FARM NEWS 8.14

Have you ever wondered how it all comes together? How do we plan what to plant and when, what to harvest next, what field work needs to happen asap? Well, this picture kind of says it all. Dan knows all these things from years of farming but his notebook is his key tool for keeping things straight. The inside front cover has his weekly to do list, including harvests. The front cover has the harvest numbers and contact info for each distribution site. The first 5-6 pages are the seeding schedule followed by daily notes for the past 2-3 years. Not only is Dan an extensive list maker (who will extol the therapeutic virtues of blackening completed items with a sharpie) but also a steadfast note taker. Dan has taken extensive daily notes on farm work, weather, family events etc. While you can see from the picture here we aren't talking about spread sheets or anything that technical but the value of this type of record keeping is enormous. Gosh, it seems like the melons are late... a quick glance will tell that we're a week behind from last year or didn't we give out more spinach last year...no, we've given the same amount - that sort of thing. It is so helpful to be able to look back and compare years or even remind ourselves of the little daily events that occur. So let's see August 15, 2010: Dan's dad's birthday, went to grammy and pop's for brunch, Dan fertilized the brassicas, mowed the potatoes, still milking Patches twice a day, our neighbor mowed our drainage ditches for us.

The notebook is also a critical tool for weeks like this upcoming one. The farm family will be away in Colorado for a family wedding and the crew will be running to show. I have to say they really are our best crew ever and are sure they are 110% capable of taking care of things while we are gone. But it will take Dan sitting down with his notebook tonight making lists and planning for the week ahead. It should be a great experience for them, as each person will have their own area of responsibility.

These apprenti are the best ever, please expect a perfect share!

This week's harvest:

Onions

Salad Mix

Beets

Carrots

Tomatoes

Peppers

Eggplant

Cucumbers

Zucchini

Basil

Leeks

Kale

Cabbage

Enjoy!

Your farmers D+T