Summer at Rickatee Ranch

on Sunday, June 10, 2012

Check out the start of our summer at the ranch.... Quick updates: We started the pumpkin patch when Momma Val came to visit. We planted well over 150 pumpkins so get ready to harvest in Dryden this fall. While you're here, you can check out the Zombie Run we are working on. There will be Zombies and running (more to come). Our newest addition to the farm are our three beautiful sheep Mama Fiona and her girls Tupela and Clementine. They escaped after having them for 12 hours, but with the help of some friends, they are back in the pen and chompin' on all of our grass. They will graze for us and we plan on using their wool. As the flock gets bigger, we will bring the rams to the butcher and use the hides...for whatever you use hides for (more to come). Joe and Jenny came to visit from Brooklyn and they were ready to work. Joe and Rick built the barnyard for the sheep, while Jenny and I planted and herb garden and cooked up some delicious food. We spent the day at Cayuga lake and had a picnic after checking out the farmers market. We got our first ice cream of the season at Toad's Too and the Shaw's had a chance to meet the delightful community in Dryden. Miles was born in February and he is the flyest little dude in town. Our neighbors, Lauren and Jake, share the little man with us as much as they can and it is fantastic. Jake mowed a path to the pond from their house so we can meet up in the field and go for walks in the woods together...it's out of a book. Katie and Evan went with us to Camp Mushroom where we spent the weekend learning all about mushrooms, how to grow and harvest them, how to prepare them, why they cure cancer etc. Day two was innoculating logs and waxing them. We brought home ten logs and then got a whole kit and innoculated 25 more on our own. This time next year we'll have 40lbs of shitakes...or shit takes, as we like to call them. Pre-party for the Avett Brothers at Rhody and Matt's house. The show was fantastic with an acoustic set that blew us away. We danced, sang and Evan asked me 100 times if I was going to Grassroots. Looking forward to having friends visit the farm this summer... we are hoping to have a BBQ in July. You are all welcome ANYTIME....especially if you want to work the farm. We're harvesting kale, broccoli, spinach, arugula, lettuce and some herbs now. Potatoes, tomatoes, asparagus, garlic, onion, peppers, cauliflower, cabbage, and much more to follow. Things are good. Rick and I think of our family and friends every second. We are lovin' life together on the farm.

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