Good News From Tortuga

 Tortuga Thursday

In 2012, on the plains of Northern Arizona, two families joined forces and began the trials and tribulations of building a small family farm with nothing in the bank but love.

All kinds of good news from Tortuga Flats Farm. If you've followed our adventure for any amount of time, you might remember our neighbors Dave and Eunice. They keep us supplied with eggs, loan their tractor gannon whenever and have adopted Sadi as a niece. She gets presents almost monthly from Aunt Eunice and Uncle Dave. Dave took a look at our broken tractor and suggested he help Lance and Frank fix it. He has a rigged station at his place for working on tractors. So the guys took it over there, got it up and gave a look. We ordered a $90 part on line and after about six hours of work, it's fixed. Just slightly less expensive than the $1000 estimate we received from the tractor mechanic.

The wood is waiting for the burn and then will be tilled into the fields.

We've been able to get a decent amount of greens all winter from the greenhouse. Greens are still growing but the greenhouse has been readied for the spring planting. Along one side, the greens will continue. Down the middle dill is

already planted and tomatoes will be planted before too long. Along the other side carrots are already in the ground. Inside our house, along each living room window, three kinds of onions have been started.

The garlic is getting tall. We planted the garlic in October of last year. It takes about ten months for garlic to mature. I tend the garlic which makes me nervous - the responsibility I feel for a good crop! It doesn't need much care until about now. I've started watering it again. We need pounds of garlic for the pickles and relish.

Sadi Belle turned one year old. We all agree, she's the best thing we've grown on Tortuga Flats Farm!