Planting has started

Lots going on.  Just a couple more weeks and the farm building projects will be complete and the gardens will be planted. 

The renovation is coming along great. 

We started with an old house in desperate need of help, a plan , and a donation of $2500 from our friends in Millbrook.   It is amazing how things are coming along. This will be a nice home for Samat and his family to move into, and at the same time will be an extra bathroom for when teams come to the guest house. 

I started plowing fields yesterday.  I got part of ours done then headed over to Lamb International farm to get their fields plowed for them .  This morning I was back at it.  I hear we will get rain for the next couple days, so I wanted to get the seeds into the ground.  I have come to realize that when you have a tractor you become everyone's best friend.  I have plowed a few of the neighbors fields as well. Fortunately I am out of fuel for the day.  

This year the first into the ground is a huge bag of beet seeds.  We will have close to an acre of beets.  They are very expensive here year round and have a high demand. They also store well, and our pickled beets were a great success with everyone here .  Today we are also getting the corn planted.  We will have two batches of corn.  Over in the large garden, and the other will be over behind the green houses.  

We are going to try something a little different there ,  I have heard of something that the native community in Canada calls the three sisters.  The idea is to plant a few corn stocks, and around them you plant beans that will climb up the stocks as well as give great nutrients into the soil.  Then between each cluster of corn and beans, you plant squash.  The squash will grow out and cover the ground and choke out the weeds, and keep the ground from drying out as much.  I am not sure how it will go, but you never know until you try. We will keep you posted. 

Many of you will know our friend Sydoola, and many will have dined at his home. We is also the builder of the green houses.   He has come to me with a great opportunity for him.  He has acquired many high end wood working tools. He would like to go into business making wooden furniture, doors and trim. There is a large demand for this and it would be a good job for him.  He is looking for a business loan for $700 to buy the rest of the equipment he needs as well as about $250 for start up materials ... wood, nuts and bolts, screws nails, glue .. that sort of thing.    

If anyone is interested in being a part of that , let me know .