Farming Joy

It was finally the first day of pickup at our neighborhood organic CSA farm, Camp Joy. We now get a weekly basket for 19 weeks of whatever they've got ready for us. If you've ever thought of trying a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) I really recommend it. You'll get in-season vegetables and fruits that are so fresh and lovely, plus the knowledge that you are supporting a local farmer who loves what they do. I swear you can taste that love and joy in everything they produce. A good alternative if you don't have a CSA available is going to a farmer's market if there is one near you. Just to get the super fresh fruits and vegies is worth that extra effort because they taste so much better. ie, tomatoes actually taste *gasp* like tomatoes!!

I always like to take my camera to the farm and have a bit of a walk around and see what changes they've made in the months since I've been there.

The grape arbor is lovely and shady and the grapes look plentiful this year.

Several of the pathway junctions are covered with woven arbors with climbing roses. Really pretty and much more in control than mine at home.

The rows of flowers are really gorgeous, and always make me regret not signing up for the weekly bunch o' flowers.

They really plant a nice mix of flowers, poppies, statice, cosmos, etc. I think this is a good way for them to attract and keep the bees that are an integral part of the farm's operations (not to mention the honey production part of the business).

I think those are alstromeria, but I could be wrong. I just like how happy they make me just to see them all growing so strong and soaking up the sun.

I like to check out the various ways they come up with to keep the birds away from the vegies, like these wire grids over the pepper plants. Sometimes it doesn't take much to deter the birds, but if you want your peppers to mature without little holes in them from bird pecks it is worth the effort.

The deep shade is such an eye-catching thing when you are out there with the crops on the sun-drenched hillside. It just screams out "Oasis here!" The people who work this farm are out there quite early and then take a siesta when the sun is at its peak. Smart huh?

Some of the plants are planted differently than just in rows, like these squash plants here. I guess because of their rambly ways it makes more sense to have a circular arrangement.

I'll have to try this next year! My pumpkins are in a row right now, they seem happy so far.

Trip to the Farm

It is finally time to start our weekly visits to Camp Joy, our local organic bio-dynamic farm where we are part owners. Well participants in the CSA anyways. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, you pay a lump sum before the growing season begins, enabling the farmers to buy supplies (seed,etc.) and then you get a weekly basket of whatever the farm produces over the season.
Camp Joy also has a flower share where you can get an organic bouquet every week, so far I haven't been decadent enough to spring for one. Mostly because I'm so self-deluded that I'll be growing *plenty* of flowers for as many bouquets as I want from my own garden, riiiiight.

The first thing you have to do when you walk through the gate is to go on the rope swing. Even recently turned 13 year olds still enjoy this activity. Boy does the tree branch ever dip now though, he must be getting too big!

There is the front porch where the baskets are set out, three left, one of which is ours.

The pomegranate tree is huge this year, with a lot of blossoms. It must not produce enough fruit to pass out though, as I've never gotten a pomegranate in my basket. Maybe this is the year??
The chickens are moved to a different spot every year, now they are under the apple trees and running free within the little fence. Jim the farmer tells me that the animals get moved around a lot because of the work that they do during the season, producing, ahem, manure, scratching it into the soil, turning the soil over, eating the bugs and all the weeds and weed seeds. I forget the term for it, it had layering in it, fascinating though.

Even the goats get moved around, unless they're in the milking pen. We once took a cheese making class here, where we got to milk the goats and then make the cheese from the fresh milk, man was that ever good! Basically a soft feta cheese. Made me want to get a goat!
Here's the big greenhouse with the plant sale table and sale plants in front. It is sooooo hot in there this time of year. They could sell sauna time in there!
One of my favorite views on the farm. Looking up from under the arch trellis and along one of the paths of the flower garden section towards the huge rose bower, with a chicken way off in the distance.

Finally, to the real reason we buy a Camp Joy share every year, the produce. Here is how it looks in the basket. They give us a sheet every week with poems, observations, interviews with the apprentice gardeners, funny drawings and recipes on how to use the yumminess!

And then here it is washed and on the counter. Kale, lettuce, dill, peas, carrots, garlic, dried chiles, potatoes and a basket of ollalieberries. Yum!