OPENING FOR SHORT-TERM INTERNSHIP
3-month paid internship available for 2010 season
August 1 through November 1
This week, I'm going to do things a bit differently by starting with my last picture first, to help familiarize you with a few places on Earth Dance's web site that may be helpful to you if you are a member or are considering becoming a member (or are just interested in the subject of CSAs).
The photo above shows what we packed into the members' CSA boxes today. For members who would like to get a heads-up about what will be in their boxes each week, Norm (Earth Dance's farmer) posts a Weekly Produce List on his web site, so members can better plan their weekly food purchases around what they will be receiving.
He also writes a newsletter with news from the farm, detailed descriptions of the produce that the members will receive, farm events, and interesting recipe suggestions for what can be done with the bountiful harvest that is received. Here is the Earth Dance Newsletter for July 1, 2010. You can also read past newsletters.
Okay....so, getting back to the beginning of the day.....I know I said that last week's progress pic on the growth of the chicks would be the last, but I just couldn't resist snapping this pic of them, since I was walking right past them anyway to head up to my first job.
I met up with the gang, already close to finishing our first job....Bushra, Riley and Mark cutting and bundling Rainbow Swiss Chard. (Stephanie was not with us today, as she was taking in a Twins game.) This was a most perfect beautiful weather day. It was sunny, but never really got too warm....no rain...no humidity....just georgeous!
Yes, Matt was there, too, working hard as usual.....we'll miss him next week, as he leaves on a family trip to Arizona.
Getting ready to take the chard down to the cooler for packing into the member boxes later today.
Next, we were joined by Adriana, and we harvested and packed lettuce. The spinner was broken today, so we packed it unwashed, and Norm let the members know via the newsletter that they should be washing everything they receive.
I mentioned to Adriana that my Dad really wanted to see a few more photos of me (the one who is usually taking the pictures) on my blog, and she very sweetly helped me out with that. Hi Dad!!!!
Riley, Matt, Bushra, Adriana and Mark. What a great group!
Matt takes the John Deere over to where the guys will harvest scallions.
This is how the member boxes come back. The members carefully break them down flat for easier transport, and today, they are put back together and readied for filling again. Norm has two sets of boxes and many spares, so that we can be filling boxes on Wednesdays; and then on Thursdays, he picks up last week's boxes from the members at the same time that he is delivering their new full boxes.
Our next job is harvesting and bundling marjoram. Bushra showing us how it's done.
Adriana introduces me to Conner. He has worked here in the past and will be working here again this summer on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. He lives in Rochester, but will soon be moving to Stewartville. He is an aspiring writer!
Me (Bev), holding a bundle of marjoram.
The guys' harvest of scallions.
We broke for lunch at 12:45, and Norm told us to take 45 minutes, as there was still a lot of work to get done today.
After lunch, Bushra, Adriana, Conner and I went up to harvest raspberries (my first time back there since weeding a few weeks ago).
As we walked up to the raspberries, we walked past this mangled hammock, and someone commented that Norm had said the goat tried to eat it. We were trying to figure out if that was a joke or if there could have been some other cause..... Hmmmmm... got any ideas Bushy?? : )
Adriana finds a comfortable position for picking raspberries.
Too beautiful for words. The raspberry bushes were loaded with plump, sweet, delicious berries!
While we were harvesting raspberries, Riley and Matt took this rig up to trade it for the full one that Farmer Joe was filling with hay bales. He bales hay for Norm in exchange for getting to keep some of it (info courtesy of Adriana).
After Matt and Riley deliver the empty hay wagon to Farmer Joe, they take the wagon that he has filled with bales down out of the field, and they continue helping him like this throughout the afternoon.
We harvested raspberries for several hours. These are a member favorite, and I know why!
There were so many raspberries to pick, that everyone ended up here near the end of day, so we could finish and get the member boxes packed.
Riley and Matt.
Bushra and Conner.
Adriana and Mark (and me).
Now that we're done with the raspberries, we get ready to pack. Riley and Matt wash the scallions they harvested before lunch.
Conner and Bushra bag one of the several greens that will be included in today's boxes.
Radishes harvested earlier in the week, brought from the cooler and ready for putting into the boxes.
Mark is packing foreman again this week, with his packing crew of Adriana and me.
Here I am placing radishes in the boxes.
The other half of Mark's team, Adriana, also helps to pack the boxes.
The foreman (Mark) made a final check....and found that we were short by 1 box. He made sure that we had enough of everything to fill one additional box, even sending me to the field to collect one more bag of braising greens (find out the story behind that name in the Farmer's Notes of this week's newsletter).
By this time, everyone had joined in finishing packing and closing the boxes, and we were almost done!
Riley wheeled the boxes to the cooler, and everyone else helped by carrying stacks of three boxes to the cooler as well. We were all 'timmering hard,' a phrase Riley has made quite famous around the farm.
We finished up just in time for someone to yell, "Supper's ready!"
I followed Riley down the driveway...he turned left, and I turned right...as we headed to our homes for the evening.
What a good hard day of wonderful work. I never guessed as I looked at the clock in my car that it had gotten so late.....it was 7:00! (And as long a day as this was, an intern's work is never done.....they still have to harvest basil tonight around dusk...Norm says that's the ideal time to do it....so, that's where they'll be in a few short hours.)
So, that brings us full-circle to the first picure of my post.....this is the lovely harvest of our hard work today and of the interns all week.
Strawberries, Raspberries, Radishes, Marjoram, Scallions, Lettuce, Bok Choi, Braising Mix, Shelling Peas, Swiss Rainbow Chard and Russian Red Kale.
And tonight, Willee and I enjoyed a fabulous salad made from chard, bok choi, radish slices and bits of marjoram...his with macadamia nut dressing and mine with oil and vinegar. He said the cutest thing to me....he said,"Thanks for growing my dinner."
And, I would like to pass that thanks on to Norm and all of you interns out there in Earth Dance Land....Thank you for growing our dinner!
