Oh Goodness.....a Blog

Ok, so I said that I would NEVER start a blog because I couldn't possibly see myself having the time to sit down, gather my thoughts, and then write them out in such a way that it didn't seem pure word vomit being thrown at you....no guarantees but I will try my best to keep them short and concise!

Snowy River Farms has now been through an entire growing season: seeds were planted, they grew into seedlings, were transplanted into the prepared beds, grew like the devil into deliciously wonderful vegetables that fed both our family and customers of the farm, and we are still alive so all in all it was a success! We are now in the planning phase for our 2012 CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which pretty much means I am frantically trying to decide how much seed to order, how "interesting" I should be with the varieties I choose, and where the land for all of this seed is going to come from! We've already prepped the herb garden by the house with chicken compost from the summer as well as a layer of duck manure mixed in with straw.  With all of our animals we do what is called a "pack barn" or "compost litter" in which we turn the bedding weekly and add fresh bedding directly on top as it is needed instead of completely removing litter as it becomes dirty. When done properly there is no smell of ammonia and beneficial bacteria are able to grow and break down the litter into a clean, nutritious compost that can be placed directly on the garden in the spring. Another benefit of the compost litter system is the heat it produces while breaking down, which in turn, keeps the livestock toasty warm during those terribly cold months! We are currently using this style of bedding for the pigs, sheep, chickens and ducks so there will be plenty of compost for our vegetables to use come March!