Getting Rooted

May 10, 2012kobrienNotes from the FieldLeave a comment

I don’t think I’m going to call it working late, beyond the hours of sun, a solid day of work setting out of view with more coming on the shadows of the moon. I’m just going to think of my late night task extravaganzas as dates with the green house. Ah yes, I put on my comfy work cloths best, pour a (generious) glass of wine and get the tunes rolling. We always agree to see each other again after such nice nights, and thank goodness too, because there’s much to be done!

Things are looking very positive. Thanks to a very determined, strong, hardworking and skilled work crew a nice stretch of fence has been put up. Five 3′ holes were dug to sink railroad ties. From the posts we set H braces and then ran out hog wire and a line of barbed wire. It made for a long and rewarding day. Bob Copeland was gracious in providing his knowledge and expertise. He joked at one point that among neighbors in the area he’s known as the Minister of D-fence. That one had me giggling for a while, Bob is a Pastor. I’ve been able to enjoy a nice jump start by planting potatoes, onions, cool weather crops and greens in an already fenced side garden. The vision however, is to get the 1/2 acre plot fenced and in production for the bulk of the season’s seed crops and CSA vegetables. It is just a matter of a few days and the rest of the length will be up, the field will be fully amended with manure and tilled to fluffy perfection.

It’s Grow Time

April 23, 2012kobrienNotes from the FieldLeave a comment

It has been quite the week. A week of rain and 80 degree sun shining down, manure hauling and spreading, weed pulling and bed making, planting, planting, planting and watering, watering, watering. The box of work cloths are out for the 2012 season. The smells of a new season too: sunscreen, freshly tilled soil, manure, aromatic starts like basil and tomatoes fill the greenhouse and don’t forget B.O! It’s all accounted for now it’s time to dig farming feet and hands deep, find that core passion and strength to give this season all my will, focus, positive energy and to not for get to smile!

There was The Great Weed Pull – 2012! It think the event has the potential to be a popular annual fare!?

The House is always Greener on the other side. For these little starts the greenhouse truly was the lap of luxury. They’re on their own now (with loving oversight). I’m sure they’ll soon be convienced that their new home, with room to spread their roots and grow big, is far superior! I can imagine it was a little traumatizing however, form some starts to see their friends mowed down by very crafty and bad cows! There’s a farming saying that goes as follows: “One for the deer, one for the crow, one to die and one to grow.” I wonder who’s plant the cow took? Hopefully not the one who’s role is to grow!

As for me, I’m learning how to struggling having the little babes so far away. I know it will get easier with time, that I’ll grow more confident, to be able to drive away, knowing they’ll be fine. As it currently stands, I wish I had a monitor where I could listen in on them and find reassurance in their cooing photosynthetic growth. On cool nights I’ve been tucking them in under frost cloth (More for my own peace of mind. So I know they’re not going to up root and disappear, rather than protect them from the ‘cool’ April nights.) This wave of warm weather has forced me to let go even more. I’ve been leaving them uncovered at night, truly out in the elements on their own, my nerves bare as well. I’m sure there will be a time as I sit in front of my salad, vegetable lasagna, or box of glowing CSA goods and I think, “I remember when I didn’t sleep, because I was worried this moment wouldn’t come.” It’s not as infanticidal as it seems, I think.

Land – Love – Greenhouse

April 10, 2012kobrienThe Cast -2 Comments

If you think about it, it takes a village to do just about everything. There are always players involved. We all need, we all participate.To breathe we need trees, to write we need teachers, to eat we need seeds and to grow a farm I need the assistance from numerous, numerous elements. The cast of Homeward Bounty is vast and throughout the season I’ll highlight and give thanks to various players.

The Copelands –

Homeward Bounty Farm has manifested out of the wild hope that moving home, finding a piece of land, and growing beautiful, local and organic food for friends and family, could be a possibility. This vision has been able to transpire thanks to the generosity of Dusty and Bob Copeland who have lent me their support, access to water, and a half an acre of gorgeous land, coveted Gazelle loam.

My Parents –

My parents are two of the most amazing people I know and as a couple their love, joy for life and deep drive to rescue and nurture is exponential. I couldn’t dream of having two better mentors, supporters or parents. The level at which they participate and interact with life inspires me daily. I feel so blessed that I have their endless support with this endeavor. Thank you for always playing!

The Greenhouse –

Last summer my folks replaced all the sliding glass doors in the house. This may not seem like a big project when regarding most houses, but with their’s that meant four sets of doors equaling eight panels of seven foot high glass. It only took one afternoon of talking about the possibilty of building a greenhouse with the materials for my Dad to start drawing up a design. He dove into the project like any other, slightly unorganized and extremely efficient. When you’re young you think your Dad is superman, that he can do everything. I still think my Dad is! The greenhouse is up, and continues to stand even in the aggressive Lake Shastina wind.  It’s living up to its name as well, the inside is full of green.

Sowing a Farm

March 28, 2012kobrienSowing a Farm7 Comments

A while back a curious thought was planted in my head. It was a seed that came on the wind and stuck; I want to learn about food. I wanted to grow this idea, to explore food, food culture, agriculture, culture of agriculture, people, our relationship with what we eat, what it looks like, tastes likes, where it is grown – a connection with food, a connection with each other.

This seed was first watered  and given sunlight at Redwood Roots Farm in Arcata and at Mt. View Organics in Siskiyou County.  As my hands worked in the soil, the seed in my head spread to my heart and the tender cotyledon leaves started to grow, true leaves emerged. The seed and I traveled to the song filled barley fields of Ladakh and to the rich account of Navdanay’s seed bank in Derha Dun, India. The little seed inside grew. I grew and grew. We grew in knowledge of each other and in the knowledge that and we were becoming one. A fertile home at Green Fire Farm in Hoopa, 2010 was the season the seed’s roots went deeper and tapped through the heart into my soul. Scattering to Hope Seeds, Nova Scotia,  in 2011  I was guided in cleaning the beginning and harvesting the end and through that process,  another curious thought within me was pollinated: a desire to come home and grow, in connection with the community I love, through food and seeds.

Homeward Bounty – the manifestation of a little, wind blown, seed and our journey together. This year I’m sowing a farm and a hope to grow the things I love and the community I hold dear. To save seeds and select for what will keep us sustained and together.

Every year has it’s uncertainties, but it’s inevitable that something will grow!

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