9
June
2010
I found myself a minute to post a quick update.
This week has seem some good work on the farm. Two chicken coops have been finished and just over 100 laying hens were introduced to the southern pasture area of the farm. These chicken coups were inspired by chicken tractor designs which are available all over the Internet. These little chicks which lay eggs from dark brown, terra cotta, to white, and even blue. They will not be laying anytime soon though so until sometime in mid to late September our egg supply will be fairly limited.
Kevin has been a busy bee harvesting away for today’s CSA delivery which will include the staples of lettuce, spinach, green onions, herbs, and a few new introductions not seen thus far.
Thats my update
Hope all is well, busy, and productive for you all.
Dewayne
Dewayne Arave 
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1
June
2010
Saturday market was washed out by rain, snow, hail, and ample wind. We still went to the market and some real troopers came out to support us. The term “after market” pops into my head as I think of what we looked like arriving at the house, dirt splattered, movements slowed by exhaustion, rain soaked clothing grinding past itself with every movement. A warm soak in the tub was uppermost on my agenda. I managed to justify this indulgence even while the weight of farm chores weighed on my mind.
Sunday was the productive farm day.
So much was accomplished it makes me smile even now. Volunteers came to help yet again. Marina, a volunteering neighbor, and I decided that shoveling was our call to duty for the day and shovel we did. A quick count yielded a total of at least 720 holes dug and readied for this year’s potato crop. Asanara and Todd cleaned around each of the greenhouses, making some degree of order spring from the hodgepodge which is our accumulated building materials. Felicia and Kevin found an assortment of tasks to do including planting potatoes in their newly created homes, watering plants, and feeding animals. All told we managed quite a productive day. OH and I almost forgot the amazing salad Asanara created. Every available green was harvested into a large bowl which we each drew our own combo of the freshest possible mix of green goodness. This was topped with a freshly created salad dressing with golden balsamic vinegar, spices and olive oil, also a gift of Asanara’s creation. I was quite surprised at how perfectly every plant the greenhouse had available meshed together into a perfect flavor combination.
Monday – the surprise holiday.
Somehow, even with multiple reminders and knowing it was a holiday; it had totally escaped me that I would not have to work at the INL on Monday. I remember looking at the weather forecast early last week, seeing rain every day but Sunday and Monday, I cheered at the opportunity for planting on Sunday while simultaneously wishing Monday wasn’t a workday so I could plant even more. It was not until Sunday night as I get a phone call to remind me about visiting graves on Monday that it occurred to me that I wouldn’t have to work the next day. What a great surprise it was and the day was certainly used. Marina and I planted many more potatoes, dug out more raised beds in a greenhouse, and once again Todd and Asanara crafted more order from our chaotic, accumulated, materials. Another amazing meal was had amongst the group with salad and dressing, complimented by great conversation.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this weekend happen. From Laura Ann with Lau Family farms who lent us her tarp to keep the pelting hail from destroying out booth and plants (much less the wind from blowing us away.), to Marina who tirelessly dug a field of homes for our future potato crop, to Felicia who came to the farm for the first time not knowing what to expect and yet so very open to whatever the farm needed of her, to Todd and Asanara for creating order and wonderful food.
And now, back to work at the INL I feel ready to settle back into a desk job, tired enough to enjoy the recouping that sitting in a chair and talking on the phone a
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28
May
2010
Ah the humble cobbler. Raiser of those impoverished masses, pride of the Inca, and Idaho’s claim to fame. The potato is a nutritional power house, stores well, and complements any dish.
Yesterday I took the time to cut up this years seed potato. Carefully I selected just the right amount of eyes for each seed piece, set them in cardboard trays with a fan running in the background to help dry out the newly exposed flesh. The cutting of a potato into many pieces in order to reproduce the plant is an old practice going back to American prehistory. Interestingly some sects of Hindu’s won’t eat potatoes out of respect for the roots ability to continue creating life in seeming perpetuity.
Now, as the new seed potatoes dry preparing themselves for the planting ahead, I cannot help but be pleased with the varieties. Outside of newly exposed flesh these potatoes hold little in common with one another. These little tubers range in color, size, and harvest time in order to get the variety we will all appreciate come fall, winter, and hopefully spring.
Here is a quick list of potato varities we are planting:
All these varieties are from http://ronnigers.com/ which is a respected organic/natural potato producer which produces in the rocky mountain region. Click on the names of the potatoes to see more about what will appear in our CSA baskets later this year.
Here’s to another productive weekend, one of potato planting, seedling transplanting, fence building, and preparing new garden beds. Sunday is suppose to be beautiful folks, for those of you who have some free time and want to spend it productively outdoors your helping hands will certainly be welcome out at EIO farm.
Dewayne
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24
May
2010
I was reminded how overdue this post was this year. Better late then never though right?
So, for all of you who are waking up to spring in Idaho Falls and looking at those bare spots around the yard with a planning eye I would like to remind you that East Idaho Organic has bedding plants for sale. We have perennials, annuals, flowers and vegetation available to fill up those beds and make your yard look just how you want it this year. This year we have a great variety of Geraniums both regal and zonal in with colored foliage and beautiful intense blooms, we have petunias, pansies, lobielia, plectranthus, calibrachoa, bacopa, sea pinks, dianthus, sedums, dhalias, and more. We also have 10-20 inch hanging baskets available and some 12 pack plants available for you to make your own baskets if your looking to save some money.
As always you can see us at the Saturday farmers market or if you want to come visit the house during the week and checkout what we have growing on just give us a call at 522-4905 or send me an email and we can work something out. As a reminder to our CSA members you will get an additional 25% off our normal prices.
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20
May
2010
Just a quick update. The workparty out at the farm went great! Peas, onions, corn, broccoli, and leeks were all planted. Several rows in the old beds were also weeded and readied for planting. By the end of the day the ditch was even filled with water so we couldn’t have planned the timing better. Thank you to everyone who participated and we look forward a bountiful harvest which will at least partially be attributable to the efforts of our volunteers, friends, and CSA labor share members.
On another note to our CSA members. I just ordered 55 lbs of seed potatoes, apx 250-400 shallot sets,and 5 lbs of jerusalem artichokes. Also I just put in an order with Johnny’s select for just under $200 of veggie seeds. The new seeds from Johnny’s include: peas, arugula, lettuce, collars, kale, melons, gords, red veined spinach, radish, and swiss chard.
This weekends activities should include planting seeds for everything from mizuna, arugula, spinach and lettuce to planting strawberry crowns, hoeing weeds, shoveling out the ditch, and working on the new chicken coops. Should be a busy and hopefully productive weekend.
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