What's New? We are officially farmers!

No action on Groundhog Day at the two groundhog homes that I know of on our farm. We had a cloudy day with light snow but no evidence of groundhog emergence, at least based on the fact that no paw prints were visible outside the two holes that we saw groundhogs enter last fall, which our old dog Kaya regularly tries to investigate. So does that mean we'll have an early spring or 6 more weeks of winter? I'll let you know what actually happens!

(Photo: No pawprints seen around our groundhog hole on 2.2.10. I suppose it could have poked its head out without venturing out any further before backing up to return to hibernation.)

I did finally hear cardinals singing today for the first time this year, a few weeks later than I have heard them in the past, however, a clear sign that spring is on its way.

However, the BIG news is that as of today, February 4, 2010, my husband and I are officially signed up as new farmers with the USDA. Last year we registered at our Local Food Summit as "farmer wannabe's". This year we are registered as farmers for our upcoming 2nd Local Food Summit. Woo-hoo!!

So here are a few pix of what's going on at the farm right now. Repairs and remodeling are still in progress but it looks like everything should be finished by the end of March for us to start moving in during April. Another woo-hoo!

(Photo: Kaya with me on our regular walk about the property. I am always looking to see what I notice that is new. You may have noticed that very few of my pictures are taken with sunny skies. Because Michigan is almost completely surrounded by the beautiful and extraordinary Great Lakes, it is a very cloudy state during winter months.)

(Photo: Even a tree with no leaves can create a sheltered spot where less snow falls.)

(Photo: the fuzzy magnolia blossoms, not really any bigger than when I took a photo a month ago or so.)

(Photo: the bank of windows in our south-facing walk-out basement, which will be perfect for indoor growing next winter!)

Step, step, step - we're getting there! We're getting bids on a barn and a driveway over to the new barn location, making contacts regarding erection of a hoop house, signing up for various extension education and/or organic growers meetings in the upper Midwest, ordering seed for more green manuring of our land prior to planting more garlic next fall, learning what USDA programs we will qualify for and may wish to participate in, choosing paint colors, stripping wallpaper, still pulling out mouse nests from the house, etc, etc, etc.

There are not enough hours in the days, and we sleep very well at night. When we get impatient about all we want to do, and how we sometimes, even often, wish we were 10 (or 20!) years younger, kind friends remind us that it is the journey, not the destination, that counts. Thanks - we needed and appreciated that gentle reminder. We are fortunate. Step, step, step! :-)

"Cultivate your life - you are what you grow - inch by inch, row by row"

Diana Dyer, MS, RD