Happy Bastille Day 2012, The French Couple and The Goats

Bastille Day is a day to honor the French Republic and celebrate French culture.  So, today, in celebration of this day a young couple stopped by our farm and market (French inspired mind you) to celebrate their culture with cakes and coffee from our farm.

Thursday morning was a sight to behold. While we were setting up for the morning market and cafe' the bells were tingling....which always causes us to go see what's up.  Anita, Michelle and myself stood in front of the big goat yard watching as Queen Lavender ran back and forth, reared up and gently down by her daughter.  If you know Lavender, she doesn't run. She walks.

We watched as she did some "how to be Queen" training with her daughter and we watched as she created quite the raucous rearing up and butting heads with the other girls and we watched as she ran from one side to the other doing this funny little back end hop/flip thing.

The only earthly reason Queen Lavender would behave in such a manner. . .well, let's just say estrus has begun at the farm. . . and let's just say Michael has charted out our little goat dairy's breeding schedule with who is going to get a date with who and let's just say - we're hoping to change up our baby schedule to provide the farm with new life in January.

The Dead and Dying . . . .

+ any volunteer (at our farm who will pull up the dead and dying) = happy fall bed preparation = happy planting = happy happy fall harvest of all those amazing roots and shoots (of which I am longing for).

Every farm-er prays for volunteers and our farm has been blessed with women and men who periodically show up and put their hands to work at whatever is needed.  We have also been blessed with a small group of women - school teachers who show up several days a week - to sweat, get dirty, step in mud (not on purpose - it's just another hose leak), rake goat yards, pull weeds, vine up long yard beans, snipping basil and flowers, fertilize with smell fish fertilizer and help prep our produce for Thursday's market. Amazing women who are fearless - in spite of the heat.

Pulling out old borage - so that the new borage can grow up. Borage is a wonderful herb - a phyto estrogen (so men shouldn't indulge) that you can steep into a wonderful freshing tea.

Dead and dying and purging time.

Right now - we're at the starts of being "in between" seasons and the work - in the heat of the summer can (at times) feel a tad overwhelming.   There are raised beds to clean out (dead and dying), bermuda grass to attack (wish it was dead), weeds to pull (everywhere), garden areas to purge, ground to turn, soil to be amended and turned.  .  .

Just a little example of what some areas look like. Dead, dying, purging time.

So, if you'd like to come support your local farm by not only making our market be your market BUT by giving an hour once or twice a week from 6:30 - 7:30 am or longer if you can - that'd be totally amazing and awesome and incredible. Just show up with a water bottle and preferably closed toed shoes and wear a hat - that helps. We'll provide the gloves and tools and you'll always be partnered with someone - it's never fun to work alone.   Come through the Vintage Gates to the market area - then call the farm phone when you arrive - 480.206.7821 and we'll come greet you and get you going.

Thanks in advance!