This was our first real week of experiencing work on this farm and it’s been great! Monday and Tuesday we did a lot of planting. We transplanted cabbage and broccoli from their small starter pots into the ground, making sure to use the technique we learned of hilling up the dirt surrounding the stem. This, we are told, gives the plant much stability and therefore allows it to grow stronger and produce more. We also planted seeds of turnips and peas, which was Tonya’s favorite part. A lot of care and positive energy is needed to make sure the seeds have a good start.
Every morning started with a survey of the garden to see what squash, zucchini, and cucumbers needed to be harvested, since they seem to pop up overnight. We had a surplus of cucumbers, so we spent much of Wednesday sitting on the porch cutting cucumbers and then later soaking them to become pickles. We decided to put our amateur handyman skills to good use and fixed the latch on the chicken coop. After Donna had not one, but two close encounters with a bear entering the barn while she was sleeping, we put a lock on that door as well.
The two mother ducks that wander around the yard have each hatched ducklings not too long before we got here and they seem to have grown so much in just a week. They often come up onto the porch looking for dog food left over in the several bowls on the floor, so Donna started feeding them, which probably has a bit to do with their rapid growth. The little ones are so cute, how they follow their mother around, laying down at every stop she makes in the yard, or munching on the kale that’s growing. When Mocha first saw the ducks, she quickly learned how protect the mother is. As she rushed over to investing these quacking creatures, the mother displayed her wingspan as she flew to meet Mocha. Seeing this, Mocha turned around, but not quick enough, as the mama bit her in the butt. Needless to say, Mocha skirts by the ducks as quietly and quickly as she can now.
Much of our free time has been filled with talking, eating, and more talking, but we have still made many trips up to the hill. Pictures can not begin to show the awesomeness of this place… but here are some anyways 🙂
Today I got to go into town and help Donna at the soup kitchen. I love to cook so this was pretty fun for me, but Ryan stayed home to finish up some work… From the veggies out of Donna’s garden we concocted a five-course meal that consisted of lentil-vegetable soup, pesto on fresh ground bread, tomato-sprout sandwich, beans, and quinoa. It was nice to make, but much nicer to eat!
Always hungry,
Tonya & Ryan
Just as Free 