The winter is when I spend a little time away from the farm.  During the summer, things are so busy and moving so fast, to even take a day or two away from the farm is nearly impossible. 

Recently, I took a week to visit my in-laws on the Yucatan peninsula.  January in the Yucatan is warm and balmy somewhat similar to summers in Sonoma.

There was a lot of seasonal produce available at the local markets.  The vegetables were pretty familiar tomato, lettuce, squash, beans, etc.  The fruit diversity was much greater with many types of bananas, citrus, mangoes, and avocados.  Including fruits I had never seen before.

The area I spent much of my time in, was the city of Tizimin.  The soil is thin and rocky with limestone.  The land surrounding the city was predominately covered in cattle ranches.  There were also small family land plots dedicated mainly to tree fruit. 

I ate as much fruit and avocados as I possibly could while I was there.  Having returned to winter in Sonoma I’m doing my best to get back into my rainy winter routine of planning for the coming growing season and finishing up the last bits of paperwork from 2011. 

But its a hard transition from wearing sandals and walking white sandy beaches.

If you live in the Sonoma, CA area check out our farm’s CSA program.

There always seems like there should be more time during the late fall, early winter but every year I’m reminded there is not. 

Perhaps it is a thought that happens during the summer when time at the farm is so busy planting, weeding, harvesting, weeding, and selling.  Things are moving so fast and the long days are filled with work. 

So the thought starts, that once the vegetables are killed off one by one by the frost there will be less work and more time for reflection and enjoyment of the season. 

But all of a sudden it’s Halloween and the farm has to get ready for winter, removing irrigation and putting in the cover crop.  Suddenly Thanksgiving shows up and there are still root crops that need to be harvested before the heavy rains set in. 

And then, there are holiday parties to go to, decoration to put up, gifts to make, holiday cards to write, and the desire to be bad by spending mornings sleeping until late.

I need more time to prepare the field for the rainy cold short days of winter.  But nature progresses through the seasons at its own pace so why fight it, you get done what you can, in the window of time you’re provided.  I remind myself to think positive with the thoughts of better planning next year.

Finally getting some new pieces listed at the shop.  More to follow!!!

I’ve been busy posting new necklaces at the store

Rose

Alpine Strawberries

Grapes

Click above for a visual description of what fall harvest means to me

Early Sunday morning I was at Quarter Acre Farm with my husband and brother in-law planting garlic.  Lots and lots of Early California White Garlic.  Garlic cloves are planted anytime between October and January for a harvest of big beautiful heads in May or June.  During the winter when most of the field is resting the garlic is busy at work sending up green shoots through a mulch of dried leaves while it develops the many cloves that make up a head of garlic. 

If you have any questions on growing garlic feel free to ask in the comments section below.

For the last week or so I’ve been working on a logo for Agrarian Style.  Well to say I’ve been working on it, is not exactly true I’ve been lending suggestions and ideas to Solid Art  Collective who has been doing all the hard work.  In a few words Solid Art Collective is totally awesome.  The shop owner dRE is amazing, you explain the look and feel you are wanting your logo to express and it happens.  dRE designed the logo for Quarter Acre Farm, every time I hand out my business card the receiver’s first reaction is “Nice logo!”  So I am stoked to have another show stopping logo from Solid Art Collective very soon!!!

I was busy today attending the 15th annual Community Food Security Coalition conference.  I love attending conferences dealing with agriculture and local food systems not just for the knowledge and networking that you can gain from such an event but also for the amazing rockin’ style that these people in the progressive sustainable food systems movement have.  I found myself staring at peoples kickin’ footwear and fabulous hairstyle.  There were different looks all over the place this is not a cookie cutter style movement.  Tomorrow I might try and sneak some photos for some visual aids …

tumblrbot asked: WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST HUMAN MEMORY?

ummm tough one … I think it was being stung by a bee on the top of my head while cleaning out a chicken coop.  I think I was three or four