Sleeping Sea

Little Chickies AND Ducklings!!!

2010-07-11T00:34:00.000-07:00

We had some surprises on the farm this week. Not only did the weather hit about 90 degrees after a ceremonial Northwest rain during the 4th of July fireworks, but ducklings and baby chicks hatched!!!

Annie came across the chicken sitting on her nest in the tayeberries a few weeks back while she was weeding. We thought she was just brooding on unfertilized eggs; didn't think anything would come of it. In fact, I think we all completely forgot about it!! Then two days ago when Annie went to go check on the chickens midday, there were 11 chicks lined up with the momma hen trying to get inside the pasture with all the other hens!! Annie rounded them right up. It only took a handful of grain to take the momma hen's attention away from her chicks. You would think she'd be a bit more attentive to her babies, BUT food comes first!!! Now they are in our nursery pen inside the chicken coup, safe from any predators... especially those damn ravens. If you thought chickens were messy, you've never seen baby chicks!!! The water tray and feeder need cleaning constantly. Can't wait 'til they grow up and clean up after themselves..... YEAH RIGHT!! They get better services than our paying guests!!! An all inclusive package indeed!!!

A few days earlier, underneath the Chickebago (our reinvented camper trailer chicken coup), four ducklings hatched. Unfortunately, one did not make it through the night. The cute little critters are in another nursery pen in the new chicken coup. They're already growing up fast and learning quickly from their mommy. We've got a little pool for them to start splashing in and in this heat it's hard to keep them out!!! The ducklings are a mix. About 5 or 6 years ago we bought two breeds. You'd have to ask Shana the names. I think one was Peking (yes... the one you find on the menu at Asian restaurants, but not our intention!!). The other had a tuft on its head. Over the years they've bred with each other and the occasional Mallard whose flown through. So now, as you can imagine, they are all mixed markings!! Some colorful flare and quacks for the barnyard. We're still waiting to see what the deal is with Meredith, one of our geese. She's been guarding her nest furiously as have her male geese companions. However, we don't know if she's actually got an egg under her. Shana ventured in and fished around and didn't feel anything. Fingers crossed we'll get some goslings, but time is running out.

Now... its too early to tell, but we are really hoping for some hens and female ducks out of this batch!! Too many roosters and males on a farm is just trouble and there ain't no two ways around it!! Our group of surprise summer chicks from last year had 7 roosters to 3 hens!!! So much for a 50/50 chance and ratio. This year we're feeling lucky about our chances and that the numbers will swing in our favor Otherwise... it's the Little Mr. Big's (Mr. Big is our rooster) that will be making our dogs some very happy puppies. Don't get the wrong idea!! It's life on the farm. Our chickens have got the best life and any little rooster is no different. 17 acres of pasture to range, custom milled board and batten fir chicken coup, bugs to eat, water to bathe in, dust to ruffle in, you name it. I recently finished Micheal Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma and how he overcomes killing your food and coming to terms with life and death on a farm is so interesting. Reading a Bay Area urbanite's in depth account of the experience gives a whole new perspective. Again, let me assure you, rooster or no rooster.... we LOVE all of our chickens!! Now.... back to work or rather SLEEP!! Its 2 AM!!!

Animals are Our Family

2010-07-06T00:13:00.000-07:00

Its been a very taxing week emotionally here on the farm. Other than being just super busy with vacation guests over the 4th of July weekend and kicking off of the summer season, we got terrible news on the farm. One of our Tennessee Walking Horses, Strider, is holding on to his life. The vet came out last Thursday and handed us the heavy news. Strider has a 50/50 chance at beating his fight with a severe laminitic episode that began about 3 weeks ago. Laminits is a hoof disease that effects cattle and horses. We thought we caught it early enough and took him off the pasture, but Strider kept declining. Even the vet was surprised with Strider's severe condition and his physical reaction.

Right now Strider is on a 6" bed of sand, getting constant attention from us and all his medications. We are just hoping for the best. He doesn't seem as depressed anymore, which is a great sign. However, only time will tell and its so difficult to see him in such pain and discomfort. He's an older horse at 23 and this is his first case of laminitis. We've had Strider for 13 years and only hope he'll be with us for another 10.

It is really bringing to light what defines a farm. I am beginning to think you can't have a "real" farm without animals (no, a few backyard chickens don't count). There is something more to farming than riding around in a tractor, tilling rows, and pulling weeds form crops. That's just an excessively large scale garden and of course that is grueling work. But just recount Old MacDonald's menagerie to literally hear whats on a "real" farm. The sounds, smells, and gifts they offer. The emotional and physical pain and joy you share with animals is priceless, especially horses. There really is an indescribably bond. The communication and connection is truly deep. Not something you can pick up with rows of potatoes or beets, which don't make any sounds at all.

Adeline's Suites: The Rock Rose

2010-06-26T23:08:00.000-07:00

It's finally upon us whether we're ready or not. The Rock Rose, our second suite in Adeline's Farmhouse, is "complete." Nothing is every really complete though!!! Always room for some transformations or maybe a small shift. You can never plan the exact program, only guide it. You wouldn't want something to be too rigid that it couldn't change over time. That was something I learned while study landscape architecture.

The suite is full of artistic craftsman ship and materials with hidden secrets and stories. Its an amazing feeling to see it come together; weaving together all the elements. I could have banged it out much quicker. Some of my friends rag on me for taking too long, but why rush it? Why stamp out a Home Depot replica? NO!!!! Not here!! Not on this farm!! Everything is boutique and unique!!

We haven't taken any photos yet, so bear with us. I promise it is beautiful though. I built it with so much of my love!!! Its rented tomorrow, and honestly we'll be working till the last minute, getting the silverware organized, lamp shades dusted, etc... It's like cramming for a test. Then it'll be five days before we can get back in there to make any minor tweaks. Not until it the first rental is over will we know if there are any quirks!! Someone has to give it a test drive. Regardless, I'll get some photos up in about a week.

So I now have finished the first two, with three more to go before Adeline's can finally be at peace on the farm and begin its journey into rough luxury. I'm glad its taking this long, although it's been quite painful, too painful at times. But now I am narrowing my vision, refining my ideas, and collecting my thoughts. I will get to see how these two suites fare throughout the summer and can learn from my mistakes in their design. The next three will be just as eclectic and stylistic as the first two. But I have a feeling I will try to take them even further!! I don't want Sleeping Sea and Once In A Blue Moon Farm to be mistaken for anywhere else!!!

Walking the Orchard

2010-06-26T22:28:00.000-07:00

Well it's been two weeks now since I did a thorough walk in the upper and lower orchards. The weather is still not quite summer yet. Temperatures are hanging in the mid-sixties, definitely a good 20 degrees cooler than June last year. We had our bumper apricot and fig year with that heat. Even got the fuzzy kiwi to ripen!! Hopefully the temperatures will pick up. This partly cloudy wet cool spring could set us back.

Had a bit of a scare. The lower orchard was hit really hard with peach leaf curl AGAIN (damn weather is perfect for it)!! But we've layered some fresh chicken and llama/alpaca manure on the the infected trees to help stimulate some new leaf shoots and keep the nutrient levels up while the tree is stressing. It did reduce the fruit setting on those trees. Hopefully the peach and nectarines in the upper orchard will make up for it. They look healthier than the Green Giant himself.

The thinning is done and done. Took two days or so, but it really gave me a chance to examine each tree. Found some powdery mildew on most of the apples (even though I sprayed lime sulfur... bad timing again???) I still would like to number each tree to track its production and health over the years. I do have an orchard map, but that only shows me what variety each tree is.

We're keeping the tent caterpillars under control. A walk every evening to snip out any little buggers trying to weave a nest.

Oh by the way.....the cherries are blushing!!!! I tried one the other day just for kicks; trying to beat the birds. Not there yet. Not even close enough. Give it another week or two and the race against the ravens and robins will be on!!! Summer fruit is ready to break down the door!!! Bring on the heat!!

It's just almost July, but its time for us to pick out our fruit trees for next year and make the order. We'll let you know what's in store. You can never have too many trees. Those trees will be setting fruit for the next 80 years or so for generations to enjoy. I guess my grandkids will be way too spoiled!!

Raven, Raven, On the Rail

2010-06-11T00:25:00.000-07:00

We are being attacked by ravens!!!!! Is this what Alfred Hitchcock meant? Every day there are 7 or 8 Ravens hovering, perching and making their atrocious noises over our chicken pasture. Last week they killed a hen. We've also seen them walk out of the coup with egg in claw. This is terrible, really terrible. The noises are horrible. They are so clever and quick. I've been shooting rounds into the air to scare them off. Our presence is our only defense right now. When will this pass??!! It's never been this bad before!!

Sticks of Rhubarb

2010-06-11T00:07:00.000-07:00

It seems like we never get the time to type anything on this at all!! So much to do here on the farm and the other properties, but somethings just became easier. We have a wonderful new intern for the summer, Annie. She just graduated from Lewis and Clark and was in search of a little adventure in the Pacific Northwest. The warnings of hard work and long days could not sway her from coming!! Now our gardens have a new hand to deal with as Annie is attacking the weeds with a burning furor!!!

Its been lesson after lesson with the orchards. Trying to make things work that other people see as just impossible. Its worth the strains and pains for a warm sweet summer fruit picked in the mid afternoon.

The fruit settings are looking good, but the Asian Pears didn't put out much this year. Going to be thinning the rest of this month. It's hard to devote time to the orchard for non essential things, when it makes literally no money. But we love it and we know other people love our fruit. Still just not sure why small local farmers growing lettuce can do better financially than those growing fruit. Lettuce is going for around $10/lbs here!!! The investment into a tree is vastly different than just doing row crops. The ecological benefits of the tree are much larger than the fruits it provide. From the birds to the shade to the carbon sequestering and more.

Another two apricots died. That leaves us with just 9 trees and only 5 healthy trees out of the 14 originally planted. I think I know where things went wrong. All with pruning and planting. Next winter I am going to be putting in another 10 and see where that gets me. We also moved a fig that took a heavy beating this winter in a storm. Its still alive, but didn't put out any new growth this year. As for the peaches and nectarines, some issues came up as well. The curl this year was atrocious due to all the spring rains. Plus, I am certain I sprayed too late this year. I've read you can spray in late autumn or mid winter. I have always opted for mid winter, just because less is going on here on the farm so time is easier to come by. However, I think the autumn spray is essential and has a better return.

More for next time.

Busy Bees?? You Mean Busy Chickens.

2010-05-12T00:19:00.000-07:00

The flies are buzzing around. Bees are working hard. But it's our chickens that are truly busy. They are more efficient than any Toyota or Ford assembly line!! Not only are the eggs stacking up, but the girls are hard at work eating the bugs and turning the compost. We owe them so much more than we can ever imagine. Yeah sure.... our yogurt based pancakes wouldn't be the same without their rich yellow eggs, but the farm would just be a vacant lot without them. They eat our waste, produce our "fertilizer", work our compost, manage our pastures, keep our guests of all ages filled with joy, and the list goes on and on. If only they could take reservations and update our websites!!

And then there is Cortez. He is not so busy.

The Heat Is On

2010-05-12T00:04:00.001-07:00

Well ... I'm guessing by now the secret is out on the gorgeous "summer" weather we've been graced with this past week!! Those who came up last weekend got a real treat and it's supposed to carry through this coming weekend. That's good news for anyone looking for a little escapade out into the islands!! The Harbor Hideaway and Abigail's Beach House are booked, but we still have some space on the farm. Give us a holler!!

Springtime for Chickens!!

2010-04-16T00:12:00.001-07:00

The Chickens have finally returned from their winter vacation. It's been a good few months. Not a bad gig really. Just like members of Congress, chickens have the good life!! Some spent it knitting, others sent us postcards from Tuscon, Cape Town, and beyond. Now they're back hard at work and doing their daily yoga routine. The ladies couldn't be happier, and Mr. Big (our rooster) is showing off his full flare.

Eggs are coming in by the basket!!! Look at all these eggs our intern Jenny collected from the coup. Making up for lost time, they are back in full production!!

The geese have established their nest and Meredith is sitting on her eggs. Can't wait for some goslings again this year!! We need some more little girls. Poor Meredith, last year she had all boys!!! Oh the trouble!!

Need some eggs?? Give us a call at 376-7035 and we'll have them out on the road for you to pick-up. We've got them here on the farm daily. Also you can find our eggs at Orcas Homegrown market. Here they are sitting on the shelf. Don't forget to drop your used egg cartons off in our "eggbox"!! We'll fill 'em right back up. It also makes good bedding in the Chicken Coup. We throw it in the chipper when we make a load.

Nothing beats the firm rich yellow yolk of a farm fresh egg loaded with Omega-3's. Our chickens are free pasture ranged, eating all kinds of grubs and bugs, but they also get their fill in OUR garden!! We only give them a touch of grain a day. They do have the life!!

Adeline's Suites Opening!!!

2010-03-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a long haul. Longer than expected and longer than planned, but this Saturday the Lilac Suite will have its first guests. The Rock Rose will soon follow, but we still have some last touches to make and spaces to create. All in due time. It was worth the wait as we were able to take out innovative approach without contractors breathing down our necks!!

We are bursting with excitement to share these two new suites with ya'll this summer. They were each designed and built by Zachary Lefton and he is ready to field any of your questions about the methods, principals, and philosophies behind the project. While they are not officially LEED certified, we followed and surpassed many of the requirements from energy, to material use and selection, to water and waste management.

We hope you enjoy and relish these newly created escapes on our farm estate. We have still yet to move in the furnishings, so it would be sacrilege to post any photos yet as the feeling would not fully be captured!! So ya'll just have to wait patiently for the moment to come.

Hope to see you soon!! Spring is hanging out and Summer knocking on the door.

We've Got Peaches and So Much More!

2009-08-31T20:57:00.000-07:00

How could you ask for more?! Peaches, Nectarines, fresh Figs!!! Taste buds and scents are swirling every which way on this farm. The nectarines, were absolutely divine, very apt for a fruit named after the drink of the Greek gods. We have never tasted anything so sweet. We will be planting another few of these this Fall for sure.

Everyone still can't believe we did it!! That we grew stone fruits successfully west of the Cascades! But we can't take all of the credit, as this was a particularly dry spring and hot summer. Still, we put our hours in. Our final count of Apricots was around 250 lbs. We harvested about 75 lbs of Nectarines and another 180 lbs of Peaches. We still have Peaches left, but our Apricots and Nectarines are all sold out.

But what is stealing all the attention on the farm are our Figs. People and the local restaurants cannot get enough. We have Lattarula (Italian Honey Fig) and the Brown Turkey. Some of the best fresh eating figs you can find.

Now we are taking in our first early Apples. We have two varieties, Sunrise and Rosey Glow. Both are sweet eating apples. Pears are ready to turn and we are waiting just days for the last of our plums.

The "farmstand" on the farm has been somewhat successful. Much easier than going into town and dealing with the street vendor ordinance which is still in the works. It is an activity, an adventure to find and buy your fruit. Plus we leave the figs on the tree until purchased. Never ever refrigerated!! Can't beat that.

So don't forget to stop by and stay tuned for our Asian Pears, Quince, and Kiwi!!!

Lazy Days of Summer, I only wish!!

2009-08-08T23:50:00.000-07:00

Do I wish I was sleeping on my raft, gently rocking, on a "sleeping sea?" Yes I do!! But, I am working as all farmers do in the summer months. I am harvesting apricots, drying apricots, eating apricots, selling apricots, feeding chickens over-ripe apricots and telling everyone how much we are proud of our APRICOTS!!! Can't you tell we are proud of our apricot bounty? It was a great season for our stone fruit. The peaches are almost ready and they are big fruit, bright red and just perfect in appearance in everyway. Our fruit are all natural, nothing on their pretty skins but the kiss of Orcas Island sunshine. Kiwi is turning softer each day. Strawberries are having their 2nd big performance, and they are just as delicious as they were in June! We are digging up elephant garlic, and soon will be harvesting a few varieties of red and yellow potatoes. The apples, pears and quince will be ready for harvest in a few more weeks. We are stuffing ourselves with farm fresh good "eats!"

Our customers are enjoying all three of our vacation properties, The Farm and The Beach House, both on Orcas Island, and the new Village House in Friday Harbor, on San Juan Island.
The Harbor Hideaway rental on San Juan Island has two popular homes to choose from.
The main rental home in Friday Harbor is called The Hammock House and is quite large. It has about 2000 sq feet of space. Two big bedrooms + a huge living room with vaulted ceiling, a large gourmet kitchen plus a big dining area. The best part is the big outdoor deck and the Hammock tied between two huge cedar trees. This main portion of the home sleeps 6 or 7 comfortably. . Add on the Bunk House and bring 2 more singles. Add on the Porch Suite, and add another couple. Add on the "hammock," and add the family dog! Can you picture your dog sleeping in a tree hammock?

The Porch Suite is very popular as a separate unit for couples and friends "get-aways." Reasonably priced, it is an artistic and bright bedroom suite, with queen bed, many windows, microwave and refrigerator, DVD player, a colorful tiled bathroom, and a big wrap around porch and deck with tables and chairs. Or, rent the Porch Suite along with the very large Hammock House, if you are bringing the whole family.

At the farm, we had to slow down the finish work of our new vacation home, "Adeline's" : 5 suites with mountain, water, and pasture views, all with private entrances from outdoor decks and patios. As with everything we do, all our creative expression and artistic input takes additional time and planning. Zach, who is the project manager for Adeline's, is installing tile mosaic pillars in the living spaces, and designing the patterns and colors for the bathroom tiles.
The suites are all works of art with many wood details and other special natural materials, much of which is restored and recycled.

Tune in tomorrow and I will be writing about our horses at Once In A Blue Moon Farm.
I will bring you news of our Alpaca and chickens too!

Thanks for reading the latest Blog, updating you about everything it seems, but the Hog.

Shana

Apricots, Apricots, Apricots!!!

2009-08-02T23:46:00.000-07:00

Take a look at these delicious apricots!! They are ripening out in the sun, just waiting to be plucked from the trees. The dry hot summer has made this a terrific year for these trees. This is our biggest crop ever, some apricots are the size of apples!!! We harvested a couple flats this evening and there are plenty more on the way. You can find them for sale here at the farm and we'll be bringing some in to town.

The Summer Keeps Coming!!

2009-07-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

The heat has been on full blast. Other than the freak thunderstorm last weekend, it's been one of the hottest and driest summers on record. That means our apricots, peaches, figs, plums, kiwis, berries, and all our other trees are loaded with fruit. We have our largest setting of apricots ever, with fruit as large as apples!! Unfortunately we also lost three apricot trees to crown rot and Eutypa die back.

We also are very excited for our very first crop of fuzzy kiwi!!! It is a good showing and we can't wait to try them at the end of August.

Our water situation is holding steady during this "drought" so we can continue to keep our trees as happy as we can. Still, we are feeling the pinch and seeing the stress in our landscape.

Adeline's Suites

2009-07-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

The Adeline's suites are coming along slowly but surely. We've missed both of our deadlines, but it is well worth it. Now we can continue to add our fine artistic details, salvaged materials, and handcrafted touch that will give each suite each its own individual experience.

We recently found some "brand new" Spanish marbleized tiles from the 1930's at a salvage yard in Seattle, which was an amazing find.

We are trying to finish two suites by Labor Day 2009. So stay tuned for any updates. But it always seems something else on the farm pops up, and it keeps us from finishing the project. Doing the project ourselves has been a huge undertaking with all our other responsibilities, but it is the only way to build something with the personalized unique details we are looking to provide our friends and guests.

Back By Popular Demand!!

2009-04-30T08:42:00.001-07:00

What a gorgeous spring morning on the farm, ONCE IN A BLUE MOON FARM!! The cherry trees are in full blossom, as are the plum trees, peach and apricot trees too, service berry trees, and numerous magnolia trees. You really should come for a weekend visit in May!! Then again, June is still fresh with new growth too. June gives us lilac and wisteria bloom cascading down the brick walls.

We are mowing the orchards almost every 3 days since the grass is growing by the minute. The chickens are in heaven with all the sweet green grass clippings we line their coops with. They look like they are laying in their own Easter baskets!! They are giving us plenty of delicious eggs each day. The geese are laying too.
The goose egg is the size of 3 large duck eggs in one!! The geese are so protective of their nests.
We have to collect their eggs from the coop, when they are not looking, when they are ranging out in the fields. I feel like a thief doing this, but their eggs are great to bake with. We really do not need another baby goose this summer. We have 5 geese now, and this is perfect. Little Miss Sunshine was born last June 20, on the summer soltice, and she will remain the "baby" for some time now.

Back by POPULAR DEMAND is our original farm name! Coming soon to our web site will be Once In A Blue Moon Farm once again. We will be dropping "Sleeping Sea Farm" and using only the very popular and truly ONLY name for our farm: Once In A Blue Moon Farm. Our vacation rentals will continue with the name Sleeping Sea. You can choose to stay on our beach front, Abigail's Beach House, or next door to the farm with Turtleback Mountain views at Adeline's Country House (both these vacation homes on Orcas Island, and both with multiple housing options). Plus, can also choose to stay in a big family home in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island called the Maple Village House. Our web site will clarify all this.

Adeline's Country House is on the property next door to our farm with all the great farm and mountain views. This is a BRAND NEW rental with 5 units to choose from. It is truly a gorgeous country rental on Orcas Island, far from the summer crowds but close enough to the water (1 mile from Westsound and the famous cafe and deli there) 2 miles from all the services at the ferry landing, and 6 miles to the main village of Eastsound and Moran State Park further up the road. Come to Adelines and hike the new trails on Turtleback Mountain which you can see from the decks of Adeline's. Hike to the top of Turtleback to see the fantastic marine views and also see our large 35 acre farm nestled in neighboring Woollard Mountain. You will see how our farm is actually 500 feet elevated on a nice vantage point on Mt Woollard.

San Juan Island is a great place to visit!! Our Maple Village House is situated close to the big town on the harbor called Friday Harbor, but it is far enough up a hill too to get away from the maddening summer crowds. The Maple Village House is on a lovely gardened lot with mature cedar trees, plum trees and roses. Relax on the gorgeous wrap around decks leaning into the gardens. Take a hot tub too!! Listen to the song birds. Friday Harbor is at the ferry landing so you can actually walk on the ferry from Orcas Island or Ancortes, and walk up to the Maple Village House without your car. Or, take your bike if you travel light!

Thus, Once In A Blue Moon Farm, the orginal piece of heaven I started with, is now back as our mother ship once again. The title for the farm came to me, because acquiring this farm was a life long dream that happens only Once In A Blue Moon. I believe that when the moon is blue, you have to reach out and make your dream happen. This is what I did back in 1996.

So, come to Once In A Blue Moon Farm for tours, close encounters with horses and alpaca, chickens and sheep. Buy fresh farm eggs and produce. Add to your collection of homespun yarns from our Alpaca and Sheep. Meet with our college farm interns from all around the globe and stroll our many gardens and fruit orchards. Horse riding is available by appointment and only if the timing is right for us and if our horses want to take you riding. The horsees get a say in this experience too! (Horse riding outfits are available at a few other locations on Orcas Island and San Juan Island.)
Once In A Blue Moon Farm is also getting ready for our first new farm stand at the Saturday market fair in town throughout the summer. We will keep you posted about this exciting new booth which is scheduled to open in mid June and managed by a graduate student from Evergreen College in Olympia, WA.

Please be assured, we are keeping three small lodging units available at Once In A Blue Moon Farm for the serious farm enthusiasts. These are our 3 Carriage House units: The biggest is the Loft with the full kitchen, next is the Alpaca Cabin with the courtyard gardens and kitchenette, & the smallest unit is the Garden Room right next door to the Alpaca Cabin on the patio level. Rent the Garden Room as an additional bedroom and bathroom or singularly for a couple or a couple and child. It has two beds. Best of all, we do have the community kitchen in the Carriage Bldg, so no matter where you stay in the Carriage Bldg, you do have a full kitchen too! And of course, we are PET FRIENDLY. We believe that if you are severely allergic to dander, you will not be comfortable at a farm lodging anyway. So, if that is the case, do consider Abigail's Beach House Loft for a small complete unit with kitchenette that is pet free.

Yes, there will be a lodging experience that is just right for everyone, all under Sleeping Sea.
Once In A Blue Moon Farm is BACK!!!!! We love the name and this farm was the original seed of all that exists for Sleeping Sea today. And, this farm was one of the ORIGINAL seeds of all of Orcas Island. Farming began here and farming is continuing here at ONCE IN A BLUE MOON FARM. Come join us soon!!!

Happy Spring time. Play OUTDOORS!

Shana, founder

The Sun Is Out!

2009-04-06T00:23:00.000-07:00

Today was 65 F and sunny and there is more sun on the way!! Absolutely incredible and essential after what seemed like a never ending winter pushing its way into spring.

We just had three wonderful families stay on the farm over the course of this week and we were sad to see them go. Especially Strider and Chewbacca the great danes!! Ana and Cortes, our dachshunds, still tried their hardest to show the farm belonged too only them, regardless that they could have been eaten in one bite! Hopefully everyone will come back and visit the farm again.

With the sun out, the buds are just beginning the break. We had our first plum blossoms this weekend!! The gardens are shaping up. Lots of soil to move and weeds to pull, but soon everything will be blooming!

(Here is our guest Liz holding McDreamy, one of our cuddly geese)

(Out on the water)

Abigail's Studio Loft

2009-03-24T01:05:00.000-07:00

The cozy beach loft studio will now have its own private bath with a shower. We are going to be incorporating some reclaimed pine siding from a former farm project. Adding the shower will cut down on the size of the living space. But a little refreshing shower before an evening on the deck looking out over the Georgia Strait with a glass of wine is well worth it. The work should be done by the first or second week of April so stay tuned for updates.

2009-03-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

So excited that sleeping sea is up and running! Congrats to Webmaster Zach for all his hard work.

A Private Edible Garden for our Chickens

2009-03-17T00:41:00.000-07:00

So... the website is definitely a work in progress. We are constantly making updates, edits, and more. I guess that's what happens when you do it yourself.

We fenced an area in the chicken yard for an edible chicken garden, but we had to make sure to keep those always snooping goats, sheep, and alpacas. There are currants, elderberries, acorns, walnuts, and serviceberries. We also plan on putting in a few row crops for them to eat during the summer, fall, and winter. Beets, chard, artichoke, etc...It will be their own private garden so hopefully they will leave our strawberries alone!!

Stay warm!

Zach.

New Tree Plantings

2009-03-11T00:03:00.000-07:00

It is now the time to start putting in all our new trees for this year. While it's been a cold winter and early spring, we are hoping that all our new fruit trees and shade trees will do well.

We are proud to plant 6 established exquisite shade and ornamental trees this year.

Katsura (1)
Northern Red Oak (2)
Japanese Snowbell (3)

We put in over 100 native plants purchased from the WSU extension office in Friday Harbor. We just finished putting them in the chicken yards and around the ponds, before this cold spell and snow.

Vine Maple
Red Flower Currant
Red Elderberry
Garry Oak
Mock Orange
Ninebark
Red Osier Dogwood

Still to be purchased are this year's berries and fruit trees, along with seeds for the garden. We'll keep you up to date.

Zach.