First CSA Week is now history...

We trust that everyone is enjoying their first CSA box of the summer season! We have been busy around here. We have added four new CSA delivery locations this summer which is keeping us hoppin'--to say the least. We are so happy to meet the many new additions to our CSA community! The first couple of deliveries of the season are always hectic, learning how to get around in new businesses or neighborhoods when dropping off the boxes, starting new routines, taking new routes to get to where we need to be and arriving when we need to be there, and making sure the box counts are correct with no one being left out. Whew--did I say hectic? Luckily the weather cooperated last week and we were so grateful for that. John and I were talking about how just about every delivery made in to Nashville last year on Tuesdays, it rained, or it was really cold and also raining. A beautiful day is a true gift to us!

We have been working diligently trying to mow down all the tall grass that has grown so much during this rainy time of year. It is really hard to mow, very thick and almost too wet. But if we don't get it cut a bit shorter, it will never dry out enough to mow really close like we prefer to keep it. As you know, a farm always has nuisances ---such as ticks (which I hate!), so we try to keep the lawn and pastures really cut short, which seems to help somewhat. Though we still have to check ourselves well at the end of each day for the little buggers. I have been thinking about getting some guinea hens, as ticks are a mainstay of their diet. They are funny too, they like to roost in the trees at night, and I'm told are as good as a watchdog at alerting you to visitors. Evidently you have to get guinea keets, which are young guineas, to keep them from wandering away. The adult ones do wander.

This week when I have been mowing between rain showers, my newest hens (the Delaware breed), followed me around on the riding mower, eating the insects in the grass. I couldn't believe that the noise didn't scare them off. I guess the feast I stirred up with the mower compensated for the noise.

Just down the road, a pair of geese are rearing a small family of six babies near a small pond that is right beside the road that leads to our farm. They look like big fur balls, and are ever so cute! In addition to the pair with the babies, there are about 8 other fully grown geese there also. A year or so ago, another couple of geese reared 6 babies there, and we have always heard that they will come back to their "home place". I can't help but wonder if these adult geese are the babies that were born there last year. Life is never dull here, and that is wonderful!

Today is a very special day! A day to remember all of our Veterans that paid the ultimate price for our many freedoms! When I visited Arlington National Cemetery a few years ago, I was so touched and extremely grateful to those brave soldiers that gave their lives so that I could be free. There were so many. For those that are serving today, let's keep them in our thoughts and prayers also.

Until next time, Peace....