How Many Women Can You Get Into a French Garden?

A few of Wednesdays Simple Farm Urban Farm Chic Volunteers - who we couldn't live without.

Each woman is precious and a gift. 

They sweat, dig, plant seeds, carry dirt, fill compost areas up, haul dirt, rake, organize and more. 

Thanks to my little farm community for being you and for believing in this adventure we call 

"The Simple Farm" and thanks for believing in Michael and I. 

You're amazing!

It's Labor Day at The Simple Farm

It's a beautiful day at our farm with lots of activity all over the place. Our kids are gathering the last of their belongs (they moved to a sweet condo a few miles away). Suzanne is lovingly tending our Start Center and Michael is prepping a few beds in the potager before he moves to the "old tomato garden" to add our special soil amendment mix along several 50' row sections. I finished processing this mornings milk from Marie and Storm, did some breeding calendaring and am now making cajeta (goat's milk caramel sauce) with fresh milk. We sell our caramel sauce like hot cakes - which - btw - it's great on pancakes, flan, crepes, ice cream and out of the jar. One woman said her husband sat their and at the whole jar while watching t.v.

As soon as I'm finished, I'll head outside and come along side my husband, wipe his brow, tell him he looks awesome with such dirty hands, serve him lemonade and of course - sing his praises.

Such....is a wonderful Labor Day at our place. What's happening at your?

Monday Farm Happenings

Today's a busy day at The Simple Farm. Suzanne has already worked up a morning sweat  in The Garden Center at the farm. She's building a few more start racks, planting gallon size containers of Sweet Annie Artemisa (heirloom seeds of course).

I'm not sure if you know this - but this particular kind of artemsia has successfully been used to cure malaria, certain leukemia and certain breast cancers.  One of our farm goals is to grow every kind of medicinal herb possible to become a natural supplier of our local naturopathic doctors who understand the value of such herbs. For a few years, Michael's had it in his heart that we grow herbs - culinary and medicinal and a few weeks ago, Suzanne was approached by a Scottsdale Naturopathic doctor to begin to grow herbs that she wants to use for her practice.

Other beautiful activity in The Garden Center will be more starts of heirloom tomatoes and a whole batch of other heirloom seeds for our winter gourmet Le Menu at the farm.

Darling hubs is pumping up tractor tires to bring that little orange gift over to the big barn - lovely birds got into baby chicken feed and have had a party with the seeds. That will get cleaned out and then we'll both work on the Red Coop and the Blue Coop - cleaning them out to get ready for todays deliver of fifty new baby chicks - a gift from Michael Shoenfeld. A sweet gift, indeed. He intends to be here when the mail arrives with 'his' new farm babies. Thanks again Michael.

In the meantime, I've been busy prepping another raised bed for seeding. My bed preparation includes moving all the irrigation hoses, pulling any stinking weeds, pulling out all unwanted plants and then raking all the debris.  Later today, I'll start incorporating my soil amendments of humic acid, potash and another goody I was just introduced to (more on that later).

We're hoping to attack some areas on the field - to get ready to seeding out there. But, we'll see how long we hold up with the heat.

Also, on my agenda for this afternoon is to start a second batch of The Simple Farm Goat Milk Soap. This one is for the babies in my life - three baby boys - Boone, Keane and Major. Each mom has an assignment to come up with a special name for the soap for their boys. So far we have "Boones Baby Butter" and I can't wait to see what the other two moms come up with.  Of course, all these baby goat soaps will be available (when they're done curing in about 6+ weeks) for your purchase at The Simple Farm Mercantile and perhaps at other places in the valley as well.

Saturday Morning Beauty

We've had a busy week and took a bit of time this morning to enjoy the fruit of our labor together. This display of beauty caught my eye and then my soul at that point I was reminded where my strength comes from.

On another note, Michael and I love this farming thing and the many many beautiful people we have had the privilege of meeting.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Al-Fresco

I think it's time for a little Al-Fresco {in the open air} at the farm served up 

with the farm's special buttermilk peach pancakes with a pad of butter and hot real maple syrup, 

two over easy farm fresh eggs on the side, 

a cup of French press coffee with heavy cream and 

and a little glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. 

I think that'd be just about perfect! What do you think? 

Apples and Peaches are Ripening At The Simple Farm . . .

. . . and besides our excitement of new triplet bucklings to care for and getting a new supply of fresh (raw) goats milk,  I'm looking forward to making a few peach and apple pies.  I've already made jars of confiture de peches {peach jam} for our market store.

Our farm has four kinds of peach trees and two kinds of apple - Anna and my fall favorite - Fugi.

What's growing at your urban farm?

Sometimes Charlie and Sometimes Jasper

This is the newest farm addition and one day his name is Charlie and the other day he's called Jasper.  Whatever his name, he's the sweetest little guy ever. He's a rescue kitty and is perfect for our family.

The Urban Farm Chicks, Today at The Farm . . .

Days like this put a smile on my face.

My day started early with a quick visit to a rummage sale over on the west side of town. I bought two very cute matching vintage chairs (Michael's not so sure about them) and also a few glass juice jars.

Then I headed east toward one of my favorite places - the salvage yard next to the mountain.  We needed a few things to finish the buck pen and garden staking.  I got so excited I started taking pictures and then thought to myself, "What woman in their right mind would be in a place like this?"  I think of this special place as a huge lot full of vintage.  Here I posted one of my last finds.  I'll post pictures this weekend.

After Michael and I brought home the goods, we worked together pulling up bermuda grass just south of the vintage fence. Then I got busy and planted a few more Charentais melon seeds (you're gonna love em!), Buttercup squash (not sure it's the right timing - but I went with it) and another squash seed. Planting seeds is no easy task. Prepping the hole, filling it with good stuff, placing the seed, setting the drip in place and then covering each seed pocket.

Then, this afternoon, Michael and I had a real treat.  Rebecca and Sarah (sisters) of Farmyard paid us the nicest visit. Rebecca and Sarah are Urban Farm Chicks who are rocking Phoenix with their CSA, putting gardens in as many back yards as they can and a ton of other green/earthy things.

Rebecca and Sarah are two women passionate about gardening and helping others do the same.  Their philosophy is Grow Locally, Produce organically and Eat Well.

In the short time we chatted and shared stories while sitting on bales of hay in the goat yard, I discovered that both of these women are incredibly hardworking and truly passionate about what they do...and like me, Rebecca wears flip flops as an Urban Farm Chick.

Tuesday Urban Farm Happenings (goat video)

The last four weeks of a does pregnancy requires certain vaccinations and delivery preparations.  One of those deliver preparations is giving the doe a "birthing trim." Today, Michael gave Storm and Marie their trims.  Our friend Pami took this video and I think she's still laughing about it. 

The Day After . . .

. . . the best farmers' market ever - meeting a ton of beautiful people who love the little urban farm in the neighborhood . . . .and my desk and farm room area looks like this.

Have a wonderful weekend! We're busy today completing final touches on the birthing pen and the new buck pen for Caleb and Chaim. Hopefully, Lavender is due anytime from today through Wednesday. Tuesday afternoon would be a perfect time on my calendar.

Life At Our Urban Farm

Since we moved our market day to Thursdays it's already given us more of a running start for the week in "checking off" those needed chores on the "To Do Farm List."

Goats
Lavender had her spa treatment aka birthing trim. Michael did this one.
Marie needed her pre-delivery pedicure and I did that. Done.
Michael is closer to finishing the farms birthing pen. It's close to the house so we can have access to what we might need in the house and so we can keep a better watch on "doe due to deliver soon"

Chickens
The younger hens in the red chicken coop needed to graduate to the "big girl pen."  Done.
Metal garbage cans needed to be moved into the breezeway to make for easer chicken feeding. Done.

Basic Garden Upkeep
Tomatoes needed fertilizing along with eggplants, okra, cucumbers and peppers. Partially done.

Turning Ugly Into A Beautiful Garden Area

This past year has been quite the adventure!  We've spent the last year turning dirt and sticker bushes into spaces and places of beauty.


We've Michael has ripped out fences, torn up dirt, built barns, put up fences, moved dirt around, built raised beds, made little gates and a lot more to reclaim 9080 E. Cactus Rd (Scottsdale, AZ) back into the farm/ranch land it once was.

His newest spot of attention has been to redefine and redesign the center island area of the turn around on our farm. It's been ugly for the past thirteen years with what I'd say would have been hopeless for anything other than the pine tree and the big rocks.

Creativity flowed the day my husband stood staring at this ugly place {here}

Today Michael spent time on Ugly and he's slowly turning into a spot of sanctuary.  Stay tuned for part 3 pictures!

Farm Life Today

Yesterdays market at our farm went quite well. Batavian and other gourmet lettuces (from seeds purchased from Italy) went like hot cakes. So did our Detroit red beets, cherry belle and French breakfast radishes, spinach, arugula (rocket), bright lights chard, mustard greens and of course our herbs ~ lavender, French tarragon, mint, parsley, oregano and English thyme. Oh - all but two dozen of our farm house (fresh) eggs went home with someone. That's good.

Today is a new day and it's Goat Dairy Day this morning at our farm.  I mentioned {here} that Lavender is due to kid in four weeks and she needs special beauty treatments to hopefully ensure healthy kids and the healthy delivery of those kids.  Actually all the does and the bucklings require different vaccinations, vitamin boosters, milk checks, hooves trimmed at different times and it just so happens that today is a day for much of that.  So, we're off and running.  Hope your day goes better than anticipated. Attitude and gratitude makes or breaks a day!  Tell someone thank you!

It's Going To Be A Big Event At The Farm - Vintage Market

Needless to say, we're looking forward to the big Barn (well, we have a small barn) Event we're having at our farm the end of this month (March 31, April 1 and April 2).

It's our first Vintage~Barn sale with about fifteen of the coolest vendors who love finding cool, old pieces of furniture and decor and restoring them into very, very, very cool pieces that you'd want for your home.  We'll have furniture, art pieces, vintage garden pieces, some antiques, vintage clothing pieces, vinyl lettering pieces, glass ware and more.

We will be having our Farmers' Market that Saturday - (April 2nd) with our gourmet, organic produce, Jill's organic peach jam, and farm eggs along, Michael's fresh juice bar and a fresh lemonade stand.

Items like these will be for sale during those three days.  I've taken borrowed these pictures from the blogs of the vendors - just to give you an idea of the kinds things that will be available.  These items are just samples and are NOT available - but they'll give you a good idea of the fun pieces that will be at our farm event.

One Thing My Farmer Husband Will Be Remembered For

I just happened to be outside preparing some areas for heirlooms and I just happened to have my little Canon in my pocket and I just happened to catch the beauty and joy of seeing my husband with two of his grandchildren.

And then this third little one wants a ride too!

I don't think they'll forget these days.

Kickn' It In

Today was a FULL day for Michael and I. We worked from early morning until about 6:45 and it's an understatement to say 'we're tired'....but feel good about our tired.

There's something right about good, honest, hard work knowing that in about 40-50-60 days we'll see the fruit of our labor.

I planted about 30 or so Black Beauty eggplant that have been growing in our green house. Michael worked on the irrigation for those eggplant as well as two new raised beds - which hopefully I'll get to plant bell peppers in tomorrow.

We both pulled a ton of weeds today out on the 'field'...that's what we call the area south of the vintage fence. I might add, that if ever you feel like helping out - weeds are always something we appreciate a hand with. It's never ending with those stinkers and as you can see we've lost the battle with the mallow on the east side of the property....but...not the WAR!  We had some help today pulling some and last week a few young men helped out too. That whole area has to get cleared out for melons and squash and things like that.

I also seeded some more beets, transplanted some kale and little lettuces to an area that might make them stay 'happy' a bit longer. Michael added some fill and dirt to a new area - just outside the fence on the east side of our drive. It seemed to be crying out for a ton of flowers and the desert spring mix of color that I had in my seed stash seemed to join in. For fun I tossed in some lemon balm, arugula and borage. Not sure why that crazy combo, but it'll be fun to see what comes up.

Tomorrow will be another very busy day: okra, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, egg plants are all on the list - we'll see what we get accomplished.

Now, all this to say - Michael and I really really really appreciate the support and encouragement we feel from the community that surrounds our farm. It means a ton to us!

Repurposing Everything

One thing we've learned is that farming requires creativity and the ability to think about how to repurpose everything.

We've got a section on the farm that I no longer feel embarrassed about. It's now simply known as our "recycle and repurpose" area and believe me - it's not pretty - but it's useful.

The other day we needed a new compost bin area and Nathan and Shawn (farm volunteers) were needing something else to do. I took them to this pile.

You gotta know - I love pallets. When we first moved onto the farm - I made these vintage garden boxes {here}. My mind goes crazy thinking about pallets and then endless possibilities. I've got a new idea to make a big farm table out of ....you guessed it - pallets!

Anyway, the guys and I talked about a good spot and while they transported the stuff I ran off to find a hammer and nails.

I value peoples ingenuity and like to see what others come up with when given the opportunity. So, I simple told Nathan and Shawn to pretend they were engineers and come up with something - it really didn't matter to me and whatever it would end up looking like would be "good enough"... another farm phrase we say often.

This new compost bin turned out to be more than "good enough."

Big Boxes - The Before

When Michael got the bug to garden about four years ago it was in raised beds. He converted the back yard of our home in a neighborhood HOA into a lovely garden - full of raised beds midst a little winding walk way and a charming chicken coop just perfect for our six hens.

Today, he added four more raised beds to our farm.

They're in a spot that seemed to 'cry out' for something and yet we felt the ground and area just would be way to much work to plow it out - thus four big boxes.

Needless to say, I'm pretty excited - more places to plant.

As of yet, we don't know exactly what will be seeded there - but for sure - something  wonderful.

Don't you love those "before" and "after" pictures?  You'll have to wait a bit for the "after."

Music On The Farm - Michael and His Granddaughter

This rendition won a contest for two tickets to see Beauty and the Beast.  Videography by our son in law.

A Busy Wednesday at The Simple Farm

The day after our market days is always busy and today will be no exception. Michael's going to build some raised beds in a few areas where he decided the ground just wasn't workable and yet the spot was perfect for our organic vegetables and herbs.  This is exciting for me.  I think the spot he's choosing has been crying out for something to happen and I can't wait to begin to seed there.

I love how Michael designs and creates. He'll often stand back and just stare at a spot. I've learned to let him 'stare' because he's really designing and pondering and considering in his head about what should go where.  So, in our farming relationship - he designs and builds and I get to fill it in with beauty. It works well for us. His ideas are always pretty amazing.

Today, I'm doing some goat kidding preparation work and researching a bit on some health issues with a few of our does. The community of "goat lovers" is wonderful - extremely helpful when a problem arises.

I'm also pulling out bitter lettuce in my personal potager and will amend those raised beds to get ready for planting - what, I'm not quite sure.

Hope you have a wonderful day!