Sunday Walkabout 8-17

It's beginning to look and feel like FALL!

Wow!  That was quick!

Another week goes into the history column.

When I left off last Sunday…

 Oh, wait…I realize I haven’t written since…sorry, the summer doldrums have hit big time…I’ll be back soon…in the meantime, read these…"Summer Doldrums" 

"Father, Forgive Me" to understand what happens around here in the summertime. This year we are not bothered by heat...but, still...the summer gets long sometimes.

Back to what I was saying…

Last Sunday, we were still “brake-less” in the farm truck.  After a little brainstorming with the kids around the supper table Saturday evening, we figured we’d have to have it towed and repaired.   There’s this guy with a tow truck…and he could take it to this other guy…and then, maybe, just maybe we’d be back on the road by this week’s market…

The Boss just didn’t seem real keen on that whole idea, so he checked a little more, watched some Youtube and decided to take on the job himself.  A little fieldtrip for parts…a few minutes of heart-stopping action as he put it in the shop (Wait! The door! STOP!  The freezer!)…a little crawling on the floor  

…and my expert brake-pumping help

Apparently I am very good at braking
it has been suggested that I get my own pedal on the passenger side.

and he had it back on the road in short order.

Yay, Boss!

 And, the parts bill?    $20. Really. Definitely, a YAY!

Then, we processed broilers…again.

hauling broilers for processing 

  

Given Gus' propensity for "helping" he spends processing day in the barn
Isn't this a pathetic face?
yes, the door is tied shut...he will open it otherwise

After processing, we moved the mid-sized birds out back and on Friday another batch arrived at the Post Office.

broilers settling in new pen

Gus helped by "cleaning" the chick waterer

newly arrived chick

It always amazes me that those little fluff-balls not much bigger than a marshmallow will grow large enough to feed a hungry family in just eight weeks!

Fine eating!
-TLeightonWomack photo

And it rained…again. We got over a half an inch this time and it really seemed to make a big difference in the growth in the gardens and the fields. The fall crops are looking great! Unfortunately, the weeds are growing well, too.

The rain changed the Boss’ plan to “shoot” the Rockingham County Fair. So he worked on the tractor instead.

after the truck repair...tractor tire repair
it's always something!

This is the third year we’ve done this at the request of the General Manager.  Last year, one of the Boss’ photos garnered an award from the International Association of Fairs and Expositions. Here’s that story. Thanks for the opportunity, Jeff!

The Rockingham County Fair is Virginia’s largest Agricultural fair and in 2012 was America’s top agricultural fair (IAFE Div. 1)   https://www.facebook.com/RockCoFair  It’s impressive to say the least.

Here are a few random fair shots.  I hope to have a couple of posts in the next week or so about the fair.

This year the Fair invested in a new poultry barn AND a whole new building to house a poultry exhibit. 

Poultry production has had an enormous influence on Valley life in the past 75 years and the exhibit is outstanding. There is MUCH more to the fair than Ferris wheels, blue ribbons and cotton candy! You could learn a lot at the fair. Oh…wait, do you sense a blog post coming?

After a day at the Fair, it was back to the business at hand.  Planting, picking, packing, weeding, seeding, feeding…

This may be the cure for my summer doldrums
seeds for fall and winter!

Despite the ruined corn
the butterfly is pretty!

On one of my trips out to feed the lambs, I discovered that we had suffered some sort of invasion overnight.  Marauding critters (groundhogs or coons, I reckon) had gotten into the poor, struggling corn and had themselves a ball.  Now, this has happened in the past (read this),  but we had seen no evidence of any predators in quite some time (and we trapped countless critters last year) and we got complacent…and the corn wasn’t looking all that great anyway.  I honestly thought that the crop was a total loss and that thought just added to whole “summer doldrums” that I’d been struggling with all week.  However, on closer investigation, there will actually be some corn to harvest both for our own use and for Winter Sales.  Hooray!

 (guess what we’re doing tomorrow after the feed/town run)

there are a lot of squashes hiding under the leaves

In other crop news, the bumper crop of butternut squash is becoming evident as the vines begin to die back.  In another couple weeks, we will harvest the squash, allowing them to cure prior to sale at the Market. We’re going to need a BIG storage spot this year!

just a few grapes

 …and despite the Polar Vortex and the cold snap during the Spring, there are even a few grapes along the lane where the wandering deer herd of Mbrook can’t reach them. We see the herd on a regular basis, and while I think the dogs have kept them from visiting here on the hill, they were spotted at the Post Office the other day. And, no…I do not know why deer would go to the Post Office, particularly the Mbrook Post Office! (no offense to Mbrook of course)

the sauce tomatoes are especially prolific
despite the blighted leaves

The rain got the tomato crop ripening and there are tomatoes everywhere.  We made sauce this week, took bunches to Market and still have more to process.  It looks like we will be freezing the next batch for Winter Sales. Yes, tomatoes will freeze.  Now, you couldn’t use them in a salad or on a sandwich, but they are perfect for chili, soups and stews. And, while you could just buy them at the store, we like putting up our own produce and our customers appreciate our efforts. So, that’s job #1 this week…because, like it or not, Winter is going to make a return visit.

The week was capped off with another amazing Market.

The crowds have been unbelievable this year and the Market (as a whole) is on course to set an all-time sales record. Personally, despite a very slow start, our sales have been astounding.  We get constant requests to grow more, more, more.  It is both encouraging and humbling to hear folks rave about the food we produce here on the hill.  

THANK YOU to all our faithful customers!

It looks like a dark, possibly rainy start to a Sunday…but, nobody is going to complain about rain…no way!

Sunday sunrise from the front porch  8-17

Hope you’re having a

Happy Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to come visit us again, soon. 

...and if you haven't "liked" us on Facebook, do that right now. Seriously.  You can keep up with what's happening here on the hill even when I don't get around to blogging.

Sunday Walkabout 8-10

"For every fog in August...there will be a snow in winter."
We've had a foggy start to every day this month...
I certainly hope the old weather adage is NOT true!!

It was a long week here on the hill.  But, it honestly doesn’t seem like a whole lot happened…

Wait a minute…that’s not true.

It was actually an exciting week.  Well, in relative terms…for at least one of the residents.

This week it was all about Waylon. The first of August marks the beginning of breeding season and Waylon's starring role.

This old boy is HOT!

.  

Here come the girls!
The ewe in the lead got her hair "done" for the occasion
by rubbing her head on the new red gate, she certainly is distinctive
Read about her HERE

The ewes were summoned and de-wormed.  

new ram harness

Waylon was outfitted.

The gate between was opened …and well…that was that. 

It’s always pretty anti-climactic.

But, here are some posts from the past about the first of August.

http://homesteadhillfarm.blogspot.com/2013/08/oh-happy-day.html Personally, I like this one that I wrote on Waylon’s behalf.

http://homesteadhillfarm.blogspot.com/2012/08/anticipation-is-makin-me-wait.html

http://homesteadhillfarm.blogspot.com/2011/08/rams-destiny.html

We should see “something” happening soon and five months from that we’ll be back in the lambing shed. I, for one, can’t wait.  I love lambing season, and this year we have six new ewes in the breeder flock.  So…I am anxiously awaiting breeding and delivery to see if I chose wisely. (I’ll keep you posted)

the onions need to be good and dry before further processing

The Boss had hoped to get all the onions trimmed and sorted and stowed in the cooler this week.  However, they weren’t quite ready for further processing, so we’ll have to add that to next week’s list.  That changed our plans and left time for more green bean picking. I am seriously tired of picking green beans…but, “gotta pick green beans while the sun shines”…or something like that. It really won’t be that long until the snow flies and everyone will be wishing for the hot weather and fresh green beans of summer.

teeny, tiny beans mean I'm going to be picking for quite a while yet

The gardens were beginning to look rather bleak due to the lack of rain.  Seriously, National Zucchini Day was August 9…instead of pumping out “zukes” by the carload, the zucchini plants were just sitting there, drying out,.  It was depressing. 

Irrigation is great.  It keeps the plants alive and producing to a certain degree, but there’s nothing like RAIN from above.  However, the fall potato patch had seen little, if any…it was looking rather bleak and just a little wilty.   So, the Boss set up a sprinkler system.  While this is not the most efficient or effective system, it does help.  Not a half an hour after he set up the sprinkler, a thunderstorm popped up and dropped nearly a half inch of rain.  WOOHOO!

It's raining, it's pouring...

On our “regularly scheduled hoophouse day”, the Boss tilled the empty beds for me before doing some more cleaning out of the spent crops.  I went into a planting frenzy and got about half of the transplants out of the greenhouse and into the ground.  

tilling in the hoophouse

transplanting  leads to very dirty jeans and sore knees

While I was working, it rained again.  This is what it sounds like in the hoophouse when it rains. 

  

As time passed, it got louder, and it even thundered (no lightning)!  But, I did indeed get all the transplanting done! (and we got more measurable rainfall)

It is amazing what a little rain will do for the gardens.  In the places where we had given up hope on potatoes sprouting…suddenly there are plants!  There were even zucchinis and cukes…and LOTS of broccoli…and even more green beans for Market.

potato sprouts pushing through the earth

healthy potato plant

look at all those beans!

Picking seemed to take forever on Friday.  I’m not complaining.  A long picking day generally means a good Market day…so it’s all good.

Saturday morning, we crammed all the stuff in the trailer.  The Boss hopped in the truck to head out and the dogs and I walked back to the porch to see him off before starting morning chores.

Suddenly, the truck door opened and the Boss got out. He was mumbling to himself.

WHAT? Did he say something about no brakes?

The brakes in the farm truck were non-existent.

…and there’s a trailer load of stuff.

Oh, great. 

Now what?

So, Boss…what can I do to help?

“Just get your clothes on….and we gotta get outta here!”  ..and he dashed back out the door.

Nothing like going into a tizzy at five o’clock in the morning…knowing that you’ve got to figure this out quick, quick, quick or lose out on your only day to sell that trailer full of stuff.

Fortunately, we did have the foresight when buying our second vehicle to make sure that it was one that could haul the trailer.  …and the Beermeister did a great job installing a trailer hitch.

So, it was a simple matter of changing vehicles. 

…and just a few cross words as we hastened to get on the road in record time. (each of us has a routine for Saturday morning…and melding the two got just a little dicey)  Animal feeding got a little short-changed and I felt entirely frazzled for the entire day, but we made it.  

setting up the Market stand
yes, I know it's out of focus...
that's pretty much how it felt, too!

Off to another amazing day at the Market.

…and for the record…the brake issue is NOT Gus’ fault. Although he was the first suspect, given his propensity for chewing.  No, the Dodge’s problem is more likely age-related. There is a definite down-side to geriatric vehicles.

We capped off the day with a birthday supper for Toughchick.  Actually, her birthday isn’t until next week, but she will be at the Rham County Fair, working the Poultry barn (like she has for the past 7 or so years) on her actual birthday.  It was a much-enjoyed supper, with fried chicken and biscuits…and a chocolate cheesecake cake.

Like chocolate?  Try this RECIPE. There was a lot of laughing and talking…and then most of us fell asleep watching a movie.  Nothing like family.  Good times!  (and thank you TBone for looking at the truck)

The upcoming week promises to be most interesting…with broiler processing...onion cleaning...maybe potato digging…a trip to the fair…and figuring out the logistics of getting the farm truck back on the road. …and that’s just the beginning of the list!

Hope you’re having a

Happy Sunday!

August on the hill
(after the rain)

Thanks for stopping by to visit.  Hope you’ll come back again real soon.

Price Wars

You want to make a bunch of people mad at you?

Just try going to the farmers’ market with a whole load of stuff and selling it cheap, cheap, cheap.

You’ll have everybody after you.  I promise.  The customers will assume that you bought it for next to nothing at some produce auction or underhanded wholesaler with absolutely no knowledge or concern about the production methods…and you’re just trying to make a quick and easy buck.  And the whispers will start. The other vendors will be certain you’re trying to put them out of business because they know that their own production costs keep prices at a certain level.  So, they’ll go along with the whole “scandal” scenario in hopes that you’ll just go away and compete with Walmart and the other discounted venues in town. Definitely not the way to win friends and influence people.

No…trying for the lowest price in town is not the wisest marketing choice for farmers’ market vendors. You end up de-valuing yourself, your product and calling into question the ethics of the entire Market and undermining any efforts toward creating a feeling of community among the vendors. 

   

It is so frustrating when farmers don’t seem to appreciate just how very special they are and acknowledge that their products have enormous value.  Food grants us the energy to do all those other things we want to do. 

Food is life. 

Just two percent of the American population makes their living farming. 

2%!

And, far fewer make their living by selling at the farmers’ market.  This makes what we do a real specialty.  Personally, I see myself as an artisan, doing what few others can…or will.  It takes a special skill set to coax life out of the soil…and I (we) know how to do it. That gives our products great value.  And, they should be priced accordingly.

If I say this out loud at the market, someone is sure to say something like, “well…aren’t you special?  You must think you’re better than everyone else…charging so much.”

Because, nothing is more contentious in the world of the farmers’ market than pricing.

Nothing.

There are folks who won’t set foot at a farmers’ market due to their idea that prices are far too high. While this is not true (and I have photographic evidence from the grocery) they’re entitled to their own opinion.

Some time ago, someone noted that he bought an entire package of seeds for less than the price of one of our cucumbers.  And he got many cucumbers…and he GAVE them away.  Okay…great. Just because you can buy a package of seeds for 50 cents and get some sort of crop does NOT mean the entire crop is worth 50 cents.  …and can you do this consistently? Throughout the entire season? Year after year?

This is my occupation…my job.  Would this man be willing to do their job for nothing?  Would anyone work for nothing? How could they?

It is equally frustrating when consumers don’t seem to appreciate just how very special farms and farmers are and acknowledge that their products have enormous value.  Again, FOOD grants us the energy to do all those other things we want to do.

Personally, I have never understood why consumers (and I include myself here) complain about paying for food.  We don’t hesitate to pay top dollar for clothing for our bodies or gadgets to stimulate our minds…but, we grouse about the price of the food we purchase to feed ourselves? Where would we be without food?  I guess since we all need it, do we somehow feel it should be "guaranteed"…like air and water? (and are they really?)

For every customer I have who complains about prices, I have two who would gladly pay more for our products.  These are the customers who understand that in order to keep doing what I do…to be sustainable…I need to make enough for my own survival. I've written about price comparisons before...read this.

More than 50 years ago, President Kennedy spoke about what farmers were up against in bringing their products to market.  Cost of inputs and production costs directly affect the end price.  This is still very true, especially for the small producer. Food produced on small operations can never be price competitive with that produced in massive quantities.(but that's an economics lesson for another day) 

Food has great value. 

And, personally, local food is of even greater value.  By supporting local producers, we keep farmers farming and a contributing as vibrant parts of the community.  Our beautiful Valley can retain its picturesque farmland. And, the artisanal food choices will continue.

As producers, we need to recognize that our occupation is one of great importance and value our  own labors and our products.  And, as consumers we should truly respect those who do the work that we either choose not to or cannot do ourselves.

Ultimately, farmers need to be able to make a living wage and keep farming so they can feed folks and consumers need to be grateful for all the amazing choices that American agriculture offers. In the end, it’s up to you to decide what the effort it took to get your food to your table is worth to you.

So, I’d like to end this National Farmers’ Market week with a special THANK YOU to all our kind, appreciative customers who value our work and make it possible for us to make a living doing what we love.

 

We couldn’t do it without you!

**thank you to T Leighton Womack photography for the images!**

Up Close and Personal

Personal connection.  

It’s sorely lacking in our modern world.

In our highly automated society, we have lost touch with those who actually provide goods and services.  It’s entirely possible to go to the grocery, stock our cart, swipe our card to pay our bill and head back home without ever exchanging words with another human.  The same goes for the gas station.  And, even the bank. On-line shopping just continues the cycle.

Personal connection.

You can’t get much more personal than shopping at a Farmers’ Market.

Someone is bound to greet you…often by name and will gladly assist you in all aspects of your purchase. You may even be given food preparation advice or a little good-natured ribbing if you’re a regular customer.  If need be, you can even have your purchase carried to your car.

Then there are the other customers and random strangers.
Music and the pleasant scents of cooking food add to the ambience, making each Market a truly unique experience.
Human interaction is everywhere.

music at the Market

dining at the Market

Joe's bratwurst smells SO good!

Just as there is far more to farming than dumping some seeds in the ground or turning a bunch of animals out on pasture and hoping for the best, there is far more to good marketing the old adage “pile it high and watch it fly”. Personal connection can make or break a vendor.  There are other places where customers can get similar items, perhaps for a better price. And, for the record…the other old adage ”price it low to watch it go!”  doesn’t always work, either. (but, that is another post)
The personal touch brings the customers back because it makes them feel good…special…like they matter.

Relationships are key to direct-marketing.

A couple of years ago, a friend spent some time with us at the Market. It was a very busy morning. After he watched me greet customer after customer, he finally questioned, “do you know all these people? You’ve called them by name and had a conversation with most of them.” 

Yes…yes, I do.   I’ve been doing this a long time.

“Well, he said, "that must make shopping really special.”

Yes…yes, I think it does.

There is a reason I refer to them as our customer-friends. I really like these people! I have a unique occupation and thoroughly enjoy it.  …and we work hard to make sure those on the other side of the table know just how much we value their continued patronage. (it's not just us...other vendors know and appreciate this fact, too)

it's different on this side of the table

We know that they don’t have to shop with us.  But, they want to.  Partly because we have an excellent product line, but partly because of the way the Market makes them feel.

There are other venues for food shopping that are probably more convenient---the Market is only open on Saturday mornings from 7am to noon.

There are other venues where the food choices are probably cheaper---the Market tends to have unique items that are freshly picked and produced in small quantities, making the price point a little higher than the grocery stores.

But, the Market offers a shopping experience you won’t find elsewhere and we do our very best to make it special. Because the fact of the matter is…we NEED the customers far more than they will ever need us…and it’s up to us to maintain that personal touch that will keep them coming back.

I hope the Market makes everyone this happy!

I try to remember the Golden Rule when dealing with others…particularly customers.  You know…

Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you.

Sometimes that just means remembering someone’s name. It could be remembering that their child is allergic.  Maybe it’s encouraging them to try a new vegetable or recipe.  It might be relieving the anxiety caused by today’s fear-mongering in the media.  Or a pat on the back (literal or figurative) It’s probably a very small gesture that will go a long way in making someone’s day.

Not just to make a sale. 

No…

because we are sincere and genuine in our concern for our customer-friends.

…and because Maya Angelou was right.


As market vendors, we need to keep this first and foremost in our minds.















**thanks again to T Leighton Photography for the great images**

Thankful Thursday: The Farmers' Market

most vendors don't look like this guy
but, I do think I bought turnips from him once

The Farmers’ Market is such a big part of my life that it’s hard to believe it hasn’t always been that way. 

But, there was a time in my life when I never considered being a Farmers’ market vendor.  Honestly, I hadn’t even done much farmers market shopping. 

Okay, I’ll admit it, 20 years ago, my only "farmers’ market" experience consisted of buying turnips from the old guys who set up their pick-up trucks in the park across from the bank where I worked in the early eighties. That was an interesting experience, let me tell you.

Farmers’ Markets weren’t trendy…and we wouldn’t have noticed if they were.  I grew up in rural Virginia where nearly everyone had a garden and most everything was homegrown.  Did you read this?   On the off-chance you didn’t have something in your garden, it was a good bet that one of the neighbors or little old ladies at church would give you some from their gardens.

20 years ago, I was a stay-at-home mom, still living in rural VA, homeschooling our two daughters while the Boss commuted to his “real job”.  We had our own garden, freezing and canning for wintertime. We had a flock of chickens and I baked all our bread. We had a couple of goats and even tried our hand at home-grown hogs. (that one wasn’t a big success) I had no thoughts of doing anything differently.

 We enjoyed a sort of homesteader lifestyle on our six acres out in the county and the entire family took turns reading Countryside magazine.  Life was good.

a very foggy, very large cucumber harvest

Then, we were offered a chance to move...a chance to get a little further out in the country…a chance to help aging family and build a new life for our kids.  We jumped at it.

But…our move to the Valley turned out far different than we had imagined.  Read "the change in plans".  We didn’t know it, but all those things we had been reading about were about to become real necessities.  When we reached the hill, we started from scratch and we were faced with the overwhelming question…NOW WHAT?  

We had some interesting friends at the time.  Kinda edgy…alternative ag…farmers’ market vendors.  They suggested the local Farmers’ Market, which turned out to be the  Opportunity of a Lifetime.  It gave us some purpose and much needed income.  We also joined a vegetable growers’ co-op, selling to fancy restaurants, but the Market was so much more appealing. It offered a solution to so many things. We got instant feedback and interesting human interaction. The Boss had found the perfect outlet for his naturally gregarious nature.

our first market day

I see myself as naturally shy and introverted, the whole “selling at the Market” thing seemed more than a little overwhelming. So, I chose to be the stay-at-home partner, where I would bake until as the Boss said “the vegetables came in”.

first season

No one (not even the Boss, really) knows how my heart ached during those first five (ten…fifteen….yes, I do still struggle...) years.  I felt somehow responsible for the whole “change in plans” (although it couldn’t have been my fault), I worried that maybe I’d damaged my kids and thwarted any plans for the future. The worst part, there was nobody I could talk to about the situation.  Nobody would have understood...or believed it anyway. Nobody. (well, except the Boss…and he’d heard it all about 10 million times)

Baking for the Market offered a much-needed distraction.  Figuring out how to do commercial, production baking in a small home kitchen kept me from the depths of despair or the “slough of despond” because I was just so busy. While I really wouldn’t advise avoidance as a method of recovery, in this particular case it worked.  For someone who craves rhythm and routine, Market preparation was a perfect fit.  Each day of the week had a required activity on which the rest of the week depended.

just some of the bread baked in a week
up to 100 loaves

So, I baked.  …and I baked and I baked.  

The Boss sold. 

 The whole family farmed and worked in the garden having awesome learning experiences along the way.

taking care of broilers

walking a bottle calf

sisters planting

We made friends and felt comfortable in our new life and new community.

group shot - Staunton/Augusta Farmers' Market 2005

Life was good again.

we were proud of our little stand that first year

Sales increased dramatically from year to year. The customers loved our offerings.  I'm not guessing here,  they actually said so. 

in '99 we spread out across the sidewalk

Those folks who took the time to write me “fan” letters for the bread will never know just how their kind actions worked to begin the healing of my badly battered heart. (I still have those letters in the bottom of a drawer) The growers/producers, who opened their hearts and their homes to us, taught us a great deal about all sorts of things.  …and those customers some of whom have been there from day one continue to encourage us with the friendship and patronage.

Years passed, the pain faded…and today we are in a far different place. (we even quit baking)

Much of the difficult past is a dim and distant memory, we see ourselves as successful vendors and have the opportunity to encourage and inspire those who are just starting out. The entire operation has evolved a great deal over the years. Our product line is far different and you can read about some of the changes  HERE.   In many ways, we’re very different people than we were when we started our Farmers’ Market adventure all those years ago.

But, none of our success would have been possible if not for the opportunities and experiences offered me (us) by the Farmers’ Market. Those customers, fellow vendors and random strangers who make up the market experience, who granted us inspiration, bought our products and encouraged us when we needed it… they showed us the reality of human kindness and it really did make a tangible difference to all of us. 

One of our daughters once complained that the Market "took over our lives".  While this may be true, it also introduced us to new people and experiences, giving meaning and substance to our lives...and quite possibly saved mine.  We wouldn't be who we are today without our Market experiences.

Words fail to express just how much the Farmers' Market means to me.

...all I can do is say "THANK YOU!"


I have written extensively, perhaps excessively, about our local Farmers' Market.(and I've probably done some version of this story before)  I hope you'll use the search bar on the right and read more about our market experiences, maybe it will inspire you to start your own market adventure.