Well it’s been quite a few weeks since the last post and quite a lot has happened so it’s time for some quick updates.
For all of our CSA members, first a big thank-you from the entire Moran family for your support and for taking the chance by buying a share for the first season. We think you will be very pleased with this years offerings as we move into our initial harvests in the next couple of weeks. The Spring was especially warm and gave us a head start on the season. So far we’ve got the following things either in the ground or coming up- Spinach, escarole, arugula, lettuce, chard, kale, radishes, mesculun mix, collards, mustard greens, red onions, white onions, yellow onions, shallots, garlic, twelve tomato varieties, ten pepper types, three eggplant, cucumbers, squashes, all kinds of herbs, broccolli, cauliflower, chives, beans, beans, beans as well as some sweet corn on a newly cleared parcel of land in the back forty. I am sure that there are some things I have missed, but there’s been a lot on my mind and I wanted to make sure to at least mention the ones on the top of of it.
Meredith has begun producing some wonderful goat cheeses including a mellow ricotta, and a sweet chevre flavored with pesto.
The animal life on the farm has been pretty exciting, lots of new chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys that are rapidly growing on various parts of the farm as well as the beeves that are fattening up on grass at an alarming rate. We’ve sold all the piglets we plan on getting rid of from our first litter, leaving four plus the two sows who are already bred for this Fall. The lambs are doing quite well and while some of you know about our newest canine addition, Honey the Australian Shepherd, we are sad to report that Freeway, our loyal Kelpie of almost 18 years has finally gone on to the Great Frisbee Game. I would go on about it, but I wouldn’t even know where to begin. She was the best animal I ever knew; loyal, smart, resilient and easy-going, but after losing first her hearing and then slowly losing her eyesight over the past several years, the weariness of life finally took it’s toll. She will be missed by all of us.
We’ve been graced with a wonderful article in Kearsarge Magazine written by Deb McKew, who is now one of our CSA members! It’s entitled “A Fish Called Tilapia”-
www.kearsargemagazine.com
Incidentally the tilapia are coming along great since the unfortunate accident involving our two year old and a stray donut that cost us nearly half of our first run of tilapia nilotica fry.
Well there’s things to do now and the days aren’t getting any longer- wait, yes they are, they just don’t seem to be- so I’d better get back to the weeding and the planting if there’s anything to be harvested.
Happy Summer!
June 18th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Hey guys, so sorry to hear about Freeway. I’m not much of a dog person, but even I could see that she was, in fact, a great dog. If she was deaf and going blind, I’m guessing it must have felt as if she were submerged in a murky sea, all experience reduced to dull shadows and weak vibrations. Rest easy knowing that you gave her one fine last year of life on your bucolic farmstead. Her long and interesting journey from Road Dog to Farm Dog would be the envy of most other canines. If dogs could feel envy. Which, I’m pretty sure they would never stoop to, being far more noble than us primates.
I, for one, am just happy she didn’t die alone in that well last fall.
Meredith, are you still coming to visit on the 28th?
July 6th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Marc & Meredith:
So sorry to hear about Freeway. 18 Years is a long time and he was a great dog. I dread the day with Bandit. I should have come up last week while I was on vacation. One night soon I promise. Have a great week.