CSA: End of 2008 Season...Sign up for 2009!

This week ended our 2008 CSA season. We're already gearing up for the 2009 season. We have staked out a 2-acre garden-that's 4 times the size of this year's. We will be implementing some new techniques such as undercropping to improve our soil and using some innovative tools to be more efficient.
*Receive a weekly basket of fresh vegetables, flowers, and herbs from a farmer you know and trust.

Space is limited for our 2009 CSA.
Reserve your spot today.
5% Early Bird Discount Available!
Season runs from May-October (26 weeks)
Full Share $800
Half Share$450
Pick up at our farm
or
Saturdays at the Franklin Farmer's Market

Call or email us for more information.
931.623.3732
sales@beaverdamcreekfarm.com

Belle Meade Fall Fest

Last Saturday, we participated in the Belle Meade Fall Festival as Farmer's Market vendors. Our main objective was to advertise our 2009 CSA program. I made a display board to explain what a CSA is, and to show people pictures of our farm. We gave out samples of our sweet potatoes. We also gave out flyers and business cards. This family was so kind to come and play bluegrass music at our booth. Their beautiful music created a nice atmosphere.

We arrived to set up at 7:00 a.m. and didn't leave until 6:30 p.m., so we were exhausted by the end of the day. Even though it was a long day, and we didn't sell a lot of veggies, it was worth going because of all the good contacts we made.

Set up crewFiddling Claire

Laura, the mandolin expert (She makes it look so easy!)

Kyle switches between the banjo and the guitar.

Capt. Luke, reporting for duty!

The guys were drooling over these "sweet rides".

Jo-Nathan looking cute, as usual

Who's Your Farmer?

Bluegrass

Beaverdam Creek's star sales-lady

Jacob did a little pickin' with the bluegrass band.

Can I throw this one Ya-ya (translated Laura)?

"Sweet! I'm getting one!"

Daddy enjoyed his blue-raspberry sno-cone.

Workin' In the Rain

Pop pop and Maw maw came for a visit earlier this week. They brought all kinds of goodies with them...delicious pineapple, limes, new jeans, pretty new shoes, and more! It was like Christmas when they arrived. They helped us a lot! They weeded the strawberry patch (a big job, considering we have 1000 strawberry plants). They also took us out to the Harvest Grill a couple times.

One day, it rained for most of the day. It was so cool and pleasant that we went out to the garden to get some work done. Maw maw did some weeding, and Mom, Daisy, and I planted some cabbage and broccoli transplants. It was the perfect weather for both activities. Meanwhile, Pop pop and Jacob replaced the alternator on the tractor, and Daddy picked the rest of the watermelons.

-Tricia Ann

Car conversation

The sign in front of Barber's apartments always inspires unique conversations. One day we were running errands, when we passed the aforementioned sign. It said something like, "Give us back our rotary phones, so we don't have to dial 1 for English." We chuckled, and discussed rotary phones for the next few minutes. Daddy pointed out that a rotary phone would drive a modern-day person crazy because of the waiting time between each number dialed. Jacob's response was, "Yeah, it would take forever to send a text message on one of those."

That sent us all into fits of laughter (especially me ;). What a witty brother I have.

-Tricia Ann

Gearing Up for Fall

One evening last week, I thought I'd go out to the garden and pull up the spent sunflowers really quick. I donned my gloves, grabbed a dead-looking plant and pulled. Nothing happened. I tried tugging with both hands. It wouldn't budge. I finally grabbed the stalk as close to the ground as I could, leaned backwards and pulled with all my might (not much, I know...but I was trying anyway ;). It broke, and I staggered backwards, trying not to fall. That darn root was STILL in the ground! Needless to say the job was not "really quick", but thankfully, some of the flowers were easier to pull up than that first one.

Another day, the whole family helped me pull up all the cornstalks to make room for our cool-weather transplants. We cut off the roots, tied them in bundles, and stacked them in the barn to dry. We plan on selling them at the farmer's market in a few weeks.

-Tricia Ann

For Grammie...

Mom found this little guy on an okra plant, and I took a picture of him.

-Tricia Ann

Colossal, Gigantic, Enormous New...

Refrigerator!!!

Last week my parents celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary. We went out to eat in Franklin to celebrate. Daddy bought Mom a bigger fridge and he and Jacob installed it in the camper. They cleverly modified the fridge space so it would fit. The old one was tiny, so the new one seems really big! It will hold 3 or 4 gallons of milk! You couldn't fit one gallon in the old one. Yipee! Yep. We get excited easily around here. ;)

-Tricia Ann

Dinky old fridge

Voila!

Picture of the Day...

"Kodak Moment"

We were on our way home from somewhere (I don't remember where), and Daddy decided to take the scenic route. The sunset was so beautiful over our neighbors pond, I asked if we could stop so I could take a picture. Daddy was kind enough to pull over, and I ended up taking four or five. I am always disappointed with sunset pictures because they're never as pretty as the sunset really was, but this one turned out okay.

-Tricia Ann

Farmer's Market

Last Saturday, we went to the Franklin Farmer's Market for the first time. We intended to arrive at 7 a.m., but it was 7:30 before we actually got there. We rushed around, trying to get our canopy assembled. It took a long time, even though we had done a trial set-up the night before. We had gotten it about halfway up, when it started to rain. Pretty much everything got wet to some degree. We finally got the canopy situated and set up the rest of our booth without too much trouble.

We met lots of nice people and a few very interesting ones. There was a homeschooling family in the booth next door. Lots of people stopped by to try samples of the shortbread I made. I had baked a lot of shortbread and cranberry walnut scones, thinking we would sell it. However, the market administrator informed us that we must have a "domestic kitchen certification" to sell baked goods. Bummer. He told us that we could give them away as samples, so that's what we did. I received a very nice compliment from a British photographer, who said my scones were really good. I thought it was somethin' to please a real British critic.

Here are some pictures Daddy and I took. The pretty booth set-up can be attributed to the creativity of my parents. They did a great job.

-Tricia Ann

What Jacob does...

...at this family's house, before they get home.

He borrows my camera and...

takes strange pictures of himself

takes bad pictures of me

takes pictures of his shoes (he insisted that I turn the picture black and white before I posted it)

and takes pictures of a sideways chicken with goofy sunglasses on ;)

Nettles Used to Be...

...such a nice-sounding word

the kind of word you read in a Beatrix Potter story

a proper English-sounding word

a word that's fun to say because of the way

your tongue gets to flop around in your mouth when you say it

"Nettles! Nettles! Nettles!"

Yes, I used to like the word nettles.

That is, until I moved to this farm and learned what nettles really are.

Now

Nettles are evil.

Nettles are hideous.

Nettles are lurking, waiting to attack.

Nettles are EVERYWHERE!

Nettles are sin incarnate!

If you want a good picture of how bad sin is, observe the nettle.

Nettles have thorny little stickers coming at you from all angles.

I've done quite a lot of thinking on my sin lately because I've pulled a lot of nettles.

Every envious thought I've had is a nettle.

Every time I've put my own desires above the Lord's desires is a nettle.

Every grumbling, complaining attitude is a nettle.

Every faithless worry is a nettle.

In short, my garden is full of nettles!

But, thankfully, "where sin abounds, grace much more abounds."

The Lord is my gardener, and He's about the business of tending His garden.

Nettles, like sin, have deep roots.

They can't be impatiently snatched or they'll just break off and grow right back.

You have to get to the root of the matter.

That requires pulling with a firm grip and slow, steady pressure.

Sins are the same-deeply rooted.

And only the slow, patient, steady hand of our Heavenly Father can rid us of them.

I'm thankful for my Heavenly Gardener, and I'm thankful for the nettles He created.

~Trish

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air; and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
(Job 12:7-10)

(Stinging Nettles: Flowers in Close Up by David Boaq
Photo from allposters.com)

Flutterby

Yesterday evening, I was passing by my herb garden, when I noticed several beautiful butterflies fluttering around my zinnias. I ran inside to get my camera, and took lots of pictures of them. Here are two of the best ones.

-Tricia Ann

You crown the year with your goodness,

and your paths drip with abundance. 

They drop on the pastures of the wilderness. 

And the little hills rejoice on every side.

The pastures are clothed with flocks;

The valleys also are covered with grain;

They shout for joy, they also sing.

-Psalm 65:11-13 

Weeding...

And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
(Galatians 6:9)

Should we like it? That’s a question that was up for discussion a few weeks back. And no wonder! It’s the chore that’s kept us busy for the past several weeks. Even Philip’s mom joined in the effort. In fact, she’s the top weeder in our family. She can bend over and pull weeds for literally hours on end! I, on the other hand, can’t last that long. I have to resort to kneeling or sitting after just a few minutes. What’s more astounding is that she actually enjoys weeding. If she’s ever in your yard and she sees a weed, no matter what, she’s determined to pull it up. I think our weeds actually tremble at the sight of her coming! Oh, how I wish I could be like her!

That’s what prompted our weed discussion. I was lamenting to Tricia Ann as we were busy weeding one morning that I wish I enjoyed pulling weeds. Tricia Ann pointed out that maybe we're not meant to like pulling weeds because it’s part of the curse. I’m not so sure. I think that weeds are part of our sanctification, and if we pray about it, the Lord can change our attitude.

Weeds certainly are a curse. But it seems as if, even in cursing, the Lord adds some blessings. Weeding our garden teaches us something about sin. The Lord cursed the ground with thorns and thistles. Every time we see one, or feel the pain of a prick from one, we can think of how evil our sins are. Then we can be thankful that Christ paid for those sins. Also, briars of all kinds are among the first types of plants to grow on barren ground. It’s as if God designed them to redeem the neglected or abused soil by preventing erosion and holding valuable minerals. And, I must say, weeds certainly provide our family with lots of quality time. We’ve had lots of family chats, singing of silly songs, and pondering the meaning of life while weeding together. Another blessing weeds provide is the exercise we get from all the bending, reaching, and pulling. I think that’s the part that I wish I enjoyed. It’s actually not the exercise that I dislike. It’s the sore muscles and the heat that bother me. I’d rather lay on the couch in the air conditioning and read a book than weed the garden. But, those weeds keep calling to me! And, hey! Even if we can’t enjoy the process, we can certainly enjoy the results. It’s so satisfying to look out our back window and see the beautiful, well-tended garden. So you see? Maybe weeds are a blessing disguised as a curse?

~Trish

CSA Week 2

You can't get any fresher than this!

Beaverdam Creek CSA customers received lots of fresh goodies in their baskets this week including snap beans, zucchini, summer crookneck squash, sweet and hot peppers, garlic, and a bunch of aromatic, zesty cilantro for making salsa. Tricia Ann's perky sunflowers topped it all off for a truly "sunny" presentation.

Cutie with Kitties

Here's a shot of Tricia Ann with her two new kittens, Daisy and Gizmo. It's hard to get Gizmo to stay still for a photo shoot, but Daisy is a natural-born poser. Recently we awoke at 4:00 am to find both of them in our bathroom. Somehow they discovered a secret passage and made their way into the camper. Philip and Jacob spent the next morning repairing the breach. Who knows what other critters might have found their way inside. YIKES!
~Trish

Anniversary dinner

My grandparents came for a visit last week. We went to the Harvest Grill one night to celebrate their 53rd wedding anniversary. We took some pictures, some of which I've posted here. I'll let them speak for themselves.

-Tricia Ann

The trick is...let the beneficials do all the work.

I've been having a problem with hornworms eating my tomato plants. They're so big, ugly, and nasty that I hate picking them off the plants. The other day, I found several hornworms with little white things all over them. I got out my Rodale's Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening (Thanks L's!), and read about it. It said that the little white things are parasitic wasp eggs that will kill the hornworm. So I left the wasp-infested hornworms on the plants so the good wasps will hatch and lay more hornworm-killing eggs.

-Tricia Ann