It has been a long winter.......

With school kicking into high gear, 2 new sets of standards for 5 grades, 2 brand new curriculum series for 2 subjects at 5 grade levels, posting to my website has been a challenge and honestly haven't had time. If I did have time, I usually filled it with something else that had to be done! Well this is what we have been doing this winter. Due to school and a very late spring, everything got pushed back last fall and we didn't get crops in the ground as soon as I would have liked. Therefore I paid the price. I don't have as much produce this winter. That was a double edged sword. Less produce meant, I was unable to do our online market, less winter income. However, I am thankful that we don't have much produce available because we have had a little more family time and I haven't had to run myself ragged to get everything done. Also with the winter we have had so far, I probably would have been more upset with loosing crops. So in the end it all worked out! We have had enough produce to supply the winter market we attend in Manhattan. We got enough planted to make a nice big display and I feel as if I am the largest locally grown produce vendor in the winter there. If I had all 6 high tunnels in production right now, I know I would say I was. Well I try to take a picture at each market before anyone shows up to buy. Sometimes they are good, sometimes I am an in a big hurry! Here is what our winter market offering have looked like this winter. November 2nd November 23rd December 7th December 21st The day following this market, I got sick and eventually was diagnosed with walking pneumonia, needless to say it was a very uneventful Christmas break! January 4th February 7th We still have 3 more winter markets. I am hoping to plant a few things to try and attend the last two. We will be out of town for the next market in February. Winter markets have been very good for us, it is just a challenge to get everything harvested and processed when there is snow on the ground or freezing temps. It is a challenge that I am use to. I just wish I was able to afford to build a nice indoor packing facility!

It has been a long winter.......

All's well on the hill

I've said it before and I'll say it again... it is amazing what a bunch of saran wrap and pipes can handle. No, it's not saran wrap; it's greenhouse-grade plastic. But, wow. Three rounds of storms, each one packing the threat (if not actual) 60 mph straight-line winds and hail. This was the view from our porch tonight, which looked the same as yesterday morning and evening:

And looking north, a few minutes later:

But, no major damage to report. All six buildings are still standing. We lost one tree and have ripped plastic in one corner of one of the mobile buildings. The outside crops are leaning to the east but will probably bounce back. Because we are on top of this hill, the many inches of rain isn't affecting us much, either.

We are thankful to be spared, but our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who haven't been so lucky. Flooding rain near Concordia, 90 mphs winds in Waterville, many crops ruined... we are thankful.

All's well on the hill

Oh, hail.

We live in Kansas and it's spring. It's not a matter of if it will hail; it's a matter of how big and for how long. For last week's storm, the answer is pea-to-marble sized for about 5 minutes.

First, the good news. Here's the damage to the buildings:

Yep, that's it. There are just a handful of little pings on the north sides of the buildings.

Now, the bad-but-could-be-worse news:

The radishes took a beating, and the broccoli didn't come through unscathed.

  Here are before and after pics:

Before is above, after is below... in case you can't tell.

So, it just has little holes in the leaves and some "branches" broken off. It could be worse! But everything else looks just fine and dandy, and the broccoli will be just fine. Here's hoping our good weather luck continues.

Oh, hail.