Richert/Phillips Farms

   We checked the orchards in the area and most of the apples are damaged or gone from the frost. There is another frost coming tonight and it makes me think of all the people who, when the warm weather was here got excited about summer and believed the cold was over. Part of this life we choose is about not knowing what is around the corner and that uncertainty is what separates the dedicated from the ones who just play.

   Meat chicks arrived today, we put them in the greenhouse for now--they sure are cute. We think are order is wrong because some off the birds have discoloring on them, time will tell if they are meat or layers.

   The funnest part of farming the way we do it is are work and income is always changing according to the season. In the beginning of the year it is greenhouse and maple syrup. In spring chicks, planting, and tending to the bees. Summer brings weeding, planting, harvesting. End of the year is trapping, cleaning and repair between attending seminars. There is rarely a break, but when there is we take full advantage of it.

   The markets open next week so we are running a special offer to new CSA members if they sign up between now and next week the cost will be $500.

The other day we went to the fields and started working--planting early seeds(beets, lettuce, peas), discing, and cleaning up the equipment. The day started off like an average day chickens need tending and coffee for us. But about noon the so called nostalgic life of farming came to the reality of this life stile we farmers have chose to live--a 9 year old boy was killed on a farm we know well.

   Boys play on the farm as boys do it is part of growing up, but on some occasions tragedy happens--he was playing on a pile a feed stuff by digging a hole on top of the pile and jumping in, the stuff quickly engulfed him, his father dug frantically and a foot or so down found his little arm to pull the boy out. He died at the hospital...it is sad, but this is part of farming one will be hard pressed to find a farm family who has not lost some young person to an accident on the farm, either there child, sidling, or cousin, parent, etc..

   So, if you think farming is nostalgic, getting back to the way life is meant to be--you need to rethink what you believe farming is--

Hello,

   The warm weather has tricked people in thinking it is summer time--even the plants was tricked. Good news for the CSA members if there are any apples on the trees you will be getting them and not the tables at the market. The frost and cold snaps realy done some harm to the apples and early blueberries. The drought we are in should not harm to many plants, but sure did allow us to get a lot of field work done early.

   I must say only the Lord knows what the spring and summer is going to bring--makes farming a heart acke and yet at the same time exciting.

Jesus loves

   Another season of sap collecting has come to an end rather quickly with this warm weather. But, that is alright because we can concentrate on other work. The greenhouse is going well the plants are doing good with the bright sun beaming down and the heating cost is low this year--there is always an up side to most everything.

   Today we let the chickens out on higher ground and they had a ball. Many took to flying and others after gorging them selves on larva from insects that are starting to hatch dug fresh dirt up rolled around in it then took a nap right in that very hole.

   After burning some of the fields I disc-ed and harrowed so to plant some peas and beets plus with the high tunnel there should be some early summer crops this year.

Hello,

   A company that never has gotten our seed order correct--either running out, forgetting some of the seeds, or even missplacing the order has shocked us. Yesterday we recieved the order from them, not only on a timely fashion, but everything was there--right amounts, types, and in proper order...must say very pleased this time. The greenhouse is cleaned and once the stove pipe is in place seeds will start to get planted.

   Maple sap has slowed down alot--its flow is about a fouth of what it was in previous years. That is alright for now because other work is starting. We plan to finnish the high tunnel soon and start some early plants growing. The high tunnel will allow us to get early produce to CSA clients and to markets. Early produce always brings a great price...that helps.

   We have new varieties of plants this year from Europe and Asia. These varieties are heirlooms, but new to us--eggplants, greens, peppers, and not sure what the one is...kind of looks like a stubby cucumber but has a sweet melon smell and taste. Hopefully these new products will reach the customers this year. The seeds took a lot of time to get, so we will concentrate on more of keeping the ripe vegetables for seeds this year.

   The taps are out, almost, and sap is flowing well. I was over to Leons with the first run and watched him get the cooker ready to boil down the tree juice to make syrup. It is such a pleasure to run maple syrup--we get cold collecting the sap  but when we take it to be cooked it is quit the pleasure standing in all the sweet warm steam.

   One days work gets us about seven gallons of syrup that we split two ways. Some times people say it is not worth the effort, but they don't live this life we do and when combined with vegetable and fruit raising, livestock, and trapping among many other things--us people are content on the choices we made to live off the land

Some of the seeds that has been ordered has come in so we plan to open the greenhouse soon. Sanitation in the greenhouse is very important--a disease that could have blown in from some where else very well can still be in there. Wiping down tables, shelves, picking up debris, cleaning trays etc. is all part of the business. We do not want the season to end before it even begun--diseases can wipe out the entire house in a matter of weeks.

   While cleaning I stirred up a nest of rats, about 10 or 12. So, I covered the nest back up and when Dan got home I asked him to clean that area--thinking that the rats would take off in all directions as they did me, I could barely hold the laughter back. But, they did not return as anticipated, how disappointing. He knew I was up to something, I told him of the devilish plan a brewing--instead he laught at me for a foiled attempt of fun.

   Leon and I went to E&R to pick up some soilless mixture and other supplies--about a four hour trip. Every time we are together he gets us lost. Leon does not drive(Amish) and apparently he cannot read maps either or we get to joking around and miss the turns...we always have fun non the less. The trip took twelve plus hours.

   We came back from another series of seminars. I tell you seminars are good but so often they can drain energy right out of you--sitting for hours. The classes are filled with a lot of information and we learn, but when the lights are dimmed it can be hard to stay awake.

   Several of the companies in the trade show are our buddies, it is nice to talk with them out side of farm visits. A farm visit is strictly business and move on--the reps have to visit several farms a day and the farmer has to get his work done, so little time to have friendly conversations. At the shows we can have general pleasant talks with out being rushed.

   Don't get me wrong we do work at the shows, just different type. For instances--one of our buddies works for a large seed company from Europe and when we talk he gives me seeds that has not reached the U.S. yet...so I can test the seeds out to see how they do. Some of the seeds are distinct to closed regions of Europe and others are improved varieties. I do not get a lot of seeds, but if there is a variety pleasing to my green thumb he gets me more for a fee of course.

   A young man asked if he could help sell CSA membership for us, we worked out a deal and said yes. The deal is working out well, he is a real go getter--if there were other works like him around here I could take rest easier knowing that things and stuff was getting done right and proper. He treats the task at hand as if it was his own--a bit high strung we watch him so he does not burn himself out. We will look for another to help out with CSAs to like this young man, he is a real trooper.

   Leon, Dan, and I have been cutting fire wood these past several days(Leon is another organic farmer whom we work together with syrup) the trees was removed from the ditch that was re-dug. Those trees was pushed into one hug pile filled with limbs, grasses, and other debris that has to be worked out to get to the good wood--it is fun to work on a farm so many different things to do.

   A sad note I will not be trapping rats in the ditches and marsh this year. The rats are few(less than a 5Th then previous years) they are having kidney failure--dying off...chemicals but no one is saying that. Even though I trap I have a great respect for animals and they are part of the farms income, that is lost this year. We do not over trap, the loss of these little creatures is very sad. Lets hope someone is looking into this matter and cause.

I just got back from Kokomo selling Christmas trees. Christmas tree sales were very good this year--people said we had some real good trees. Our land lord makes wreathes and such that was also sold there...they do right good job of making those Christmas add ons.

   It is good to be home, I was gone for a month. We are thinking of offering CSAs in Kokomo, Indiana in 2012, maybe. The biggest purchase that we made this year was a new planter for greens and small seeds. Perhaps this seeder will help in increasing our production of these items.

   Trapping season is nearly over and there is not one trap set--tomorrow I will be setting as many as possible to make up for lost time. We do not set for grass wolves because they help control the coons, rabbits and ground hogs. Manly coons and rats. Between collecting and skinning we will be making new chicken huts for the pasture.

Hello,

    This year was a good season. All the markets preformed well and the fields produced quiet a bit--we are happy.

   Chickens had some roosters mixed in with the hens and those roosters are very hansum ones in deed. I would like to find some one that would like to breed them for us. It would be a shame to butcher um for soup...we will look a while longer.

   The CSAs are doing well most of the clients have returned and some of those that did not have did recommend new ones to sign up. But I feel a few people signed up for the program not knowing what they were doing and/or not having a clue what a CSA was/is. To me dealing with that type of person is difficult.

   Farming is a joy, we dug out our ditch, added a culvert, and put some fencing up for hogs and cows. This mild weather has given us some more time to catch-up on projects not done right...but they will be soon.

Hello everyone,

     After the season ended our new chickens started to lay eggs--O' dear are they laying eggs. If you are a CSA or another customer of ours you know almost all season I kept saying those chickens will be laying any week, but it did not happen until about a week ago...O' so many eggs!

   Don't know about the other farmers but this seasons heat came early and stayed for the most part. Me and the dog would once in a while climb down into the stream and rest under the culvert for a spell. Doing that was not bad until a big black snake swam across my legs making the dog jump and splash all over--he never did get the snake, but I am sure that snake had a good laugh.

   Daniel and I want to thank all the CSA member for being part of our farm and signing up again.

Jesus loves

   We have already started planting out in the fields--peas, radishes, spinach, etc. and what a joy it has been. Germination was a bit slow but when them little plants first peeked out of the ground we felt an over whelming joy, O' to be farmers.

   CSA applications have been doing well and if gas prices stay high or go even higher that will drive up cost of everything. Making these CSA's' get an even better bargain for their baskets...that really pleases us.

   Feed cost has gone up in the last few weeks so we will trying plant some of our feed corn and see how that goes. Sapping season ended giving us over double of what we had last year. Cooking on a better boiler made the stuff look a lot nicer, taste the same just looks better. In a few days the new chicks will start to arrive--we order five or six different varieties of layers just because I like to look at the contrasting colors and sizes...having one type of breed is boring--it is not all about money making with us, it has to be appealing to.

Jesus loves you...let him in he cares about you

   Our sap season is coming to an end, but a wonderful surprise has happened. Ramps are growing--these things are like little onions with spinach attached. We cook them in olive oil and butter till they are carmeled and then eat like a king. They are good in soup, as seasoning, or just a side dish. If frying cook them hot and fast--don't burn just caramelize.

   I used to sell them to a restaurant chain, but ownership changed hands and stopped buying them--started to use green onions, but that did not work, they lost a lot of customers over the change. There loss, these ramps are the start off spring and the flavor is very good.

   Ramps if eaten raw is very strong taste and an even stronger smell. Cooking them tames the pungent little fellow, yet I always eat a few raw while picking.

Jesus loves you,

The other day a boy asked how Daniel and I became vegetable farmers.

   In 2001 Daniel came up from Arizona to live and work with his grandparents, he is my cousin. On the first day of his arrival I took him to my farm to see the pigs and at the end of the week he declared himself a partner on the farm. I have been farming for nearly twelve years prier as a hog man. We talked for a few hours and determined that produce farming is the way to go. On my farm there was always two to three acre gardens, but never for resale.

   Blindly we dove in, with no clue what to expect. The South Bend market was the first market we done--it was alright. But the larger cities was were we needed to be so to pebble our goods. No one helped us--we did not know anything about vegetable equipment, how to find markets, what the laws are about selling, etc....we were lost. It took me about six months to find markets in the suburbs of Chicago, Palatine was the first(still there) then others fell in to place. Over time we became experts in our industry and when someone ask how they can be produce farmers, how they can market their goods I tell them everything--sometimes even get them into my market to help 'em out for a season or two.

Jesus loves