Tractor toys for Bill

Hello Friends!

I just came in from the mini-orchard that we have in the back yard. This is the first year that we’ve taken the time to thin the fruit. Actually, it’s the first year that the boys have been old enough to leave unattended for long periods of time while I’m up in a tree. Tonight I thinned the three peach trees and the three Asian pear trees. Up next … semi-dwarf apple trees. We hope that the thinning will result in marketable fruits this year.

The boys getting older also means that we can call on them for various tasks. Last night as I stared at the mound of dirty dishes and the full compost pail, a light bulb went off … Noah can now take out the compost!! I felt so empowered sending him off with a new chore. Is that awful or what?? But hey, I still clean the toilet. I figure we’re still even steven.

Bill recently acquired two new farm toys – a bezzerides spyder and a basket weeder. Both are attachments for the electric tractor. The spyder is a hilling disc with curved teeth that pulverize the soil as it moves forward. This allows Bill to hill up the soil around plants like leeks, potatoes, and broccoli. The basket weeder (which I think looks more like a paddle boat than a basket) lets Bill weed around seedlings without damaging them. Both are great labor-savers.

The plants are looking good. Even with the cold temperatures, the veggies seem to have hit a tipping point and they’re taking off. This weekend should be just awesome. The spinach is FINALLY ready to harvest. The arugula is back in action. And the salad mix couldn’t be better. Here’s what all we’ll have …

Salad Mix
Spinach
Arugula
Head Lettuce
Baby Beets
Radish
Green Onion
Green Garlic
Kale

(I’m also going to post a picture of Noah from his preschool graduation. I meant to do it last week, but I hadn’t yet uploaded the pictures to the computer.)

We’ll see you at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market this Saturday from 7:30 a.m. – noon. NOTE THE TIME CHANGE!! We’ll also be at the Trailside Market in Uptown Normal, every Tuesday night from 3:30 – 6:00 p.m. starting JUNE 2.

Please pass along these emails to any friends that you may think would be interested. We plan to put out the email sign-up sheet during the market season again. Call us at 467-9228 if you have questions.

Thanks!
Mercy Davison