggs again.  Our chickens do many jobs here on the farm.  They eat lots of bugs, fertilize the lawn with their droppings, scratch through (aerate) other animal's waste, and give us eggs.  I mention the eggs last because this is the job they are currently doing most poorly at.  Don't get me wrong.  I don't want to sound ungrateful.  We love their eggs, especially in the summer when the hens are eating lots of fat bugs and veggies.  This diet makes for incredibly orange colored yolks and some wonderful tasting over-easys.  (I'm hungry.)  But our chickens are lacking in the egg laying department.   There are several reasons for this.  First, the girls are getting old.  Some have been around for several years and are past their prime.  Second, we don't "force" the hens to lay beyond their natural season with lights or heated water.  We feed and take care of them all year, in hopes they will earn their keep in the summer, as I explained above.  Third, because we allow the chickens to roam wherever they so desire, we don't always know where the eggs are being laid.  I swear they are hiding them from me.  This adds some interest to doing farm chores.  And is a fun activity for kids when they visit the farm.  But like I said, it leaves me in want of eggs.  (Did I mention I'm hungry?)

Now here's some news that will make you smile.  Know what these are?  TOMATO STARTS!  Go ahead, give a shout for joy!  I can personally guarantee they have a wonderful tomato aroma.  (Boy, I'm hungrier than I thought.)  Shain started these seeds on March 11 (see it written on the pop sicle stick?).  They will get transplanted out in greenhouse #4 this week, on or about April 15th.  Don't worry, this isn't all of the tomatoes we'll be growing.  Just an early variety.  There are 100's more to come.

Any respectable chef knows the perfect compliment to tomatoes is basil.  Here at EverGreen Farm, we follow this line of thinking all the way from the beginning.  When we start tomatoes, we also start basil.  When we transplant tomatoes, we transplant basil.  Why?  Well, it's not because Shain knows how much I love to smell basil when I'm picking tomatoes, or vice versa.  (Now wouldn't that be a romantic notion.)  It's because bugs like tomatoes, but they like basil even more than tomatoes.  One could say that the basil is a sacrificial plant.  In farming terms, the basil is called a trap plant and this pairing of tomatoes and bail is called companion planting.  It works well for us.  (Plus, I love to smell tomatoes when I'm picking basil.)

This is one of the funnest signs of Spring!  Aren't they cute?  These are my three new goat babies.  Tula (photo below, left) was born March 13th.  April and Fred (below, right) came on my birthday, April 1st.  We have a small heard of Saanen dairy goats which provides our family with fresh milk (and goat cheese) most of the year.  The goats also provide us with LOTS of compost, as you can see in the pictures. 

Don't be alarmed by the small circles on the kid's foreheads or the green tint to Tula's ears.  These pictures were taken after the goats were disbudded (to prevent them from growing long sharp horns) and tatooed.  The markings will be gone in a few weeks.

Looking forward to more signs of Spring.... 

Tara

Let's talk about this SNOW!

Perhaps a few pictures will help me demonstrate our current state of affairs here at EverGreen Farm.
 
Left:  March 1, 2007, stormy day, north side of greenhouse #1
Right:  March 3, 2008, sunny day,south side of greenhouse #1

No major differences to point out between these two pictures.   In early March we expect to see this much snow. After all, this is Star Valley, Wyoming.

Now here is where the comparisons get interesting.

Left:  April 5, 2007, sunny day, field #1
Right:  April 1, 2008, sunny day, south side of greenhouse #1

Notice anything different?  I was amazed to look back on these 2007 pictures.  Then I got a little depressed.

Now take a look at both photos on right.  I think there is more snow here now in April than we had in March.   Can that be possible?  I keep looking for a sign, any sign, that the snow is melting.  I look at fence posts.  What do you think?  More?  Less?  I guess it doesn't matter when you look at last year's April 5th photo of bare workable ground.

You can see more pictures from last year in the 2007 Farm Photo Album. It's fun to look back and see the process we went through last year. (Seeing how different the weather is, well that's not fun.) 

So folks, what I'm trying to say is that we still have quite a bit of snow on the ground here. 

Yes, quite a bit of snow.

How does this affect our 2008 CSA season?  I'm sorry to say, this unpredictable snow level puts our first delivery date off by a few weeks. 

Farmer Shain (I only call him that when I want to sound official) says he's been talking to some Star Valley old timers who assure him they've seen this before.  Supposedly, this is how snowy the winters were in Star Valley, before 1997, the year we moved here.  (Insert here:  my *sigh* and mumbling under breath.)

So this is the plan.  If the fields are clear by the first of May we will plant right away and hopefully start harvesting greens for you by the middle of June.  Meanwhile, the snow outside has no baring on the timely planting of those crops we grown in the greenhouses, like tomatoes and basil.

Speaking of greenhouses.  Allow me to address one question some may be thinking.  "Why don't you have all those greenhouses planted with early season crops right now?  If you did, you wouldn't have to be worrying about the snow level and we'd have our food on time."  It's a legitimate question. 

The first year of this CSA we planted the greenhouses very early in the season with several varieties of greens, and greens, and more greens.  Because greens are what grow in the cold.  We thought that's what the members wanted, to start receiving produce as early in the season as possible.  Trouble is, that because the greenhouses were full of cold weather greens, we couldn't get an early start on tomatoes, basil, green beans and other heat loving crops which can only be grown in a greenhouse.  That first year it was a trade off we didn't calculate very well.  We learned that our members highly preferred the alternative farm plan of starting the season a little later by planting cold weather crops outside as soon as possible and saving the greenhouse space for the beloved tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, and green beans.  Live and Lean.  I hope you will be agreeable to this explanation and our decision.

Enough serious business.  My next farm update will be more uplifting.  There are signs of Spring showing up around here (although most of them are happening indoors).  I will take more pictures and show you soon.

Membership Update

In about one month's time, our CSA memberships are nearly full.  Thank you for your support and excitement for another year of produce! 

Membership Availability Update:  There are only 6 openings available for paying members.  Please refer to my previous post for sign up information.

We are looking for folks who are interested in working on the farm in exchange for produce.  Our Workshare Program is a nice alternative for someone who likes to play in the dirt but lacks the time, knowledge or resources necessary to commit themselves to planning, planting, weeding, growing and harvesting a full garden on their own.   More information is available by clicking here.  Plus, it's a great way to meet new people, gain experience and knowledge, participate in engaging discussions, and otherwise just have a lot of fun. 

Spread the word!

Winter Work

After the holidays are over, both Shain and I start working on our respective piles. 

My pile consists of a year's worth of invoices, receipts and other paperwork necessary to put together our 2007 taxes.  It's dull, it's complicated, it's enough to drive me crazy at times, and it's all mine.  You see, if I had my choice between the "his" and "hers" piles, I'm quite happy to take on the taxes.  There is no way I want to accept the responsibility of searching seed catalogs and then choosing which varieties we will plant this coming season.  That job would stress me out.  But not Shain!  He devours seed catalogs like I do a piece of double-chocolate cheese cake. 

Here we are now in February and I have successfully whittled down my pile to a meager 12 pages or so.  I look forward to dropping them off to my tax man.  We are seeing the results of Shain's labor on a regular basis in the form of large boxes.  It's like Christmas all over again.

A few weeks ago, we had another work day on the farm.  Our goal was to clear out greenhouse #4, former home to the wonderful tomatoes we grew last year.  Pulling out all those dead plants was a dusty and moldy job, but we got it done.  (I don't know who that group of masked bandit workers were, but they did good work and are welcome here anytime.)

According to Shain, "We've never been this far ahead" with the farm work before.  In years past, we were still pulling dead plants from the greenhouses into Spring.  This year, we have (and I use the word we quite loosely here) already spread a nice thick layer of compost in greenhouses #1 & #2.  And it's a good thing too, because with all this snow and wind, we haven't been able to do much else outside besides shovel, plow, shovel, whine, and shovel some more (and this time I really do mean the word we).

Our Newest Farm Kid

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Well it finally happened.  On Saturday June 30th, Trinidy had her kids.  I missed the delivery by about 30 minutes and found Trinidy doing her best to clean the girls up and get them moving.  Sadly, one did not make it.  She was lifeless when I first came upon them in the barn and there was nothing I could do.  One of the realities of raising livestock, but still not enjoyable. 

"Vixi" is the surviving doeling.  My son, Eli, picked out her name.  It is Latin and means "to be alive, to live".  She seems to be doing well.  Although I'm not confident in her eating skills because I haven't personally seen her nursing.  I keep going out and putting her up to her mama to eat but she isn't interested, I'm hoping that means she just ate and is full.  She is up and walking around, so I'm not too worried. 

Goat kids are one of the funnest things to have on a farm.  If you have the opportunity, you are welcome to bring YOUR kids out and hold Vixi and see the other animals we have here:  ducklings, ducks, chickens, baby pigs, Zip the dog, any one of our cats (we have an excellent rodent control program), and all the other goats.   

Farmers Pledge

AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO USDA ORGANIC CERTIFICATION EVERGREEN FARM WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE NOFA (NORTH EAST ORGANIC FARMERS ASSOCIATION) FARMERS PLEDGE.

WE PLEDGE THAT IN OUR FARMING, PROCESSING, AND MARKETING WE WILL:

Serve the health of soil, people and nature by rejecting the use of synthetic insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers;

reject the use of GMOs, chemically treated seeds, synthetic toxic materials, irradiation, and sewage sludge in our farming, and all synthetic substances in post harvest handling;

treat livestock humanely by providing pasture for ruminants, access to outdoors and fresh air for all livestock, banning cruel alterations, and using no hormones, GMOs or antibiotics in feed;

support agricultural markets and infrastructures that enable small farms to thrive;

maintain and build healthy soils by farming practices that include rotating crops annually, using compost, cover crops, green manures, and reducing tillage;

conserve natural resources by reducing erosion and pollution of air, soil and water through responsible farming practices;

maximize the nutritional value of food and feed by practicing careful post harvest handling;

practice minimal processing for all food products to preserve the natural nutritional value of food: NO use of irradiation, ultra-pasteurization, excessive heat, synthetic preservatives, or GMO processing agents or additives and include all ingredients on labels;

reduce the ecological footprint of farms and homes by limiting energy use and converting to renewable sources of energy;

reduce food miles by selling produce locally and regionally;

create beneficial habitat for wildlife and encourage biodiversity;

help preserve farmland and farming know-how;

ensure food safety by using potable water for washing crops;

handle raw manure and soil amendments with care;

use ethical business practices;

pay a living wage to all farm workers and acknowledge their freedom of association and their right to collective bargaining;

treat family members and farm workers with respect, and ensure their safety on the farm;

work in cooperation with other farmers and with the neighboring community to create a more sustainable way of life;

encourage the distribution of unsold but edible food to people who need it;

sustain the land in healthy condition for future generations.

Pictures from the Week of June 17 - 23

This is Trinidy.  If you can't tell, she is pregnant.  Her due date is June 26th, but I've decided it's probably a good idea to start checking on her every few hours.  We are really looking forward to having more "kids" here on the farm.  I'll post some pictures after they are born.

This past week we've had 4 groups of people tour of the farm.  This is a picture of some students from Holldaway Elementary School who came on Wednesday to see the farm and do a little work.  We showed them all the animals, the greenhouses, and the fields of growing produce.  Shain taught them a little about the difference between our farming practices and those of industrialized agriculture.  Then we put the kids to work pulling old radishes and feeding them to the pigs (photos below).

Then just to give you an idea of how things have been growing around here...

Here is the inside of greenhouse #4, the tomato house.  The plants have grown to the point that it was time to put up the tomato cages.  The past few days it has gotten so hot in there that we've had to turn on the fans to keep the air circulating.  Tomatoes like it hot.  Some plants are already setting blossoms!  Yeah!

Finding a Needle in a Haystack

About 3 weeks ago, Shain discovered a cutworm in the tomato greenhouse.  Actually, he discovered the remains of a tomato plant after it had been "attacked" by a cut worm.  Not good.   Then he found another, and another.  So we started a new routine on the farm.  Every morning, noon and night we go out to greenhouse #4 and walked up and down each row in search of a sign that a nasty cutworm is near.

The picture above is what we were looking for.  This is a basil plant.  It is about 2 to 3 inches tall.  The leaves you see on the ground to the left are about 1/2 to 1 inch wide.  They have been chewed off by a cutworm.  The cutworms will also chew down an entire basil plant or tomato plant.

Once we have identified an area where a cutworm has recently been, we search the area by slowly sifting through the surrounding soil.  It's a little like looking for a needle in a haystack.  Most of the time we are lucky enough to find the culprit and when we do...he's a goner.

This is a cutworm before Shain takes pleasure in squishing him with his bare fingers.  Over the past few weeks these guys have cut down approximately 15 tomato plants and 40 basil plants.  Not good.

As an update - Last week, the day it snowed like crazy, we (us farmers and some workshare helpers) wrapped a newspaper strip (aka "cutworm collar") around the base of each and every tomato plant.  This should slow those buggers down a bit.  The past few days we haven't seen much sign of them.  This is good.

 

Some Pictures from the Week of June 3 - 9

This past week the temperatures dropped below freezing a few nights.  When the forecast is looking "dangerous" we have to take some extra precautions.  This is greenhouse #4, the greenhouse with all of the precious tomatoes, basil plants, and seedling starts.  To pull them through the cold nights we go out and cover every row with "row covers" (also know as agricultural fabric).  Sometimes we even have to "double cover" the rows with two sheets of cloth.  The bumps down the rows are wire hoops to keep the fabric up off the plants a bit.   We did this same process with the French fillet beans and cucumbers growing in greenhouse #2.

In my last entry I showed you a picture of our rainy harvest day.  It's a good thing we got all the food ready the day before deliveries, even if the weather was cold and wet, because the next day was even worse.  On Thursday, June 7th it snowed and snowed.  I think it finally quite around 12 noon but left a good 2 inches of snow on the ground at our place.  This view is looking out over field #1 where we've planted the salad mix, spinach, and peas.   Most everything you see is covered again in row covers, to keep out bugs, increase growth rates and prevent much damage from the cold.  I was worried the weight of the snow would knock over all the wire hoops but by 4 pm the snow had melted.  Unfortunately, there wasn't much work we could do for the next two days due to the very saturated muddy ground.

We used up our share of boc choi a few nights ago by making a batch of egg rolls from the recipe on this website.  They are so simple to make and my family loves them!  We each have our own favorite toppings, mine is chevre goat cheese mixed with this sweet hot mustard.  My son likes ketchup (he's only 7).  Boc choi is only available during these first weeks of the season as the flea beetles really like to eat them too.  (Flea beetles thrive in the heat which makes it difficult to grown Asian greens beyond the cooler Spring weather.)  When it's cooked up this way you would never know there were little holes in the leaves.

This picture isn't farm related, but can you blame a mother for taking every opportunity to brag about her daughter's accomplishments?  This is our 14 year old daughter Megan.  On Saturday, June 9th she was in a local talent show.  She played a medley of Irish fiddle tunes and won first place in the 14-18 year old age division.  There were about 12 entries in her group and the competition was high.  We are very so happy for her!