May Newsletter

5/8/2008

May is here already and just like every other farmer in Iowa .... we are behind schedule as far as planting goes. It's definately been an unusual spring. We just got about 3 inches in 3 hours from the storms on May 6th and the ground was still wet from all the other rains we have had. Our two fields we had planted in oats for row cover have ponds in them so it will be awhile before we can put anything there.

Luckily we did get some stuff done in between the rains. We got all the onion sets and strawberry plants in the field. Scott planted beets and radishes but they have not come up yet. The potatoes got planted and are sprouting. We replanted green beans since it was too cold and the seeds just turned to mush in the ground. The peas are doing good. The cabbage is doing good. The old strawberry patch is starting to bloom.

Scott got several plantings of sweet corn seed in the field and we actually transplanted a batch. We have done that every year and Scott said he wasn't going to hassle with it this year. But since we couldn't get the tractor in the field, he went ahead and started the corn in the greenhouse and we went out and put the plants in the field by hand. It was almost too muddy for people.....I ended up getting 2 by 4 boards to stand on so that I wouldn't sink while planting!! :)

We got a lot more plants started in the greenhouse that are about ready to go out in the field. We thought we'd get them planted this week. Before the big rainstorm Scott got 14 more rows ready for veggies out in the field but the forecast for the next 10 days is so cold that he said they might be better in the greenhouse for a little bit longer. Every year we have setbacks and I worry about how the year is going to turn out and everything always turns out fine so I'm not going to worry this year. I will just keep pushing forward and look at the bright side.....there is no snow in the forecast!!

There is a good website www.slowfoodusa.org to check out for those of you that are tired of the "fast food" life. All of you that have chosen to support us with your membership have taken a step toward this way of living and we are thankful. Here is a passage from the website as well......

"Living the slow life with food as the focus is as rewarding as it is easy, and it can be done daily by each one of us. Ultimately, it is about pleasure and taste, knowledge and choice. Once we begin to take an interest in the enjoyment of food, and in finding out where our food comes from, we can begin to see the effects of these choices. When we shorten the distance—both literal and figurative—that our food travels to get to us, we are participating in the Slow Food movement. Slow Food is about coming together as a food community—connecting producers and co-producers, coming together on the farm, in the market, and at the table—to create and enjoy food that is good, clean and fair."

"Slow Food is also simply about taking the time to slow down and to enjoy life with family and friends. Every day can be enriched by doing something slow - making pasta from scratch one night, seductively squeezing your own orange juice from the fresh fruit, lingering over a glass of wine and a slice of cheese - even deciding to eat lunch sitting down instead of standing up. For example, here in the Slow Food USA office, we take a moment to eat lunch together every day."

Keep checking the website for updates and praying for good weather!

Julie