"We Are Not Gardening"

Jeff, Nicole, Julie, Taylor, and I

What an amazing week we had at Fernbrook Farm!  Our apprentice team is complete now that Nicole and Julie joined Taylor and I on Monday.  For the next eight months, the four of us will be working very closely together as we learn how to grow food on 16 acres of land and feed 375 families!  Jeff Tober is the Farm Manager and our boss entering his eighth season overseeing the entire CSA production.  Quick to jam out to any classic rock song that is on the radio, the man is also top third air flutist in the world.  OK, I made that last part up but if there were a competition for air flute, I'm pretty sure he'd be in the top running as he demonstrated his skills to us on Friday during a brief break.  Jeff is constantly saying these one liners that should be written down and turned into a book that you read while doing your business on the john while laughing.  Our favorite one from this week was "We are not gardening here, we are farming!"  And what he meant by that was we do not have time to make things perfect.  Gardening is a relaxing hobby with time for perfection and reflection.  Farming is intense work that needs to be done quickly, efficiently, and correctly.  Jeff says "This is twelve months of work crammed into eight months."  When he shows us how to do a job, he demonstrates it twice: first time is how to quickly complete the task and the second time is how NOT to complete the task: slowly!  This is a learning process for me as I like to take my time, not rush, and make sure my work looks nice.  But lettuce seeds really do not care how nice they look once planted, they just care that they have healthy soil, sun, and water to grow.  So, even though my mind and hands are fighting it, I am learning how to be quick and not pay so much attention to detail.  After one full month of farming, I am still in the learning process but have noticed that I am getting quicker and Jeff doesn't have to remind me as often that "the seed knows what to do!" if I am taking too long planting.

Waking up the strawberry fields by raking the straw off of the beds.

         

Strawberry fields forever!  One of the two fields on the farm.

Animal tracks in the mud!  Deer in the center and...not sure what else.

Sowing pea seeds directly into the soil.

Nicole's first time on the tractor.

And Julie's first tractor driving experience also!

Planting thousands and thousands and thousands of onion seedlings.

Grow big and strong little onion plants!

Pick-up truck, flannel, and waders for onion planting.  Perfect Friday.

I need more practice backing up a trailer!  I used to be able to back up a trailer full of canoes into a garage but it's been nine years so I'm a bit off.

Well, we are entering April and as the saying goes "April showers bring May weeds!"  Enjoy the beginning of Spring and get your gardens started!  And remember how lucky you are to have time to not rush through your projects while I am busting my butt out on the farm!