Playing in the Dirt

 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.

Frank and Lance really kicked butt this last week. All that hard work from the prior week spilled over and they finished. Drip lines down, black mulch laid and all plants and seeds in the ground. For those of you who know Frank, you might be amused. This is our third planting season, and the man who said he refused to "play in dirt" and avoided it for two years, sure did a lot of playing.

This year's configuration is different. Lance learns something new every year. Some things that were outside last year are now in the greenhouse. We aren't even using the field where the potatoes and green beans were last year.

We of course have greens in the greenhouse which includes butter lettuce, kale, collard greens, chard, spinach and a few more. Carrots were moved into the greenhouse. All of the dill and most of the tomatoes are in the greenhouse.

Peppers and more peppers

Outside, we have more rows of cucumbers than last year since we're upping the jars of pickles we plan to produce. Some tomatoes are outside. We have a variety of peppers, cabbage, butternut squash, zucchini, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, golden potatoes, watermelon, onions, garlic, okra, green beans -- and I'm sure I'm forgetting some.

Our third farmers market was successful considering it was a holiday weekend and there was a huge craft fair in downtown Prescott. We didn't do quite as much business as the prior week but better than the first. What was amazing was the praise from return customers. Lots of good feedback. And more requests for shirts. Frank and Christie are researching the best place to have them done.

Sadi loves strawberries

We have a few strawberry plants out front in my flower garden. I like the plant and the color. Sadi likes the fruit! Grandpa says he used to get a strawberry now and then, but Sadi beats him to them. She checks the plant every time she goes out front.