Hi Everyone,
Over the 25 years that I fished commercially in Alaska I noticed an interesting communication phenomenon. When we weren't fishing, or when the fishing was poor, the radio was filled with incessant chatter. But when the fishing was good, the radio was silent. If on any particular day you happened to be not catching much, and the radio became quiet, you could be pretty sure that everyone else was in the stern of the boat happily picking fish--and that you had missed out!
Maybe there's an analogous phenomenon in farming. When the weather is cold and rainy, and the crops are doing poorly, there's lots of time to write long newsletters. But when the farming is really good, on the one hand we are busier than ever just trying to keep up with the bounty, and on the other hand the shares pretty much speak for themselves. Beyond that, the superstitious side of me has been reticent to say much about this season, maybe for fear that the bubble would burst; sometimes when you're on a roll, it's best to just keep rolling.
There's no doubt in my mind that over-all this is the best growing season I've seen. I'm not sure our boxes are dramatically better than other good seasons we've had, but when you watch the farm closely, as Wen and I do, there has been a strong, palpable feeling of fecundity. It's been really fun to watch. Some people are too willing to give the farmers the credit for a great harvest. And we've certainly done what is necessary and it hasn't always been easy this year. But honestly, this season has been like riding a wave; the soil has had tremendous energy and we've found ourselves often being amazed at the return on our efforts.
I must add that I have to wonder, as I've had occasion to express to a number of you, just how much the BD practices and preps have impacted the vitality of the soil we feel so powerfully this year. It may be one of those things that is hard to empirically quantify, but I am finding it very hard not to believe that the biodynamic approach to farming, to the soil, and to the earth, is reaping benefits that go beyond the happenstance of a summer of nice weather. This is the first year that we've farmed on a substantive (though not huge) section of soil that has been both treated with BD preps and composted the year before. Most of you have seen the first year (east-most) section of strawberries along with the root crops (rutabagas, sugar beets, mangles, parsnips, beets and carrots) just to the south of the berries. I've observed a lot of first year strawberries, and I've never seen a crop anywhere near as productive as these. And the root crops are truly amazing. I can't tell you how gratifying this is, and how hopeful we are that we are experiencing the first-fruits of some hard work that may reward all of us with food that is nutrient-dense, tasty and grown in as sustainable a way as I can imagine!
It's not the case, though, that a good growing season is the only thing that has kept me from the keyboard. We've had two other major distractions that I'd like to share with you. One that all of you are aware of is the work on our new home, which is also the site of our "Jubilee Farm Agricultural Bed and Breakfast." As good as the growing season has been, it's been a challenge to focus only on that while also being the general contractors for the construction of our home. Although the outside has looked pretty much the same for a long time now, the inside has slowly but surely been transformed into a living space that we are very pleased with.
Last week, on our second try, we were given the final "sign-off" by the county. We now have our occupancy permit, and we will very soon (today) be occupying. It's been way more work than either Wendy or I would have thought at the beginning, but the work is (mostly) done, and we're ready to move in.
So the house has been a fairly significant distraction, but not the most significant. This year Wendy and I have been blessed with the births of two grandchildren! Wendy's daughter Alina had a baby girl (Caylin) on July 27; and my daughter, Julie, had a baby girl (Ruby) on the 5th of May. Although both are far away (North Carolina for Caylin, and Twisp for Ruby), we've found ways to get to see them, and they occupy a lot of our time and attention. We're hopeful that those rooms that will at times be occupied by B & B folks who want to learn about agriculture, at many other times will be occupied by our grandchildren, which now total three (and the future looks good for many more!).
It's been an eventful summer for us, and we're happy to share our joys—a great growing season, a new home, two new grandchildren—with all of you. We have much to be thankful for. And probably some of you have been thankful to not have your inboxes filled with newsletters from yours truly. Sometimes the quiet is an indication that very good things are happening!
The weather is definitely turning. I'll get a "proper" newsletter out sometime soon. But before any more time slips by, I wanted to let you know briefly (for me) why you haven't heard from us.
Thanks for your support, encouragement, and friendship.
Erick and Wendy