The Relocation: a depth-lacking overview

When Tamara and I decided to relocate back to my hometown in the Finger Lakes, the decision hinged mainly on two potentials.  The first being that my parents own about 4 acres just outside of town, 1or 2 of which we could plant in vegetables.  A good chunk of the rest could easily be put to use without taking over my parents lives.  In short, we both have agricultural ambitions.  We both enjoy the labor involved with farming and believe strongly in growing our local food economy.  The sense of importance we feel in regards to eating locally results in a near inability to eat supermarket produce.  I would never admit so much to a dinner host and I am constantly aware of how pretentious such convictions can seem - regardless, that our caloric intake come primarily from our own food-shed is a core value of ours.  That said, it is a dream of ours to grow enough food for ourselves and have enough left over for a humble income through farmer's markets, restaurant sales, what have you.  While this might not be immediately in reach, we are determined to give it a go.  

The other reason for choosing our westward migration was the 100 year old barn dying for restoration.  While we briefly considered renting somewhere in town, the idea of converting the barn quickly became a more desirable choice. The space has a great deal of potential and the everyday small gains are encouraging.  We can't wait to get the siding up so we can really get to work on the inside. 

So, we've been preparing beds for next spring and slowly plugging along on the barn.  We built a nice compost bin and have inoculated logs with shitake and oyster mushroom spawn.  We also have a couple of pigs in the barn slowly transforming into bacon.   

That's enough for now, I'll let the pictures fill in the blanks.

Sod-busters

Sod-busting (next time I'll let the pigs do it)

Inoculating logs with mushroom spawn

Stacking the logs in the woods behind the barn.  They will sit here until next Spring, get soaked for 24 hours to force fruiting, then, hopefully start growing mushrooms - hopefully.

Our last tomatoes - we had a long lasting crop this year

Taking a break to attend Tamara's cousin's wedding in New York.