Spring is here for sure and we love it. It has been nice hearing from many of our customers from last year asking about CSA and spring farm visits. You can visit our farm anytime we are here. Unlike some factory farms we have nothing to hide.
LOCAL FARMER'S MARKETS:
In past years we sold farm products at five different farmer's markets. We've had a lot of good experiences and made good friends, as well as profitable sales. However, for the last two years table sales at the Farmer's Markets have been falling off drastically. In my view the continued financial viability of the markets is in doubt. We are very thankful to the CSA program and our other loyal repeat customers from past years. Otherwise we would not have been able to continue being a vendor at local markets!
In my view there are numerous reasons for the downturn:
- The economy has forced many consumers to be thriftier and preferences to buy healthier, fresher, and local food products have been compromised by many to save funds.
- The National Organic Program has made it possible for the giant corporate factory farms to produce so called ‘organic certified’ products in mass production, often at overseas locations, and ship them in vast quantities all over the country.
- More folks are opting to grow their own gardens; as was done in the past, and if they have the knowledge, time, and space, I feel it is a good thing. The same for Community Gardens which are also on the upswing. Soon, all but the most avid gardeners will appreciate the local small farmers a lot more for what they do.
- The physical sites for the markets have been threatened. For the past two years the Washington Department of Revenue has decided to put a special real estate tax on community farmer's markets located on church properties. Others have been displaced by construction and traffic problems. For some reason local government support of farmer’s markets is minimal in this area. In many other communities around the world market facilities are sponsored as a public service by local governments.
- A vast array of special permit and insurance fees has also added to the burdens of the market vendors.
- Sponsorship of the Farmer's Market WIC and Senior Nutrition Program funding has substantially declined from their levels a few years ago.
Much more could be said about all these issues but my point is if small farms are to survive in the present economy your support of Farmer's Markets is needed now more than ever! We plan to continue being a vendor at Farmer's Markets again this year for social reasons more than financial.
CSA NEWS:
So far we are thankful that nearly half the Membership spaces have been filled. One very nice person heard about us and signed up from Hamburg, Germany! He paid in advance for a whole season for both the Produce and the Meat CSA programs and his family will be moving to Spokane this Spring. "SO" has already planted three of the hoop houses, cleared all the old vegetation from half the garden, and started planting potted plants. We have been encouraged to apply for a new 30 x 70 ft High Tunnel Hoophouse under a grant program sponsored by USDA. It is our belief that this program was influenced by the First Lady's White House Garden's example of Hoop House Uses. If this happens, we plan to add more CSA Members in the future. Next month we will be opening up CSA Membership to new customers.
LIVESTOCK:
One more sweet little baby calf was born a few days ago, but unfortunately we also lost another to a coyote attack during the night. Coyotes seem to have really been on the increase this spring. We think it’s because of all the field mice left over from the last two years that were protected by the snow cover and the mild weather this year giving the coyotes an advantage. We will be moving the cows with the spring calves onto new fresh spring native green pastures this week. I'm in the market for a guard Lama as they’re great at protecting little calves from predators.
The Gilt that "SO" saved from the butcher last Fall now has a nice litter of 8 great little Berkshire piglets. Now she's officially a Sow! Chalk it up to a woman's intuition! I’ll be taking some fully grown feeder pigs for processing this week and that leaves all the pigs sold through June. We will then have many more available. All of this goes back to when the Boar broke down the gate between him and the Sows I was holding for later. Now we'll have a little overproduction for June and July, and I just fixed that gate a few days ago. The Pigs are all enjoying fresh spring grass.
Our early season grass is considered a noxious weed by our neighboring wheat farmers. It's commonly called cheat grass and grows in first and then last during years of cold conditions. If it is not grazed later the seed has little stickers that cause problems. If you've lived around here for awhile I’m sure you have had the joy of picking it out of your socks after a summer hike. Soon another native weed grass called bulbes blue grass joins the cheat grass. By the way, they are both very nutritious.
Starting another batch of pullets, ‘baby hens’ my wife calls them. She's almost as bad as a mother hen while taking care of them. Our egg production and shell quality have improved since the laying hens have been able to enjoy this great weather. They’re gleefully running around fighting over every worm they can find but, sorry, there are still not enough eggs to supply everyone who wants them. However, we have another 100 or so pullets that should start laying next month. More pee wee and small eggs for awhile soon.
During a trip to CostCo today I saw a seasoned and rotisserie cooked chicken for a price less than we charge for a pound for our meat chickens. Also the cost was for less than the feed costs me to grow a chicken. I can only imagine what they feed them! No wonder a guy called me the other day and insulted me with negative words about my integrity when I told him our price. They call them "Kirkland" chickens but used to call them "Tyson" chickens. We call ours "Lobster Chickens" because of how good we think they taste. But I'm sorry to say that because of slow sales we will only grow meat birds for those who pre-order from now on. May have a few left over now and then but market sales are to slow to grow them without pre-orders.
FIELD WORK:
I started servicing cultivation and seeding equipment this week. Ever wonder how machinery can quit working or break when just sitting for a year? Every Spring I plant what I call a ‘Salad Bar’ forage mix. Typically it is comprised of Oats, Peas, Sunflowers, Flax, Turnips, Canola, and a few other annuals. It’s great for maintaining cattle condition through the summer after the range grasses get dry and brittle. The first time I did this other farmers said your cattle will bloat up and die if they eat something like that. It has never happened, but it produces some awfully good beef! Pigs get to eat some too.
Well as usual things a little busy around here so I better get ready for another day.
Gary
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