Bare Mtn Farm

Quotable Sunday 01/20/2012


Healthy

I was reading somewhere that to declare a word of the year was important in achieving those things that are important to you.  What word do we want to focus on this whole year? We decide it should be HEALTHY.   But it is not limited to physical health all though that is part of it but healthy in every aspect of our lives.  Here's how we see it this year.

Healthy Bodies:  Farmer Tony has been gluten free for about a year and is feeling soooo much better.  He has put on weight and muscle and thinks he is stronger that before.  He feels he may have been sick for years and just didn't know it, till it got bad.  I am gluten free as of November but we both are on a very low carb diet so no gluten or grains at all.  It is working and the weight is coming off and the mind is clearing of all the cobwebs that high carbs were causing.  All this requires a serious change in food, lots of greens(salads,salads....) and a ton of healthy veggies.  So two things have to become a priority with us.  Buying even more from our local farmers' markets, trading flowers for veggies.  We have a really great indoor winter market with tons of healthy veggies, lots of meats, mushrooms, eggs and the yummiest breads and treats. The winter market runs right up to our summer market where we also sell our flowers and so we have access to good local food pretty close to year round. We highly recommend everyone support their local farmers who are growing wonderful  produce.

And second growing a garden in a much larger way.  We have always had a garden of fruits and veggies but the importance of growing year round is here and we must incorporate that part into our flower growing as it is just as important as the flowers.  It all has to get done. What goes into our bodies is only going to help us succeed in everything else we want to do. 

Healthy Minds:  Working on listening to more music, and watching less television.  More reading books that interest us, less hanging around the computer reading trash.  Pursuing other hobbies like quilting, stitching and creative cooking; less wishing we did those things. 

Healthy Farm: Continue to work on sustainability here on the farm.  Our biggest challenge continues to be the process of rebuilding the health and diversity of our soil.  We want to do this in sustainable way that incorporates natural processes. Much of our growing area was previously farmed using conventional practices for raising annual rye grass seed.  These previous management practices have left  our growing areas severely depleted in key minerals and organic material.  This has and can have adverse effects on our plants. The goal is to build soil fertility to its optimum and thus growing plants that are outstandingly healthy.  The healthier our soils a more diverse communities of soil organisms will flourish and the healthier our flowers will be.   

 
We began the process last year of converting our farm to using no-till practices where possible. This includes the use of winter cover crops and use of these in a summer mulching system.

We also have been committed to using our own compost teas made from our owm vermicompost. The tea maker above can make 50 gallons in a batch. 

Healthy Flowers:  Continue to provide the freshest, healthiest and most vibrant flowers we can without chemicals.  Although we are not certified organic, we practice organic methods and are not willing to subject our selves or customers to flowers that are not completely healthy and safe to put on the table next to food.

Healthy Attitude:  To have a positive attitude, give it all we can and then be happy that we did our best.  Focus on what is good and positive in our lives and letting go of all the negatives.  Realizing that living is not a competition and doing ones best is all that is required.  We may not be the best grower or designer but we put our heart and soul into every thing we do and will continue to do so but with a happy attitude and smile.

So we declare HEALTHY  is our word of the year.   Bring on the health!!  How about you? What is your word of the year?

The message that underlies healing is simple yet radical: We are already whole.... Underneath our fears and worries, unaffected by the many layers of our conditioning and actions, is a peaceful core. The work of healing is peeling away the barriers of fear that keep us unaware of our true nature of love, peace, and rich interconnection with the web of life. Healing is the rediscovery of who we are and who we have always been. ~Joan Borysenko