Weekly Update: May 3

When I think about going back and reading this blog in the future, it wouldn't be a good record if I don't mention Covid-19. 

The last few months, we've been so busy farming, that in some we have had a very different experience from all the people sheltering-in-place in their homes.

We've been outside everyday, physically active and learning new things. In fact, we've been super thankful our youngest hasn't had to go to school, to help us on the farm. Our oldest daughter is here everyday, and so is my brother and his daughters. 

Nightly walk with our dog, Sammy.

But the closer we get to opening, the more the pressure is building. And this week it started to feel like a pressure cooker. In as few as 3 weeks, we will be open. U-pick traditionally dictates when the farms on Sauvie Island open to the public, so when the berries start to ripen it's time to open.

We are "essential," so we know we can open our market, however we don't know if we can or should have U-pick. Jim and I have differing opinions. One of us thinks we should offer gloves and allow people to pick. The other thinks we should offer a no-pick/U-pick, where you order online your berry pints/flats, then either pick up in the parking lot or take a one direction walking tour thru the farm - finally picking up your berries at the end.

So far it hasn't been a big deal when we disagree. We talk about it and one of us convinces the other. But with Covid, there are so many unknowns. And U-Pick is one of the activities that helps pay the bills. So are the events like the concerts and the maze which are very unlkely to happen now. These are all the things we were really hoping would help offset some of our first year expenses and our farming learning curve costs. 

We tried to get corn planted this week. I learned that apparently this is an unspoken but big deal. Farmers want bragging rights that they have the first corn. I was very excited thinking we were doing okay, we wouldn't be the first, but we wouldn't be the last. That was before an hydraulic fluid line blew in the big tractor, then the corn planter itself wasn't dropping seeds consistently, so we had to stop and take it apart - looks like the replacement part won't be here for a week. 

A few other weekly highlights:

Blue, one of our goats, lost his man parts this week. We banded him when we got him approximately two months ago, and waited for them to fall off. Yup, this is exactly what it sounds like.

We got another mini-goat. This really is the last. He has yet to be named. I'm rooting for Bob. 

Chrissy cutting rhubarb.

We sold more of Jose's Spicy Salad Mix!!!! And we also sold some of our rhubarb. 

Rhubarb cake.

Inspired by cutting and selling rhubarb, Chrissy made rhubarb cake for our weekly family farm lunch (e.g. "staff lunch"). It was so good.

Peanut and Jim on the couch.

Odessa tried to potty train one of our goats, Peanut, in our house. That experiment is over, but Peanut and Sammy make great office buddies.

Til next week. xo,

Kat