My girlfriend and I are looking to carpool to the farm for the weekend of August 25. Here's the catch: we don't have a car. So by carpooling, we mean that we need a ride. In exchange we'd be more than happy to cover gas expenses, etc. associated with the trip. Or perhaps we can come to another arrangement.
If anyone is planning on going up there and will have room for two in their car (we're both small people), we'd greatly appreciate it.
Please let me know. Thanks,
Dan Berger
amirrorcrackd@gmail.com
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
News from Windflower Farm, August 11, 2007
The Farmall we use for cultivating was manufactured in about the year that I was born, so, of course, I hesitate to call it old, but in tractor years it certainly isn’t young. Although it’s difficult to find parts for it among local equipment dealers, they are readily available from on-line vintage tractor enthusiasts. I found the tractor at a nearby farm auction and bought it for $2,300. It was the first tractor I’d ever purchased. It turns out it was owned by a man who has a barn filled with dozens of small, vintage Farmalls that he restores. This one didn’t make the cut, and was returned to the field.
The tractor had been acting up recently, and it was foolish of me to ask one of the field crew to use it to hill potatoes. I’m still learning about management, but I know that we won’t get all the work done if I’m the only person operating our equipment. Always a temperamental tractor—the clutch requires an especially gentle touch—I could hear the stalling and restarting from the next field over, but I was sticking to my guns. I need my field crew to become more highly functioning.
As a farmer I am a manager of resources—soil, water, plants, all kinds of equipment, and, most importantly, people. It follows that if we surround ourselves with equipment that lightens our labors, we must empower our employees to be able to operate it. This is Management 101, I suppose, and yet I am reluctant to let folks use my machinery. The twenty year old boys who work here like nothing more than to drive tractors, but they usually do so with less care than I’d like. Although one result is that the Farmall now needs it’s starter rebuilt, another result is that someone else on the farm now knows how to hill potatoes and will, I think, be more gentle on my tractor if given another chance to use it. Now, if I can get the old John Deere potato digger working properly, we’ll dig some new, red potatoes...
Loads of cucumbers this week. You might try “refrigerator pickles,” or cucumber soup. Below is a recipe for Gazpacho. Also in your share is a lettuce mix. We call ours a teenage salad mix—it’s not the fancy baby stuff, but it’s still youthful and tender. Later in the season we’ll attempt to add some zip to our salad greens with adolescent mizuna, tatsoi, baby kale and arugula, but these are currently under siege by flea beetles. Also in your shares are sweet corn or beans, tomatoes, red beets, and more.
Have a great week,
Ted
The tractor had been acting up recently, and it was foolish of me to ask one of the field crew to use it to hill potatoes. I’m still learning about management, but I know that we won’t get all the work done if I’m the only person operating our equipment. Always a temperamental tractor—the clutch requires an especially gentle touch—I could hear the stalling and restarting from the next field over, but I was sticking to my guns. I need my field crew to become more highly functioning.
As a farmer I am a manager of resources—soil, water, plants, all kinds of equipment, and, most importantly, people. It follows that if we surround ourselves with equipment that lightens our labors, we must empower our employees to be able to operate it. This is Management 101, I suppose, and yet I am reluctant to let folks use my machinery. The twenty year old boys who work here like nothing more than to drive tractors, but they usually do so with less care than I’d like. Although one result is that the Farmall now needs it’s starter rebuilt, another result is that someone else on the farm now knows how to hill potatoes and will, I think, be more gentle on my tractor if given another chance to use it. Now, if I can get the old John Deere potato digger working properly, we’ll dig some new, red potatoes...
Loads of cucumbers this week. You might try “refrigerator pickles,” or cucumber soup. Below is a recipe for Gazpacho. Also in your share is a lettuce mix. We call ours a teenage salad mix—it’s not the fancy baby stuff, but it’s still youthful and tender. Later in the season we’ll attempt to add some zip to our salad greens with adolescent mizuna, tatsoi, baby kale and arugula, but these are currently under siege by flea beetles. Also in your shares are sweet corn or beans, tomatoes, red beets, and more.
Have a great week,
Ted
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Tomato Watermelon Salad
This was a big fad last summer. There were lots of recipes floating around that combined tomato and watermelon. I was hooked - it's one of my favorite salads now.
6 cups of cubed seedless watermelon
6 cups of chopped tomato (use whatever variety you like)
1-2 red onions, chopped
Toss ingredients together, then dress with olive oil and red wine vinegar.
Delicious!
6 cups of cubed seedless watermelon
6 cups of chopped tomato (use whatever variety you like)
1-2 red onions, chopped
Toss ingredients together, then dress with olive oil and red wine vinegar.
Delicious!
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Recipe: Fresh Tomato and Corn Salad
Fresh Tomato and Corn Salad
5 large ears corn, husked
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small orange or red bell pepper, diced (optional)
5 small radishes, thinly sliced (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Remove the kernels from the cobs using a sharp knife. Combine the corn, tomatoes and bell pepper/radishes in a medium bowl; stir in basil, vinegar, the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
5 large ears corn, husked
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small orange or red bell pepper, diced (optional)
5 small radishes, thinly sliced (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Remove the kernels from the cobs using a sharp knife. Combine the corn, tomatoes and bell pepper/radishes in a medium bowl; stir in basil, vinegar, the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
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