Running a 90 member CSA operation solo is not an entertaining idea but for the time being it is the reality and it has been for the past 6 months.  I have a feeling that it shall be for the entire season unless my search for a true partner delivers success.  In the meantime, while that elusive moment evades me, I will manage with a program of careful planning and a state of calm at least 70 percent of the time.  The best plans always seem to be those that are the most straightforward and so I believe is this one. Simply, sow about 300 feet of diverse crops a week, enough to provide the CSA for a week more or less when the crops become harvestable. I have started on the far end of the field where most of the hoop houses shall be with broccoli, shungiku, cabbage, beans (in a hoop house), sugar snap peas, swiss chard, spinach, garlic (planted this past December and January and looking quite well), bok choi and Avignon breakfast radishes.  Today, I am double digging a carrot bed with the assistance of my 7 Rouen ducks who insist on eradicating the soil of anything that moves or is shiny with the occasional beak full of dandelion or some other delicasy which translates to eating worms.  They don't get all of the worms, I am practically throwing clods of earth on top of them as they are right at my feet and on occasion I have to release one from a clod from under which it has found its long neck and head trapped.   They provide pleasant company as they do not quack and carry on like a bunch of roudy bar hoppers as they normally do (all day long except during their naps) while making their gourmet foraging rounds.  The drake, genious that he is occasionally forgets that he has to be in water to mate with one of the hens and with his head bent in lascivious intent tries to mount a female with hilarious results. I can see where the three stooges got some of their routines.  

Each week will repeat the same proceedure, plant enough for a week's distribution for the CSA and by the end of May, the field rows should all be double dug and planted out mostly by hand as a tiller will only cut about 4 inches deep so it serves as the machine to do the final top dressing when it is running (currently not), other wise it is manpower with a hoe and a rake. I have an 18 year old young man coming for 10 days at the end of April and would have had someone here now had the hot water hook up been completed but with all of the other work which is more pressing and total lack of funds it is a task for another time.  All fields will be mulched and irrigated this year as the time wasted last year was well, a waste of time.  The chicken operation is running fairly well and I hope to have funds next week to build chicken tractors and get the 90 plus of the first batch out into the field for the last four weeks before they meet their maker.  Another new rule is to start new seedlings each week and with a religiuos fervor. Again, it is a simple process and something done in the very early morning hours during breakfast or late at night before bed.  I keep index cards in my shirt pocket to learn Russian with and have decided that the best method is to construct imaginary dialogues which will incorporate all the words that I hope to learn and to memorize the whole lot.   I like the idea of taking a week off in late May, and two weeks in mid August to travel. The thought of quality time off provides a psychological boost and makes the long weekly hours easier to tolerate.  There is nothing more damaging to the determination of a farmer if the work seems to nothing but an endless unceasing unrelenting task. Especially if one is a bachelor farmer who's dates are delegated to a computer hook up. 

April 12

Wild weather. First a period of constant warmth and sunny dry weather followed by the more expected fluctuation between chilly nights, strong winds, hail, bits of snow, heavy rain, piercing winds.  The raccoons are back and I will start trapping them right away.  They made off with for young pullets overnight which I thought were safe- I didn't put them in.  The crawl space beneath the hen house will have to sealed over and enclosed with concrete and soon. That will remove the threat of raccoon predation and rats which I presume will be returning soon.  I'll start setting the havahart tonight. I won't have a heart either. Any caught raccons will be immediately shot otherwise I won't have any chickens

April 18  Endings and Beginnings.

This may be the final entry for this blog. I am cancelling normal CSA operations due to the failure to find a suitable partner for the farm operation.  The CSA will continue to operate with distributions going out every other week until all member's accounts  are brought to a zero balance. In the meantime, a new business, "The Bagira Design Group" is being formed.  In the future, a new farm operation and CSA will be established in conjunction with this new business- which is actually a continuation of my formal life as an artist. The new CSA will run  from my family farm in Versailles, Kentucky.  It may be established as early as next season. That depends on many things of course. We will have 30 acres to work with, much better soil, fewer restrictions.. and I already know the local farmer's market will be more than happy to welcome our presence at their market.  I had hoped to continue Howard's End and with the addition of a partner and a couple years of transition time, find a way to affirm its' establishment in this area of central Pennsylvania. This story is far from over however.  Every day brings forth a new probability so it will be a wait and see season.  Well, that's farming in a nutshell, isn't it!

I always thought the first day of spring started on March 21 everywhere.  I was wrong. In some places it starts on March 1.  I received a warm message from a friend early this morning wishing me a happy and bountiful spring season.  Not a bad message to wake up to when it is soggy and wet and overcast outside.

March is going to be an interesting month.  First, I received my official overseas birth cerificate from the Department of State; a document which has made my existence truly recorded.  The German birth certificate didn't make the grade with Homeland Security and the local Department of Motor Vehicles even though it was the first to record my tiny arrival and had a foot print on it to boot.   I feel like I just graduated to some higher purpose. At least I can get a passport now and leave the country at my leisure (not!).    March is also the month to fulfill all of those kickstarter promises by getting the T-shirts, cedar window boxes, ceramic plates and notecards done.  Along with the furniture, sculpture and carved garden pots on the schedule- and not to mention the planting and raising of an additional two hoop houses to bring the total to 6 completed, it will be a busy month.  I believe we planted the sugar snap peas at the end of April last year or maybe a little before- they have already sprouted and will go into the ground on Sunday.   I will also be posting on this site instructions and photographs of the design, construction and raising of a 50' by 28' hoop house since I've had a few inquiries.  That will probably show up near the end of the month.

March 21, 2012  First Day of Spring.  "Of Mice and Men"

It is to be a season of prospectives.  I am making a mad dash to plant as many crops as I possibly can, the weather is so warm.   The loss of two month's planting time last year will be made up this year though I do project we are going to have a serious drought problem.  

I have a prospective partner and put out an ad to find more prospective partners if they are to be found  in case the first one melts away, having experienced an epiphany of sensibility; realizing that farming is for the slightly off center kind of person.  Or is it the other way around. We are normal, and the city dwellers are nuts? 

When I am alone I feel like a mouse. Very small, insignificant and somewhat meek to the challenges that loom over me like a large cat anticipating its' dinner.  Ever watch a mouse elude a cat? I've seen the game many times having had the pleasure of feline company most of my life and once the cat is tossing that little creature around, it's a gonner.  The smart mice- or the lucky ones- (do mice experience serendipity?),  find refuge under the cat. This puts the cats' knickers in a twist (as the English would say) because they can't find the thing.  I've been in a bit of a twist trying to work out how I was going to face this season and survive it but the prospective options have been rolling in and as a result I am actually somewhat calmer than my normal hysterical state.  I have a prospective partner who will arrive in May. At that point the prospective hot water for the apartment  had better have become a reality and not just another fantasy to be fulfilled.  I may even take a prospective vacation in May for a week since I haven't had one in about 6 years and maybe I'm due, especially if we're two months ahead of the planting schedule anyway.  The chicken dilemma is no longer an issue as they are surviving en masse, and I actually have an official birth certificate so I can now apply for a passport.  I like the idea of returning to Europe which is the land where I grew up; in fact, I might just start living there part of the year if other prospects come into play.   

The tiller is not running again- probably gummed up and I haven't got time to take it apart so I managed to turn about 150 feet of three foot wide raised beds, adding more compost and lime to boot with a drip line and plastic mulch to complete each row.    Found that I could practice my fledging Russian while doing the double digging and have high hopes that repeating each studied phrase about 100 times might endow them to my memory which hopefully is on the up swing these days.  I had planned on going to Russia but now I'm not, but a career option has developed in a part of the former Soviet Union and so why not?  Whenenever I used to travel in the 80's, I almost always learned a little German, or Italian if my ex and I were passing through those countries and I did have a reasonable knowledge of French to begin with though what remains of my French or only well- remains.  

There was a hen chicken in the yard standing there and the drake Rouen duck was coming along that way and the chicken was in its' way so it walked straight up to its fluffy blousy behind and give it a good jabbing poke with it's rounded beak and what did that hen do? Well, she thought the drake had amorous ideas so she offered him a ticket to ride but he didn't care- as the Beatles once sang.... 

One day I will be farming, and the next I will be teaching a classical ballet company in the former Soviet Union modern dance and submitting a short story entitled "The Golden Watch" or "The Smile" or "The Farmer with the Emerald Heart" (not about me at all), just because about 6 weeks ago, I woke up in the middle of the night and for no reason at all sat at the computer and wrote a story.  A fairytale. I always aspired to be a poet.  Write? I can't write. Except modern fairytales.  Then somebody saw the rough draft and one thing led to another, and now they want me to submit three and I  told them that I don't really write- it was a mistake.  I don't have time to write.  By next winter? No problem!  Strange world. Stranger prospects.

There's an 18,000 acre organic farm in the Ukraine somewhere.  Maybe I should go there.  In the meantime, I am forming a new design company which will help the farm financially and give me a job wherever I end up. 

Could be here another year or might be down the road aways. Might be in Kentucky helping care for my mother.  Many prospects and all quite interesting.  This writing just kind of rambles. When I write a fairy tale though, I actually have a beginning, middle and end.  I think there was some mention about these elements in one of my early English classes.  Thank God for editors!  

I hate the winter most of the time. It's as if everything has packed up and  gone to florida to become an orange or a lemon maybe.  All the birds are at Disneyworld cavorting with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and I remain along with the honey bees which surprised me yesterday when I lifted the lid off the black trash can that held the chicken feed and like a pandora's box, out come a few hundred honebees which had been (I think?) gathering bits of food for themselves.  It was sunny and so the interior of the can must have been sufficiently warm for them.  I didn't know that bees would venture out in 45 degree weather but the solar heat must have been enough for them to do so.

     Work progresses well on the residence. More plumbing is in, and I should have the door installed in a couple of days.  Ground floor insulation is almost sufficient enough to hold heat and today, I will start move miscellaneous pieces of furniture into the basement.  100 chix are due to arrive on the 16th of February, so the furnace and their pens must be ready by then. These will be temporary digs until the weather warms a bit more and funds are available for the construction of the new chick house to be completed.  Also, four hoop houses will be planted and fully operational by the end of this month.  A little behind my original schedule but of no consequence as nothing really grows in December or January anyway due to the lack of light.  The daylight has improved greatly and continues to do so.  A mid February planting of lettuce, kate, sugar snap peas, broccoli raab and savoy cabbage should be just right.  Some of these (including leeks, onions and some others) will be started indoors and hardened off before they are transplanted. I am excited to know that in 30 to 60 days I will have crops to harvest.  The fall planted spinach is doing well and there is also a row of leeks and kohlrabi still hanging on.  The CSA members are getting a taste of local brook and rainbow trout for the next few months and I should be able to throw in a butternut squash ravioli into the offerings soon. 

     The draft horses did not materialize.  There was a couple who had the right of first refusal and they took it. A shame but I'm very low on funds anyway and have to reserve money to pay the standard bills so I will manage.  Inquiries come in from WWoofers and potential interns only to disappear again once I send them the work schedule. I would rather not have someone planning a farm vacation here. I want real workers. I  will put up ads next month. In the meantime, I think I can cover all of the bases without a problem.  I'm coming out of hibernation and the after shocks of last year's horrible season.  I have some new pen pals which is a lot of fun and keeps me from feeling too alone.  Interesting conversations from a few who live far away.

Saturday Night Fever   February 11

I had a full schedule of work to do today but didn't get an iota of it done. Well, maybe one iota but of such minute quantity I doubt it counts for anything.  The weather has turned nasty and the chickens which have retreated to the garage are probably in a state of chill.  The ducks however couldn't care less how cold it is.  They have a 52 degee lilly pond upon which to splash around in.  That isn't the main subject for this evenings' entry.  It is something much more personal and an event that many farmers unfortunately suffer.  I think there is a universal sentiment that farming is a tough business.  The labor is intense, the finances are almost always tight and if you are starting out, your lack of experience coupled with the pressures of  responsibilities that are constantly on the increase rest on your shoulders.  The "your" I refer to is the farmer and his significant other whether he/she be a lover, wife or business partner.   I think many believe that a new organic farming  operation is particularly vulnerable to the high stresses of a start up operation and it has been reported by others that it is not the financial stresses that are the primary culprit to the failure of a farm but the break up and dissolution of the responsible partnership that was integral in its inception in the first place.   A very good friend and a fine farmer reported to me a month or so ago that his wife had left him- temporarily,( he insisted) and had returned to her home town.  He didn't give me further details (though I do intend to press him a bit in a while longer) but I know he was hurting though he passed the information as an aside.  He runs a CSA which serves a good body of families and has seen plenty of trials and tribulations since he bought the farm about 7 years ago.   The partnership that began Howard's End has suffered a similar fate except ours is completely dissolved except that I can continue to farm the property on an annual  contractual basis.   I cannot recommend running a 90 plus member CSA and farmer's market operation solo.  In fact if you told me that you had such an intention and approached me for advice I would immediately recommend a psychological remedy of some sort. Depending on my mood at that moment, you might even get a quick lecture on the madness of Vincent Van Gogh.  I don't care how young you are, unless you're superman, you can't do it unless you're convinced your superhumaness  which is a condition that does cross my psyche once and again.  So with that foolish knowshen I slog on.   Mid February approaches and I am only now waking from the emotional deaths of the fall.  I'm wondering if there isn't a "farmer's syndrome" of a seasonal sort in some psychiatric paper somewhere.  Farmers burn out from over work.  Following the final days of the first, second and third seasons, I have fallen into a fog of stewed vegetables  with my upper brain activity seeking a more comatose state.  This lasts for about 6 weeks and during that period in year's past I have retreated to New York or Kentucky to seek a cave of refuge and some un farm project such as building a house for my brother or designing a garden in the Hamptons following the requisite collapse of a few days upon arrival.  A kind of farmer's jet lag.  Tractor lag??? Tractor Leg?  but I don't own a tractor.  

Without a partnership the farm will not survive.  It's not so much the missing of the physical labor and other logistical support that is irreplacable that your partner provides  but the lack of psychological and emotional support that will do one in if not remedied in time.   My solution, aside from being angry and upset for about four months running (the anger was non directional-also- I had also learned over Thanksgiving holiday that my mother had advanced dementia) was to subscribe to Match.com.  and then Cupid.com (a total of two three day periods for $1.98 each), Farmers Only.com. and then a half hearted registration on the international Match.com which I never completed but rendered a big surprise about a month later....

      Allright, well, I discovered that I was not a desirable Romeo.  Focusing on Match.com I scoured the pages for attractive ladies from 42 to 57 in age and wrote about 30 very nice introductory letters.  I received a total of three replies one of which thanked me so much for such an inspirational and uplifting note as she had become very discouraged et voila, here was her match!  I was delighted and sent a follow up to her return note to me and that was the end of it. A second contact was more successful with emails mostly to do with farming issues flying back an forth for about ten days to culminate in a tentative lunch date which alas, never materialized.  So that was the end of that. I will probably meet her at some point at market but I think it will be a good friendship if anything.  The third was most promising but as her response was very nice and she was truly interested. Head of a department at a nearby university, I thought she had a great charm.  The only problem was her job.  It would take her four days to respond to one of my emails- I had reverted to French and found her department line in order to catch her attention after an email via Match failed to muster a response.  A Sunday meeting was arranged and then cancelled.  I sent her a final email and signed off "See you in the funny pages" and left it at that.  In her defence, she is swamped with work, a big theater production which she is performing in and directing.  Oh well. Having exhausted any local possibilities due to my inability to be nothing more than an artist and a farmer and most definitly not tall, dark and handsome, I tried Cupid.com and had a completely different experience there for the few days I tried it before I ran in fear of losing my romantic ideals.  I received lots of winks and opening messages.  I felt like I had joined a post WWII cabaret in Berlin.  Lots of very sexy pussycats (excuse this but it's the best way to describe most of them and what their photos looked like) sent all kinds of suggestive messages.  Many of these young 20 and 30 something ladies were from State College and wanted to exchange photos and talk dirty (I guess).  When I looked at a couple of their profiles what I would read was something very sincere and intelligent. I didn't understand what was going on at all except so say that it was probably a sport which I would rather not become familiar with. A hopeless romantic such as myself would be scarred for life if I got into some nonsense like that.  I do imagine I am in some kind of minority here.  At the young age of 58 I am still idealistic, full of energy believe there is a "love of my life" out there some where.  I've had time to reflect on the two relationships I've had in the past 34 years and what went wrong with them.  I've had time to think about how I have (and haven't) related to women.  What has been missing in my life that I have always felt alone even when I had a partner?  Bare with me- all of this does relate to farming.  Farming is a very one on one personal triumph or failure or an alternation of the two depending upon the season and one's relationships play into your ability to function well or not so I am suggesting that if you are considering farming that you have your personal life in god order if you can afford to.  If that isn't possible, don't run an operation- work for one until your personal affairs are in order.  Talk to your girl/boy friend, husband with etc. about your desire and if at all possible try to do a trial run.  Farming can be a real blessing if the two partners are both in love with the life.  It is a life hard to beat once things are in a positive flow.  Extroadinary really- beats city life by a mile in my opinion.

So- on to Farmers only.com.   No contacts whatsoever. A small website with many of the registered partcipants not including their photos. I have to say something else too.  I am not attracted to women in the 42-58 age group who are heavy set.  There are huge numbers of them on the websites too- fact in the U.S. there is a majority.  I can't date a smoker, and someone who leads a sedentary life style.

Part Two: From Russia with Love.

I mentioned before that I had registered on a foreign website and then forgot about it.  I would get these notifications in French about this or that person that they had selected for me to contact in relation to the profile I had submitted.  I just deleted the messages.  I had a long couple hour chat with a cousin of mine and told her that I had no interest in dating someone from abroad- the logistics were just too great a hassle and there was a lot of scamming going on.  After all the grass is always greener on the other side.  There are many in other countries who would love to meet a wealthy American (all Americans are wealthy by the way- especially if you live in eastern Europe) and come on over.  By mid January I was feeling somewhat discouraged when I received an email to my private email from a Russian lady who lived not in Moscow or St. Petersburg but in a beautiful regional city.  I could understand her English though it presented a grammatical challenge at times and I decided to answer to be polite and also out of curiosity.  I figured that I would be getting a sob story about how miserable her life was and so on and waited for the punch line-" Please can you send me some money for my sick mother" or some such thing.   A very tentative back and forth exchange of emails ensued with no such requests for money but vignets of life in Russia, pictures of herself and her family with not a super model glossy in site.   Out of curiousity, I started looking into typical "Russian Bride" scams and what to look for. At least I had someone's attention and that helped alleviate the lonliness that I was feeling.

Back in a minute. Going to make a couple loaves of bread. P.S.  If you don'twant  to read this just skip to March.  This is a February subject- kind of a Valentine's day project. This story, when I continue, will actually end up playing a big part in the continuation and success of this farm as you will see......

Hop forward a week or so- there were some recommended websites that were vetted and one of them didn't cost any money to register.  On a lark, I registered and uploaded a rather humorous image of myself at the farmer's market in my battered rust colored coat with the disheveled straw hat holding a bunch of vegetables in my hands with a capricious grin.  This image compared to what the Russians, Ukrainians, and so on submit- very sharp, high resolution studio photography; composed images meant to seduce oftentimes.  The women present themselves at their very best wheras I had just walked off the farm looking more like a hobo than anything.  A good natured hobo though.  I will put the image up on this website at some point so if you are curious you can see what I'm talking about.

     A couple of things you need to know about Russian and former Soviet culture which I have learned these past few weeks.  First, there are 10% more women in those countries than men. Second, the societies in general are very male oriented and tend towards a chauvinistic behavior among the men.  Third, drinking  is a big problem among the men again, as is fidelity.  Fourth, once a woman reaches the age of 30 she is considered an old maid, and finally, family is a really big deal for the women in particular as are their family ties. You are not a complete woman until you are married and you have children.  The women seek westerners because they have discovered that in general, western men treat their women better than their Russian/Ukranian counterparts and tend to be more trustworthy.  They have learned through word of mouth- most women on these sites know or have heard of someone who has married a western man successfully.  They care more about security, fidelity and love than they do about your age as well.   In some of the letters that I received, the woman (who had all written first to me), also stated that they didn't care if I owned a fancy car or a big house.  They were looking for a man that would love them and would be sincere and trustworthy in his care of them.  Now, before I registered on this site I had registered for a trial period on another site which was strongly recommended by all the web reviewers as one of the best.  I had used the same image that I had used on Match.com which is a somewhat strained shot of my face which I took holding the camera as far from myself as I could- I imagine that most people have tried this type of shot. I thought the image was ok  The responses have been minimal but there was one;  I am pen pal-ing with a lady who lives in Ukst which is in Siberia and she is a hoot!  She meditates alot, is a personal dancer and teaches a form of exercise which is popular in Russia- strip tease dancing.  From what I understand, tight fitting plastic pants, etc are worn and it is a real work out.  Every other message I get from her is untranslated which is a royal pain but she knows I'm studying Russian so I am left to translate it.  Once you learn to read the cyrillic alphabet you discover that the Russian word for "pasta" when sounded phonetically is none other than "macaroni".  

      So, I get my funny image on this website with a short description about being a farmer artist and so on and in the first 5 days receive over 200 letters. Not winks, but letters.  The first day there were over 50.  I was totally blown away.  After all, in high school and college I was fairly shy and simply didn't date because I was so unsure of myself.  Here I am at age 58 and there are mostly 20-45 year olds writing me hundreds of letters (over three hundred to date).  I would guess that the average age was 32.  They were all very beautiful too.  Well, I don't watch TV at night and so I have a little time. The first couple of days I honestly didn't know what to do. I started by writing polite "thanks for noticing me" letters because I felt that at least I should do that.  I had no intention of dating (even on line) a 20 something year old but I did correspond with eight (older) at first and even that felt really overwhelming. I didn't want to lead anybody on- you know, get their hopes up.  One in particular, was obviously very intelligent and willing to speak her mind (by the way, most of these women have graduate degrees and many own or manage businesses) and did so and caught my attention.  I have been writing her ever since and have told her that it is a friendship.  All the while, I am emailing the Russian lady who was the first to contact me and I am really enjoying our correspondance to the point that I started trying to figure out if there was some way I could get to Russia, even for a week to see what was what.  She wants to start a family and I'm thinking maybe this is what I've been missing?  I ask myself a simple question.  What if I don't have a family.  Will I miss having children? Will my life feel incomplete, unresolved?  The surprising answer is yes and maybe that is the reason for my constant sense of loneliness- lack of a warm family atmosphere, even when I was growing up. 

Dating a woman from Russia is not an easy task.  The particular lady that I have in mind has no cell phone, no telephone in her apartment and has limited access to a computer.  Secondly, if we are to carry this relationship into a more realistic realm, we need to meet. In order to meet, I have to go to Russia which means I need a birth certificate and a passport before summertime and about $2,000 minimum to cover expensis.  The problem is that the farm's cash flow is always a challenge during the winter and spring when there are many projects to pursue and complete and no revenue coming in from the fields. This presents a challenge to me and my response is to start implementing some of the furniture and garden sculpture designs I had planned to include in the forthcoming catalog.  $2,000 is not much to raise if you design and sell two very high end museum quality stone sculpted lamps or some other pieces, so that is the solution.  I don't know if she is the love of my life, but this path feels like the right one to be on. First, I am a dreamer and a hopeless romantic so she might just be the love of my life. What a wonderful gift would that be!  Second, if she isn't, maybe one of those other ladies are. Third, if none of them are, then at least I have a trip to look forward to which psychologically puts me in a much better state of mind to take on the challenges of the forth coming season, especially  following the previous three seasons, I have not felt up to it.  Finally,  the design work will provide sales which means another revenue stream and will relieve me from the cash flow and financial worries that I have subjected myself to ever since I started farming.  The only way I lose is to do nothing and that is impossible because I am too much of a dreamer.  So in conclusion, love conquers everything.  This is my Valentine Story.

A few days later....

For anyone out there who hasn't tried online dating and is thinking of doing so- especially if you're planning on making an over seas "connection", I would think twice about it.  First of all, I take the letters that I receive and those that I write very seriously.  I have no intention of leading anyone on, especially, if I have made a committment to someone.   From my view, there are a number of steps involved in dating someone from overseas.  First of course is the posting and initial contact.  There is a broad range of initial questions which cover material interests to personal philososphies to points of view.  In my short experience, communication ranges from very basic statements of many kinds of desire (but most center around finding a soul mate, a trustworthy man, true love and so on) to intellectual conversations and expressions of one's personal experiences both truimphs and failures.  I have yet to have a "false" conversation.  If someone proposes that she wants to please me and lick my body or what have you, I kindly suggest that 1. I am of the wrong generation. and 2. that she should complete school and learn to speak English.  Usually with those kinds of inquiries which I don't find genuine no matter how you read it, I just don't respond.  They are the exception though, not the rule. Most women who have written me express a personal and genuine interest in getting to know me based on the profile which I posted.  I feel obliged to respond to them in a like manner and I do.  I always thank them for writing.  Lately, I have felt embarrassed to be contacted by so many fine women.  I almost feel obligated to find someone for them and I wish I could. What I can never do is date more than one woman at a time. I dated three for about a month in college and I couldn't handle it, and never did that again. Anyway, back to the "stages".  Once you've got a good conversation flow going and you're feeling positive about the kind of communication you're having,  I would suggest sending pictures back and forth. Not glossie professional studio shots but photos of who you are and the life you live. The more diverse the better.  He/she should agree to do the same.  Next would be telephone/cell phone or computer/video conversations- lots of them.  I have yet to arrive at this point yet, but I believe it will be essential based on testimonials I have read.  Finally, you have to fly to Europe or Russia, or the Ukraine- and meet her and her family. Once again, from testimonials, it is recommended that you stay for at least 2 weeks.  More trips, more conversation, and if the two of you are hanging in there, then finally she gets a special "K" Visa to come to the U.S. for three months.  The grass is greener on the other side, right?  There will be lots of paperwork, and it gets expensive so it's not something to take lightly.  As I said before, I don't.  Now, I'n finished with this subject. I have to go and finish cleaning the trout for tomorrow's distribution.

It's a sunny and modestly warm day and I will be able to finish planting the garlic as the ground still retains it's late fall workability.  Post holes will be dug to complete those for the first 5 hoop houses, a general clean up, inspection of the cabbage heads and other crops in the fields, fixing the loose felt on the roof of the chicken coop, residential work (including the front door) are all on the schedule for the light of today.  Later I will work on a painting I plan to submit at the end of the month as part of my Arts Fest application.  Accounting also.  I can't proceed with 2012 without knowing what exactly happened in 2011. 

As for resolutions- easy.  I will try to do everything that I had planned on doing in 2011 but failed.  The wood fired oven, a small cheese cave, cultivation of mushrooms,  raise chickens, and ducks and have some good help.   New resolutions which really are this years' goals are to bring the gross business reciepts up to $80,000 by increasing crops by 400% (sounds like alot but with season extenders, irrigation and additional livestock sales it is very realistic), starting catalog sales, and so on.   I think the biggest problem will be manpower.  I am going to look to Penn State and my CSA members for help though- something that I have not pursued in earnest.  I also expect to have a long term intern starting in April- going through November and to have two ten week interns during the summer months.   A cabin has to be built to accomodate the interns which will be a time-line challenge.   The residence must be pulled together with working electricity and plumbing so that I can live there, and perhaps one other in the second bedroom.  Another time related challenge.  Cash flow will continue to be an issue but with the review of last years' flow (and cash problems) and the creation of some new income streams, I think it will be less of a problem.   My personal energy and outlook will be a challenge. Serious setbacks could put me into a downward spiral of depression and end the entire project.  Not a likely scenario.  A business partner would be a huge help as would a personal one.  For the moment, I am more positive than I have been recently and honestly, the entire forecast for success is a very delicate balance and could turn on a dime to failure.  I do still think of shutting down the CSA, and moving to Kentucky and I may have to but that projection doesn't feel right.  Still there is no contract so a trip to the attorneys once again seems inevitable.  How can you run a business without a contract with the land owner? 

The 55 hen chicks are doing quite well and I can't wait to get them out of my apartment.  I have lost two which is an acceptable rate of mortality.   I will be recieving 75 broilers on the 13th of January and by then, I hope to have the temporary pens set up in the first floor of the residence.   The temporary chick pens will be on the kitchen side and my temporary workshop will be adjacent.  The old wood burning furnace from the 1850's brick house which had originally be slated for a hoop house will be moved in to provide heat.   Insulation will have to be completed for the entire building.   The next phase (February) will be to get the new coop built.  The old coop will be remodeled to accomodate the hens.   The new coop will get a concrete floor with a drain, and insulated walls.  The structure will be raised first, then a wood burning stove installed so the floor can be poured.  All done in the comforts of freezing weather. 

Monday January 9

I'm waiting for my usual breakfast of fried onions & potatoes with the occasional egg, (and a dose of ketchup).   It is sunny outside and the month has been quite mild thus far.  I trapped the opposum that was killing the chickens and living in the comforts of the residence and killed it humanely.  A land lease has been worked out with the land owner and though it will be expensive it will be less disruptive to remain here than move the entire operation to another location over the winter.  The budget for 2012 is done and is based on the actual figures of 2011, includes a membership increase of 15 and the addition of chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, and eggs.  Together, they will contribute 22,500 gross to the totals with a net of about 17,500 once all the expenses are deducted.  Catalog and outside sales (arts, crafts, furniture, etc) will be increased from last year's $3,000 to $10,000.  I am already busy designing, painting, sculpting and so on.   The priority however, beginning with this week are the hoop houses.   I stopped working on all farm projects about two weeks ago (I was away for a week), as I believed the business would be moving.  I also needed to stop farming- to have a mental break.  I can get three hoop houses completed this week. That is the goal.   As usual there are many other important projects so the days will be full speed ahead very shortly.  Distributions will begin on January 20th (tentatively), and I meet with an intern candidate this Saturday.   In short, the approach to this year will be quite different than the past three.  The hoops give me a jump on the growing season.  I am going to actively pursue help and work through the winter blues instead of succumbing to them.  This is the "quantum leap" year. The year where half the debt gets payed off, we grow enough crops, and raise birds and rabbits successfully.  We get the mushroom project going, are prepared for the Farm Tour, and hold the social dinners for the CSA members.  There is a great deal of construction to do.  I will have to see how much help I can get. 

Saturday, January 28  It's official: change

It has been a warm and muddy month thus far.  I am almost out of my doldrums and have gotten back into the swing of things with work on the hoop houses (for February plantings) along with completion of insulation of the residence first floor along with the plumbing line runs to the bathroom toilet, sink and bathtub.   An old furnace will be brought in to provide heat and front door will be built- custom oak with an insulated interior layer, a keyhole window and carved irises sweeping up from the exterior kickplate.  It goes with me when I make a future departure.   Finally solved the mystery behind the chick die off.  Probably the local feed.  Switched to a medicated feed.  The remaining seven (of 55) hen chicks have finally percked up and are acting normally now.   Chicks and a workshop will be temporarily housed on the ground floor of the residence.  100 meat birds arrive on the 16th of February.

As for the workshop: Ceramic tiles, T-shirts, cedar window planters, garden ornaments, and fine stone sculpted lamps for the high end market will be made to supplement the farm income.  An absolute necessity to get product sold over the next 4 months or I will be financially short again.  Making excellent progress thus far.  First up: a pair of Minoan Bull pots with horned handles.   Very unique, I expect to sell the first pair or two quickly.  The craft work will have to be concentrated from now through April. After that, naturally, the farm work takes precedence.  I will have to make a quick trip to Kentucky in March and may take a week off in May and travel overseas if I can get a replacement passport on time.   A very speculative idea but it could be a good mental break and since the CSA is year round, I might just do this once every four months- not fly overseas but get out of here, hiring an experienced house sitter to cover the chores.

New Help: I will know in a week if I can purchase the two Percheron draft horses I've been negotiating on for a few weeks now.  The owners just have to check if some friends of theirs want them or not.  If  not, they will be mine.  What beautiful beings!  Not too large, actually small sized for draft horses, they are docile, very well behaved and easy to command.   I must say that I am in love with Betsy and Alta (two new girlfriends if I am so lucky...).  They will make the plowing and planting of five times the crops that were put in last year (as long as I get the irrigation system in).  They will be worth ten interns without exagration and no insubordination!  They will spend  the spring here, and much of the summer on a neighboring farm, helping with the haying, etc.  It is an excellent arrangement.  For $1,000 I get the horses, full harness gear and a sit down plow (the long wood tongue needs to be replaced).   A small stables will have to be built and fencing extended, pastures upgraded.  If they are offered, I will be taking them around the Ides of March in order to get the prep work done.   Only have to hold my breath and cross my fingers for a week! 

The Tuesday Farmer's Market commences on the first Tuesday in June and will end sometime before Thanksgiving in November.  It is never cancelled and is held rain or shine.   The market commences at 11:30 am and finishes at 5:30 except in November (at 5 pm).  There is quite a diversity of vendors and each year there is more produce and other items, such as baked goods and crafts for sale.

The Saturday Farmer's Market on North Atherton is held in the parking lot in front of the Home Depot from May until early November.  Hours are 10 am until 2 pm.  This is a great market to attend. It has grown quickly so you can expect a wonderful diversity of vendors.  I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes one of the region's largest.

For 2012, Howard's End Farm will be selling a much broader range of produce than it did in 2011 which was our third year at market.  Along with produce, we plan to be offering ceramics for sale as well.  These will be designed and produced by Addison, who regards himself not as a farmer but as an artisan-farmer.  He's been an artist for most of his life, only having just discovered the joys of farming.

The produce that Howard's End offers at market is all organic (though uncertified), without exception.  It is also picked-that-morning fresh.  You also might find that some of the produce is unusual for central Pennsylvania such as Imperial Globe artichokes,  black Aztec sweet corn, ginger, bamboo shoots, Shungiku and Asian greens.  We are always looking for the unusual and one of our goals is to offer unique varieties for those wanting a gourmet experience.  We will be raising pastured chickens,( and eggs!) ducks, geese, rabbits and mushrooms, as well this season.  If the CSA doesn't gobble them all up at first, we might manage to bring some to market.

This is what we are adding this season to make growth possible and make life more interesting...

1. Get the drip irrigation system completely installed incuding the reservoir preferably in April.

2. Start the mushroom cultivation operation.  Sew shiitake plugs into oak logs and set up three different varieties of Oyster mushrooms using the log "sandwich" method (though we might straw as well). This to be done in February.

3. Get 12 hoop houses built. Have four planted by the beginning of February, the remainder completed by May. A big task, but much of the groundwork has already been done.

4.The Farm Tour.  We will be ready this year to be a host. It will be nice to get the publicity.  Maybe we can get the salamander hill figure closer to completion.

5. On line catalog. Talked about this last year but never got it out of the drawing room. This year, however, we will get it started.  We already have a good list of catalog items and the cold months are the perfect time to manufacture the products that will be for sale.

6. A gourmet dinner program.  What was originally a three dinner idea has been expanded into a 10 dinner idea spread out over ten months beginning in March.  Three will be held at Howard's End (June, August and October), the remainder being hosted by CSA members.  All of the menus will be themed. For example, the October dinner will be a "Venetian Masquerade" and will feature Italian Veneto dishes with a twist.  Other dinner themes might include "American Barbeque", French, Indian and other regional cooking.

Finally the edibles.

We will be raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Rabbits for our members and market. They will be pastured and allowed to grow naturally.  The Ducks, Geese and Rabbits will be grown organically with very little grain.  We will feed grain to the chickens but they will get 40-50% from foraging and other feeds that we will feed them (such as spent barley from a local brewery which still retains its protein).  They will all be processed at the farm, the day before delivery to ensure freshness.

  Organic olive oil in 500ml refillable bottles will be offered to members- natural and with herbal infusions.  We may also offer this at market (upon approval).  Globe artichokes, blue corn for flour, English peas, Brussels sprouts, Belgian endive, romanesco, sweet melons,shallots,  burdock and the mushrooms will be added.  In general there will be more of all crops grown.

During the warm months we distribute produce to our CSA members on a weekly basis at the two farmer's markets that we participate in- The Tuesday Farmer's Market on Locust lane in downtown State College (11:30 - 5:30) and the Saturday North Atherton Farmer's Market at the Home Depot parking lot (10 - 2 ).   You can also arrange for home delivery if you reside within Centre county.  The charge is $3 per delivery and is usually made on Tuesday evenings.  Pick up at the farm is also an option. We are about 15 minutes from downtown Bellefonte off the Jacksonville road. 

Once the markets close, we move our pickup locations to an alternative location in downtown State College. The Saturday pick up remains at the Home Depot. During the cold months, produce is picked up once every two weeks. We usually take a month to six weeks off from Christmas until the end of January but will depend on the weather, member demand and the greenhouse vegetables production. 

  Here is our current list of what we expect to have available.  All produce is grown using organic methods, some of it via Tuscarora Organic Growers.  We also purchase or exchange produce with other organic CSA's in the area and local Amish farmers.  Any produce that we list as available that is not organic is noted on each weekly distribution list.

 Salad Greens  Asian Greens      Carrots        Mustard Greens      Yams       Mushrooms-(button, Oyster, Shiitake)  

Beets (Chioggia, Blankoma, Golden, Bulls Blood)      Spinach     Broccoli    Broccoli Raab  Cauliflower (white and Sicilain)  Romanesco

Turnips (Hakurei, Purple Top, Scarlet)     Mache     Arugula    Swiss Chard   Radishes 

Collards     Fennel (Florentine)   Kale (Tuscan, Chinese, Siberian)    Cabbage (Savoy, Red)

Kohlrabi (Purlple)   Onions (red, bunching)   Brussels Sprouts  Potatoes  

Herbs: Sage, Chives, Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, Sweet Marjoram, Oregano White Mustard

Chickens and Ducks  Geese  Eggs  Smoked Trout  Grass Fed Beef (local)

Certified Raw Milk  Pizzas  Scones  Jams  Chutneys   Sauerkraut  Pickles  Ratatouille pasta Sauce

Cheese- Smoked, Sharp, Sage, Italian and plain Cheddars  Ricotta   Swiss    

      Colby  Bondon  Queso Fresco and other specialty cheeses.

Basil Pesto,  Chick pea and Fava bean Humus

   Soups        Yogurt       Honey    Ginger (fresh)    Sprouts                              

Not all produce will be available at all times.  Thanks so much for your interest in Howard's End.  We look forward to meeting you.

We currently have ten memberships available.  There is a form which you can download, fill out and mail to us with your deposit.  An initial deposit of $200 will be required to open your debit account (unless you are a single individual- then it is $100).  If however you choose to send in $400 (which would last for 16 weeks if you spent $25 a week) you will recieve a 5% bonus and your account will be credited with $420.00.  Either amount will help us greatly- we have many capital improvements to make at this time.  Your membership will begin right away. 

Questions?  Send us an email at: howardsendfarm@gmail.com or call 814-625-0007 and leave a message if we aren't in.

Sincerely, Addison Hoffman  

Click here to download the CSA Membership Form in PDF format.

The point of this blog has always been to provide a format to record my experiences as a young farmer and the many thoughts that go along with that experience that others might find interesting.  My thinking has been that at times, other farmers who come here to read about my farming travails and explorations might benefit or share their ideas, or learn- something along these lines.  I have used this blog as an open book of rough ideas and experiences- unstilled and raw.  I write them quickly and oftentimes at the end of a long day or during a break when I think I have something reasonable to say.  As with any experience, farming is multi-faceted and there are many factors in the success or failure of an enterprise- whether they come from the realm of a personal, or family event, or a climactic one, or financial.  All of these rough writings will find their way into a book in about 5 years, and in order to complete the process which begins with these entries, research is added, themes are found and examples pulled from these writings and an editor makes the assemble possible- and coherent!

I am going to change the rules now as I will begin recording sensitive material which I don't want floating all over the ethosphere.  I will be pursuing some business ideas that could turn into something great or.... could just fizzle out as many do.  I have a few up my sleave and now is the time to pursue them as I feel I have completed my internship.   I will be making a single entry each month.  So this entry is it for the month of December. The remaining entries will be by subscription only and willl be free to the current CSA members of Howard's End Farm and to farmers, former interns, and to most of those following this blog.  Those in this category who would like to subscribe just send me an email or tell me at the CSA pickup that you would like to recieve the "writings" and I will say ok and each time I make an entry, an email will go out to the "group".   If I don't know you, you will need to introduce yourself and tell me who you are, about your farm, etc. by a hand-written letter.  Believe it or not but it takes time to do this- and as this year progresses, there will be a greater emphasis on research.  If you are not a farmer or a student studying agriculture or some other related subject, you will also need to send me $1.  That will be the cost of subscription for a year.  Please also include why you want to subscribe.  Mail your letter to: Howard's End Farm  345 Hidden Valley Lane, Howard, Pa.  In 2012, I expect to start including images of some of the projects, concerns that I am writing about.

Sunday, December 11

Our coldest night thus far and because I forgot to keep a trickle of water coming out of the faucet (the pipes are not completely insulated), the water lines have frozen.  Hopefully the manifold didn't crack, but it probably did which means it will have to be replaced.  In the meantime, I haul water by the bucket ful and get busy on completing the insulation.  It's a sunny day and the 55 hen chicks that arrived Friday are happy little campers and carry on an incessant chirp zipping about in the big galvanized livestock waterer I've got them in. Their accomodations will be upgraded either tonight or tomorrow to a much larger, 30 square foot square plus pen with plastic liner and peat for flooring.   These chicks are my future egg layers and will join the other remaining 8 near the end of May.   They will remain in the apartment for the first four weeks of their life before being moved to the new hen house which I plan to complete by the end of the month or beginning of the next- I will probably have to work under halogen lights in the dark to complete the task as my work roster is very full.

Today I will transplant the 30 or so globe artichoke seedlings that I have into their permanent places in one of the rows of hoop house #9.  I am going to start seedlings for lavender, tarragon, basil and more artichokes immediately since they will be able to go out so much sooner than usual with the hoops.  There is a great crop of young dill out there which I have cover with straw and row cover.  I may transplant it into pots however in bring it indoors since I do not expect it could survive the winter in its' current exposed bed.  Firewood has to be cut today, potatoes dug, garlic planted, top rail and ribs added to hoop house #1 and squash moved to a more secure location to get it safe from whatever is dining on it.

I went to a paty last night at O's and the dress theme was 80's off ice party which made for some very amusing dress.  I came as my scruffy self though I had managed to wear a clean shirt.  There was a beer drinking game which involved getting ping pong balls into cups, a number of people who spoke French so I got to practice a bit and be embarrased at the attempt.  When I decided that it was time for me to depart- around 9:30, B grabbed me and told me there was someone who was interested in farming.... I finally got out at 11, many conversations later feeling that I had talked too much but there was always someone asking me another question...  It helps to know that you are appreciated.  All the hard times melt away with that appreciation and cheering on.

December 17.

The last two distributions- todays' and next Tuesdays will be cancelled.  I am simply worn out and the CSA is temporarily bereft of funds until I can get to New York and do some work for clients there.  Finally broke down and bought a new, though inexspensive, chainsaw.  The old one doesn't care to start in the cold.  It works well and I have already cut posts for two more hoop houses and cleared another section of brush and scrub trees out of what will be a lightly forested area with walnuts and meadow where the chicken and rabbit tractors will be run. 

Howard's End Farm grossed just over $45,000 for 2011.  Now comes the hard part.  Breaking down that number into every last cent recieved and spent.  The receiving will be easy actually.  It will be the spending that will tell me what changes I need to make.  Full details will be available for those subscribing (see beginning of this month for details).   Some of the essential changes which will have to be implemented for the 2012 season in order to double the gross income are as follows:

1. Get the irrigation system set up and installed. Without this improvement I may as well call it a day.  This includes installing an 8,000 gallon reservoir and all the piping, drip tape, etc. 

2. Mulch as many crops as possible.  Try the new degradable mulch? Use pigs and goats to pre weed and till.  Free food for them and free tilling and root clearing for us. A proven workable method.   I will try the degradable mulch this year but will also use plastic mulch.  With the mulches and drip tape, we can plant a crop and spend much less time weeding and watering which will doom any commercial operation due to their gross inefficiency.

3.  Get as much compost/soil work done over the winter as possible.   With the erection of the hoop houses,  all of that warmed soil will be a song to prep.  10 hoop houses gives us 1/4 acre under cover.

4.  Get the 10 hoop houses built by March; half by the end of December, the other half by March if not sooner.  Earlier and later crops.  The hoop houses should increase total crop production by 50%!

5.  Raise chickens.  I finally know what I've been doing wrong.  They are very sensitive to temperature and if you don't regulate it very carefully, they get stressed and die.  We will raise 75 chickens a month.  It won't be enough but we will be able to manage this number.  We will have to get the hen house built. 

6. Raise ducks, rabbits,geese and pigs. All can be raised in tractors or moveable electric pens and on grass.  Very little grain is needed.  For the pigs, we will plant mangels in the fields they will be tilling and feed them spent barley from a local brewery and slops from restaurants (free).   Mostly they will eat off the pasture.

7. Build a cabinet for interns. It will be of straw or cordwood or wattle and daub or a combination of these. The floor will be of hammered clay (cement added).  I'll get used but servicable windows from Kentucky (recycled) and make a nice door. Maybe the walls will be surfaced with saw mill bark lumber. They will cost close to nothing, be very comfortable and melt into the surrounds.

8. Increase market sales by 300%.  Sounds like alot but they were rather low ($2,700).  An increase over the previous year but we should be able to do $9,000 this year even with the increase in the CSA membership to 100. 

9. Introduce online catalog sales.  In the works now with the kickstarter gifts that have to be produced and delivered.  Ceramics, painted furniture,   wood cut note cards, T-shirts,  garden architecture and sculpture, jewelry and value added products are all planned.  I will also be applying to the arts fest for a booth using some of these products.  It will be interesting to see what happens.

10.  Initiate Gourmet dinner series.  Once a month, a member or Howard's End will host a themed gourmet dinner for CSA members.   Themed could mean, Italian, French, Mid-Eastern or other regional cooking or Macrobiotic or some other theme.  We need to socially connect the food to the members and introduce the members to one another.

Thursday, December 22.

There are days when I am tied to the idea that I can't go out and  shovel mud in the wet or do construction in the residence or relieve the truck of it's two cubic yards of compost which awaits its assignment under the tarp keeping the rear tires in a state of unrelaxed compression.  I am stuck in mental mud so I sort through the bank account one month at a time re-recording that which the bank has for me to my system of divisions.  Money spent on gas, produce, building materials, market fees.  Monies debited for seeds and seedlings, monies removed for insufficient monies.   I'm always late with the accounting reports to members because I hate doing it (never say always...) and when I go to the bank's website I am nervous because I expect the news to be bad.  A nervous shudder flips like a mini jolt of lightning the instant before I click the login button.  I must have done it a dozen times today and each time it was the same.  I am nearly done with the recording of monies spent and there is going to be some good news.  First, I don't have to give up and walk away from this insanity because  the whole "vision" is an absurd failure.  It isn't. In fact it is showing rays of real potential.  I just need to find a way to hang on.  My phobia arrises when the bank account has drifted downward, creeping inexorably towards the mouth of Hades.  The financial accounts zip up, around and down like an old wooden roller coaster and I creek along the way, unable to get off the ride because I haven't yet decided that I can.   During times like these that most business entreprenuers have the pleasure of taking such a ride, it's always good to have a passenger along with you.  Some one to remind you of what is really happening and to cheer you over the rough bumps.  Match.com doesn't provide this service, and I intend to send in a complaint or at least a strong suggestion that they do.  I know I am misguided in this thinking- if there was such as service one might possibly find it under "Cheer.com".   We've just passed the winter solstice and the days don't seem all that short.  I seem shorter, especially due to the depth of the mud which seems to be on the rise.   Mud doesn't really bother me but the truck sure hates it.  Dressing to the nines in rubber- booties, pants (always a very fashionable USDA regulated yellow), rain slicker and one of the caps the shrimp fishermen sport makes me feel like a real farmer.  A REAL farmer.

With the sunshine and warm high-fifties weather, I am upbeat.  I can get through this month's bills, have the truck fully repaired, pay off some of the debt owed to the summer interns, and get to Kentucky to finally get my brother's roof completed along with the staircase (nightime work).  Would love to get the clapboards on the front of his house done as well.   I'll ask some workshares to stop in while I'm away to check in on the birds.

Sunday, November 6   Moving Plans

Since a yearly contract is not forthcoming from the landowner at 345 Hidden
Valley Lane, I will have to move the operation.  A month to month, undefined lease which is only defined by the handing over of a check won't do.  Too much risk to not know what can and can't be done and I'm certain that when I arrange a farm dinner or some other gathering I will be told that I cannot.  Winter is the best time to make a move since crops and insane work schedules have abated somewhat (though I still have more than I can handle to do),  so I have started looking.  I will not be moving to Kentucky.  I have a strong allegiance to the CSA and its' members and to suddenly cancel the operation would be an affront to them (and three years of very hard labor), and an added financial burden (all of their accounts would be refunded).  I can't consider this option.  I may make the move to Kentucky in a few years and if I do, I will have my debts greatly reduced and perhaps have someone to take over the business.   So, I will probably move to Huntingdon county.  Land prices are reasonable and it is a bit further south and about the same distance to State College as I am now.   I may even be able to farm on one of the market vendor's farms as they have an unused "back 40" but that would entail building a cottage so it's just an opening volley I think.  Ideally I am looking for a rent with a option to buy.  Rent for 5 years, grow the business and save enough to put down 50% towards the purchase price.  I'll start talking to realtors tomorrow, put out some ads today and send off some emails to some farmers I know in the area.  I would prefer to move in a year but this winter might be better.  Once again, without a contract, it will probably be a constant hassle to be here, notwithstanding all of the work that will go into the place.  The owner feels that I should be held responsible to the financial agreements made- i.e. continuing to pay the mortgage on the buildings on the property.  Those agreements (which I currently adhere to) were made with the underlying condition that I would be living here and have a relationship with the family.  That is gone.  We weren't married but this is a divorce never the less.  I've spent 6 years working on this place and I don't think the effort is appreciated at all.  Well, I'll take the rap.  Time to go.  This winter or next.

I have sixty 4 day old chicks living with me in the apartment at least until tomorrow while I clean the coop and build an insulated door.  I should have 75 except that the mail carrier left them outside next to the door in the 50 degree weather when I specifically left instructions to put them inside so of course a number perished.  They must have close to 95 degrees for the first week of their lives and as they grow that temperature is reduced by 5 degrees each week. I don't like raising chicks through the dead of winter but there aren't any predators so it's just a question of heat. 

One potato, two potato, three potato, four!   Five potato, six potato seven potato more!

It's amazing what pops into your head when you're digging potatoes.  I was getting more rock that potato but at least my technique for missing them has been on the upswing and all of the rock is making a good road base just where it is needed.  This is slow and inefficient work but for next year, these rows in the "triangle" bed area will be 5 feet wide and almost 24 inches deep with a very heavy dressing of compost. 

For a few times last year and once this year thus far, Howard's End has supplied fresh ingredients to Fasta to make various pastas and raviolis.  While I was digging those two potatos, three potatoes, four I had the idea that we should collaborate moreso on a regular monthly basis with Fasta.  I had mentioned this to Bob who runs the company (when he's not playing rugby) a few months ago.  He was very upbeat about the idea but later I became a bit nervous about the cost H. E. would incur so I  dropped pursuit of the idea.  Now, perhaps it might be time to reconsider.   A ravioli a month and perhaps even a pasta a month especially during the cold months of the year would help greatly with the income stream especially if the raviolis in particular were unique.  How about a fennel and artichoke ravioli for instance- we will grow both next year.  There is also a caramelized pear and fennel ravioli and a smoke trout and fennel ravioli (actually it was salmon- I'm just speculating).  That chef who has the "F word" show- Ramsey does a duck ravioli with Jerusalem artichoke sauce on u-tube.  The list goes on.   By the way, I pulled all of these ideas off the web so I'm not exactly giving out trade secrets here...  Unique ravioli and pasta offerings to the CSA members every month would be a great addition for the CSA menu and ultimately would help Fasta as well.  It's just a question of working out the details and making certain that Howard's End can pay for Fasta's services with an inkind exchanges of herbs, eggs, various meats and produce. 

Had a nice chat with the property owner and I think H.E. won't have to relocate at least for 2012 which is a relief.  Now I will have to learn how the rest of that potato song goes as I have at least three or four hundred more feet of potatoes to dig.  I may have to create some new lines.  I mean really, shouldn't you be doing something more constructive than reading this????By the way-F.Y.I.  secret messages encoded in every paragraph! 

Monday Evening, Late

Waiting to pull the yogurt so it can by strained overnight removing most of the whey with the result that it thickens.  The flavor, creaminess, etc also becomes more concentrated.   Greek yogurt.  Just spent the last hour and a half cleaning and packing leeks, chioggia beets and turnips.  Still have scones to make but may wait until I awake which will be 4:30 am or so.  Five six packs of scones and two pizzas to make followed by harvesting of a few fennel and the mustard greens.  Should have plenty of time.

This afternoon I was in Mackeyville, and stopped by Aquilla's place to talk about one of his steers for butchering in early January.  For whatever reason, a conversation with Aquilla always seems to take a somewhat circitous route with a parry here and there.  There I am negotiating to purchase a whole steer which is going to cost me around $1,000 and I have no idea how I'm going to raise the money so I'm asking him if I can put $500 down when I pick it up with the second payment due net thirty.   From him there is no such thing as a straight answer but a quip about leaving town which I throw back at him later on.  Credit is tight and all the farmers know it.  Faith is on the lean side nowadays but we'll make a deal and I'll find a way to put together the funds.  I ask him if he might like to raise some pigs for me since I'm not permitted?  Nope. 

November 9  Sunny and Warm

The truck will survive another year and my estimate of around a thousand for repairs is very close.  As of yesterday I've been crunching numbers and working a plan for 2012.  Looks like I will be working with a budget of about $77,000.  Still no salary to speak of for me but I will be able to pay down some of the debt and get a number of essential projects completed such as the hoop houses (12), the chicken operation (includes ducks, geese, and rabbits),and an irrigation system for the entire operation.  I will not be able to hire a farm supervisor to assist me but will have to rely on interns again- only two this time, with experience for ten weeks from June until mid August.  Wwoofers will have to fill the gaps and I will build two platform tents for them to live in.  I will have to do as much winter/early spring field preparation as I can to make up for the lack of a partner.  The triangle field has been double-dug, composted and its' square footage doubled.  The raised beds now average 5 feet in width which is the maximum.  If December can be mild enough so that the ground doesn't freeze, I can get another large section completed.  With 4 hoop houses completed (I am presuming the failure of the kickstarter campaign), I can expect to have an acre ready for or planted with spring crops.  I will be able to plant 900 garlic cloves which is better by 300 than I had expected.  Completion of the scrub forest clearing and installation of the fencing will give me a running start as well.  That leaves the catalog set up, construction of the new hen house and chicken tractors and work on the residence to fill out the winter.  With a rebuilt Gravely walk-behind, we will have the upper hand on the weed situation.  I've made a good deal with Fasta tentatively- we will sit down and do a month by month plan shortly. 

Friday, November 11

It's a pleasure to drive the truck once again.  Despite its' lack of heat or air conditioning (actually it has both- hot in the summer and freezing in the winter), it's a marvel when the power steering and brakes actually work.  When I arrived to pick it up the young lady at the counter noted that with only a few more parts and subsequent repairs I should have the equivalent of a new truck.  Since I haven't managed to save five or ten thousand dollars which is what a decent truck would run, I think that an annual bill between eight and fifteen hundred dollars isn't all that bad.  If I cost average the miles and what it costs to maintain the vehicle it comes at around ten cents a mile.  The insurance is a whopping $266 a year.  I was offered a 4 x 4 vehicle with rear dual axles and 205,000 miles on the odometer in much nicer shape than mine for $3,500.  It got 9-10 mpg whereas mine gets nearly 20.  I will spend around $2,600 in gas in 2012 if gas runs around $3.60 on average.  The other vehicle would cost me $2,600 more in gas and with two hundred thousand miles it will have some issues that will cost a grand- so I'll stay put with my F-150.  After all it deserves some loyalty.  It has hauled enough lumber to build three homes not to mention the number of moves, loads of compost, and on.   Once I replace the engine, I'll get my winter heat and summer conditioning back too.  The odometer is just shy of 200,000 and I do have that Thanksgiving trip coming up.

Wednesday, November 16

Spent yesterday at the final Tuesday Farmer's Market.  It rained just as it had the previous year but was reasonably warm.   Had planned to attend a gathering at the municipal building centered around sustainable living, etc. but only managed to drop off two loafs of artisinal bread and a couple of jars of quince marmalade before leaving.  I was exhausted, unshaven and disheveled.  Got the chickens secured, finished reading a book, and watched a DVD before giving up.   Checked emails and much to my amazement a total stranger had donated $1,000!  That increased the pledges to $1,600 and by 5 this morning I had worked up a plan which I think might just work. I had completely given up on the idea- just too many other tasks to attend to- six weeks of double digging and setting hoop house posts, chickens, money problems-  I had decided that the design work and sale of a few antiques would get me through the next couple of months somehow.   Once I put my mind to kickstarter this morning especially with such a pledge creating the pyschological push, I realized that I knew alot of people who hadn't been contacted and as with most big projects that look daunting (we're talking about $3,400 in the next 12 days with Thanksgiving looming- a big distraction), I realized that I could break the problem into three parts. The first part we've accomplished- $1,600 so that's great.  The second $1,700 requires (in my mind) about 32 people to make an average contribution of $50 which is reasonable based on the first monies raised.   It took me about a half hour to come up with a list of 28 and I think most will contribute.  The final $1,700 is tricky- but by adding CSA memberships to the reward list (which will start May 1st) of either $200 or $400, I would only need 6-8 people to sign up.  I already know of 2 and I think I can cajole (sweetly) the current 90 members to help find a few more.  I even know of a couple of previous members who might rejoin since we are doing things differently now. 

Friday, November 18

In a few months there will be a curtain of green all along the window wall of the carraige house apartment.  Ginger, figs, orang, lemon and lime tree, lavender and rosemary are all shoulder to shoulder on the plastic shelving that we had used for seedling germination now do their duty indoors.  Despite my failings to have a single hoop house as yet complete, the hoop house beds show signs of emerging life and as the sun lazily expired low over the mountain, I set out a couple of row covers and a ground hooped plastic cover.  Spinach, shunkiyo, and swiss chard are looking good.  Finished harvesting the two 50 ft leek beds except for a sole shoot here and there, and piled up mounds of compost which will be spread and worked into the soil this weekend and later.  Two cubic yards of compost is just enough to dress about 200 feet of raised bed which will be expanded to a 5 ft girth.  Still there are over three hundred feet of potatoes to dig. I'm afraid I will lose many to rot but at least the beds will have been double dug with the "green" manure (weed) cover turned in growing wider with each completion. Broccoli raab and a mix of greens comprised of spinach, purple mizuna and lettuces will be harvested and offered for the "Thanksgiving" distribution along with sweet potatoes, and a sage/pepper fettucini FASTA has made for us.   I'm on the hunt for venison so that we can offer a venison/something ravioli in December. 

November 20- Sunday.

This morning, following a solid hour of washing the ton of dirty dishes that were scattered everywhere, and emptying the large cooking pot that I was using to wash clothes in, I put my heavy duty work shoes on and was promptly stung by a wasp.  It was like stepping on a needle and the first thought that came to mind was a scorpion bite.  My father had told me that during WWII when they were posted in North Africa (flying B-24 bombers), they always had to shake out their shoes in the morning because of the scorpions that would crawl into them.  I was relieved to find a wasp, and unlike a yellow jacket sting, it didn't cause my foot to swell.

November 21

Almost always on harvest days there are root crops that have to be cleaned.  Usually we just put them in a large basin and let a hose run for awhile.  It helps but dirt still clings to the roots so all have to be hand scrubbed. This takes a long time.  The only option is to build a large machine that slowly and gently agitate the roots dislodging the dirt.  You might think of using a washing machine but with the amount of sediment, small rock and mud coming off, I doubt the washer would last.  There's another option.  Always great to have a machine around that doesn't cost an arm and a leg but can serve multiple functions.  A cement mixer is such a machine.  It mixes cement, naturally, but is also great for adding amendments to your seedling soils for example.  And, with one addition, it can also clean your root vegetables.  I can think of two options- find a large heavy duty plastic bucket that will fit snugly into the mixer and drill 3/4 inch holes all over it so that the water and dirt, etc will run out.  The better option (I think) would be to build a slatted bucket out of oak or some other hardwood (maybe s softwood would work but might not hold up well over time) with a solid bottom, using 1 or 1 1/2 inch slats for the sides spaced about 3/4 of inch apart.  use copper strips with copper nails to bind all the slats together or a very heavy polyethylene plastic as your strapping.  You would have to secure the sides to the base- I would rabbet a groove around the base and screw them in from the bottom with pre-drilled holes.  Better even to cut u slots out and fit them into the base that way.  You might want to double up the base- two thicknesses of 3/4 thick wood rotated 180 degress so the grain of each is 90 degrees off the other.  All edges of the slats on the inside have to be rounded so as not to bruise the vegetables.   You will want to have a clamp on the mixer to hold a hose there so you can have a constant flow of water.  You might also want to make a lid (maybe out of heavy galvanized fencing or wood) so when you tilt the mixer to remove mud, etc, your produce won't spill out as well. When you're done, just pull the bucket out et voila!  I'll give you an update on any improvements to this idea- I imagine there will be some.

Tuesday, November 22

Made the distribution of turkeys, broccoli raab, sweet potatoes, leeks and other goodies in the chill of a light rain wearing a light two buttoned (top two) marroon canvas coat that left me soaked by 2:45 pm when I departed for one final delivery and the bank with just enough money to deposit so that I could pay a couple of overdue bills, send my sister a $100 (so she could make an interview in Paris) and head to Kentucky where, aside from completing the roof on my brother's house (a job which has lingered over the past two years), I can wash all of my clothes in a washing machine rather than by hand which I have been doing for the past couple of months.   I'm caught in thoughts about the other CSA's and their farmer stewards and how everyone agrees just how bad this year was.  A piece of one of my back molars came off a couple of days ago into my hand while I was chewing something and it drew me to the problem of farming again as did a discussion surrounding the care of the elderly and what happens to the assets of a family member when he/she (read parent) goes into a nursing facility- if a Remainder Charitable Trust hasn't been established 5 years previous to entry, medicaid back charges the estate at the time of his/her passing.  That's the gist of it, anyway.  So a farmer breaks his/her back all of his/her life only to give up the property in order to satisfy the $225 a day (aand up) that nursing care entails.  I don't think the Amish have this problem- they take care of their own.  I presume so but will ask.   How do they keep their farms together- do they?  I was recently having an interesting conversation with one of my CSA couples in regards to my current predicament and what I might do.  They mentioned that they were very interested in establishing/running a CSA and in this idea were talking to another family about sharing a farm.  They were wondering if I were interested in exporing possibilities.  Maybe I should find out how kibbutzes are run, and seek out other community land owned possibilities.  Currently, my idea is to purchase a piece of land (20 acres minimum- bigger would be better) and create a non-profit corporation, foundation or trust that would then be owned by those who worked it.  That would afford continuity but how much security?  A mom- pop business is susceptible to all kinds of upsets.  Most CSA's are smallish operations- sole proprietorships with a small core of dedicated workers.   There are a handful in the state that provide for 300 plus members but they are still small businesses with a gross of no more than a couple of million at best.  I am convinced that as long as a farm is flying solo- and most of us are, it is as vulnerable as a bird separated from its' flock.  It may survive for awhile but will eventually succumb to predation, bad weather, bad luck or pure exhaustion not to mention the loneliness of its' predicament.   For this reason, I'm going to explore ways that CSA's in the area might work together.  I think there are more ways than might be immediately obvious. 

The greatest violinists, baseball players and other athletes, scientists and many other professionals at the top of their game all have something in common.   They have mentors and/or coaches.  Someone to look over their shoulder and give them advice and encouragement.   Farmers need mentors and coaches as well. They also need to share information and experiences amongst themselves and with researchers whenever possible.  There should be direct links between farmers in the field and those ag researchers in the university setting.  This is the first reason for creating a CSA/organic farmer umbrella organization.   As a start, the members could simply come to one another's farm and comment on the operation- asking questions, and making commentary.  Problems that are encountered could be shared and solved by a greater body than just the lone one.  An ongoing discourse between professors, graduate students and doctoral researchers could be established and would be ongoing.  The farmers could go to the researchers if they are stumped and vice versa- new ideas could be tried out on a commercial scale. 

A second reason- seed collection and preservation, and seed purchasing would be more efficient (for some but not all purchases) if the farms joined together to not only purchase their seed but perhaps other equipement as well.  The larger the discount (irrigation supplies, mulches, green house materials, etc) are almost always far less expensive in larger quantities as is shipping.  There are certain materials that most farms use every year.  The savings might amount to only a few hundred or a thousand dollars but every dollar saved is a step up. 

Third-  sharing of produce.  I believe strongly in diversity- "super diversity"- I think monoculture results in an acute loss of soil fertility whether it is organic or not.  We are have preferences- one farmer might want to grow mostly berry crops, another something else- with occasional crop failures suffered by all, perhaps there is a way to share crops.  If I am raising ducks or pigs for example, it might be more efficient to raise extra for the other CSA's while they raise in excess other crops and then we trade.  A rotating system could be set up for each season.  

Fourth- Publicity.  Coordination of membership drives, advertising, and general news to raise the visibility of CSA's in the region.  Sharing of costs and perhaps memberships where one CSA might be more suitable to particular members than others. 

Fifth-  One of the advantages of being represented by an at large corporate umbrella is that the farms may be able to secure federal or state loans or grants that might not otherwise be available to a single farmer.  Fund raising for health insurance benefits might be another possibility.  

Sixth- Better coordination over pricing of produce or CSA memberships and other related products.  Packaging would be less expensive if bought in bulk.   

Seventh- Initiation of a central Pa farmer's kickstarter online business model which would raise money for initiatives, increase public awareness and coordinate multiple projects.  In my opinion, the current "kickstarter" models are ill suited for regional needs.  They are nationally oriented, city centered and tend to focus on ideas which are not necessarity green- mostly "chic" and trendy.  A long shot, but we should give it a try.

Monday, November 28   Angels and Demons in Kentucky

Sometimes it's hard to know where to start so breakfast is always a good option.  I'm going through my mother's papers gathering all the essentials about her life that I can possibly find.  I haven't been here since last year and whenever I spoke to her on the phone, she seemed fine if not a little forgetful.  My brother would always report that she was about the same so all seemed well.  Clay, her 92 year old boyfriend is well (mom is 84) and sharp.  Without him, she would be lost in confusion.  My mom is in an advanced state of dementia and has trouble verbalizing her thoughts.  She can still dress and feed herself fortunately and get around with some difficulty but can't manage her affairs. Fortunately, Clay signs her checks and sends off her bills and her basic needs are constant for the moment.  Changes are coming soon though.  My brother and I have been "notified" by Clays' family that they intend to remove him from this relationship because they feel it is affecting his health and is abusive to him.  They seem to have forgotten that my mom and Clay love one another and though I do agree that changes must be made, I strongly disagree with their rational which is baseless.  What does this have to do with farming?  Everything, actually.  My mom owns 50 acres where my brother farms and besides the house she lives in, it is her other primary asset.  If my mom is put into a nursing home, medicaid will fund the first 90 days or so and then the estate will be charged once she moves on into a higher dimension.   Our primary concern is for her comfort so we will do our best to keep her in her home (my brother will assist and my sister possibly as well if we can get her here from Europe) for as long as possible while we take measures to hopefully protect the farm from being sold in order to pay for her care.   A good reason to incorporate a farm is to keep it from such a fate and the second fate of being passed down to siblings  and in the process endlessly divided until only small parcels remain.  My grandfathers' farm once was close to 900 acres when I was young.  Now, only 50 acres remain, the rest being sold off to other farms (not a bad thing necessarily), or cut up for building lots.  "Our" 50 acres has one of the original homesteads on it- a ruin which I have be gradually resurrecting - a high Georgian home built around 1810 by John Allen or his son.

Tuesday, November 29

Met with an attorney this morning and feel far more secure.  Need to gather more information in the next couple of days and set meetings with some local home care providers, find the deed to the farm, and other important papers so that an LLC can be established among other things. We aren't out of the woods yet but the attorney seems to feel we might be able to manage.  In the meantime, a day spent finishing the staircase and installing windows and doors in my brother's house will move that project along.  We have to try somehow to get the first floor pulled together in 2012.  I will have to plan visits at least four times in 2012 which means having a farm "manager" in place.   The demons have retreated a little. 

Angels...                    Despite my very late push to alert every one I could think of, the kickstarter campaign succeeded!  The funds will make it possible to get the hoop houses built and survive the winter.  As I now have orders for wood cut notecards, T-shirts, ceramic tiles and plates, cedar window boxes to fill, the creation of a catalog is soon to come.   There are also some real business options to pursue which will take time but might prove to be very beneficial.   It means research and business plans but I now have access to brokers who will help me finesse my concepts before connecting the concept to the investors.    I will add a facebook site to the CSA to strengthen the social profile of the business.  Despite the many negatives of this year, its' summary is positive.  Hard for me to fathom but the CSA income doubled, and the members are happy.  We have added many more products and continue to do so.   We will be far more prepared for the 2012 season which translates into much earlier crops, more value-addeds and better cash flow.  This auspicious beginning will result in the doubling of the gross proceeds again.   If I can keep the family situation on a par, avoid burnout and skip the winter blues by keeping busy, then I have a chance.  I have had two long season intern inquiries thus far via ATTRA which is a very good sign.