Yesterday David and I were out in the weeds - used to be called blackberries and will be blackberries again soon but the weeds surround them. Berries are just turning red so pickers will be coming out about Father's Day and for 3 weeks I will be up at 6 am for 7 am pickers. We failed to give them the care they needed - so this is the year we have to get our act together.
A car turned up the drive - young man and kid - I said lightly, if your here for berries - your too early and he just as lightly asked if he could park in the shade as the little one was sleeping. Sure - and I waddled up the drive to where he parked - dogs barked, kid woke up - mayhem for about 3 minutes and then the dogs settled down. Bill Edgar introduced himself, from Pryor but his mom-in-law was in Mounds and he had tried me before but we were gone that day. Could he ask questions??
Two hours later we parted friends. I think he said 32 when I asked him his age regarding his fear of snakes and I said he had plenty of time to outgrow that cuz I did. Agricultural Biologist in training, sustainable farmer, Edgar Springs Farm in Pryor.
First question was about a weed - lamb's quarter - what is it, how does it grow and he was pleased he could eat it - he's on a diet - a 50 mile radius diet and he is doing without flour products. Said he is eating a lot of goat's milk and goat's cheese and there's 1/2 a beef in the freezer and my Lemon Boy tomato I sliced in the house was the fourth tomato he had this summer after a Sun Gold, Juliet and a Tomatoberry cherry for a bit of a taste test. He liked the Sun Gold. So did Sophi his kiddo - oh she's just the prettiest 4 yr old and she wanted to touch and hug the dogs, cat, fish. How she missed the bunny - well, next time.
Before the taste test we wondered the yard, discussed college, the environment, our thoughts on sustainability and I pointed out weeds that stop blood flow or take out the sting of the nettles, things you could eat and things to stay away from. He had a small handful of medicinal weeds and my small flyer because he decided that CSA's were too hard on the guilt button to try again and we both were afraid of taking money and not having produce to give back to which I have never leaned toward or tried but he had. My flyer says this isn't a CSA here at the farm - sure hope tomatoes start to really produce soon. I end up tilling under things that don't get eaten because there's other things that take priority. He needed a mint, for hot tea that would be taking the place of his out of radius coffee. Said he had sipped hot water with honey in it since the diet began - just for a filler - the peppermint will be better.
Sophi fed fish, ate tomatoes, loved on Porter (the cat), got licked by Gabby and had a couple of lavender blooms to smell. I found her a feather from Moe's tail in the house and let her take that home - it was sticking out of her skirt pocket at an odd right angle when they left.
Oh, David was still in the weeds - his only day off cuz the union dudes with more seniority bumped him for a month so they could stretch the 4th of July weekend. Wink - I got out of some of the work - Wink.
Bill's a young farmer - he's going to come by again - I told him I'd hand him a tool while we talked the next time - maybe because I felt a little guilty for getting out of the work.
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