tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68639401039834992052024-03-05T04:09:27.985-08:00A Year in the Life -Starting Over Again at 58-My husband of 16 years died in March, 2010 and I am now faced with rebuilding my life without him. In my case, that meant moving back to my hometown, to be closer to my own family. Dave and I made our living as certified organic farmers for the past 10 years and so I will be in the process of re-establishing my growing spaces in a new location. It also means that I have to figure out how to cope with life without my husband and partner. I hope I am up to the tasks at hand...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger221125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-79590586973575470182012-02-26T07:23:00.000-08:002012-03-24T07:15:41.496-07:00Last Ditch Effort to Save the Farm
LATEST UPDATE!!!!
100% OF THE GOAL WAS REACHED!!
THANKS, EVERYONE!!!
Hello to everyone.
Back in January, I posted a ChipIn! on my website and after just a couple of days, I removed it because I received a promise of assistance which, due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, did not materialize. Since then, I have been trying to raise enough money to keep New Moon Farm going in Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-21162984241855415412012-01-29T13:49:00.000-08:002012-01-29T14:09:33.442-08:00
I have not posted anything here in a very long time because truthfully, I lost my way for a while. When I started this blog, I had such high hopes for what I wanted to accomplish and in fits and starts, threw myself into it wholeheartedly. Then reality set in. Having the best of intentions at the outset, I was a bit overconfident, I think. That or I just went a little crazy for a Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-80520904489810662902012-01-29T08:38:00.000-08:002012-01-29T08:38:27.721-08:00
On Saturday Nov 5th, Dave and I would have marked out 16th year of marriage and I felt pretty sad about it. But 2011 was different that 2010. It still hurts not to have him in my life, but I know that what we had was so rare and precious that to allow grief to defeat me would dishonor the gift of our life together.
I have learned a lot about grief these last 2 years and while I don't haveUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-68948493219560820302011-05-30T12:13:00.000-07:002012-01-29T09:04:58.970-08:00Latest pictorial update
Add caption
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-43161794868656405752011-05-05T08:01:00.001-07:002011-05-05T08:04:19.612-07:00Heirloom Gardening Part 2
Herb gardens may be purely functional, or they may include a blend of functional and ornamental plants. The herbs are usually used to flavour food in cooking, though they may also be used in other ways, such as discouraging pests, providing pleasant scents, or serving medicinal purposes (e.g., a physic garden), among others.
A kitchen garden can be created by planting different herbs in pots orUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-11445928723630662342011-05-05T07:59:00.000-07:002011-05-05T08:03:40.927-07:00Heirloom Gardening Part 1
One of the things I am the most enthralled about when it comes to growing food plants is the historical significance of those plants. I try to mostly grow heirloom varieties and love the idea that I am eating the same things that the generations that preceeded me ate. It is living history at its purest. The following is from a handout I created for a lecture I gave on Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-42512114399236433502011-04-17T11:21:00.000-07:002011-04-17T11:23:16.710-07:00The Shape of What's to ComeJust a quick rundown of what I have already up in flats so far:
Tomatoes:
Aunt Ruby's German Green
Dave's Big Wave
German Johnson
Zapotec
Big Zebra
Brown Berry
Snow White Cherry
Green GRape
Sun Gold
Black Cherry
Black Zebra
Delicious
Black Ethiopian
True Tommy Toe
Suddeth's Brandywine
Black Brandywine
True Black Brandywine
Tall Vine Brandywine
And I have a whole flat of mystery heirlooms coming Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-2308178676551214632011-04-17T11:08:00.000-07:002011-04-17T11:10:12.208-07:00How things are going with new beds, etc.PICS OF NEW GARDEN SPACES
(This is the link to the pictures.)
I took some pictures of what was going on in the garden a couple of weeks ago and posted them to the farm Facebook page. I am too lazy to redo all that, so if you are interested you can go visit the link above and read the commentary with the pictures. Next time, I will post them here first and refer the Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-32239386997299235122011-04-12T09:28:00.000-07:002011-04-12T09:28:32.865-07:00Missing in Action ~~~ Now I'm BackIf you follow this blog, the you probably discovered that the owner of this blog is incompetent when it comes to using the Blogger system. I tried to set this up with my own URL and it backfired. Sorry. It took me about a month to figure out what was wrong. (Go ahead and say it, I am.) What a BONEHEAD!
Anyway, I am back now....look for some new posts in the next few days as I Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-65776046034612014432011-02-12T07:44:00.000-08:002012-05-27T13:17:41.488-07:00
There now seems to be a lot of confusion floating around my circle concerning the deal on seeds. With all the Genetically Engineered seeds out there these days, it seems that everybody is running scared about what to plant in their gardens. Because we grew so many different things at New Moon Farm and because part of our certification obligation was to use certified organic seed, I have becomeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-28551118823219164602011-01-20T18:14:00.000-08:002011-01-20T18:14:25.509-08:00I am definitely going to try this method of growing potatoes this year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-28676194763943662622011-01-10T06:33:00.000-08:002011-01-18T15:17:39.051-08:00Tiny Dog versus The Evil 18 WheelerIt is very early and I take two of my dogs out in the snow. There is no sound for the world is still sleeping under its cold blanket, the one woven in shares of blue and gray. It is beautiful and oddly comforting to me this morning, even though my feet are freezing in my less than adequate shoes. I do not leash the dogs because going out at this very early hour is the only chance that Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-5219269374545062622010-12-25T06:27:00.000-08:002011-01-18T15:23:17.829-08:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-577578806896016962010-12-22T15:55:00.000-08:002010-12-22T15:56:34.949-08:00I posted this last January. Dave died in March. Funny how life changes so quickly.MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2010
Last Saturday, I was a vendor at my best and favorite farmer's market. It was so cold, I thought I would never feel my right big toe again but even so, it was exhilarating!
Since it is a winter market, there weren't a lot of people perusing the venue early on. That gave me a chance to look around and really "see" my fellow farmers. Usually I am so busy Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-37969160473355944092010-12-16T07:22:00.000-08:002011-01-18T15:23:17.831-08:00Not MIA...just working elsewhere,,,,,Visit my alter ego blog The Artful Omnivore to see what I have been up to lately.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-42954674949888349912010-11-20T14:54:00.000-08:002010-11-20T14:54:25.288-08:00Sorry I have been slack again. Not much going on. Finally got the funds I was expecting but have not had time to do anything much outside lately. Weather has been perfect but I have just not been in the mood. Brother is getting married and that has taken precedence over much of what I could be doing but it is all good.
Will be having the field plowed soon and be working on putting together Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-63658492298589845082010-11-02T10:57:00.000-07:002010-11-02T10:57:33.182-07:00Tractor guy came by today and said he is ready to plow any time I want him to come. I am waiting on a check from the estate and when I get it I will have the funds to pay him, so I am excited I can finally get something positive and productive done towards the new field.
Not exciting to most people but to me it is like being part way up Everest.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-59528840739210098042010-10-29T06:25:00.000-07:002011-01-18T15:23:17.834-08:00Working on projects in the house this week. Nothing much interesting to write about on this blog. Creative juices flowing but no cash to follow through. Got some funds coming in next week that should put me back on the road to something....don't know what but something.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-54353039665970807672010-10-25T07:27:00.000-07:002011-01-18T15:23:17.836-08:00It is raining today so that put the kibosh on any outside plans I had for today. I am kind of glad about that because the other day I was working on getting all my pots, etc. up to put into storage and I had a little experience that made me throw down what I was working on and literally run away.I had all kinds of stuff in pots this year and I was pulling out the dead stuff and dumping out Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-48319164952007192010-10-23T10:30:00.000-07:002011-01-18T15:23:17.838-08:00Today I am working on a project that started back before Dave passed away. It was something that was very important to us and I have just not been in a frame of mind where I have felt like I could continue to work on it. I have not really felt inspired to put anything new up for a long time, but if I am going to survive, I have to get my butt in gear and move in a positive direction. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-15107981346023698672010-10-21T15:18:00.000-07:002011-01-18T15:23:17.844-08:00Okay, I admit it. I am wishy washy. I said I wasn't going to post much on this blog anymore, but I keep coming back to it. It is like a comfortable old pair of jeans you just can't seem to throw out because there might be one more season of wear left in them. This blog feels like home and so I have come back to it again...most likely to stay.To paraphrase that guy from Extreme Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-30380635371915616242010-10-06T08:08:00.000-07:002010-10-06T08:08:23.556-07:00Finally, some progress!!!I am making a little progress on the field this week. The friend with the tractor finally got it repaired and he came this week and bush hogged the upper part of the field, so I could get a better look at it. It is much larger than I anticipated and I am kind of excited about that. My friend is planning on coming and turning it once this fall and
working it again for me in the spring.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-9005009169317993942010-09-14T07:52:00.001-07:002011-01-18T15:23:18.633-08:00How I got to the place I now find myself. The real story...When my husband died, I moved to my hometown, to be closer to my parents and frankly, because I wasn't given much choice in the matter. Family dynamics change when someone dies and this time was no exception. I have never been particularly close to Dave's mother. The reasons don't really matter any more but they had a profound impact on my life after Dave died. I am trying to make theUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-71592964818238891832010-09-06T07:38:00.000-07:002011-01-18T15:23:17.858-08:00Oh my! I just looked at the last time I posted something here. It has been like 6 weeks. I have to admit that there is nothing much going on right now. I have had to postpone my readying of the raised beds due to lack of fundage. That is something that is not easy to overcome, so I am just hanging in, putting it out to the Universe that I need a miracle to happen. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863940103983499205.post-50903836758994769732010-08-23T07:10:00.000-07:002010-08-23T07:18:34.518-07:00Things are not going as planned....BIG SURPRISE!!! When I started this venture, I think I mentioned that I had no idea how long it would take and I meant that. I didn't mention, though, that I gave myself a year for a project that probably would only take a couple of months in a different set of circumstances. To think that things would go smoothly was my being totally optimistic Unknownnoreply@blogger.com