Happy Holidays and other note worthy stuff from your wintering farmer :)

Hi gang!!!

 

I wanted to wish everyone a happy, safe, restful, tummy filling holiday.  Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite.  We have a family ravioli making tradition each year about 2 weeks prior.  My daughter started when she was 6 yrs old.  She now runs the dough machine!  Wonderful family time.  Hang on to those traditions :)

 

Many of you asked what I do during the winter.  We'll I'll tell ya..... hunt gophers in the blueberry patch!!!!  Fall is the time to catch 'em.  I use cinch traps.  You can get them at Hunt and Behrens.  To date I've removed 121 gophers from our property.  Those darn critters!!!!  I devote about an 1 1/2 hours a day to setting traps and checking those I set previously.  I have about 20 of them out there.  My secret weapon...... my special gopher sniffing fox terrier/beagle mix dog.

 

I've also been busy getting our driveway paved...... that's right.....we finally got it paved!  The parking lot segment of the Ely Rd. sales stand project is complete.  Now we have to refurbish the barn and more importantly, find help to run the stand while I run from field to stand to field (high ho, high ho, off to the field I go).  If only I could clone myself and Annie. LLOLOLLLOL 

 

Also...  I want to pass on a few wonderful things I've come across lately, sort of a hidden gems of Petaluma bit.

 

I enrolled in a "Total Body Fitness" class.  I've gotta tell you about this!  Andrea is one of my son's egg customers.  She happened to mention her class to me and I'm so grateful she did.  She is enthusiastic, upbeat and I look forward to every class.  I have lost 3 inches from my waist in 1 month.  With the holidays coming you should really check this out.  I needed a specific time and day to pencil in for ME.  Otherwise things eat up all my time!  I'm definitely enrolling again for the next session. I REALLY need to build my core strength for horseback riding and reducing my chiropractic visits :)  It would be fun to have more of you join us. The group session is really fun and you meet some really nice people.  Andrea is a blessing.  I would never kick myself in gear like she does with her cheerful "Come on" as she nudges us through another rep.  The classes are held at the Petaluma Community Center. I'm there M, W, F each week.  I'm signing up again for the January session as soon as it's posted on the web. Check it out @ http://activenet.active.com/petalumarec.

 

Remember when I wrote about rhubarb and the farm on Magnolia?  The farmer is a member of my Berry Update community and I want to pass this along.  They have a little stand by the side of the road @ 1870 Magnolia.  They are also at the local farmers market during the summer.  It's self serve and I can see onions, butternut squash and beets as I zip by with the kids carpool.  Magnolia farmer.... please email me.  I would love to pass on more about you to my berry family.  Farmers unite!!!

 

Greenstring Farm has a educational program with an intern on Tues and Thurs from 9:30 - 11:30.  The intern happens to be the very first student helper I had at the berry stand and a family friend.  You can work at the farm for a few hours in exchange for veggies and learn about farming too.  Email Allie Iacocca aiacocca@ucsc.edu for more info.  I visited them a few times, picked up a few veggies and was inspired to weed and plant my fall crops!!  A very lovely setting indeed.  I was excited to see students there (loads of them) last week for an ag leadership program.

 

 

Your berry plants are doing very well indeed, very well.  They are so green and healthy.  This is an exceptional growth year for them.  We're still in the field weeding and cutting runners.  When the weather turns really chilly they'll stop putting out runners and go to sleep for the winter.  December and January are our down months.  February ramps up when we cut back the foliage to help warm and wake them up.  And the weeding will continue.....  Enjoy those frozen berry treats I know so many of you stashed away :)

 

Cheers!

 

Sally Strawberry

 

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