Beautiful things.
- At September 19, 2011
- By Molly Chester
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8
Today, we invited all of our old neighbors and all of our new neighbors to Apricot Lane Farms for a day of swimming, BBQ and general barnyard shenanigans. We had a great time, and though I planned on talking to you tonight about an incredible trip we took to Benziger Biodynamic Vineyard in Sonoma with our Biodyanmic consultant Alan York, I am too beat and will be heading to bed for a long autumn slumber. However before I do, I wanted to share with you a few pictures of the most beautiful flowering cactus I’ve ever seen. Our gardener, Maria, found this one day and encouraged us to check it out first thing in the AM, before the daylight makes the flowers close. It is magnificent. The latest gift the farm has given to us. Enjoy…
Read More»Channeling Abundance
Trying to lay the foundation for abundance at Apricot Lane Farms is most definitely a full-time job. In each area: orchard, pasture, garden – our decisions are based upon building things smart & strong to eventually enable farm-wide fertility and responsible production. At the 3 year mark, we’d like our farmer’s market operation to be in place and building. Therefore, lots of what we’re doing right now is practice, practice, practice. We’re learning how to put things to good use, in order for the good ideas that bubble up to become things like product lines for the farmer’s markets or food for our animals. Closing the loops, so waste is minimized; learning from our mistakes and getting smarter through experience.
Read More»Wriggled right in.
- At September 4, 2011
- By Molly Chester
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12
Too early, John shook my shoulder on a Saturday morning, two weeks ago, and used the pawn of little white fluffy packages to lure me out of my deep slumber. If I braved the Saturday afternoon LA traffic for long enough, two Great Pyrenees puppies were to be my prize. Didn’t take me long to clean up, pack up and park myself in the front seat, tea in hand, Todd in tow. Although whether I’d like to pick up puppies is a question for which I will always reply yes, my heart knew that these little ladies aren’t Todd, and I’d probably not feel the same way about them. These dogs will be large, outdoor and therefore extremely dirty guard dogs for the Dorper sheep. Working dogs, which Todd likes to think he is, as he spends his afternoons making every bunny at Apricot Lane Farms aware of his self-appointed title – The Official Rabbit Chaser. We give him a pat-pat for his very hard work.
Read More»Two Maters
- At August 29, 2011
- By Molly Chester
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9
That was the subject line of my husband’s email to me containing the above picture. That man is too much. Which… funny enough, was the name of Shu Takikawa‘s cat, rooting in the number of times they said the phrase while chuckling and shaking their baffled heads in the cat’s direction. Too much could also refer to the number of tomatoes per second that are ripening in our garden.
Read More»A total thief.
- At August 21, 2011
- By Molly Chester
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11
One egg short for my Mango Coconut Milk Ice Cream... my feet burn on the hot bricks as I cross the path towards the quiet coop. Out for the day, their clucking and leaf shuffling sits on the edge of ear-shot, so I slip confidently past the open door. One nest sits empty, two empty… shoot. Last nest, there she sits, our broody hen. Not only is she broody, but our roosters are little banyan fellas, which are miniature. Cute, but they don’t seem to have the logistical height necessary to be effective. Meaning, a little short for our tall, sexy hens… if you get my drift. So, she sits all day to no avail. Poor lady.
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