Another rainy and freezin' cold Sat.

New packing shed with guest builder Toby Keith

Whew, things are speeding up quick here on the farm.  Stuart's brother Ransom has been with us for a few days, and being the awesome guest he is, he has logged many a hour on the farm helping us out.  The two of them built this great packing shed in just a couple days.  They used all reclaimed tin for the roof from all the old broken down buildings on the farm, and the front three posts are cedars Stuart got from the surrounding woods.  The back three are posts from a friend who moved and wasn't going to use them.  We're psyched to have it up; last year we had to cancel a CSA delivery due to being rained out, so hopefully this new shed will ensure that doesn't happen again.    

Welcome Stoney Mountain Farm to the DFM

I am so excited about several new members of the DFM this season, one of which is Stoney Mountain Farm located in Burlington, NC.  I wish I had more pictures of how beautiful the landscape is on Olga and John Elder's farm--healthy old pear trees that you could tell just drip luscious pears in late summer, old outbuildings that have such character and rich history to them, crazy guineas running around, squawking about strangers on their turf.....On our inspection, Ken Dawson and I got a great tour from Olga around the property and we got to see her lovely animals that all seem very well cared for and loved.  I would not mind being one of these sheep.  She has a flock of Navajo-churro sheep, a Rare Breed that has a fascinating history.  Can't wait to try the meat, I'm sure it is delicious.  And don't you love the four horns on this joker here?  Olga said it took him awhile to grow into such a daunting set of horns, but now he has established himself as a right bully.  As a sheep myself in Chinese astrology, I suppose there is a particular affinity there for these animals.  Sheep also remind me of a bit from the incredible documentary of the artwork of Andy Goldsworthy, Rivers and Tides.  
We welcome you Olga and John to the Durham Farmers' Market and look forward to your stories and presence.

Clover loves Ruby and Maxi

I just can't help myself with the dog pictures!!  We've been dogsitting this week and Clover continues to impress us with her social skills---far superior to mine for sure.  She is ever the playful, modest, mild, meek, loving girl.  She even stepped aside from her food so Ruby could dig right in, smiling and so happy to be able to give so much more than otherwise.  But as she is a food martyr, it didn't impress us all that much for her to hand over her food.   When her and Maxi play ball, some of her more competitive side comes out---she sidetackled Maxi yesterday going for the ball and Maxi was so upset she didn't even go after the ball for a throw or two to spite Clover, she just stood there, feathers ruffled and growling.  Ruby quickly diffused the situation with her cuteness and quick tongue.  How could one stay mad for long with Ruby around handing out kisses so freely?  

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

We're so glad we didn't plant out too many of our seedlings last week before this crazy cold weather.  15 tonight?  Are we all dreaming this?  

Stuart who?

 Stuart found this great book through the territorial seed catalog and it is AWESOME.  There are a few disturbing images in it, such as how to debeak a chicken and skin a groundhog, but the recipes are fantastic.  Barbecued possum?  Mmmm, mmmm.  It has all kinds of very useful info---growing lotus flowers, raising game birds, building pole sheds, making bluebird houses, canning, making grapevine wreaths.  This year I'm going to try to make our grapevine wreaths for the dried flower arrangements.  No more $2 wreaths from China.  

Since Stuart and I have quit talking to one another since basketball season has heated up, things have been more difficult around here.  The under the breath utterances and curses on UNC from Stuart, the very bad imitations of Hansbrough breathing through his mouth---it's all gotten out of control.  And as the sight of Paulus trying to orchestrate his team to the sickening sounds of the cameron crazies while glancing over his shoulder for the approval of the coaches makes me want to have my stomach pumped, we have decided to just avoid one another for awhile until things cool off.  Some great news from Florida is that Stuart's sister Randle has successfully birthed her third child, and it's a BOY!  Thomas Ransom Emmrich, and I'm sure he's going to be awesome, despite the fact he's born a Duke fan.  Congratulations Randle, Martin, Ella, Claire and Tanq for the new addition.  We can't wait to meet him.      

Pic for market

Ranunculus coming soon....

Hoophouse, mushrooms, and tulips

We have been going to market now for four weeks with produce and flowers from the hoophouse.  This weekend we will have beautiful turnips and broccoli raab as well as some salad mix.  Yesterday we planned out the hoophouse plantings through June.  It's really tricky trying to figure out what we can put in here when things get hot; we think we'll get a shade cloth if we can find one at a reasonable price cause if we have a hundred degree week like we did last June things are going to get fried.  
Stuart cut down some sweet gum trees yesterday after we realized we would need more logs for mushroom production.  We plugged oyster mushrooms yesterday and later this week we'll do the shitakes.  We're trying to have four times the amount we had last season.  Stuart built this great mushroom cultivation site behind our cooler where we'll set up a sprinkler system to keep the logs wet.
Here are some blue dolphin tree oyster mushroom plugs.  You just drill an inch hole every four inches into a log then hammer in one of these plugs.  This strain was particularly heavy in mycelium growth.  
This is a picture of bad anemone blooms.  So sad, I know.  The week it got down to 3 degrees here ruined so many of these blooms---I only single covered them and now I know they need a double cover for those temps.  Live and learn.  Luckily the tulips have started coming on.  My favorite bloom right now.  Next year we'll do some parrot tulips for something different, even though the bulbs are outrageously priced.  

Documentary Pictures

Here are some photos from last season. Claire McGarry, a UNC senior, did a photo-documentary of our farm and we really enjoyed both her and the photos. Hope you all enjoy them as well! Also, we hope everyone had a great Valentines Day. Stuart and I went to Panciuto for dinner and we are now able to add another surreal dining experience to our memory archives. Fried oysters in a layer of arugula over beef tenderloin carpaccio......pork chop with a marinade and rich delicacy of taste that had Stuart gnawing at the bone to make sure he got every bite possible....triggerfish cooked to perfection with slivers of fried onions on top....and much, much more. If you have never been to Panciuto, we urge you to go. Hats off to Vandemark, we pin him blue ribbon chef of the triangle for not only his mad cooking skills, but also his support of local farmers. Sometimes I have the vain notion that I can cook, and then after a dinner like last night, I am but a meek mouse fiddling with stale cheese and bread.