November, 11th, 2010

Introduction

Last week all went well at the Farm. We put up more shelves in the
green house and seedling plants are popping up everywhere. The grow
lights have been ordered for the deep winter days and am now rounding up the materials to add electric service for the winter lights, heat, and ventilation.
Repaired and recovered one of our bigger 12 x 36 ft hoop houses and as usual my wife had it planted with greens for spring before we finished buttoning
things up. The new inflation system is in the 12 x 60 ft hoop house and
working well. The outer and inner layers inflate like a balloon which
has the effect of a super insulated giant window.

We managed to put up all the carrots, beets and squash before the latest freeze. All the greens are still surviving and growing in the small hoop houses. If this seems like a lot to get done for one person, it is! My Grandson has been a super help and is showing the skill of being a jack of all trades which is so essential to being a farmer. If you haven't met him he will be our stand - in at the Downtown Community Bldg Indoor Market on Thursdays (11am - 2pm) starting this week.

*!!!!!!!!NOTICE!!!!!!!!!*

*_The Perry Street Farmer's Market will be returning to "The Spot" parking lot this week!

*As many of you know we were evicted from the Community Center last eek right in the middle of our first indoor market there. It seems the Fire Department Inspectors have a feud going on with the Evangel Church Center over the use of the Building for income purposes which they consider to include us. It seems to be kind of a throw back to the efforts of the city to tax churches for allowing farmer's markets to use church parking lots. You may know the state legislature passed a new law to permit markets at church parking lots after all. In fact most cities in Washington go to great length to support their local farmer's Markets and even provide facilities in addition to other support.

So last week they kicked us out of indoors to the parking lot in spite of the weather. So far our efforts to relocate to another building have been met by more bureaucratic delays. Seems every new location has issues. Hope you will support us while were out in the cold (Literally!) until this problem is re-solved. Expect some media tomorrow. We are resolved to continue the Winter Market even if we have to replace our canopy with an igloo and wear a Parka!