The farm has gone through many changes in the last year.  The biggest change is that we are no longer raising commodities and food for other people. We do barter and trade with our friends but we are not part of the farmers market system.  We found that we were spending more than we could make at the local farmers market. Also the requirements for producing farm products is now so regulated that we would have line up with the state Agriculture department, FDA and the health department and all the other agencies that want a piece of the profits.

We are growing our own food and slowly adding fruit, nuts, food and medicinal herbs. We are trying to become as self sufficient as possible.

This year we had a bumper crop of pears and apples.  We were able to can and preserve quite a few of them. We bartered boxes of fruit for some items we need for the farm.

Our farm was missing pollinators and in past years we ended up purchasing pollen and hand painting it on the blossoms of the pears and apples.

This year we have begun working with a bee keeper who brought honey bees to the land and we installed homes for mason bees and leafcutters. There was such a large crop of Bartlett and other pears that branches had to be shored up with boards and we lost some branches.

Canning the fruit was very enjoyable and we now have pear halves, apple/pear sauce, apple sauce and peaches (bought the peaches at the local Chimacum farm stand).

We are also putting aside beets, onions, summer squash potatoes and tomatoes.  We are using our garlic crop to add to our canning and we re-planted the largest and healthiest cloves for next years crop. We had a lot happening this year so we did not get winter squash planted in time. Nor green beans.

We are growing many herbs on our farm.  The newest additions are all Ayruvedic medicinal herbs that can be grown as annuals. I harvest the seed. And I harvest the roots, flowers and greens to use for healing.

Ayruvedic super healers

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha, Brahmi (Bacopa), and Holy Basil (Tulsi – Ram) all grow easily on our farm or in our hoop house.

Ashwagandha – (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogen and calmer of the nerves. It has immune-boosting, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, sleep-inducing, antibacterial and anticonvulsant properties.  It is used in early stage brain fog or dementia as well as keeping the body and nervous system healthy.

Bacopa

Bacopa – (Bacopa monnieri) is also an adaptogen and also called “Brahmi” because it revered and heavily used in India.  It is anti-inflammatory. It is also a brain healer and is consumed in small amounts daily to prevent dementia and brain fog.

Holy Basil (Tulsi) (Ocimum tenuiflorum or sanctum) is an adaptogen used to calm the body and mind. It is used to treat anxiety, adrenal fatigue, hypothyroidism, acne, regulate blood sugar and hair loss. The leaves and flowers make a wonderful fragrant tea.

As I said we added Chickens to the land.  And, that is another story for another time.  For now happy fall farming!