Here is an update from the farm.
I am tired and all scratched up but we really felt like farmers today, driving the truck over the fields with our big white dog running alongside and bucking 65 pound hay bales. We picked up and stacked 60 bales, with another 12 still out there.
This wasn't supposed to happen. We made a deal with our neighbour to swath and bale the hay in exchange for keeping two-thirds of it (normal procedure). Then suddenly he informed us that he didn't want the hay. Apparently a rancher with 300 cows has gotten rid of them all and now there will be a glut of hay in this area. Last year there was a big shortage and hay was going for almost $5.00 a bale by the end of our very long winter. Now we have to try and sell this hay (maybe for $3.50) so we can pay the kid who did the work, in lieu of the 2/3 hay. Also we have been selling our goats and may not keep any this winter and won't need any hay for ourselves. That's life.
We did have a wonderful surprise, though, when we harvested honey from our bees. We got 25 pounds (11 kg) of honey from one hive! And we should get at least one more harvest. That's such a blessing and it tastes fabulous!
I went to sell at my first farmer's market today. I had no clue how it would go.
I got there at 8:30 and set up my table and umbrella with our sign 'Serenity Farm'. I didn't have that much produce but I had the honey from our bees, which I knew would be a hit. I had onions, garlic, new potatoes, turnips, snow peas, dill, oregano and mint and rhubarb.
It turned out I was the only one with local produce. The rest was just vegetables brought in from other places. ( Also flea market stuff). It's a small town and they are trying to get a market going. The first half hour was great. I sold out of onions, garlic and potatoes - I think I was way under-priced. Then I sat around for a couple of hours without much action. Eventually I sold or gave away every thing. After I paid the table fee of $10, I made $12 on the honey and $10 on veggies. Actually, I was encouraged. Next time I will charge more and have more to sell.
We have a very challenging little foster boy right now. He is almost five and if anyone wants to offer up a prayer for him, he really needs it. It's hard to get any work done with him because he needs constant supervision. Also, I have to drive in to Spokane a lot for visits with parents, doctor's appointments, etc. We're not sure how long we can keep him. He likes being on the farm, though, and he had great fun riding in the back of the truck over the bumpy field, waving his hat and heehawing like a cowboy. He likes the goats and the dog.
So that's our news. I have to turn off the water on the garden now (it's already dark) and wash off all this hay dust. Little boy fell asleep watching a video and I will carry him upstairs and then relax at last.
Bye for now.
Love to all. Fern and Ray.
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