Every day we become more aware and thankful for essential workers. None can be any more essential than farmers. But every year there are fewer of them. Farmers and ranchers make up just 1.3% of the employed US population, totaling around 2.6 million people. Today, there are about 2 million farms in operation in the US, a steep… (read more)
I am posting this picture and link to a gizmo I made to mix and move mulch from the soil yard to wherever I need it. There are doubtless improvements that can be made but it is very helpful so I am sharing this video.
This Article appears in the May 2020 issue of the North Columbia Monthly. We all feel like we are in command of our actions. And sometimes that command includes input from “gut feelings”, “intestinal fortitude” and “having the stomach for it”. Seldom do we consider that our digestive system is in charge of our actions. … (read more)
This virtual tour is posted since an actual tour scheduled for our Slow Food group on April 19th, 2020 has been cancelled.
It all started with an account I was reading about a naturalist whose main job was taking care of displaced orangutans near Borneo. He became curious about small trees that were thriving around a large tree of the same species that was dying. He wondered if they were related and also why something that was… (read more)
We will bring plants to the Farmers Market in Colville. But if you want some there are still nice plants in our vineyard. If you want to visit, please call first, 509-680-6357. Here is a link to the 2023 grape catalog.
It’s been a tough winter so far. Our small greenhouse cover collapsed and big parts of two elm trees broke under the heavy snow crashing into the vineyard. Only one vine was hurt but there is a lot of cleanup to do. Cleanup for me means lopping off the smaller branches and sledding them out… (read more)
This is not an ordinary blog post. I recently became aware of some other vineyards that use regenerative agriculture techniques. I am providing this link to Hopewell Vineyard near Salem, Oregon Although there are many good reasons to check out this vineyard, what put it over the top for me was a link from that… (read more)
Remember what the dormouse said Feed your head, feed your head White Rabbit, Jefferson Airplane, 1967 I graduated from college with a degree in philosophy in 1969, two years after this song was released, I’ve been joking about never finding a job as a philosopher ever since. But now as a farmer, I might have… (read more)
