Uncategorized – Page 11

Many people ask me what kind of animals do you have on your farm? And I always answer back with a less excited response of,”Oh, we just have a crop farm.”

But I can assure you that even though dogs are the only animals on our farm, we have plenty of things to keep us all entertained. For instance Hoot has learned how to give 4wheeler rides to his cousins!

He is patiently still riding with dad on the tractor until he can reach the pedals himself!

And finally when things get really boring, he just rides Yukon around.

So in the end, a farm life on “just a crop” farm may not be so bad after all!

We are just about done with harvest…soooo cloooose! Green beans were trucked away last week and the last crop to harvest, hazelnuts, is currently falling down out of the trees onto the ground for us to come and pick up in a few weeks. Seems like a crazy thing that another year is just about in the books. But don’t worry we are already planting next year’s crop, already getting ready for it to come up and take in that sunshine and good ‘ol Oregon rain.

We have already planted cabbage seed for this coming year and it’s just starting to poke out of the ground.

When I sit back and take a moment it always amazes me how there is just no down time. I am asked constantly how it feels to be “done with harvest” as though once that moment hits I’m instantly transported to a beach with my feet up and a margarita in my hand. I know that’s not what they mean, but I feel like that relief of harvest being over this year was so short lived. It was quickly taken over by turning the soil to get it ready for planting, taking soil samples, and planning what crop is going to go where and when.

After a mild winter, mild spring and a hot summer I know I’m not the only farmer who feels like the past year flew by without a break or a blip in the workload. I remember back in February my husband and I planned to get away for one night to the coast. It was, of course, a beautiful weekend at the farm and Matt was hesitant to leave because there was so much to do at the farm. I had to tell him, if we can’t leave the farm for one night in FEBRUARY…we may never leave the farm again!! So we took the time and it was great. But it’s just an example of why there may be a lot of tired and worn down farmers out there, ready for a break, ready for the rainy days of winter and personally ready for a baby to come join this party!

So yes, the crop year is just a month or so from being over. Putting 2015 harvest behind us all will feel good and satisfying in that way that planting a seed and watching it grow always will be for me. And we are forging ahead putting the year’s seeds in the ground. Once again praying for just the right amount of sun, just the right amount of rain, and for it all to come when the timing is right. (Good luck with that haha!)