Busy, Busy, Busy

This week I have had to meet with a new member of the team, write a survey, get IRB Certified, plant seeds, work out problems with the hiring freeze, and fix a problem with our media used to plant the seed. That is the short version.

The longer version, I met with Sarah Ratermann about the possibility of the surveys we need done working for her Master's Program. We think it will, just not this semester. So, that puts the onus on me to write a survey. As this progressed I found out I need to be IRB certified. I still have paper work to fill out to be a student group, and for an EBT machine grant so we can take food stamps.

Sally, Brad, and I planted seeds on Monday afternoon. We are using soil blocks. This is relatively new to people here. Nobody seems to have heard of it. The problem we discovered was that the media we were using was for bedding plants, not germination. Yes, lots of LOL. It's either that or cry. So, Friday I went to Morgan County Seed and got the right stuff. I made the fertilizer mix for the soil block mix on Saturday. Green sand was the limiting reagent.

Also this week, went and talked to some people who could help me understand the hiring freeze. It is negatively affecting this student project. I went to schedule an appointment with Bryan Garton, the Interim Associate Dean and Director of CAFNR, and got right in and talked with him. I am grateful he took the time for us. I hope he can help the way he thinks he might be able to help.

This next week I have to have a rough draft of the survey to the board by Monday night and, finish the paperwork for the grant. When it comes to the paperwork for the student group, I am wondering if maybe we shouldn’t join Sustain Mizzou. Maybe that would be the best for all. I don’t know yet. I will be thinking much on this topic as I fill out the paperwork. I will still need to help plant seed this week, on Monday and Friday. Oh and then there is school and all the work that goes with it. I have a test and a paper due. I also have to have my graduation plan done before I see Dr. Spain on Wednesday morning.

Busy, Busy, Busy,

Andrew

Olivet Christian Church

Today I went and gave a very fast presentation to the members of Olivet Christian Church on what exactly is a CSA and their part in it. I had less than 30 minutes to tell them all and answer questions. I had quite a few say afterwards that the presentation was just what they were looking for. I hope so. I like the atmosphere of their church, it is very friendly. Now, I just need to get a rough draft of the survey to them by the 23rd so they can approve it. No pressure...lol Oh well, it will work out. If there is one thing I have learned, it is that I don't have to have all the answers all the time, if I am patient, they will usually show themselves. Here's hoping I don't have a blind spot this week.

Andrew

Germination Mats & Starting to Bloom

Well yesterday I went down with my wife to Morgan County Seeds and purchased some germination mats and 28 different varieties of tomato seeds. They were out of four others that Tim wanted, but maybe next time. These seeds will help plant the tomatoes for the Tomato Festival at Bradford Farm. Personally, we bought a pH meter that you have to just stick in the soil, no wet kit. I hope it's reliable.

Sunday I will make a presentation at Olivet Christan Church at 10:30, I hope it goes well.

Sally and I talked about planting dates and it looks like we are getting started on Monday February 16th, 2009 from 1-5 p.m. We will be making soil blocks and planting seed.

We've been working on trying to solve our labor problems, especially for the summer. I was talking to Adam Saunders at the Sustainable Ag Breakfast at Cafe Berlin and he mentioned he had contacts who might be willing to help with the CSA.

I meet with a graduate student in Rural Sociology this week to see if we can work together on some survey's that need to be done. We need to get a survey out around the 1st of March!!

That's all for now, more as it comes.

Andrew

New Leadership Team Member

Well, we have added another person to our team. Her name is Jena Thompson. She is an Ag-J major emphasizing in web communications. She will be running the weekly newsletter for our customers. We talked strategy and she has some great ideas to solve some of our problems. She will be taking over this blog and our Facebook group of Bradford Farm CSA . Hopefully, communications will improve, as this area is not my strong suit.

Seeds Bought

We just bought our first order of seed, from Johnny's Selected Seed. I know they can be more expensive, but they gave such great service that it helped make this first order easier. This is only the first of cool season vegetables, but it's a start.

Also, bought some soil block makers. I'm so excited!

Great Plains Vegetable Growers Conference Day 3

Today I went to a class on Organic Potato Production. My potatoes this year got some kind of fungus and all died leaving me nothing but little baby potatoes. I went next to a class on Organic IPM. It was fine, wish there had been more resources that we could look up on our own. They only gave this lady 1/2 hour, not nearly enough time. It was packed.

Next, I went to Record Keeping. It too was something I needed to better improve myself. The Emergency Planning I wanted to go to next was canceled. I then went to a classes on Solar Powered Irrigation Systems, Energy Saving Practices on the Farm, and No-till Using Organic Production. These were interesting, but the last two for me were kind of a let down. Maybe I was expecting too much? I did still learn so much today. I hope I can remember it all and implement it all as well.

I took a wrong turn on the freeway there in KC and boy what an adventure, as we had to go to KS before we could get turned around. I hate driving in KC! I can't say that enough. I hate driving in KC! Anyway, we finally made it back to Bradford around 7:30 p.m. What a day! What a trip! I look forward to going again.

Great Plains Vegetable Growers Conference Day 2

Today I attended classes on specific vegetables such as tomatoes varieties, controlling disease in cucurbits, and how to 'squash' insect/pest problems. I also attended a class on Weed the Soil not the Crop, it gave a lot of food for thought. Last I went to a class about Sustainable Greenhouse Practices, this guy didn't seem to know what he was talking about and used some terms pretty loosely for some of us in the audience. I picked up a lot of catalogs and literature, look forward to reading and browsing. We had a meeting tonight called the Grower Innovation Meeting or something like that. It was great! Lots of great ideas, a good MC helped keeping going and the skit at the end by two Mennonite guys really stole the show.

More tomorrow.