Apologies to my subscribers--I've been neglecting the blog and haven't posted any updates for over a year! But no fear, things are still growing here at Rising Sun Acres. Since we don't sell produce in the summer like most farms, people sometimes wonder what I do all summer, perhaps imagining that I spend weeks reading books at the beach or lounging around the house watching Hulu's top hits. And while my attempts at developing a better work/life balance have resulted in a growing list of books I've read, more exercise, and less ramen for the kids, there is still a lot to do.
This week I'm hoping to start harvesting the garlic, and I'm grateful for recent rains to loosen the soil. Winter squash is getting established (and sometimes eaten by groundhogs and/or deer, who seem not to mind the spiky leaves), sweet potatoes are looking lush, onions need some weeding, dry beans are well established (three kinds this year--black beans, garbanzo, and Jacob's cattle), and I've started seeding carrots and parsnips for fall harvest. I'm experimenting with popcorn and dent corn (for cornmeal) this year, and though we finally developed a system to protect the blueberry bushes from avian marauders, I just submitted an order for 60 pounds of blueberries from Whalen Farm in New Jersey though Fredricksen Library, which will go in to the freezer for distribution later this fall. I need to start fall kale, chard, and fennel, and would like to make elderberry juice with the frozen elderberries I still have around from 2023 before it's time to harvest the new crop--elderberry lemonade, anyone?
The past few months have included the usual spate of projects. I finished constructing a very sturdy (I hope) trellis for the 12 kiwiberry plants I'm growing as part of a research project with the University of New Hampshire. The plastic blew off the high tunnel during an intense windstorm in March, and right when we were finally ready to replace it in June, a heat wave was in the forecast so we decided to wait until September. My two wheel walking tractor was out of commission for a bit, the rainwater collection tanks are still not hooked up to the downspouts, and one of my carts needs to be completely rebuilt after 8 years of heavy use. On the upside, the pollinator hedgerow we planted last year is looking good, the chicks we got in April are sizing up and will hopefully start producing eggs in September, and we're eagerly awaiting the arrival of goat kids sometime in July (or August or September, since I'm not quite sure when the blessed event happened).
It's been great to have a variety of helpers on the, including my 8 year old nephew (pictured above), a visitor from Japan, and other friends. It's not Longwood Gardens, but I'm proud of how the farm looks and hopeful for an abundant harvest. Last night our family sat outside enjoying the breeze and the fireflies, and even as I long for the fullness of shalom to be experienced by more people and over more of the planet, my heart is full of gratitude.
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