Chris says it's my farm market.
I say it's his.
The fact is, we're both sharing the labor
as we begin this journey,
not knowing exactly where it will end but fully aware that
the journey itself is the destination.
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| Chris takes a moment on the step of our vintage Airstream to catch his breath after working on the grounds while I've been tending our farm market. The camper serves as a comfortable base for our work. |
The chickens and ducks do a great job of providing the eggs for Old Homestead Farm Market. While I've concentrated on the jellies, jams, breads, cakes, cookies, candies and pies, Chris has done all the work of preparing the grounds, parking area, making signs and getting the gardens ready for planting--after his day's work.
Then, after dark, he retreats to our loft and tends his little plants. He has turned our loft and deck into a sort of greenhouse nursery, but he's having much better luck with his seedlings than I ever had. At this point, where he had hoped to raise 5 or 6 dozen little white cabbage seedlings, he has around 500! And he has about the same number of red cabbage.
Then, after dark, he retreats to our loft and tends his little plants. He has turned our loft and deck into a sort of greenhouse nursery, but he's having much better luck with his seedlings than I ever had. At this point, where he had hoped to raise 5 or 6 dozen little white cabbage seedlings, he has around 500! And he has about the same number of red cabbage.
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| These (broccoli?) plants are crowded and need more room for root development. |
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| Chris is explaining how he needs more room in the loft area of our home because his germination rate far exceeded his expectation. |
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| Luckily, Chris just happens to have some old bolt trays that were no longer being used so he's been transplanting. |
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| These shelves should help! |
As usual, Chris recycles salvaged materials: old egg cartons that people have traded in but are not our brand, his brother's used garage shelving, and bolt trays that had been thrown in the dumpster when a specialty fastening shop moved.
As I write, it's 2:30 a.m. and he's planting little pepper seeds. Our hope is to provide not only baked goods but also fresh produce and plants at our farm market. We want to offer a variety of seedlings to encourage others to grow their own vegetables, whether it's in a patio planter of tomatoes, a community garden or a family garden spot. Fresh, homegrown vegetables just taste better!
I love this... I ran into him at the store the other day and he was telling about his struggles with the teeny tiny cabbage seeds.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Robin! He says he realizes now that the extra effort to sort out the seeds would have saved time in the long run! What a green thumb~just like his dad's!
DeleteAgain, I just LOVE what you are doing. Are the neighbors joining in? Did you have to get your home kitchen licensed? Maybe I missed this info in a previous post?
ReplyDeleteMichaele, here in Ohio we have a "cottage foods" law. The next step up would be a bakery license. The difference is that under the guidelines of the cottage food law, there is an approved list of practices and foods you can produce in your own kitchen to sell within the state that are "exempt" from licensure. We comply with that. Our eggs are inspected and the refrigeration unit approved. We are a registered farm market under the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture (as well as USDA) guidelines. Contrast that to a bakery license which would allow us to transport out of state and would require a commercial kitchen. States differ, but I just love Ohio's cottage food law. It allows you to provide a food service for the community that is within reason! Check to see if your state has this.
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ReplyDelete