Agrarian Harvest

Garlic Harvest, Part 2

Three weeks after our first garlic harvest, it is absolute crunch time to get the remaining quarter or so acres of garlic out of the ground. This time there were not near as many caring, hardworking souls willing to volunteer their time to work their behinds off to help us harvest garlic. I can’t say as I blame them either, if I had a choice or someone to go do something with I would have willing to do anything too as long as it didn’t involve garlic.

Any guesses how we got the garlic out of the ground; the easy way (mechanically) or the hard way (by hand)? The other half refused to try using the tractor and renovator or cultivator to get it out of the ground. So, of course, that left us with the hard way, the way we do most things and learn on this farm . . . . hand pulling all that garlic one plant at a time. Part of the ground was so hard and crusty the garlic would break off or just stay stuck in the cement like ground. We got out the hose and started running water on the garlic in front of us as we hand pulled it. That made it a bit of a mess to trudge up the rows and irritated the arms a bit to have the wet weeds rubbing against our arms and legs.

After garlic harvest, part 1, the other half went out with the hedge trimmers cutting off all the garlic scapes. Trying at the last minute trying get a little bit bigger heads. It has been three weeks since our first harvest so the garlic is dried down completely, with sharp jagged tops, now that they have been cut, that snag and scratch the crap out of my arms. I know I could avoid that if I would wear long sleeves, but when it is 100 degrees outside there is no way I will wear anything more than a tank top and shorts. Since I had shorts on the weeds and garlic also scratched and injured my legs. Even with wearing gloves I still ended up with four blisters on my fingers. On the plus side, I discovered that my homemade coffee soap works very good at scrubbing the rough skin off and deodorizing. It gets rid of the garlic smell with one shower.

After two full, long days of hand pulling garlic in 100 degree weather, I have blistered hurting fingers, a tired back, scratched up arms and legs and a body that is just plain exhausted and sore.I am so sick of garlic and all the work and heartache that garlic has cost our family. I will not plant another clove of garlic to sell unless the price significantly increases. If the other half decides to plant more garlic, he is on his own. I’m done planting, growing, and harvesting garlic to sell. There is just too much labor involved and there is no way to make money growing garlic without doing it mechanically. Whoever else in world does grow garlic doing the work by hand, my hat is off to you. I’ll leave garlic production to farmers with more money to hire the work done or have a way to do part of it with tractor and machinery.

And now it’s time to handle everyone of those individual heads of garlic again . . . . . to cut the head head off and bag the garlic.

Needless to say next time I need to buy garlic, I will be more than willing pay an absorbent price for it. I now know the work, sweat, and unpleasantness that goes into planting, growing, harvesting, cutting, and bagging of garlic. It is worth way more than what is sold for, that’s for sure. All organic produce that is grown and harvested by hand is worth more than what is charged for it. Maybe I’ll go into that next week.

August 8, 2015 0

Earthworm Test

I have been very observant of earthworms this year or at least in the spring and early summer when there is lots of planting to do. I have read about how beneficial they are to the soil so now when I put my trowel in the ground or move a clump of earth or pile of wood chips, I like to see and count all the earthworms. They are the earth’s natural rototillers. The thought of all those worms under my feet doing their work just amazes me. They naturally till the land, compost, aerate and increase water infiltration.

And I have had the chance to put my trowel in the ground several times this year. We seem to have an issue with keeping the chickens contained in their pasture so they are spending a lot of time in my yard and garden rearranging and killing flowers. I have had to replant flowers so many times this year and I don’t think they are going to survive. So now I’m going with the idea of planting roses instead of small annuals. The fact that all the chickens won’t stay in their pasture has made me realize I should give up trying to grow small, delicate flowers. I’ll should get my enjoyment from chasing chickens and counting worms instead of enjoying the view of colorful flowers. By planting roses, I can now chase chickens, count worms and smell the roses!

When I see all those worms, it feels like I’m passing a very large good stewardship test, like a final exam in college. In early summer, it makes me proud and happy to have gotten all those slivers while pulling weeds out of the wood chips in the garden for going no-till. I’m doing a good thing for the soil, the earthworm population and this earth; even if it is just in my little patch of earth. I’m helping the earth little bits at a time if I can keep the chickens out my little patch of earth so they aren’t eating my proud little test or harming my visually appealing flowers.

Now that the weeds are out growing my energy level and ability to pull them, I don’t feel near as good about myself or my ability to take care of this little patch of earth. I feel that I’m failing this test, part because I can’t keep all the weeds pulled or at bay. But then I think about all those worms at work under my feet. That brings a smile to my face and reminds that worm are doing good even if I don’t feel that I am. It still doesn’t give me any more energy, but does make me feel better! I can pass this test even if I don’t get an A+++, which this overachiever would prefer but will settle for a lesser test score.

July 31, 2015 1

Garlic Harvest

Garlic harvest is underway! And as with most things on this farm, we learn from experience. Our whole garlic growing season has been a learning by doing experience and now the harvest is too.

We have learned that you definitely want to get all those scapes cut off (it will produce bigger garlic heads) or at least the major of them. It is nice to leave a few in the field to watch and monitor the curling and uncurling. After the scapes curls twice, it then uncurls and points straight up again. Some say that is when you want to harvest and in our area that usually happens around the 4th of July. Others say wait until the bottom two leaves dry out. So we enjoyed watching all our scapes curl and uncurl and then we couldn’t get a crew together to help get the garlic out of the ground until the bottom two or three leaves were dry.

We started harvesting by pulling it out of the ground by hand. Then decided that was going too slow and there had to be a better way. So out comes the tractor and hay crowner. That worked good for the first couple of rows where the ground was still moist, as long as we went slow and kept it deep. But then the ground was too hard and dry in spots and we couldn’t get the crowner deep enough. We were cutting lots of garlic and cutting into the other half’s patience and temper. So back to hand pulling the garlic we went! It actually went pretty quick with the help of lots of hands of friends and family! We are so appreciative to have so many loving, helpful, kind-hearted, hard working people around us!

We are only about half way done with the harvest. I’m positive getting rest of garlic out of the ground will be another fun learning experience. There is already talk of using a cultivator or renovator, which will still result in hand picking it off the ground, bundling and hauling it to the shed to dry . . . . . . . if one of those methods of getting it out of the ground works. We are learning that growing garlic requires lots of time, labor and a strong back. Every step of the process of growing garlic requires handling it by hand or hoeing it by hand.

Once the garlic dries, we cut the head off and bag it. Then it’s ready to go. And hopefully, we will forget how much work, frustration, and back pain is involved in growing garlic for rest of the summer so we will be willing to plant more of it again this fall and start the whole garlic growing cycle over again.

July 25, 2015 0

Happy, Crazy, Busy Summer Day

It’s one of those summer days here that everything has built up and needs done now! We are feeling crunched by large projects on the to-do list for the day along with all the daily tasks:

get jam canned ( the fruit is picked and sitting in the bushel basket in the kitchen waiting)
sauerkraut made (several of our 400 cabbage plants cracked this week with the rain)
broilers caught and processed
weekly harvest for the farmers’ market
and the kids want to go fishing this evening

I’m feeling like it’s an impossible to-do list to get done in one day, but we are always willing to try to tackle anything that comes our way. So it’s time to dutifully tie on the apron for me, put on gloves for the other half and get the work done. Tying on an apron, that relieves some stress in itself, and already makes me feel so productive.

Then I get phone calls from friends asking to help them out. Of course, I will help! I’m great at juggling . . . . . . .well, really I can’t juggle, but I’m great at multi-tasking. I love being that go-to person that friends can rely on to help out or fill in for them in a pinch. So friends if you are reading this: I love helping you with anything (seriously) and am willing to lend a hand anytime, please continue to call and ask me for favors. If you don’t, I will think you are mad at me or you don’t like me anymore and I will cry.

The exciting part of the day is the end is within sight! Or at least the end of broiler chicken craziness for the summer is within sight for us. We ended up raising broilers (lots of broilers) most of the summer, not the plan we started with this spring. Today is our last processing day for the summer. So this is the last day to order fresh, never frozen chickens. Otherwise, you can order our organic, grass-fed frozen chicken any day until they are gone. I’m feeling that once they are processed then we can breath, have more freedom (chore time won’t be quite so demanding on our schedule), and I will get my yard back. I’m getting tired of all those chickens scratching and pooping all over my yard. Then there is also the time consuming task of watering, feeding and moving or herding all those chickens daily. Really, the only part that excites me is getting my space back. And I just might get it back today.

So once again, tie the apron on and get back to work! Oops, better get this posted before the day is over too!

July 17, 2015 0

Seasons of Farming: Our Organic Farm Roller Coaster of Hopes, Dreams, Hard Work and Ambition

I don’t know if anyone else or other farmers are like this, but here is the small, organic farm roller coaster we ride. This is the ride or the seasons of hopes, dreams, hard work, and ambition this farm family endures.

In winter, we look out the window yearning to get outside and grow something. We read lots of inspiring books and blogs. At this point of the year, we seriously feel we can farm by hand at least 100 acres, no problem. Keeping it weed free with beautiful, neat rows with a very, large variety of vegetables growing perfectly, with perhaps even plants that aren’t normally grown in our area. Then starts the arrival of all those forbidden catalogs, making the yearning get worst. So we give in and start ordering seeds. Not just seeds we need and know will grow, but seeds of all those plants that are suppose to be able to grow in our zone although no one has ever grown or seen them here before. The sinful pictures in the catalog are so beautiful we just can’t resist because we are going to grow a new fruit or veggie and have something really unique this year. These catalogs cause you to spend hundreds of dollars you most likely shouldn’t have spent, like what a fieldman does to a conventional farmer. Conventional farmers have a fieldman to convince them to spend extra money on fertilizer and chemicals they don’t necessarily need and we organic farmers have seed catalogs. We don’t need verbal convincing, we look pictures and we are sold. I compare the seed catalogs to what I believe the Sears & Roebuck catalog used to be to past generations.

In the spring, we set out with our high ambition level, hopes, dreams, several boxes of seeds (some that never should of been ordered, that darn seed catalog is just too tempting), rolls of plastic, gloves, hoes and shovels to farm this land (except with just 20 acres, not the 100 we dreamed about in the winter). There are lots of hand drawn plans and computer spreadsheets that we end up not following or even look at after the first couple of days planting. To start, we plant thousands upon thousands of seeds in the cold frames and house. We work the land up using a disc and rototiller not shovels (hoping to achieve the goal of going no-till some day) and start planting outside. The arrival of irrigation water is an exciting day. That is like the starting bell going off signalling the official growing (farming) season is underway.

In the beginning of summer, we are still planting, weeding, watering, harvesting early season produce, marketing and working like crazy with no rest. We are going strong and not tiring yet, loving this lifestyle we chose. By mid-summer, we are exhausted, the weeds out grow our ability to pull them, everything needs harvested and water at the same time. There are not enough hours in the day or energy left in our bodies to function properly. By late summer, we are looking forward to winter and that early frost, not really wanting the frost for income purposes but our weak and weary bodies could use a nice, long break.

With Fall comes the cool down and a little renewed energy for us so we manage to function until that frost does hit. And with the prediction of frost, there is a long day of scrambling to get all the produce covered to extend the growing season just a little longer. Now wait, weren’t we asking for the frost not that long ago. I don’t know if this a normal human reaction or just crazy, torture we do to ourselves. Of course, plants can only hang on for so long and then they are done for the year too. So there is the last harvest, field cleanup and the storing and marketing of all the winter squash, pumpkins, onions, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, rutabagas, and sweet potatoes (new crop experiment for this year, one of those seed catalog temptations). Then starts that long awaited rest for us. Which is great for about a month, then we get our energy back. We start to go stir crazy with the cold weather and being contained to the house most the day. And the cycle starts all over again with winter.

As the old sayings go, “you learn from your mistakes” and “history repeats itself.” This little piece of farming history we are making keeps repeating itself every year. So I guess we aren’t making a mistake by living this lifestyle because we keep doing it again and again. It may be with different plants, seed catalogs, hopes, dreams, ambitions and temptations but the farming seasons will repeat every year.

July 10, 2015 0

Summer Balancing Act

How does a person balance work, play and rest when you farm? On the farm there is always work to be done. A farmer works from sun up to sun down and lots of times in between in the dark. I know that is true on our farm. We are getting pretty talented at working in the dark while holding flashlights in our mouths.

So the fourth of July is upon us, the summer is flying by and what have we done all summer long? Any guesses? You got it! We have worked, worked, worked!!! I am convinced that life is too short to work so hard and summer is for fun. So I’m trying to convince the Other Half that we need scheduled hours for work and scheduled hours for play and rest. The crops will grow even if there are weeds growing among them. Would they have produced better if we pulled every weed within a foot diameter around every plant? At this point, I don’t care. They are producing, there is a crop to harvest, now let’s enjoy life! Life, fun and memories will pass us by if we insist on getting all the work done before we take a break. Farmers need to observe holidays too. In fact, farmers should have a holiday just for them. They, of all people, deserve a break. Yes, I do think highly of farmers. We grew up in agricultural communities and on farms so we have experienced the “farm life” all of our lives. Farmers work almost everyday of the year no matter what the weather does; there is always water to change or animals to feed or care for. Farmers work, work darn hard, and feed a lot of people without ever hearing a simple, “Thank You.”. No, your food didn’t grow on a grocery store shelf, it all started on the farm. Well, at least all the food that is not in a box started on a farm. To all the farmers out there, listen up, take a day off. It’s okay! Oh, but you may still need to irrigate and feed the animals unless you can get someone else to fill in for you.

We are starting by taking a couple of hours a week to take the kids fishing at a local lake. Maybe we or should I say the Other Half and a lot of other farmers I know can work up to taking whole days off as a family. As for this weekend, I’m ready to have some fun and enjoy these wonderful summer days. I’m taking the weekend off and I’m positive the farm and weeds will still be here when I get up Monday morning. Happy Independence Day! And don’t let the summer pass you by!

Update: We were able to enjoy a day of fun, local festivities together as a family. Not a full day off from most people’s opinion because there was irrigation water to change and animals to feed so just a little bit of work. Or as a farmer views it, this part of farming is not work, it’s just a normal function of everyday life like breathing and feeding yourself breakfast. So we officially called this a “day off.” And the weeds are still here! We will get to work on those today.

July 3, 2015 2

Kids, Gardening and Growing

The attraction between kids and the soil just fascinates me. It’s like there is some higher power that pulls kids to that space of earth where there is no lawn growing and there is bare soil showing, like the natural attraction there is between cats and a sandbox. They just can’t resist the urge to get their hands dirty, digging, flinging dirt all over themselves and anyone near by, probably eating a little too. Our kids have always been interest in all the work going on in the garden or maybe it was just that urge to cover themselves in dirt at a young age, but they now show a real interest in growing food. I’m actually surprised that we haven’t plugged any pipes with a buildup of dirt from all the baths to wash off all the gardening and dirt digging fun off the kids. It is a regular occasion to bathe the kids during the summer and have the tub lined with dirt when the water is drained. We have said more than once that our kids are like chickens, they have to take their dirt bath or dust themselves daily!

They were all drawn to dirt at a young age and still love it. And now that our gardens have become fields there is a lot for them to be involved in. They get to do more than just dig and smear it all over themselves. And they want to be more than just involved in all we are planting, weeding, tending, and harvesting. They want their own garden space and they have it now. It has been amazing to watch them plant seeds in their own arrangements or designs, carefully and diligently weeding, watch it all sprout and grow into seedling. Then get excited to harvest the fruits or vegetables of their labor. Life is so thrilling!

Farm boy loves all aspects of it. And others like farm girl gets excited talking about gardening, but not so enthusiastic to actually do the work tending a garden. Our little farm princess loves to be involved and once again loves the dirt, but doesn’t have the attention span to tend a garden of her own yet. She is always there helping everyone else though, even if that means hoeing out the vegetables or watering the driveway and then yelling when someone step on her imaginary plants.. She’s helping, she’s dirty and she’s happy!

So give your kids a garden to create, grow and eat or at least a piece of dirt to dust themselves in. You’ll be amazed at what they can grow. And how they grow and learn with it. It doesn’t matter if they are proud of just that one plant or even if it is just weeds that they grow, lots of them are edible too! Happy gardening and growing!

June 26, 2015 0

Garlic Scape Escapade

We have been hearing a lot of these question lately: What are those things? What are garlic scapes? Where do they come from? How do you grow them?

A garlic scape is the flowering part (flowering stem) of hardneck garlic that doesn’t actually produce a flower . Each garlic plant will produce one scape. Once the flowering stem completes a full curl, it is time to start clipping them off and that is a garlic scape. Clipping the scape, allows the plant’s nutrients and energy to go to producing a larger bulb. Not all plants will produce the scape at the same time, so this calls for consistent clipping and checking of your garlic patch. For us that is a lot of row walking and continuous harvesting. We have a half acre of garlic this year. When we were tediously planting all that garlic by hand last fall, we were wondering what we were thinking when we planned to plant that much garlic. And seriously thinking we were crazy.

Now that the garlic scapes are harvested, it is time to have some fun creating and cooking. Garlic scapes can be ate raw, used as a garnish, substituted for garlic in recipes, cooked or even pickled. We have been enjoying arugula garlic scape pesto. Mine is a bit on the hot or spicy side, the way we like it. Pesto is absolutely delicious on tomatoes with mozzarella. Or just saute scapes then eat on toast. Saute and put into homemade bread for a loaf of garlic bread.

Pickling garlic scapes is something new I’m trying this year. We love anything pickled in this house so pickled scapes make our mouths water. Our kids even fight over who gets to eat the garlic out of the dill pickle jars. My solution: pickle garlic scapes. Now everyone gets their own jar and there is no fighting; until it’s time to go clip more scapes. We tried a recipe with sugar and a version with dill and pepper flakes. We prefer the dill, but if you prefer sweet pickles then you would probably like the sweet version.

We are chopping up garlic scapes and putting them in almost every dish we make. Even in my homemade dressings. The possibilities are endless!

So far my favorite uses of garlic scapes are to saute them with kale and pickled. What is your favorite way to use garlic scapes? What kind of wonderful creation did you come up with using garlic scapes? I would love to hear from you!

June 17, 2015 0

The Beginning of Summer

DSCN7005

It’s beginning to look a lot like . . . . summer! The most wonderful time of year! I feel like I’m singing a Christmas carol or maybe I sound like Olaf singing In Summer on that very popular kids movie this past year.

Well, at least, summer is my favorite time of year. And the beginning of summer is great; when the work winds down and the fun begins or maybe I should say the planting winds down and the eating of fresh produce is abundant. The planting is almost done, there are plants that are just sprouting and ones that are up are thriving and starting to produce. A time of year when we can really enjoy the vegetables of our labor. This past week we were able to start harvesting and eating parsley, fresh dill, and garlic scapes. The sugar snap peas are soon to come, possibly this week, along with the swiss chard. I just love DSCN7003 watching plants grow and produce, not that we get time to actually sit and watch the plants. It’s more of a quick observation as we are passing by them or a meandering look as we are working close by.

Although, this time of year also means we will start weeding for hours a day to keep them pesky weeds at bay. Besides using plastic ground cover, we are trying areas with wood chip and hay mulching to keep the weeds at bay. If this works, those areas will go to no-till. I also hope this means less weeding for this year and in future years and more free time to go hiking and fishing. Or time to sit in shade on those hot afternoons sipping ice tea reading a good book or blogging.

June 9, 2015 0

Agrarian Harvest

Wholesome, Organic, Experience. Our small farm, food, and simple life.

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