“Working of the Land”

April 15,2012

This week started off okay, a little soggy, then it got a lot soggy, then the week ended with a spectacular workshop in the sparkling sunshine.

First we started off with a great sneezing task of mulching the garlic rows, then more hoeing. Funny thing hoeing, it’s a rather steady task as you watch the hoe move up-down, up-down, as your arms ache your mind slips into empty thoughts, or too many thoughts off in the distance and yet your arms still move up-down, up-down. Your breath quickens, though your mind is far your eyes are keen to finding all the unwanted grass clumps and your fingertips feel the slightest unwanted muddy dirt clod as though the hoe is an extension of your person. Still up-down, up-down. The aching passes into a kind of trance and before you know it the field bed is completed your task is done and you are waking as if from a dream.

After our hoeing task we started transplanting broccoli and cabbage. we had to beat the rain that was promised so we transplanted 11rows in just a few hours. We walked away with soar backs and blistered fingers, but we finished.

The next day we received the promised rain. we were able to squeeze in a transplanting of a bed of lettuce before it got too muddy, then we cut potato starts.

On Friday, us apprentices, took a journey to Grass Valley area for a BDANC quarterly meeting and workshop. (BDANC= Bio-Dynamic Association of Northern California) Where we met several other bio-dynamic (BD) farmers. We learned about something called ‘preparations’ which is a sort of food for your compost, or field soil. It’s a technique of using certain herbs to ‘heal’ or balance the soil or compost. This workshop was a fun weekend endevor, but I slipped into church right in time for the opening prayer!

I can’t wait to see what next week has to offer!