Hey farm friends,
We have been busy this week! Five weeks ago, it seemed impossible that we would have cover crops in the ground and be harvesting vegetables for market.
A dump truck from about 3 hours away arrived on Tuesday, and our hero Roger backed his giant dump truck all the way down our dirt road to deliver a large load of organic compost from a trusted source in the Piedmont.
Claire used our BCS walk behind tractor (looks like a big lawnmower) to loosen up the hard packed clay in the aisles of our field. We then shoveled the clay from the aisles into the craters and low spots where we lost a lot of topsoil. We plan to fill those aisles with wood chips to replace the soil. Then, we used two wheelbarrows and two shovels and some strong legs and backs to get that dump truck load of compost spread around the field to help bring organic matter and beneficial bacteria back to our soil.
We mixed the clay, any remaining soil, and the new compost together, and then smoothed out the rows to get them ready for planting cover crop. Some areas received winter rye, and some received a mix of peas, oats, vetch, crimson clover, and tillage radish. It is a little late to be planting these crops, but we hope that they will germinate and put down roots to help hold our soil in place over the winter. Our irrigation has been running to try to dampen the dry soil- we’ve just had 1/8 inch of rain since Helene 5 weeks ago!
Our bodies are sore, but we are grateful to be making progress on building our farm back! Slowly but surely, businesses are recovering and opening their doors again.
As we consider how to build back our community better and stronger, it is time to think about what we can all do to help. The last five weeks have been draining, physically and emotionally, and it is important for us all to take time to be filled. As we are filled, it is then time to consider how we can use our gifts and talents to help rebuild. Rebuild homes, businesses, lives, and hearts. How?
A smile for a stranger.
A hug for a friend.
Cookies and extra patience for the linemen and women working to get utilities restored.
Inviting a neighbor that you don’t know very well for lunch.
Working towards more affordable long term rentals and homes in order to keep folks of all income levels in our community.
Delivering firewood to a home that relies on wood heat.
Helping to clean out or rebuild a flood-ravaged home.
It can be overwhelming thinking of all there is to do. But we can all do something.
When we feel weak, we can draw on the strength of our tough mountain community. I am filled with hope that we will work together to create a Swannanoa Valley that is more compassionate, equitable, and resilient!
