I have been away for oh so long a time. For anyone who still visits this page, hoping for a new post, I apologize for my inordinately long absence. There is no excuse for it, and my only real reasoning is that I am a wee bit lazy. Anyone who knows me knows this statement to be true. Well, where to start. Last year was quite the success. I hate to have to sum it up in so few words, as it may trivialize the experience, but I will do my best. We expanded the plot to about an acre and a half. This was so much room!!!! Over the course of the season, which was both too dry and then too wet...too cold and then too hot, the following was grown (or at least attempted): 500 tomato plants, 3 100 foot rows of potatoes, 5 rows of about 60 feet with 4 different types of beans, one row of okra, 5 types of pumpkin, 8 types of squash (including the monstrous Hubbard), 8 types of melon (which the frost got to before I could), 2 types of corn (400 stalks each type), 4 60 foot rows of soy beans, 10 sunflowers, and 24 tenacious sweet potato plants. Oh, I should probably also mention the rows of green peppers, but I have mixed feelings about including 100 plants that produced absolutely nothing. With the help of my most amazing Cousin Tim and some heavy duty farm equipment, we were able to put up actual raised beds and turn the dirt like someone who knew what they were doing. It was incredible to be bringing home car-loads of food starting in August. So many friends, family, and neighbors were involved. It really was quite the community experience. It was heartbreaking as a heavy frost set in on September 14. Just as so many plants were finally coming in full, including my prized melons, Mother Nature swept in, rendering the rest of the season useless. On the plus side, that early frost gave us actual time to begin the tear-down on a plot that had become overtaken by weeds. So much learned over one summer.
And so now begins a new chapter. Last summer saw an actual recoup of losses. I was able to sell to family, friends, coworkers, and strangers. I even had an arrangement with a farmer down the road who sold produce out of his garage on the side of the road. Profits? No, you're crazy. But I was able to recoup about a quarter of what I spent over the summer, and that was with a selling period of 3 1/2 weeks. So I am encouraged and am gearing up for what I hope will be the summer I break even. I have already started the seeds we saved (first time, so exciting!) in the greenhouse at the school where I work with a friend/coworker who is amazing. I'm in the process right now of ordering my seed packets for the things were were unable to save or those few new things that always look so exciting. And I'm also trying to come up with a plan for how to manage the land better this year. I quit my summer job so that I could focus solely on the task at hand. My mother came up with a great idea for using a small lawnmower to get in between the rows and keep the weeds somewhat at bay (something we failed at last year with a few weeds at one point that were taller than me). I also have been given the opportunity to possibly have a few selling dates at the Park Ridge Farmers' Market. This alone would be so amazing if only because I could start to charge somewhere in the ballpark of what my produce is actually worth. At work this past year, I was charging what I like to call my "drug dealer" prices. They were incredibly low, in an effort to get people to try my funny-looking (i.e. heirloom) veggies. I figure if I can convince people that organically grown, heirloom vegetables taste better, then they will mind less how much I charge them. But getting someone to eat a multicolored tomato for free is already a difficult task, let alone trying to charge them $4.99 a pound for the pleasure (Whole Foods price at the time).
This is where I stand. The church garden got so incredibly awesome this year, with five massive wooden boxes responsible as the growing receptacles. The kids were again quite enthusiastic and frankly, we were able to really introduce the congregation to fresh food grown with a conscience and in accordance with the trust God gave us when He gave us the earth. The house garden fell slightly by the wayside, serving us quite well in terms of beets, peas, and swiss chard. This year we will focus that garden on the greens and things that needs more immediate attention than I can give them at the farm. Right now, I find myself in a bit of an unfocused phase, but as the weather warms and as I get deeper and deeper into my school year job (which I love for now, but cannot let myself stay at forever), I feel that the inspiration is kicking in and it's becoming more of a reality. For now, off to pick out seeds. I have a little extra help/input this year from a lovely man who wants me to grow him "Country Gentleman" corn (he has a vision of standing in a white linen suit in the field eating an ear of corn...being a "Country Gentleman" while eating a "Country Gentleman"). I feel quite blessed and ever so happy. Following your dreams may be hard, but I believe it will all be well worth it in the end.