We Have a Website

In fact, we've had a website for about 2 years. It just hasn't been updated in 1.5 years, unfortunately.

Chalk it up to lack of computer training. I tried to make it work with my limited technological abilities, but I finally had to fire myself as Webmaster. I hired a new guy, though, who comes cheap and is an actual computer genius. His brain throbs and everything. Kinda grody.

Anyway, it's not live yet, but in anticipation of it being live...here's the link: The Updated-at-Long-Last Oldwebsterfarm.com.

(Maybe check on it in a day or two)

In the future, look for a much longer list of "resternts", as my dad calls them, on the "Where to Find Us" page, and maybe some new pictures or something. In another year and a half. Oh, also, for you "resternt" types...I hope to post my weekly availability sheet somewhere on there this season. So maybe look for that, too.

Pushing Past the Cobwebs

Slowly, slowly I'm waking up from my hibernation. My head is beginning to think less about bathroom tile and sheetrock and stud grade 2x4's, and more about seeds and potting mix and tractor tires.

I also had an offer this winter to go back to being an advertising copywriter, which stole my concentration for a while. But I decided it wasn't for me. The job probably would have been great -- working with one of my best friends in his creative department for more money than I ever used to make back when I was still in it. I'm hoping that maybe we could work out a seasonal/part time arrangement or something. Probably not, but it wouldn't hurt to inquire.

So anyway, I'm back in the New York groove here, getting ready for the '08 season. Calling chefs, meeting new chefs, ordering seeds and so forth. Here's my new thing:



Behold, The Mexican Sour Gherkin, or "Cuke Nut". Thanks to Chad from Footjoy Farm, also here in Sparta, for teaching me all about it. Luckily, I don't have to compete with Chad, he sends his stuff in the opposite direction to Minneapolis. (That photo is courtesy of the Seed Savers Exchange, by the way)

So hopefully I'll be dropping by here more often to disturb the crickets and leave some posts. If anyone is reading this -- besides the crickets, of course -- don't be afraid to leave a comment. Nothing worse than blogging to yourself.

I, Sir, Am No Tomatoman.

Sure, I grow tomatoes. But I had a phone conversation today with a real, live Tomatoman, THE Tim Stark. He grows tomatoes for some of NYC's most prominent chefs.

He has also just finished a book about tomatoes and life and farming and stuff. It will be out in July and hopefully I'll get to take a sneaky peeky at it before I get too busy with the farm this summer. Otherwise it will be one of next winter's first reads.

So anyway, I find the guy inspiring. He grows a lot of things, but mainly has a passion for tomatoes, which I can fully identify with. His secondary passion is peppers (he calls them "chiles", I don't know enough about them to understand why), which I guess he will be sending me recommendations for varieties shortly. He estimated that he had over 19,000 (that's thousand with a T) tomato plants this past season, which due to good weather extended into November! This while mine died out in September. But he's in Southeastern PA in a zone 6, I believe.

Maybe someday I'll write a book about how I'm the Tomatoguy or the Tomatofella in my part of the world. Maybe I'll write a book about Tim Stark instead.

OK...back to the seed catalogs.

Oh right. The blog.

As I've been saying to any chef or fellow farmer lately, my mind has been elsewhere. Now it's back. And ready to do my '07 taxes.

And plot out '08 with my chefs. And get my seed orders in.

Buy a pickup. Um...and all that other stuff.

Here's a shot of summer to help you (me) fight off the effects of SAD. Never mind...I'm still unable to upload photos. Imagine a lot of blue sky and green and sun and not winter.

Crossroads

For reasons I can't fully explain publicly, Old Webster Farm has come to a bit of a crossroads within the past two days. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it could affect the future of the farm. It could affect whether or not we continue to farm, at least for the foreseeable future.

It's up to us, really. Whether we choose to keep going, or choose to do make a bit of a return to our former life.

I don't want to leave the farm. I don't want to give up on the farm. But farming over the past three years has given me a perspective that I didn't have three years ago. A feeling that I know I can pretty much do anything I decide to do...whether that's true or not, I'm sure I'll find out before long.

Well, enough of the cryptic writings. I'm just a little confused right now and felt I needed to share (as little information as possible, but still).

I'll keep you posted. Whoever you are.

A Million Miles Away From the Farm

Tomorrow the Beautiful Old House will see visits from a plumber, a carpenter and an electrician.

Better sell LOTS of tomatoes next year...

The Farm is Napping

Everything is snoozing away under a blanket of snow and ice right now at the old farm.

I was initially busy with a kitchen rehab in our Beautiful Old House. But when we discovered rotting floor boards under our downstairs bathroom a week ago, we decided to redo that first. Hopefully, we can do a better job of making the bathroom look less like 1987 left a lingering stench in there and help it coordinate more with the 19-teens decor of the rest of the place. Hex tiles, wainscoting, pedestal sink, etc.

In farm-related news, though, I do have a line on an interesting and relatively rare variety of turnip from Germany. Hopefully I'll be able to make that available this upcoming season.