After living in our home for just over year we've completed a few big projects, but have a long way to go! Here's a quick rundown of what we've accomplished:
- This summer Richard installed a drainage and irrigation system and had two "test" gardens on the property. He also put up a deer fence around the perimeter of the property to discourage the deer from eating our vegetables and newly grafted fruit trees. (So far the deer aren't as discouraged as we had hoped.)
- We also had a small pumpkin patch that served as a beautiful backdrop for the fall weather and fun for many of our new friends in the area. Thanks to all who helped us celebrate the changing season and our first pumpkin harvest!
- Many, many loads of horse manure and yard debris have come into our lives--and our field--over the past few months thanks to Richard's ambitious plan to build our soil into something wonderfully fertile. We will have the area's largest compost pile in no time flat!
- Over the Thanksgiving holiday we were fortunate to have a dry day to press cider from the apples on our lone apple tree, Dorothy. This was our second year pressing apples and the abundance of our harvest and the sweetness of the cider were still just as surprising and fresh to me as the first time. We are trying our hand once again at hard cider as well.
As we finalize our marketing plan for 2008 and anticipate our upcoming harvest, we'll have a better sense of how many families we can serve and which projects to put first on our list for the spring. We are learning that the work of this farm will be a gradual coming together of many pieces--a process that will change our lives over time. Much of the work of it is also in believing in our dream to provide good, wholesome food to members of our community. Doubts are part of the bargain, but so is hope and the tangible results of our work so far.
K, R & A
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