So instead of spending an afternoon working out dog run arrangements these students got a special treat. A look at my website! I mean a real world math application that was engaging, fun and memorable. We just wanted to take a moment to recognize one of the fantastic teachers, without whom we would have no one to call when we have math related farm questions. Maybe next week they can work out some crop planning for us using percentages or fractions? Seriously…
Today I got a call from my dear friend April who is a high school math teacher in Nevada, maybe the best math teacher ever. Top 10 at least. Anyway, April called to let me know she had my website up in her class today and was using it to teach. At first I was thinking “what not to do with an English degree” or “this is what will happen to you if you if flunk Algebra” or something about average weight and size of real cows vs. mini cows… but being the amazing teacher she is she was using a real life example to teach something about perimeter and volume or something along those lines. She pulled up the page with the baby goat slide show and the students worked out fence arrangements using gates and specific lengths of fence to design the very best baby goat pen. Then they talked about which arrangement would be best for the goats; square? Long and skinny, so they can run? She also took a moment to educate about the importance of local food, CSA’s and Farmers Markets. I said she was amazing right? Don’t you wish you had a teacher who was that cool?
So instead of spending an afternoon working out dog run arrangements these students got a special treat. A look at my website! I mean a real world math application that was engaging, fun and memorable. We just wanted to take a moment to recognize one of the fantastic teachers, without whom we would have no one to call when we have math related farm questions. Maybe next week they can work out some crop planning for us using percentages or fractions? Seriously…
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Today I was rearranging all of the animals in the barn when the baby goats staged an elaborate and successful escape. They were alone in the barn and decided that really, they are big enough to hang with the big goats. So, when my back was turned the launched their plan and left their pen and made a run for the outside goat play yard where their Momma and her goaty, head butting, friends were hanging out. I honestly wasn’t overly concerned. I thought their Mom would protect them from the other goats and I know they love playing outside. What I hadn’t considered was that the giant blue bucket I have tipped upside down for them to play on in their pen is the same as the blue bucket I am using as a water trough for the cows outside. Anyone see where I am going with this? So the babies are running around in wild circles and banking off the walls and generally running amok when wee baby Myco jumps “onto” the blue bucket which, of course, is actually “into” the blue bucket and sinks. The water is about 2 feet deep in the bucket, Myco is not that big. I was standing there so I dived for the bucket and fished him out. He seemed surprised but he managed to keep his head above water. So we are soaked and he is shaking and the other babies are screaming and Bailey, his mom, wanders off to eat grass. I sent Aby running for a towel and we dragged all of the babies back inside and we all sat under the heat lamp until he was dry.
Now the babies play in Guinness’s stall when everyone else is outside. Where all of the blue buckets are for playing and not for water. This week, out of the blue we have gotten a slew of applications from people wishing to be Siren Song Farm interns. Some have been strange and some have been awesome but it's very flattering to have people seek you out because they believe in what you are doing. So, after much talk and deliberation we have decided to take on three interns this summer in addition to our fantastic voulenteers. We will be offering monthly classes, a small stipend and all the good food they can eat. We are really excited. We have already contacted an amazing farmer to teach some of the classes and I will be teaching the rest. The classes will be available to others as well so if you would like to come out just let me know. If you would like to be an intern this summer please feel free to contact us and make an appointment to come out and see us. If you would like to work on the farm but not as an intern we will also have opportunities for volunteers, especially for planting and harvest days. As always, we will have a couple CSA shares for people who would be willing to volunteer one day a week in exchange for a weekly box of veggies. If any of this interests you, just drop me a line at [email protected]
March is almost over and we have had one day of sun. ONE. While this sucks in a general way, in our world it means that our field is flooded. Standing water that has been there for so long it is growing algae. The farmer from last year decided not to cover crop so day by day we watch as our topsoil runs into the neighbor’s yard. We have no plants out in the field. They would drown. The hoophouses are in standing water as well. We are freaking out. We called the NRCS to come and help and all we got was a suggestion that maybe our land would be better suited classified as a wetland. The surrounding farms seem to disagree with that statement. We didn’t realize we are at the bottom of the watershed. We are near an actual wetland and we thought that was the bottom but apparently the water is actually being diverted to us and not it. It’s going to be tricky to get CSA boxes out in June if we can’t plant in the field until mid April!! We have 3,000 plants ready and waiting to go out. Slowly growing out of their pots and there is nothing we can do! 500 pounds of seed potatoes are on their way and we have no place to put them. We had to buy lettuce greens. What is the point of being a farmer if you have to buy greens? It makes me want to go back to school. Couldn’t nature have picked another year for record rainfall? Maybe last year? Our farmer friends just posted this on their blog and I think it sums up this dreary situation perfectly “Dear Winter, Give up already, we won. Sincerely, Portland”
Today was our very first Portland Farmers Market at PSU. It was a lot of fun and I am very glad it’s over. We were up by 5:00 to get all of the animals fed and the van packed and ready to go. We were there by 6:30 and were asked why we were so late? Late? We are two hours early! We, of course, drive right past our spot and have to leave the market, circle the block and try again. We were a little shaky and nervous by the time we finally unpacked. Luckily our sweet, sweet parents and new friend and worker Desmond where there to help and with everyone working we got the tents up and everything set up in record time. We brought seven varieties of potatoes, leeks, sunchokes and veggie starts. We even had little boxes built with hoophouse covers for salad greens. They were awesome.
The sun even came out for a little while which was a blessed relief as it has been the only day without rain so far this month. Everyone was leaning over the tables to be in the sun while they had the chance. Aby and Desmond got all of the plants organized and labeled and I set up everything else. I even managed to remember to bring CSA applications! We had a total blast. We sold out of leeks and the small potato bags. The best part of the market was the people there. I have never encountered such a good looking and educated public in my life. The customers didn’t just ask questions they asked thoughtful questions. I was asked for scientific names and planting recommendations and nutritional facts. It was wild. I knew most of the answers. They knew what Permaculture was. They are permaculturists themselves. They want to come to the farm and volunteer! And they are pretty. This is no random sampling of people. No, apparently only the most fabulous people shop at the PSU market with the most adorable children. I have never ever seen so many cute babies in all of my life. It is so much fun to watch them all walking by. So, I am slumped on the couch totally exhausted. This blog may make no sense at all. I am not a fan of getting up at 5:00 in the morning. Getting up at 5 every Saturday until Christmas is daunting but now I am looking forward to it not freaking out! You should all come out and see us, and buy lots and lots of potatoes. Especially the purple and pink potatoes, which sadly seem to be overlooked for their less showy, more russet like, yellow friends. Aby and I started Bee School this week in Salem. We were invited by our friends from Trinity Ridge Farm and as we love any excuse to hang out with them we thought “what the heck, lets drive to Salem!” Bee School is fantastic. When I told my friend April about the class she said "What, you couldn't get into an A school?" So, of course, that's all I can think about when we are there. We weren’t sure what to expect but the room was packed with people excited to get into bee keeping. We have gone over the history of beekeeping, safety and equipment so far. I feel far more confident now about my ability to assemble the two hives we got from Rhul Bee Supply (that are in a million pieces on the living room floor). Knowing what the components are and what their function is really helps when assembling hives. Outside of the practical aspects of the class it was wonderful to see so many people interested in saving the bees. I think it says something really great about our community that people are flocking to these classes to get educated. I think we all know that Portland is fantastic but it’s awesome to see that people and walking the walk and not simply just talking about it. Totally worth the drive to Salem. Starting to get truly excited about the bees!
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AuthorJen Henry is a Permaculture Designer, horticulturist and visual artist. As well as a massage therapist, herbalist, painter, chef, glass blower, writer and market gardener. She is grateful that her English Degree has finally come in useful for something. Archives
January 2012
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