Feed Field Trip

Now that our young chickens have grown they are producing a vast amount of eggs. Equally so they are eating a bundle of food, so today Justin and I are road tripping to Deer Park to get a ton of chicken pellets. Our friends at Half Moon Feeds have been very helpfull and we have had great results with their feed. Our chickens thank us each day for the wholesome and buffer free local grains. I will keep you updated with changes on the farm so check back soon. Until then keep your head high and do your best. JB

snow day

Hello again my friends. It comes to me that we must all take time in our busy lives to embrace our mother, and thats what I did today. My good friend Trev and I went into the back country this morning with snowshoes on our backs, wow ,what an experience. We only made three runs but they were well deserved. Away from everyone, without modern noise to disrupt, we truly lived today. Back to greenhouse prep tomorrow, sore legs in the back of my mind. Love to all,
Jb Till

Frosty Mornings

Headed up to the greenhouse this morning in hopes of getting our propane heater working. Its awfully cold out now, but I would love to plug some trays with Kale seed. The only thing getting in the way now is the sharp chill in the air. Keep moving, if not forward, then back. Stagnation will only further separate you from your goals.
with pride, Joe
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." HDT

Preparing For Precipitation

Our small solarium has served it purpose, although it has had it downfalls. Today JR and I spent the morning buttoning up the leaks in the aged plastic roof. We stretched 6 mil clear plastic over the top and sides of the room, leaving the south facing glass wall uncovered for maximum sun penetration. It looks like it will be a suitable greenhouse for another season. We also sent in our order for onion seeds today, and selected 5 verities of old world heirlooms. My early favorite is the Red Welsh Bunching Onion, a super-hardy bunching onion that originated in northern China or Siberia. Grown for its thick green stems and hollow leaves which possess a sharp onion flavor.

Stay positive, Joe

Winter Warmers...

Well my friends it has been a while since I've posted. So I take this time to share my thoughts on the winter months. Its been freezing here in Spokane this far, although winter has yet to begin. Only a few more days until seasons change and we will be graced with longer days filled with more sun and positive thoughts. Its hard to stay motivated in terms of farming, but with my classes done for a month I am now able to allocate more energy into our farming experiment. Our seed catalog arrived a few days ago and Justin and I have been thumbing through the pages over frosty glasses of winter ale. We also have great plans for an expansion next spring. Taking the farm down the road to 37th and Glenrose we hope to plant an acre or more, and that's where you come in. With the added garden space we will be in dire need of help maintaining the project, so get a hold of us. Thanks for reading. Joe

"Dreams are the touchstones of our character." -Henry David Thoreau

Slow-vember

In this month, my favorite, I find less is more once again. A slow process of shade-ripening the last of our tomatoes yielded great results, having delivered the last batch yesterday. The only chores these days are cleaning up the new plot more and more, and feeding the chickens. The county slapped a burn ban on us this week, so we'll play nice. Otherwise, we'd probably burn every night. So much slash and duff... Only have a few more squash and pumpkins left as ornaments, and I'll save the seeds from them too. The picture is of the seeds from a Jarrahdale blue pumpkin, which as the picture shows, provided many seeds for it's smaller stature. Very excited to see the results this coming Spring. Other than that, let's all continue to strive, but be calm all at once. "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." -Ben Franklin Cheers, JR

love what you do.

Fully settled in to prairie life has me resting easy at night. the bonfires, cool winds, and fresh air leave behind my commuting worries of getting here and there. life on the bike has been a change and my legs are paying for it. the only problem about living on the farm is I never want to leave. chore after chore occupies my day with constant change in landscape and approach. thanks to my old man, the chainsaw has been my closest ally recently. when you're on cruises in mexico, you have no use for a chainsaw... anyway, the machine and I have cut our way to hopefully enough wood to keep us warm through winter. funny to start thinking like this already, especially when I'm eating fresh peppers off the plant still. The days to come should yield great results, tidying up this project and that to close the season out. Only baby beets, a few carrots and dill rest in the soil now, along with the peppers. all tomatoes are off the vine and hoping to get a few to table ripen. New ladies should start laying eggs any day now! feel like I've been saying this for a while, but damn if they aren't full-sized women. be brave, be bold, be proud. Your friend, JR

okie's and arkie's

Sunday concluded a busy week of clipping and stripping. In what could have been Spokane's version of the dust bowl, tiller and I pruned back all the tomatoes heavily in hopes to make the plant ripen up quickly before the cold comes. Along with peppers, a few squash, and beets, the tomatoes are one of the last details we have to focus on. We have chutney's planned for any green ones that fall, but mostly I'd like to try every trick in the book to get all the ripe ones we can. Our peppers this year are great. Every day something new to try and add a little kick to your morning. The winners so far are the santa fe grande, a lovely yellow to red, medium heat salsa pepper. Another is the "goat's horn", which I fire roasted last night to much delight. These long, green and orange peppers really do look like horns and would also be great for stuffing. More details to follow, much love for now. Love to all the support, help and intrigue. I need some eggs, Justin. Cheers, JR

Rise Moon Set

The past two weeks have been busy. With Joe and Maggie going off for their schooling, I've had a great deal of alone time on the prairie. Reflecting upon what we've done and grown this summer, I'm left happy, and somewhat impressed with what we've accomplished. This season provides for me a footprint of what is left to learn and create. Each day truly is an opportunity to strive to be a better gardener, and a better person. I gotta go, but hope to check in soon. Pictured is a grouping of peppers Jamie and I pulled the other day. Some hot, some sweet, and some death. Cheers, JR

new beginning pt. 15

This weekend marks my move to the prairie. Swift and steady with a breeze, it has called me. The twinge of Autumn in the air combined with the remaining sweet summer days take me back. It's almost like school is always in session this time of year, and lessons are ready to be learned. It'll be constant, and I will most likely need some leather gloves.. Hope to see y'all soon. Cheers, JR

one proud mama!

The hottest days of 2011 in rural Spokane have us seeking shade. Some crops might be as well, as we seek 90 degrees in the shade. The basil doesn't care too much for the heat, but the pictured "Boston Marrow" squash happens to feel otherwise. This picked today is among many yet to ripen and further grow. Apparently, the marrow is one of the most grown squash in the United States and has been for some time. This one tipped the scale at 14 pounds, which is roughly the average(whatever that means...) I can never thank enough people of the community who have supported us all summer, and continue to do so. It's a great comfort to know people can enjoy the fruits of our labor as close to their freshest moment as possible. Beets continue to grow a bit, but some have slowed and need to be harvested. Small chiogga's and golden beets fill out a couple rows and early wonders still scatter both sides of the barn as well. New carrot growth is coming in and also some lettuces. What really caught my eye today was the red mangel beets in the southwest garden. They are roughly 40 percent above ground and starting to hint at their possible growth of 20 pounds or more. I'd be truly impressed if we could get one that big on love, water and sunshine.. Anyway, y'all have lovely summer weekend and good luck to those of you going back to your schoolin' in the weeks to come! cheers, JR

one under par

The birdies got a coupe remodel yesterday and we couldn't be more pleased. One of the jobs I've been procrastinating for a while, because, well... there's a lot of chicken shit involved. So glad we did it though. Think we finally got the system dialed in. No friends have asked me for produce this year, so I suppose it's time to start pushin'! Been good and warm consistently for a couple weeks now, and stuff seems to grow by the day. Hit us up. You know the number. We might just have to throw another party and feed all of you goods from the garden... until then, strive on! JR

Hot water!

The anticipation of tomatoes is killing me! Maggie is taking some to Italia today for small heirloom salads, so we'll see what the public opinion is. I've personally tasted about five of our varieties, with my favorite so far being Dr. Wyche's yellow, which oddly enough is listed in our catalogue under Orange tomatoes. Almost the texture of a tangerine paired with a plum, and slightly tropical flavor. Yum! Thousands of tomatoes ready to go within the next two weeks will keep us busy, and give us something a little more valuable to sell....hehehe. I understand it now though, tomatoes are a lot of work, especially in terms of watering. We have about 150 plants, all hand-watered. Elsewhere on the farm, the baby chicks are becoming young ladies, loving life in the drag tractor and doing a damn good job keeping the grass and weeds down. Love em! Also, got to have a little fun with my friend Liz and her eagerness to sample some hot peppers. Some of the peppers aren't quite ready, but the filius blue, and the vietnamese multi-color provide a very clean heat to set up a nice platform of more pain to come. Ok... ramble on! Cheers, JR

Un mes..

One week into this challenge, I see this will be harder than I imagined. All I want to eat is eggs, but those we have to sell. How many ways can you eat a beet? Maggie's farm breakfast this week was a winner, consisting of shredded zucchini, potatoes, fresh slaw, and love. Joe made a great vegetable soup and also whipped up a nice stir fry with broccoli, carrots, and roasted beets. Filius Blue peppers have provided a nice spice to a lot of the dishes, along with thyme, basils, and oregano. Commonly seen as an ornamental pepper, the blue provides a damn good punch for how small and cute it is. Don't be fooled! If it wasn't for the chicken I roasted Tuesday, I may just have broke down. Protein is still a must, and probably the hardest thing to come by. It was nice to step back and appreciate the bird as a treat, not something I had just come to expect. All of this has a reason... to cleanse, to purify, to test, to learn. I feel very healthy after just a week, probably mostly due to not drinking at all this week as well... 24 days to go and then I'll have hit my goal. Wish me luck.. be proud. Strive on! Cheers, JR

moments notice...

I see people checking out our blog, so please say something. tell us what to do! anything! I truly enjoy posting to this blog, but it's damn lonely at times.. Anyway, today concludes day four of the farm challenge. Joe and Maggie have been a huge help in gathering meals and preparing them farm fresh with me day by day. It's great to have encouragement and support when you choose to sacrifice as I have. We've been getting quite creative in what we can make with what we got, as each day will continue to present a new challenge. Having chicken for dinner last night was an amazing treat after not having any meat for three days. Makes me think I should cherish the fine things in life many never have the resources to enjoy. Also, just realized today we could make some farm coleslaw, which I might be able to live off alone. This is fun, it's a trip, and it's quite rewarding. My body feels better each day and this also helps a troubled mind. Peace, love, and sunshine y'all. Hope to see you soon, JR

Energy!

Day three of the farm challenge is upon us, and I feel ok. Been living off beets, carrots, zucchini, potatoes, and mostly eggs. Only 48 hours into it my carnivorous ways took over and I roasted a chicken. I've been finding good flavors from herbs and peppers from the garden, but this will be tough. I feel the first week will probably be the worst, but my mood is still good. Even better, my mind is starting to feel right again! Stay tuned, say something please, come visit. We'd love to see you! Cheers, JR

August

And so it begins.. a new month, and a new day. Happy Birthday to my father! Today marks, a challenge, which includes the word change. can I live off the farm for a month straight? Will I live off the farm for a month straight? Stay tuned... Cheers, JR

Rest in Peace

We lost a good man on the farm today. We gained from him the memories of a loving dog. I never got to know Tyson all that well, but anyone who's had a dog knows they're just as much a family member as anyone else. His spirit will live on and he'll be missed. Rest in peace Tyson, you earned it. Cheers, JR

Y

yum

With the last few bites of a warm beet salad left, I realize more and more why we do what we do. Mixed greens, romanesco, snap peas, and beets made up my lunch today, all having come from the garden. Finished the beets in the oven, topped with chevre from Haren Farms just up the prairie. Very good feeling it is, but it'll probably take me eating this way every day if I don't get some help! If anyone needs beets, chard, kale, baby carrots... let us know! Tomatoes are coming along very well, having sampled a few in the black cherry, topaz, and perhaps a tigerella. The last five days provided great heat, a little bit of free water, and now relief and shade. Could be a magical combo for our fruits. Squash, melons, and cucumbers saw rapid growth the last week as well, with some squash plants bearing fruit and some reaching almost six feet in diameter. I could reamble on for pages, but can't tell everything right now. Didn't even get to mentioning how all four types of basil are now thriving as well... Come up and say hello. Cheers, JR

gratitude pt. 2

This post comes on Sunday after a week of solid progress. Thanks to local cantinas and restaurants for the support you've provided. We pour our time into this and to have y'all use the goods provides us with great hope for lasting relationships. Lovely summer cocktails with our genovese basil were a real hit, and hopefully can continue through the summer. In addition, baby beets and kale were harvested in good numbers. With the small beets gone, the ones left behind should thrive with plenty more room to grow. Speaking of, I think I'll conclude the post on that note. Every day is an offering and we never stop growing. Our minds are full of what we've learned in the past, but the present moment is the biggest gift of all. Honor your past, wear it today! We can always be better, in farming, in life, in love. The second week of July is upon us.. and then of course, the choice is yours! Strive on, JR

..and whiskers on kittens...

Hello again, it's been too long. In the meantime, our mother has turned up the heat. I love the heat, but it must be worked with to maintain complete garden happiness... Early watering in the morning has been the main focus lately, having gotten most of our summer travels out of the way over the extended holiday break. I was inspired in my visit to the Edgefield Resort in Troutdale, Oregon, where gardens and greens are abundantly beautiful. As for our plot, basils and chards are currently being harvested, along with endives and escarole close behind. Beets and tomatoes are booming in this heat, as long as we keep up on the watering. Tomorrow calls for work, play, and more work. It gets so hot and Spokane happens to have a large, cold river to balance things out. Yes! Nothing like a good chill to refresh your mind halfway through the day. Be inspired, strive on. Thanks to friends and family for constant love and appreciation! Cheers, JR

ten days gone...

we've been busy, which is nice. the picture is in honor of the meat we'll be eating at the farm party tomorrow. jb tiller turned a new leaf this week, passing the 25 year mark. cheers joe! we love you! we had our birds weigh out at 22, 16.5, and 15 pounds respectively. they lived a long, happy, 100 days or so and we are excited to get the thanksgiving birds soon. cheers y'all, hoop it up! be proud, jr

Junebug

We've reached mid-month somehow and things are seriously growing. All rows, with the exception of beans we planted today, are showing vegetation and looking healthy. Only five more rows to plant, mostly being basil, melons, squash, cucumbers, and some quinoa sneaking into the mix. Mole control has become a daily chore, with the sneaky bastards taunting us hours on end... Aside from the tomatoes, today might have been the last of the hand watering, which will of course save us time. I think Till may have gone to get more chickens today, so maybe tomorrow the post will involve some baby poultry photos? Everyone have a good evening and don't get fooled by the rain. Cheers, JR

N.P.R. & envy are...

with the recent sunshine and rain the farm has exploded with vegetation forcing us to except our duty's at farmers. Over a hundred hours a week have been going into planting and weeding. we have been filling our ears with NpR and staying ambitious in our weeding, although thre is plenty of envy for round up ready crops I would rather have blood pickin fingers.

quickly

Due to a tired soul, this message could possibly be brief. This Sunday has me looking back at the week and thinking about how much we got done. having Trevor around again has been a blessing, with six hands planting proving to be much more effective than four. Early morning breakfasts, no pun intended, providing us all with great strength to push through the week. Tomorrow we'll host a volunteer, who for some reason wants to help us weed and thin rows. The farm looks great today, and with proper keep-up and direct mindfulness, shall stay that way. It's impossible to go through the days without being incredibly gracious for the opportunity we've been provided to grow. Tomorrow will be no exception, and hopefully the work will show. Be proud.
Your friend, JR Tucker

refresh!

Tomatoes and peppers are complete. We tallied the peppers around 60 in the dirt. I slouched today to recover from four days of planting and my paid job, while tiller made it look like a farm again. The week to come involves finishing a few rows, and then onto thinning and weeding. Would love to have some volunteers to pull weeds if anyone is into pain and monotony... Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the sun! Cheers, JR

in the weeds..

this will be brief, but efficient... 138 tomato plants in, along with about 25 peppers and the tip of the iceberg at a dozen squash.. past few days, and the next few, will be busy and satisfying. come up anytime. cheers, jr

You say tomato...

I say work... we moved the first round of tomato plants from the solarium to the great outdoors today, planting what will turn out to be about 8 percent of our total plants. One row. Yikes! We just took in a good rain, which I am super thankful for. I f we could have 50 total tomato plants in the dirt tomorrow I'd be a happy man. We expect to plant somewhere between 150 and 175. Some of the plants already stand fouor feet tall so it has become a lesson in wrangling as well as gardening. Hopefully we'll have some good pictures to post this week, as we expect to plant a ton... literally. We tore the roof off the 37th house almost all last week, so the focus is strictly on farming this week. For now, here is a picture from a creative project done away from the farm. Pallets are free by the way... next we'll try to build a coupw with em... Be proud, JR

The roof, The roof...

I personally didn't set foot on the farm today. We continued the removal of the old roof at the 37th plot, leaving us all quite tired and covered in dust. However, this is rewarding work and a giant step in the right direction. While we were there, I sorted through what tomato starts we have left to sell and clocked the number somewhere around 100. Some real boomers highlighted the mix of about 15-18 leftover varieties and I couldn't help but admire the plants we're keeping for the farm. Some of them had tomatoes on them, and many others close behind. Somme of the pepper starts are also bearing fruit, and the albino bullnose in particular has me quite excited. Here are some scattered pics of the farm as of Monday. Cheers y'all. Be proud, JR

1000 Times & Pride

Just a couple images to keep your mind busy. Some of my favorites of the latest real.

till then , love and happiness JB

Zzzzzzz......

Having overslept, I hopped in the Beauville and got to the farm to salvage at least part of the holiday. Inventory of hose was taken, and Tiller got the barn buttoned up quite well. Last week we saw a good clip of spinach leaving the farm, and today was no different. The spinach is very hearty, and seems to grow more by the day. Pea vines and lettuces have been hitting some plates locally which has us all thankful and excited. Looks like I'm going to try and be better about maintaining the blog. Done with my house sitting and have a sturdy shanty to rest my head at until I move to the prairie. Course I could just break down and get me a new "smart" phone and be steady on the go... Time will tell. For now we look to stay busy planting and thinning, with small harvest here and there in the now. Still selling the last of our tomato starts as we clear the solarium day by day. So hit us up, come out and play, do what makes you feel good! Stay posted for a new round photos of the ever developing garden... Be proud, JR

New Post

Chard, leeks, shallots, kale, baby bok choy, and maybe a few other things I forgot are all out of the greenhouse and in the dirt. Weather has been good for planting this week with a decent bit of rain and agreeable temperatures. Tomato starts are going quickly with only about 75 left to sell, so please inquire if you like. Tomorrow I plan on planting more early in the morning and then gathering pallets for a fence at tiller's place. Pallets, oddly enough, have become my thing lately, having just recently completed a fence for a friend in town. Now it's time to clean up and put on my "paying job" clothes and do another sort of work. Happy Hump Day to everyone! Enjoy yoour evening. Be proud, JR

Rick Ross

Rows are lookin rich. Got some chard starts transplanted outside today, along with endives and escarole. weeding and watering, and of course benedito's were in order for this temperate and rather enjoyable monday. mags is awesome, till is awesome, we're all awesome. hopefully within the next few weeks we'll have some produce boxes to share with friends, and until then we'll be busy with planting and thinning. been eatin' on pea sprouts and spinach and some choy's as well. green inside, clean inside. I'm tired. Rest easy y'all. Be proud, JR

Fish to Fry

The first detail of the day was getting the mind right. Without clear thought hardly anything good is accomplished. So in reality, I mean I took the day off... The week ahead has many details to take care of. Fencing is complete and now we lay the rest of our seed and get other rows ready for starts coming from the greenhouse. I feel this could be a rainy next couple a days, but come Monday we'll need to have our sprinklers in position ready to fire. Yesterday we had a mini harvest of our spinach, yielding around 3 pounds. Very crisp, and hearty spinach. We were able to share it with some friends, which produces smiles all around. So yeah, let's keep the mind right and stay on course. There's no time like go time! Be proud, JR Tucker

Beauty Be!

Hot spring days on the farm left me exhausted at my real job... Wednesday was a treat. Today looks to be no different with abundant early sun coming in through the shades. Fencing is almost complete with just a couple crafty gates to assemble. Today we hope to weed and thin the remaining rows of beets and carrotts, in order to keep them right and tight. Put a ten on it, then see what it do! The day will tell us what to do really, with things being quiet now the meatbirds are gone. Stay busy, and try to stay focused. Your friend, JR

Be Proud

Sunday has come and a good week it was. Eating fresh roasted chicken on our lunch break Friday was the highlight for me, for it was nutritious and tasty meat from a bird we raised. (This is where I get my sense of pride...) I'd like to send my gratitude to all who took a chicken from us on our first run, and hopefully the meat will taste good enough to have y'all order another later this summer. Fence is almost all up and the week to come looks to be a busy one, with hopes of having almost all seed planted by weeks end. Inland Northwest weather is volatile and unpredictable, so we'll try not to rush on our tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, etc... could be a hot summer! Have a lovely Sunday in the breeze, and don't take no for an answer this week.. Salud! Your friend, JR

Fence Five

Just know MGD is the bottled beer for a man's man, and the sun is our heartbeat. We fenced, bot did we fence. Light day really, but things were accomplished. Tomorrow, we take the meatbirds North for their final hours, then our friend Terre will do his thing, and have them ready for the oven in no time. It's been an educational 8 weeks, and they will be missed yet delicious. Here's to them! Cheers, JR

No shirt, no shoes, no service...

Monday proved to be a winner.. just a lovely day. We sold, we planted, we sunbathed, we drank, we ate, we won! That's all. Big thanks to Adi for her contribution to the cause and good luck to the EWU Community Garden. Feels good to have such a great community and great support. It pays to be sincere and passionate, so I, and we won't change. Excellent air in the Inland Northwest the last few days.. warm! We had visions of donating some greenhouse fresh bok and pok choy today, but may have eaten it all ourselves.. Fuel to thin some rows and plant some new rows and start on the new fence! Cheers. Green inside, clean inside. -JR

Moms...

Go get em. Kiss your mother.. and then come help us fence tomorrow. "Sun is shining, weather is sweet. Make ya wanna move, your dancin' feet." - B. Marley Cheers, JR

Let the Beet Drop

The new grounds, recently dubbed as "Jah's Garden", became host to three full rows of beets thus far. I'm guessing we laid somewhere near 350 seeds per row, so we are looking forward to great results. Ten more rows to fill in the new section, with melons and squash to go down much later than now. We saw several lettuce plants take on a little damage this morning.. not from weather, but from some of the layers who escaped and became curious. The run saw JR button up a few details to prevent future shortcomings. Happy cinco de mayo to you all. Be smart. Be proud. Figure out why I can't change this font back... cheers!

comments!

Those that leave comments are cooler then those that don't !

Details

Tillin' Tuesday kept us busy, mostly raking and turning the new rows to clear them of any leftover grass roots and weeds. The soil is airy and soft, with the first four rows ready to be laid with leftover beet seed tomorrow. Temps are expected to get near freezing tonight, so we took some preventative measures to protect newly transplanted rapini, kale, and romanesco. Lettuces seem to be staying hearty in the cold, and boy did the red leaf ever change color quickly once it took on natural sunlight. It is very exciting to see photosynthesis occur so fast, literally overnight. Always more to come of course.. the work never really stops. Our meat chickens will be ready to eat in a week, so be sure to let us know if you would like one. We have 22 for this first run and we were kind of feeling out the process to see what we want to do for our second run. People seem to want to come up to the farms lately, so don't be a stranger. We love the visits, and could always use extra hands. Until next time, be well. -JR

Slacker II

Boy, it didn't take long to not keep up with my "post a day" deal... Anyhow, I'll try and be better. No more guarantees, too tough for a farmer living out of a van... We have plenty rows planted, and some starts have been moved outdoors to brave the unpredictable weather. The sun was great today! So great. Spring has brought love in the air.. smile upon your neighbor and good things will come. Happy May Day to you all. Good luck this month, I wish you well. Also, our second batch of tomato starts are ripe fro the taking! Give me or Joe a call or contact me through this ever advancing technological world... Cheers friends, JR

Alive Again!

Today was a good day. A real good day. Learning seems to be the theme of many a my posts, but it actually happens. It's all a matter of whether you choose to let things be a learning experience.... Joe and I got all our carrot seed in the dirt today, consisting of atomic reds, cosmic purples, belgian whites(blanche a cole vert), and also amarillos. Also, things are starting to look good at the 37th spot. Seeing Maggy sit in the greenhouse, reading a book with classical music on, was a sign of progress. The air is so nice in there! Probably really good for you too... Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we'll see some flowers blooming besides tulips.. Cheers to all and have a lovely Thursday! Your friend, JR

Just Dropped A Beat

Beats on your head... ok not really but a lot of them in the dirt. Beanie has over five types of beets planted now. Carrots have also been sown, Four types so far. We are planting out way west and keeping crop rotation in mind. If the weather keeps us farmers in mind we should be almost planted be the end of the week. fingers crossed . Your buddy Till McGee.

Monday Funday

After we drove to and explored what I know now as Washington's tallest waterfall, we continued to play. Tried to get the Beauville stuck in the field, however jb tiller took the wheel and the honor of removing her from the sticky situation. We sorted a bit and racked what hearty starts we deem fit for outdoor living, and arranged a package for friends with a baby boy on the way. One of the more important details we need to think about right now is hinges. Sandwich board as advertising perhaps and foldout panels in the coupe boxes. Everyday the details.
Joe laid out more rows with beet seed this morning, which we hope to continue in the a.m. if weather allows. Today was a great day for rain! Enjoy! Your friend, jr

Feaster

I hope you all had a Happy Easter, and did things that made you feel good. It was almost like family visitation day on the farms. It was nice for people to meet each other for the first time and see new sights unfolding before them. We have most the beet seed in the dirt, and our newly planted onions and spinach are showing quite well. Our second tier of starts, mostly being tomatoes, are just about ready to share. I feel a lot of new life springing before us with much learning in store. Starting tomorrow, I will take a short drive with Maggy to Palouse Falls to see the heavy Spring flow, which should be a thrill. I might just have to jump in.. below the falls of course. Tuesday presents us with a possible visit to a local goat ranch, where some gals are rumored to have some great cheese. It's all in our backyard! Don't look to far y'all, now is all you have. A good week I wish to you all Sincerely, JR Tucker

Erf Day Foo!!!

Thank you Mother, we had a blast. Curation! Sunny day brought about the uncovering of much unkept beauty at the 37th spot. Flowers peeking out everywhere, starts boomin' in the greenhouse. Life is wonderful. Strive On. have a good weekend and stop by damnit! -JR

Late-ly

I know I know... The plants are thriving as we continue to find better and more efficient ways to work for them. Thanks to all who got starts, we truly appreciate the contributions to the farm. It was lovely to sit with the boss and discuss all the details of my new "curator" title as well. Once a slight joke, me becoming a gardener for life has finally manifested. I look forward to each day ahead of me to find ways I can learn and help. The dishes are never done. Dulces suenos, JR

Earth Day!

Thank your mother. Earth day is tomorrow. Its just a reminder that we owe it all to our perfect position. Give thanks for it all, leave no carbon footprint , and live happy. She would want no other way. Jb

Overload.

Today consisted mainly of order and details. we took a serious inventory of exactly what we're working with, and categorized according so. As of now, we're looking to start with about 50 tomato plants at the farm and an additional 300 plus for y'all. Thanks to have who have contributed thus far. We're dealing with about 25 varieties ranging from the hearty producer Kentucky Beefsteak to the delicate and ornate Ground Cherry(Husk Tomato)...
There are many decisions to be made in the weeks to come, and lots of work laid ahead. The key is to keep up with the times and do work until the work is done. Shown above is a small hot-house we've laid outside, which covers a row consisting of spinach sprouts and accompanying weeds. We'll probably be building a coupe tractor to drag through the field at the 37th place and have some free range birds to hang out there. Eggs are popular lately and we've got to keep up. happy mid-week to you all.
Salud, JR

Boom!

As I await my free dinner, I say to you things are booming. We have many tomato starts you need to have! I had the day off from farming as I built a pallet fence for one of my dearest friends. Who knew pallets, free one at that, could look so sweet? I bet people would pay a grand for one of these puppies in an ikea catalog... Tiller and Mags, meanwhile, have gotten just a plethora of new seed trays started.. 18 to be exact. That's more than we originally started with! So tell your friends.. tell yourself to come get starts from us! As we approach last frost we are ever tempted to get thigs in the dirt, but patience pays. Root crops, such as beets, carrots and radishes, will see their seeds go in by weeks end. Very excited about the giant yellow echindorf beet and the mammouth red mangel beet. We would like to enter both in the fair for size, hoping to get 20 pounds plus out of the reds.. They used to be used for horse feed, but horses we have not. We'll find a use for sure. Anyhow, that is months away. Tonight we hunker down and embrace the late winter with hopes of warmth and more abundant sun to come. From me to you, I say goodnight. JR

Forward

breakfast. discussion. plan. action. we are pretty much sorting through and taking an inventory of our starts, deciding which and how many to keep... the rest are yours my friends! thank you to all who have already helped the cause by taking some starts off our hands. jb and I bulked up on feed for the birds today, along with a shiny new 5 gallon watering can for the meatbirds. all winged creatures seem to be loving life today! the laying hens took on a dose of scrap romaine from a weekend at the restaurant and seemed to love it.. watching them go crazy on lettuce after a light April snow is hilarious!
Speaking of, what a whirlwind of seasons today in Spokane.. I loved it for one. Hitting the freeway in a pseudo blizzard around noon and then transplanting in the solarium to a beautiful late day sun... very cool. Lettuce was a big part of the day, with many starts finding their way to a newly found shelf inside the solarium... stuff looks good. Several types of leafy greens and reds, along with dwarf pok choi, radicchio, and bak choi. Thanks to all who continue to support us in our attempt to provide community supported agriculture. Things are moving right along and I couldn't be more excited. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings! Salud, JR

Bedtime

Well, another weekend has come to a close... Sunday is technically my Friday with my true weekend coming in the next two days. We have dubbed Mondays as "do work" Mondays, where we will possibly set out to accomplish some of the more grueling tasks of the week. This is due to the fact JB and myself share only this day as a break from our "real" jobs. Today at the farm we sat in the warm sun and transplanted a bit more, and upon my leaving, several stayed behind to plant what awaits us in the morning. Zinnias! Creativity is growing again and again and everyday keeps bringing new insight of how to reach our full potential. Never stop. By the way, we considered setting out a sign on Glenrose to tell people we have tomato starts available.. just so you know. We are keeping about two plants of each variety and the rest is to share with y'all. Please let us know, and we'll be glad to get you some. Until today.. your friend, JR

Accountability

The only way I figure this will all work, is if I live on the farm. One of us has to. Is it a good idea, a dream, or a reality? I for one, say it's a manifestation finally coming true. Prairie, I can't wait to wake up to you... City life... no pun intended, is for the birds... I say sweet dreams, JR

Slacker!

Yep, I already missed a day.. no excuses. This will make me better. The solarium is filling up quite rapidly and the air is nice! I think we may have all our starts in 3 inch pots, with about six new full trays consisting of new seed. Never stop. JB really busted his ass yesterday and once again got us ahead in the game. We don't want to rush you mother nature, but we got some real treats for your soils when you're ready... Big thanks to Ross and Maggy for all their help recently. So sweet to be surrounded by such good people. Everybody have a great weekend. Cheers, JR

bird is the word...

Today was, is random. Running into old friends, trying to wrangle another wild turkey, etc... Clouds and afternoon rain have filled the skies, but we got a good clip of transplanting done and we are getting closer to having some of the starts available to the public. Mass tomatoes! All the plants made the transfer just fine, as I checked their progress through the night. The three baby turkeys will go to the barn tomorrow, and I couldn't be more excited. We hope to have them ready for a nice feast to celebrate the summer solstice and the anniversary of the birth of young J.B. Tiller. What a party it should be. Join if you like. Lastly, it seems the more we network the more we are reminded that farming is coming back! We have a fairly large piece for only two guys to run, but people are gardening again! Young people! I love the stories, ideas and passion people have for this and it has me thinking things are getting back to what is right. Why pay when you can grow? Tomorrow I will till a spot for a co-worker, and it will be exciting to see what she has in store. I live in the heart of town, and my neighbors in the alley have chickens, just two. Its is so easy to be mindful and raise your own birds, and the reward is constant. Ramble on Tucker...
Cheers, JR

Transfer

Waking early, I managed to fit all 28 start trays in the Beauville, and make it to the solarium on the prairie. It took us a second to get the temps figured out and make the plants cozy, but I think we got it dialed in. I had to get this post in early, for I will be staying overnight with the plants to monitor their activity through a possibly stressful move. Now is not the time to be lazy.
Back at the farm, Maggy has done some nice work getting some fruit trees in the ground and the soil in the rows is looking good. Damn good! Hope you all enjoy a few new pictures and have a lovely evening. cheers, JR

New beginnings...

Monday brought on a day lacking of a plan, but things still happened. The cat came back, with serious hunger. Some say she's too cute to be a barn cat... I'm not swayed. She's a cat. More transplanting filled our late morning, mostly tomatoes. I'd say 60 percent of the starts are now in 3-inch pots, mostly consisting of tomatoes. We will be selling some of the tomato starts, so let us know if you're interested. Tomorrow is the day all plants go to the solarium on the prairie. Its been a good five weeks and I'm excited to see them grow up even more. Patti, the boss, was going to Davenport today to peek at a baby goat, so who knows if we'll have a surprise in the morning... chicks seem to be growing by the hour, and their appetite is fierce, which in turn makes mine the same. So cheers to new things and new beginnings. Hope y'all had a good monday. Keep it up, never stop. JR

Thanks and Praises

Checking on the ladies and the babies was the only real task we achieved today. Lazy however, we don't feel. It was a good week of re-designing, creating, and maintaining. The ladies are very happy, one of which is shown contemplating which of her new laying boxes to lay in. Quite cozy their coupe has become, which makes for a happy farm. The lillies are coming up outside their run, and the deer haven't attacked them too much yet. Before I forget I'd like to thank the Bryant clan for their donation of feed to the farm this weekend. And also to the Robbins clan for the use of a vehicle for a month plus. Now that my mother and father are both officially retired and home from vacation, they'll have plenty of time to head South to pull weeds... the work never stops. However, I feel the golf course will sway my father's interest much more.
This week the starts head south to adjust to the sun and kick it in the solarium. I'll miss having them at my place on the north side, but it will also be nice to have a home again. So, with this being said, I hope everyone is well rested and has a productive and creative week. Stay tuned, be proud. Your friend, JR