While many holidays during the year pass the Farm by with barely a nod of acknowledgement from the busy fields, our farming cycles coincide well with year-end holiday traditions. The end of the year is a good time for reviewing the 12 months that we just passed through and the four seasons coming up. We are closing last year’s accounts and opening up those for the new year, both literally and figuratively.
Together we can review the crops that we liked, versus those that weren’t as well received, or didn’t work out as well as we had hoped. Plans for new building and landscaping projects seem to bubble up with new strength. Experiments for our spring fields get hatched and take root. We think about ways to build even better soil, grow even more flavorful fruit, and organize an even more harmonious and attentive work environment. We resolve that we will make this a year of no accidents at work, a year in which all the farm animals will be completely comfortable and happy, and of course a year when all the CSA boxes will hit a home run in your kitchen week after week after week!
During the December break, some of the farmers stayed home. The cows, goats and pigs all got daily attention. The sheep got fed and watered and moved to fresh fields. Citrus was picked to avoid the frost. Broccoli was sold to market. Tulips planted at the beginning of the break are now poking through the soil as the farm year starts up again. A slab was poured and new, small grain silos are being constructed. A warm cabinet with shelves was built and put into service to sprout grains that are now being fed to the animals, including all the baby chicks that will soon be laying some of the best eggs ever.
So many projects and changes are planned for the coming year! We will be starting construction on a processing kitchen and event center where visitors and classes and kids camp can be accommodated in high style. We have some fun ideas for our CSA members up our sleeves as well — for example a cooking club. Finally, please look at our web site (www.fullbellyfarm.com) — it’s NEW and just launched! We had fun over the last 6 months cooking up this surprise for you, and it isn’t done yet. Soon Full Belly members will be able to manage their accounts on-line and even order special items, all from our web-based Full Belly Farm shop.
Many thanks to all of you who will be with us during the next year as we make our way through the big plans, multitudinous small details, occasional false starts and glorious farming reality that we are lucky to share with you here in the beautiful Capay Valley.
— Judith Redmond
