Piling Up!

Things are definitely piling up around here! The snow really put a dent in my work time! It is a bit hard getting work done with three caged animals going stir crazy! teehee! I am slowly catching up, but would most definitely would love it if I was all caught up ; ) But are we really ever? hmm?

The conference was amazing! Heard from Joel Salatin himself! What a rebel he is! He was the key-note speaker on saturday and didn't even know it until I ran into some long lost friends. Great food! Great information! Awesome child care! I feel so at home at places like that! It is garden geekdom at it's best!

I ended up letting my children talk me into bringing home three chicks. They were irresistible! So I need to get out in the back yard and finish my coop and build a fence my darn dog won't jump! I really didn't think all these pets through! I need a fence! Then I can get my dwarf ewes haha!

On the business front, not much has happened. I am still trying to gather people to build my board and review the business plan. I must admit with the delay of the meeting I found myself procrastinating on the paperwork! I really need to get busy on this! I lose my babysitter in about a month and my time to work on this will be limited to early mornings only, which I would really like to start getting away from!

I have started taking pictures while I do stuff for the garden. One reason is for my presentation for class and the other is for tutorials. I have decided to start posting tutorials on either here or my website. I need to figure out how to do all that. It has been awhile since I have worked with HTML and it was very little that I could do! I go to a power point class today to learn how to jazz up my power point. I have 20 slides so far. So I am on track with that!

Not much else to report. I feel the need to hop over to business work now!

Catching up!

I know I know, more than a week passed this time! I am going to blame it on the OEFFA (Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association) conference this past weekend! Still trying to catch up and manage three kids while being snowed in for the second week!!! It cleared up long enough to go to the conference and then another storm hit!

What an amazing weekend! Daycare was provided so we all went! The daycare was run by a woman who runs The Waldorf Center in Columbus! The girls had an amazing time and actually cried when we left! Kolby had his own conference and activities to participate in! He made a solar oven, his own compost, and even toured the planetarium! Great weekend! As for myself, I could go on and on about the amazing people, incredible food, and fantastic workshops! Joel Salatin himself was the key note speaker on saturday. I didn't even know he was speaking and ironically just this past week watched Food Inc. (that is another post in itself). What an inspiration he is! Wow! Still haven't fully processed everything! I can't wait to get ahold of his books!!

I feel so at home at garden or farming conferences! I feel like everyone speaks my language! I could honestly stay there full time! But I guess that wouldn't leave me much time to play in the dirt and feed people ; ) There was a display for a hatchery there. They had day old ducks and chicks. They were incredibly adorable! The kids were drawn to them like magnets! Every time we walked past the display hall they made a b-line straight to that table. Well, by the end of the weekend they had convinced me........we came home with three chicks. Pancake, Sunflower Seed, and Birdie! They are quite cute! Cheep cheep! I made a brooder for them and they seem to be happy! They are downstairs with all my starts in my grow room! cheep cheep! Guess I have to hurry and finish the coop!

As far as the non-profit goes. Things are still coming along slowly but surely. Still trying to find a day where everyone can meet and we can go over the business plan. Would like to have that in order before I file. More updates to come! Must sign off and work on business ; )

Seeds!!!!

At least a full week hasn't passed since the last post ; ) In the last week I have gotten most of my seeds, with the exception of the ones that are on back order. I ordered from a couple different places this year and am keeping track of every detail. I will be doing starts for both gardens (mine and the church's), so the greenhouse better go up soon. Actually it goes up next weekend! I just couldn't wait though! I did starts two days ago! I got my blueberry bushes in the mail the other day and had to transplant them and it felt so good I couldn't stop! I have five flats of starts now ; ) I spent the entire day playing in the dirt and planting seeds! I cannot wait until spring and I can feel the dirt in my toes! Then I will truly be happy!!!

So I want to talk about the blueberries. I have never seen bare root bushes before. I just recently found out crowns would be a bare root as well. After I placed my order the company called to verify shipping since some came straight from the grower. They were calling about the potato seeds, not the blueberry bushes. I wondered about that! Then tuesday night I am almost in bed and someone knocks on my door......scares the crap out of me!!!! I go to the door and there is my box from Peaceful Valley Farms. I open the box and there is a bag with sticks. These are my blueberry bushes?!?! They are bare roots! I transplanted them in temporary homes in milk jugs and have them in the basement now. I also found out that blueberries need more than one variety so they can cross pollinate! So of course last night I ordered two more bushes (sticks) and while I was on the site ordered some grapes too!

I am going to be so busy with gardens! I cannot wait! The conference is next weekend and I am so excited for that! I can't wait to meet all my fellow garden geeks! I truly feel like a family at these conventions!

I know I know......

I know I am not doing very well on this blogging. Have I happened to mention how busy I am starting a non-profit, going to school, and raising three children! Whew! So I have excellent news!!!!! My plot went from a 30 x 30 to .......drum roll please........ 200 x 500!!!!!! Haha! My first response to that was "wow! that much land can produce a lot of produce!" haha! I almost can't believe it! Does anyone remember that song from the seventies for the tootsie roll commercial? Where the little boy is skipping and he is singing and the words go something like......and everything I turn to see becomes a tootsie roll to me......... i can't find the lyrics, but anyone remember? That is me! Skipping along looking at open space and it morphs into a garden and I am singing some little song about "open fields turning into gardens"......haven't figured out a cute jingle yet! Hey! That is a great idea!! I could have a contest and have the Feral Farmer's fans write my song!!!! I will organize that! First I need to find that commercial!

So other than that, nothing huge and exciting has happened! But that is pretty huge to stand on its own i think! I am going to cut this one short......I have sooooo much to do! I have a deadline set for myself for next friday. I have to get busy to meet it!



...................I found it!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaXk6PVXqJE