Chick update

We get many questions and comments about the chickens, so here's an update on the newest flock. They are now "pullets" meaning they are not chicks anymore, but not laying yet. They are our teenagers, if you will. We ordered 50 chicks and now have 40 healthy pullets. They are getting more adventurous and are also establishing their pecking order. We are starting to be able to tell that we may have a couple of roosters, so we'll be deciding what to do with them as soon as we know for sure. To answer a popular question, you do not need a rooster for hens to be able to lay eggs. Roosters just fertilize the eggs, but hens will lay eggs even if they are not fertilized. We have found that it is not worth it to keep roosters because we don't want to hatch our own eggs in the near future, we have to pay to feed them, and they cause the hens too much stress, thus limiting their well-being and egg production. Hmmm....sound like some households you know?

Slug Watch 2010

Friday date night in the Caruso household: Put the baby to bed, strap on a headlamp, tug on some boots, and trek on down to the field to seek and destroy slugs. All in the name of protecting our lettuce, broccoli and cabbage. Slugs hide out under weeds and soil during the day and come out in the cooler temps of nightfall to feast on our hard work, so it's the best time to catch them. There are many theories and practices devoted to keeping slugs at bay, but when you have very long rows, it proves too much to put copper around them and slug bait is a no-no. We have trapped them under boards before, but this spring we're trying to get the baby slugs before they are grown. We know-we live in the northwest. We won't eradicate them. But sometimes it's fun to try, and hey- it makes an interesting date.

This Old House: Appliance Edition

I'm not sure at what point I immediately began to take pictures "for the blog," when we did anything around here, but that's what seems to be happening. As part of a "this old house" appliance installment, I proudly present our new range. This is our fourth new appliance in as many months- all unplanned additions to our home. We weren't sad to see the old ones go, but it complicated things because we were not planning on these until the construction was a little farther along.

Goodbye, old, old stove that cooked 100 degrees hotter than you said you would...

We decided to switch from electricity, so we now have a gas dryer and range in addition to our water heater. This made more work for ourselves, though, as it required moving gas lines and plumbing to accommodate the new appliances and put them where we plan for them to go in the remodel. Because of this, the new range seems to float in the kitchen without a counter around it. After installing the stove, Vince, the designated appliance repairman, mentioned, "well, I now know how to install any appliance, after all of this."

Yeah! No more no-bake cookies! And just in time for all those wonderful veggie dishes I know I'll be creating very soon.

Handmade Implements

Whenever we visit other farms, the part that most fascinates Vince is the methods of getting their tasks done. He is always looking for new, more efficient ways to accomplish each job. We often talk about the fancy implements for certain jobs, specifically weeding and harvesting, that we just can't buy. The new Planet Junior wheel hoe is a the latest new find, but, of course, it needs some tender loving care, as do most things around here. But don't feel pity for us...it seems most farmers never use equipment exactly as it was intended. In fact, most don't own any tool they haven't tinkered with to make it work for them.
Here is a picture of the cart Vince made from collected odds and ends. Last weekend I stepped outside to see a new "rock pen." The tractor was dragging a plastic pallet with a wire mesh cage on top. The cage encircles all the rocks he and Cousin Bob collected from the fields that have been wreaking havoc on the rototiller. Now where to put those rocks (and the many more that have yet to be rounded up)...

Learning Through Observation

I don't think patrons of the farmers market always believed Anna was doing the field work when she was selling at the markets. This year we will post pictures at our booth to show she can carry a child and cultivate.
Pieter should know how to hoe a row by kindergarten.

Begin a Business Plan: check

We did it! Break out the hat, tassel and champagne, we graduated! Well, I'm not sure it's really graduating, but we do have a certificate to prove we did something! We recently took a 12 week course titled Agricultural Entrepreneurship and Business Planning. It was offered by the Washington State University Extension (does that make us Cougs now? gasp!) and covered the aspects of writing a business plan specific to farming. We discussed risk management, finances, mission and vision statements, succession plans, employee management and marketing. Our biggest disappointment came when we just didn't have enough time to research and write after working our other jobs and doing the chores needed to get the garden going for the spring. But now we have things to think about and a good outline. We were also able to network with established farmers and other professionals in our area as well as with other beginning small business adventurers like ourselves.

Lettuce Begin with Spring!

The lettuce looks great. The variety in this picture is called Buttercrunch and it is beautiful. We planted it in an area that has only been tilled for one year, so we will have to be extra-vigilant with the weed control. We also had a mysterious critter mow down part of the row, mainly choosing to eat the Valmaine. The missing plants were dutifully replanted, only to be chewed on again. They are covered with a row cover, so it is something small and perhaps mouse-like that is enjoying a delicious salad at free will. We have not identified the culprit, obviously, so maybe it's time to get out the headlamps and go "bug searching" at night when they are out and easier to see. Maybe this attractive lettuce will saturate the animal market and the critter will leave more bountiful produce for human consumption. We have a friend who identifies organic food as "half eaten" food. Hope this is the percent she was taking about. Author: Anna, with the witty closure by her dad, Chris.

Kiwi Cuttings

I made cuttings from our kiwi vines at the beginning of March. They are protected from frost and look better than the established kiwis in the garden that were nipped by a few cold mornings.

I don't think the new figs survived the hard freeze this winter and I have an Italian Prune tree that I killed during the drought last year. We were running excavators and skid steers all over the ground around the prune tree and the soil became extremely compacted.

This gives me the chance to buy new fruit trees to replace the dead ones, maybe some peaches or plums.