Reaching the next level of "realness"

Wow.  I guess writer's block can definitely apply to a busy start-up farmer.  It is hard to feel okay with the realization that 2 months have gone by without note on this blog while the action on the farm has certainly continued forth at a hurried pace.  The farm business that at last writing was just a beginning vision has been more formally launched and greatly stabilized by an interest free start-up loan that was provided by a circle of local Anderson Valley people that believe in the vision and potential of Boontberry Community Farm.  The group was inspired by the farm property owner Burt Cohen's generous agreement to a low cost 3-year lease.  A new farm has been born and is now walking.   

One of the explanations for marked progress on the ground comes from a series of amazing volunteers who have lived on the farm and committed 30+ hours of work in week in exchange for camping, food, and the chance to learn about farming by helping to build a farming operation from the ground up.  While the farm has not yet formally registered as a WWOOF host farm, Korina, Julio, and Dylan were all delivered by the good fates to come and help this farm over the hump from a bumpy start-up to the full productive operation we are sighted on for next year.  I am so grateful for their hard work and good company.  Their presence really began the transformation of the farm from one man's personal project to the community building farm center that I am aiming to help develop.  

The start-up loan has already afforded the farm to invest in seed, soil amendments, infrastructure for animals on pasture, hand tools, materials to refurbish a greenhouse, and irrigation materials.  The farm is also finally coming into legitimate production with the first flock of 30 laying hens just beginning to lay incredible day-glo yellow-orange yoked eggs with rock hard shells (there will be 80 chickens laying by March, 10 beautiful healthy turkeys and 6 ducks are headed to become Holiday feasts and leftover treats for some lucky local people, and our home brewed hard apple cider and dried pears and prunes from the orchard are getting rave reviews from friends.  I am really feeling grateful for the bounty and beauty of this place in this season.

Many important seeds (literal and figurative) have been sown for the coming year.  Some highlights include:

• Garlic, Shallots, and Onions planted for harvest in Summer 2012. 
• Perennial garden for Medicinal and culinary herbs established 
• The six female alpine goats have all been bred to the study stud Elvis with kidding set from early March into April.  (I don't know if I'm more excited about fresh milk or baby goats!)
• Compost with mineral amendments has been spread on 2.5 acres

In the coming week the farm is expecting to see its major Fall transformation of the fields with the help of Doug Mosel, a very important partner to the farm.  Doug is the founder and manager of the Mendocino Grain project, the only local grain producer.  He markets the grain through a membership based "grain share" that is very similar to the membership model that our farm is planning to use.  A perfect partner for the farm, Doug cut the hay from the fields in June, and has been talking to other stakeholders in the property for years about growing grain here.  I have been excited to work with Doug since I first heard about his interest.  Together we have created a plan for the fields for the coming 3 years that include him growing hulless oats and barley in rotation with cover crop on 3 fields totaling 4 acres.  Doug will be sowing one of the fields in the coming week and will be on his way to providing real food to our local area which is central to the mission of Boont Berry Community Farm.   The farm will also benefit from a big share of the grain which will be used as livestock feed to largely supplant the feed costs.

Doug is also assisting in our planting of 1 acre of Alfalfa for hay and 1 acre of cover crop for next year's vegetable field.

It's beyond exciting right?  All of it.  So many things...

Stay tuned for a detailed description of our membership program and how the produce from the farm will be distributed next season to our members.