What Early March Looks Like on the Farm

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What’s going on with us?

Things are pretty nonstop here. When we aren’t actively farming, we’re planning and dreaming of what we want the farm to look like. Here’s a quick peek at what’s happening here.

Outside

Aaron is prepping the beds by checking pH levels, laying out landscape fabric, and using low tunnels to warm the beds.

Collins (does not at all) lend(s) a helping hand in the garden, while Samson looks on from the other side of the garden fence.

Inside

The seeds are starting to sprout under UV lights, and Aaron is converting a washing machine into a greens dryer.

All in All

It’s a lot of work, but we’re happy to have the opportunity to do it. Farming is challenging and rewarding, just like anything else worth doing.

The Method to the Madness

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Farming is like anything else: it’ll absorb as much time, energy, and money as you want to invest. The more you invest, the more success you’ll have…hopefully. Aaron and I are both school teachers, and we’ve used the past few years to figure out how to make farming fit into our lives. That fit has sometimes been a square peg in a round hole, but we’re committed to growing good food, so we persist. Part of making farming work for us means we need to strategically spread out the workload over the course of our off-season. Once spring rolls around, life becomes a whirlwind of chores, and there’s not much time to step back and take in the big picture.

The Obsession

Aaron has spent way too many hours so far this winter methodically mapping out our garden beds for the coming season. (This does not include the hours he’s spent ogling seed catalogues, by the way.) He’s applying the knowledge he’s gained through a Market Gardener Master Class facilitated by J.M. Fortier, a Permaculture Design program through Oregon State University, a C.A.S.E. certification (Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education) at Kentucky University, and the endless gardening podcasts he listens to. The man doesn’t mess around.

The Plan

The spreadsheet Aaron created to plan our crops is intricate and proactive. It includes important dates for sowing seeds, transplanting, fertilizing, cultivating, etc. He’s been going at it like a mad scientist for weeks now. Adhering to the measure-twice-cut-once philosophy, he’s hyper planning now so that we can more easily carry out the heavy lifting of farming in the spring and summer months when it’s harder to think on your toes.

The Rules

Crop planning around here follows a few rules:

1. The crops we plant in our 20 beds are scheduled in a 10 year rotation where a given crop of heavy feeders are followed by nitrogen-enhancing crops (the plant equivalent of dainty eaters—leafy greens).

2. Our crops are planted in clustered intervals so that they don’t all ripen at the same time.

3. Crops are planted as close to one another as possible in order to maximize output and eliminate space for weeds.

4. We don’t plant foods our kids refuse to eat. (Sorry, fennel.)

5. We respect the natural soil food web and therefore plant cover crops liberally. (You’re welcome, worms.)

The Application

Each season of farming teaches us something new. How best to enrich the soil through compost and natural fertilizers. Which weeds to let grow because they improve the land. Which crops people in our lives most enjoy. How to prevent the kids and dog from destroying the insect netting. There’s no end to learning when you recognize nature as your teacher. We use the winter months to harness our learned lessons from the previous growing season and apply them toward the next.

The Video

Watch the video below to hear a little bit about why we plan the beds the way we do.

CSA Coming Soon!

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Fail Better Farms is continuing to evolve as Aaron and I learn how to juggle the different components of farm life. We’ve decided the best model of produce sales for us is a CSA, so this coming growing season we’re seeking five households that are interested in joining us on this adventure.

What is a CSA?

Community Supported Agriculture is basically a subscription to the crops a farm has to offer. The customer pays a designated amount to become a member of the CSA. Then, throughout the growing season, the farmer provides the customer with weekly shares of the harvest. The customer benefits from the bounty and planning of the farmer, but also shares in any weeks that are less bountiful.

What’s in the works to make this happen?

• We recently ordered a hoop house to extend our growing season.

• Aaron built a bubbler, which we’ll use to clean fresh salad greens before bagging them for our customers.

• We’re working to create a cold storage room on property using a CoolBot. This way we’ll be able to store crops at peak condition for our customers.

What crops will be included in the CSA shares?

We’ll offer kale, broccoli, green cabbage, tomatoes, collard greens carrots, beets, turnips, sugar snap peas, eggplant, scallions, basil, yellow squash, cucumbers, green peppers, green beans, spring onion, salanova lettuce, and sweet potatoes.

Why are we only taking on 5 households?!

Plain and simple, we want to provide our customers with the best experience possible, and we can’t do that if we stretch ourselves too thin.

How can you learn more?

Check out our CSA Membership Agreement to learn more. If you’re interested in joining our CSA, complete the form at the bottom of the Membership Agreement.

14 Days of Kindness

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Countdown calendars are fun and add a spark of joy to each holiday. Our countdown to Valentine’s Day is one of my favorites because it’s all about spreading love and kindness. From February 1st until February 14th, we commit at least one simple act of kindness each day. Read on if you’re interested in trying this with your kid(s).

Why I Invest Time in This Lunacy

1. We need to develop empathy in my house. A lot of the activities I include in our calendar focus on the well-being of others, so when we do these activities I make sure to ask Liv things like, “How would you feel if somebody did this for you?”

2. My daughter is a resistant reader, so I try to regularly incorporate pleasant reading opportunities. Because we keep the hearts on display and Liv can choose which activity we do each day, she has incentive to read them.

3. Several of my activities focus on bonding (with family members and friends, with each other, with the dog, etc.). In our busy lives, it’s easy to get caught up in our to-do lists, so it’s a priority for us to carve out time to connect.

Suggested Activities

• Write a note to a friend telling him/her why s/he is awesome. Sign it or don’t.

• Write a note to a teacher telling him/her why s/he is awesome.

• Leave a note of kindness on a stranger’s windshield in a parking lot. (Consider what you’d like to read as you hop back into your car. Maybe try something like, “You can do this.” or “You are enough.” or “Life is tough, but so are you.”)

• Call a relative or friend you haven’t talked to in a while to tell them you miss them.

• Give Mom or Dad a back massage. (You like how I sneak in self-serving things like this?)

• Donate nonperishable items to a food pantry.

• Donate old towels and/or blankets to an animal shelter.

• Help your parents clean the house.

• Send a message to a favorite YouTuber to tell them you’re a big fan.

• Make Valentines for your classmates.

• Prepare your sibling’s favorite snack as a surprise. Perhaps arrange said snack into fanciful designs.

• Play a game your sibling wants to play.

• Do something good for your own heart. Go outside and run around. (Self-care is also kindness!)

• Watch a cheesy love movie in a snuggle nest. (This is another one that’s pretty selfish on my part. I adore movies in snuggle nests! The cheesier, the better.)

• Pay for the car behind you in a drive-thru restaurant. (It’s a good idea to ask how much they’ve spent first. I mean, we can spread kindness without being completely irresponsible.)

• Take a bubble bath with candles and a champagne flute of sparkling juice. (This is one of Liv’s faves.)

• Spend time petting, brushing, training or walking your dog.

• If you’re in a position to donate money, donate to a worthy cause. (If you’re not in a position to donate money, don’t.)

• If you’re interested in growing your own veggies this year, you might start planning your bed(s) now. (Salanova lettuce and turnip seeds can be planted in February in zone 7!)

• Help make dinner for your family. (Might I recommend a heart-shaped meatloaf for Valentine’s Day dinner? It’s a tradition my mom started that I’ve had fun continuing.)

How to Make this Work for You

1. Don’t plan things that feel hard because you won’t want to do them. Plan simple activities that are within reach and will make your kid(s) feel good.

2. Post all of the hearts somewhere that your kid(s) can easily see them. (I posted mine above the windows in our breakfast nook so they’re out of the way but still easy to see and read. Bonus: you just decorated for the holiday.)

3. Although this is a countdown to February 14th in our house, you might want to post more than 14 options in order to offer choice.

4. If this feels like just one more thing that you should do but don’t have time to do, don’t do it at all! There’s not one right way to do parenting.

Fluffy, Egg-Free, Low-Gluten Pancakes

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Our son Collins is allergic to eggs, and he’s sensitive to sugar and gluten. Our daughter Olivia has no tolerance for food that is anything less than delicious. This creates a conundrum at mealtimes and means I have to modify pretty much any recipe I plan to use. Buckle up, dear reader, ‘cause you’re about the reap the benefits of my recipe-tweaking efforts. I hereby declare I have discovered the fluffiest, tastiest pancakes that suit the palates of picky eaters AND the dietary needs of folks with egg allergies and gluten sensitivity.

The Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
-3/4 cup milk
-2 tablespoons white vinegar
-1 cup flour (Today I used 1/2 cup wheat flour and 1/2 cup rice flour because when I use all rice flour my daughter gripes that “Mommy only makes us gross pancakes anymore.”)
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/4 cup applesauce
-1 teaspoon vanilla

The Directions

Step 1: Mix 3/4 cup milk with 2 tbsp white vinegar, and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes or so. (You’re not being punked. You’re DIYing buttermilk here. It’s gonna look gross, but I swear it’ll end up being a good decision.)

Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients listed above, and mix. (Play jazz to get the consistency exactly how you want it. Add more applesauce or milk if it’s a little too thick for you. Add more flour if it’s too thin.)

Step 3: Grill ‘em up! I cook mine in butter on a cast iron pan, but to each his own.

Play with Your Food

I’m currently reading The Secret Life of Bees (I know. I’m two decades behind. Lay off me.), and last night I got to the part where May makes the “L” pancake for Lily. I says to myself…I says, “Self, let’s try that tomorrow morning.” So I did. Olivia was tickled to have her name spelled out in batter, so I fully endorse this type of food play when you have time on a weekend morning.

Now, you can go crazy searching pancake art tutorials on Youtube, and if you need a momentary escape from reality, I highly recommend you do. People have incredible skills, and there are worse ways to spend your time. However, for my “Olivia ♡” I just used a regular old spoon and got to it. Momma ain’t got time for squeeze bottle nonsense.

My Reality

The real kicker is that after making these modifications, Collins rarely eats any pancakes. Perhaps my efforts to make them Collins-friendly seem insane to you, as they do to me on occasion. However, because he sometimes chows down with us, I have to ensure our food is safe for him.

How to Make Your Bath Water Smell Like Heaven and Look Like Death

I’m all about trying to make stuff special for my kids. I’m full of these ideas on cute activities we can do together. Let’s make bath bombs! That’ll be a hit! Right?

Wrong.

If you follow the directions I followed, you don’t end up with bath bombs; you end up with bath sludge. It smells amazing, but it’s nothing that remotely resembles those cute spherical fizzy-producers that you’d actually want to give your kids. To see how hard I failed on this project, read my step-by-step guide below.

Ultimate Bath Sludge Recipe

Step 1: Mix together 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup epsom salt, and 1/2 cup cornstarch in a large bowl.

Step 2: Mix 2.5 tablespoons melted coconut oil, 3/4 tablespoons water, and 12-15 drops essential oils (I used equal parts clary sage, copaiba, and geranium, which created a divine blend.) in a medium bowl.

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones until they meet the consistency of a gooey slime.

Step 4: Slowly add 1/2 cup citric acid to the slime. Panic because the fizzing, which is supposed to occur when you pop these bad boys into the bathtub, is already happening. Uh oh.

Step 5: Attempt to form your sludge into spheres. Realize immediately that there’s no way this is going to work.

Step 6: Add more citric acid, baking soda, and salt in an effort to absorb the excess liquid. Cackle maniacally as your science experiment bubbles out of your control.

Step 7: Pivot. (Word of the year?) Decide maybe instead of making separate bath bombs, you can create a sheet of bath bomb matter that could possibly be salvaged if broken up after it dries. (Bath bomb bark is more seasonally appropriate anyway, right?) Spread the substance into a pan lined with parchment paper, and, while you’re at it, add some drops of food coloring just to see what happens. Sit the tray outside in an attempt to dry it. A little fresh air and sunshine might do it good, after all. (See image below.)

Step 8: After waiting over 24 hours and seeing the Plan B “bath bomb bars” were still the consistency of mud, throw up your hands and dump your strange creation into a cute jar. (See below.)

Step 9: Shovel out a few clumps of the concoction under warm running water in the bathtub. Persistently yet lovingly shepherd your kids into the brown bath water.

Step 10: Field questions from your indignant kids and confused husband. (Ex: “Wait…what is that stuff? Why is it so hard to scrape out of the jar? Why is the bath water already dirty?”)

Lesson

I’m not Pinterest-worthy a majority of the time. (Those of you who know me best might laugh out loud at that understatement.) In all honesty, my mom-game can be best likened to a frantic round of whack-a-mole. However, I will do my best to lean into failing better. As far as I can tell, it’s the only way to live. No matter how this year blessed you or abused you, dear reader, may your Plan B bring you laughter.

Rain Water Collection

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As a student of permaculture, Aaron loves to find ways to use naturally occurring systems in our favor. I mean, who doesn’t want more free time? And fewer things breaking is a huge win! Since we have garden beds to irrigate and animals to hydrate, thoughtful rain water collection quickly became one of the more obvious systems to experiment with. The latest rain water prototype may be upgraded to a more permanent set up as it proves its usefulness and we continue to tweak our systems here at Fail Better Farms.

What does rain water collection look like on our farm?

We have four 55 gal water barrels and one 330 gal IBC tote tank set up at downspouts where needed on the property. When it rains, these guys fill up relatively quickly. It’s kind of shocking actually. For every 1” of rain and 1,000 square feet of surface, about 620 gallons can be captured. If the rain barrel is kept up slightly above the ground, we can irrigate on head pressure alone. When it’s warmer we’ll add BTI as a monthly pollinator-friendly mosquito control. (Read about how and why we use BTI here.)

Our current largest reservoir, the IBC tote tank (in photo below) is strategically located. We’re in agricultural zone 7A, meaning we should expect a few hard freezes throughout the winter. Our current solution is to keep the tank on the south-facing side of our garage, out of the biting cold north wind. Using gravity alone, this tank supplies the rain water stored for crops and/or animals.

Water destined for the crops passes through an irrigation filter, a battery-operated irrigation timer (sometimes set to irrigate 3 times a day), and some layflat hose (blue hose seen in photos) before it arrives at on/off valves at the foot of every veggie row (so that only those actively growing get the water). A row of drip tape extends from every on /off valve (right photo below) down the row so every root zone gets a slow steady leak of water. This sounds like a lot, but aside from replacing a 9V battery once a year in the timer, this system has been boiled down to two constants: rain & gravity. Thus, there are NO moving parts to break or be replaced. Win!

Pup Proofing

We’ve also had to get creative because our Great Pyrenees enjoys chewing on (ev.er.y.thing…including) the hose that runs from the tank to the fenced garden. We’ve had success by blocking the front of the tank with wooden pallets and covering the layflat hose with upcycled conveyor belt material. (See photos below.)

How can you plan your water collection system?

1. Make sure water collection is legal where you are.

2. Place your rain barrels in logical locations. If you’ll be using the water for thirsty chickens, then collect the water on your chicken coop. If the water is for your garden, make sure it’ll be flowing downhill to your beds. You know…work smarter, not harder.

3. Be creative. A well-placed gutter is well worth the time it takes to install.

Check out what it looks like:

The Need for Regenerative Agriculture

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Truth #1: Whether we like it or not, because we eat food, we are a part of the agricultural system. Every time we purchase food, we are demonstrating our approval of the farming practices that were used to grow it. It’s a heavy responsibility, but it’s imperative that we all recognize our influence.

Truth #2: Humans have irrefutably done too much damage to our planet, and it’s about dang time somebody (or, better yet, a whole bunch of somebodies) steps up and does something about it. We need to reverse the damage we’ve done. This isn’t just some hippie pipe dream; it’s reality. Here are a few facts from folks who know things:

• “If current rates of degradation continue all of the world's top soil could be gone within 60 years.” (Read this article if you have a few minutes.) (Or watch this movie if you have a few hours.)

• Mainstream farming practices have placed agriculture as one of the top five sources of greenhouse gases. (Fact check me here.)

• “In recent decades, contact with soil has largely been reduced, which together with a modern lifestyle and nutrition has led to the depletion of the gut microbiome with adverse effects to human health.” (Read more about the direct connection between soil health and human gut health here.) (If you're into it, also check out this podcast to learn more about the connection between human health and the environment.)

Truth #3: The status quo isn’t working. If we lose something faster than we gain it, the argument could be made that sustainable agriculture isn’t enough. We’re proud Americans here at Fail Better Farms, and we figure if we can put a man on the moon, then we can live gently on our home planet without compromising its well-being--or, by extension, our own.

Let’s Talk Solutions

Our current situation is not ideal, but neither is it without hope. Enter: regenerative agriculture.

“‘Regenerative Agriculture’ describes farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity – resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle.”

— Regeneration International

We are by no means experts on regenerative agriculture, but we’re working to learn all we can so we can be part of the regenerative movement. We hope you’ll join us on this journey.