We started our 2016 season with a new apprentice Rob, who joined us from PA.  Plowing started late with the wettest March on record, but we finally got Otto (our horse) out there and prepared the ground for potatoes and onions.  Rob and Wendell are getting the potato seed ready for planting by dipping them in beneficial bacteria.  We had a great potato crop this year with the cooler weather.  Also, first thing this spring, we went down the road with Otto and some family members to see the new piglets born at the Smithshyre.  We brought the piglets up to the farm to turn some pasture in need of repair.  We keep American Guinea Hogs, a

heritage variety, because they are friendlier, and a good homesteading breed.  They did a wonderful job turning over old pasture, which Otto then plowed and which is now sown in new pasture and looking beautiful.

As summer crops came on, our market stands increased in size.  We love growing our heirloom tomatoes!  We try new varieties every year, while using our saved seed from the varieties we know and love.  We’ve been saving some of our seed for nine years!   While our summer this year was short and therefore not great for tomatoes, peppers and other heat-loving crops,

August 2016

Summertime market stand

we still got a good haul.

The flowers also grew beautifully this year.  We expanded our flower offerings to include a flower CSA and wedding design.  This bridal bouquet went to a lovely wedding on Lake Crescent in August (see the flower section of our website).  This fall, Wendell got his first pair of XtraTufs. We were glad to be prepared for the wettest October on record.  It made for a hard year for storage crops, but we still got some beautiful dry corn, which we use to make cornmeal or polenta.  Below, our Roy’s Calais Flint shows its colors (right).  On the left, Rob and Dana plow in the pig paddock to sow new pasture.

Rob and Dana plowing with Otto

One of our last tasks for the fall is planting garlic.  We had some friends come help, including little Coretta, who helped us power through over 6000 cloves.   We love garlic as a crop because it has the opposite growing season to most other crops: plant in the fall and harvest in the spring.  What a great northwest flavor!

We thank our customers and volunteers and Rob for all your support this year!