And now we're weeding!

So it's Friday, our second to last full day here. When we first got to the farm the temperatures climbed into the 90's for several days straight. We both got a little burned working out in the fields, Brent on the back of his head, and I have nice reverse raccoon eyes from my sunglasses. We look like dweebs. But for the past 2 days temperatures have been much lower, staying in the 70's, usually with a bit of wind to make it feel even chillier. We've planted many rows of onions, weeded a couple of rows of garlic (also migrant labor work), helped with some harvesting, weeded a lot in the greenhouses, planted some seeds and small transplants. Production-wise, this farm is on a much larger scale than anything we've stayed at yet. John supplies several Tucson area restaurants and health food stores, and runs a farmer's market stall in season. He also sells his garlic as seed to a nationally known supplier. So he's got a lot to take care of.

We've been having fresh salads every night with greens cut fresh from the greenhouse. Sam, I think of you whenever I bite into a bit of nice, peppery arugula, because John has a ton of it. If I thought it would survive the week until we get out to San Francisco, I'd bring you some. We also have a nice head of butter lettuce in the fridge, which is the one you see for exorbitant prices in the little plastic containers at the grocery store. The one with the little root ball still attached. I'd never had this kind before (exorbitant prices, you know) but it has a much stronger flavor than I thought it would, also delicious. John's collard greens are also harvestable now, so we've been eating those as well (sauteed with a little garlic, onion, and a squeeze of lemon juice at the very end, yummy!).

Tomorrow we're going on an early morning bird walk, get some coffee and stop at the post office, we'll finish our weeding, and go to a local film festival (link here). Sunday we should be on our way up to Scottsdale for our vacationy-retreat thingy.

We'll be in Scottsdale for 1 week, then we'll head out to San Francisco for spring break week with my family at Korin & Brian's. After that, we're not quite sure what we'll be up to. We'll probably stay in California until April 7, since Brent needs to be back in Fort Collins on the 9th. We've got a couple of possibilities for WWOOFs, but nothing solid yet.

I meant to post some pictures of the farm and its denizens today, but instead I cleverly left the camera down at the cabin, where there's no internet. So you'll have to wait a little longer for pictures. But John's website just came online in the last couple of days, so you can take a look at some pictures from previous seasons here. I'll get the camera and internet at the same time soon, I promise!

kim