Tink Is Here

Yes, the big news is that Katinka bought the house and has moved to Chico, at least for now. It's a very cute cottage, but it's gonna need a bit of work.

It's official!

But lets back up a little... This spring we finished the new chicken tractor. It's bigger and sturdier, it rolls easier, and it has a little chicken-sized door in front.

We got the tomatoes in by early May. It was a cool wet spring, but we could have had them in sooner; it was time more than weather that was stopping us.

We had a great crop of lettuce.

And some lovely onions, although we had trouble with them putting out scapes. It's so great to have Tink in these sorts of farm pics!

A wet spring means lots of rainbows. Notice how this one ends in the taproom! There IS a pot of gold there... golden delicious beer!

We've been playing music at the farm. Catherine is learning ukulele, I'm working on the melodica, and we have Tink on bells (tambourine and zils).

Tink has adapted to farm living. Here she helps Buddy put the chickens up for the night.

She also helped us get the rest of the wood mess up from the patio area in front of the soon-to-be citrus orchard.

We've had lots of visitors: David and Dean

And Masa, up from the Bay Area

We even found a new bar with Karen and Glen: #42, The Lost Dutchman. It's on the north side of town.

Back at Tink's house, we got M&S Wesley to take out all the privets and other weed trees. It's more open now, but it will be safer and better in the long run.

This tree still provides lots of shade, but isn't menacing the white shed anymore.

Titus has been helping patch the walls (after Tink ripped out the wood stove and hearth), and Craig is helping with the contracting. The benches in the back were rotten, so those had to go also, and we have some better ideas for plumbing the laundry room. Now she just needs wiring, plumbing, heating/cooling, and a new roof...

I made a tatted hanky for Laura.

And a viking boat to hold all the spices

Spring into Summer

It's still spring, but it's starting to feel like summer already. We've already had 90 degree temps, although it's still in the 50s at night. We think we can plant tomatoes and peppers this weekend. Two months ago, it was still fire season.

The plum trees were really beautiful lit up at night.

Isn't Catherine's hat cute with the little flowers on it?

We had hyacinths and forsythia blooming in mid Feb.

I got the lettuce row transplanted in mid March.

And by then the tomatoes were getting huge.

Also, March 15th we got this year's chicks. These are Golden Star (or sex-link). They were in the tap room in a big box for three weeks, but I moved them to the hen house today.

The new tractor is almost done.

I got the basil started a bit late, 3-26, but I had to wait for room in the plant area.

Rick dons his spectacles. He's feeling gnomish...

Meanwhile, off the farm, we went to a couple shows at Sierra Nevada, and celebrated the release of Summerfest. I just loved the light on these tanks. Golden tanks filled with delicious golden beer. This is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

We went the to Rivenoak Fools Tourney.

Keith was the King of Misrule.

We also saw Old Spice play the Women's Club, as a tribute to Doc.

And I'm very happy with my 30th anniversary present! It's so big and shiny!

Still Here!

Ok so I haven't blogged in a long time. It was winter and I was hibernating. We're still farming, and everything is going well. Spring is right around the corner now; almonds, daffodils, and the earliest irises are blooming, and the cherry and purple plum trees are about to burst out. At the farm, we have 3 big rows of garlic (5-7) and I just planted row 8 with chard. In Sector 1, we have broccoli (1B), onions (2B), and two rows of cabbages (3-4B). We have some greens in 2A but the rest of sector 3 is fallow/clover.

In the greenhouse I have tomatoes, peppers, and lettuces planted, and the tomatoes are already up.

Rick is building a new chicken tractor.

So what were we doing all winter? Drinking with friends of course!