I planted over 80 tomato plants in the lower garden - there's over 80 in another location too - they look ok - in the goose pen - but the lower garden - so sad. I even transplanted a flat of 16 plants that looked good - healthy Lemon Boy yellow tomatoes - they look like sticks and 2 good weeks ago they were healthy plants. I have not been able to get to other parts of the garden successfully to clean up weeds - what didnt' get mulched is about to be tilled under - I am heart sick over the devastation my gardens have incurred with torrential spring rains for 4 years - summer begins tomorrow.
I've given up taking food to downtown Tulsa - I spend my gas, go and sit - find out that the downtown market is now on chopping block if the garage below insists on our $1M insurance policy that I have no idea will come from. DTU used to carry that - they were dissolved last year. I have to have an answer in the morning regarding this issue - will the MayFest group carry a policy on is - I offered to call the mayor's office and the lady from the garage got a bit upset - I didn't mean anything by it - they have a right to ask for insurance but don't they already cover any accidents that might occur on their own behalf? Why duplicate the premiums? Insurance companies are killing us as it is - but then every time a person gets hurt someone has to pay right???
The bungie cord slipped out of my hand the first day of market and slapped me soundly upside my right cheek and then flipped with less force and clipped the other side of my head. I went to my knees and then to my butt - it hurt so bad. I don't know if I had a dimple there before but appears to be one now. Maybe I should sue someone - nah - I caused my own injury. Humans trip and fall. Things happen - I have insurance and a doctor but it wasn't called for. We all carry car insurance - I think we all do.
I expect everyone to care for their tents properly - now we won't be able to tie them to our cars - if we get to continue the market that is. If we close - I won't fight to keep it open - but I have a feeling that all will go ok - someone should have contacted me by now if it wasn't.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Cars and me
I went to town to get paint brushes so I can paint my sink for the farm building. I then went to Subway for a seafood sandwich and as I drove out of the parking lot - my car tried to die. I was so afraid of it stalling that I turned right instead of left and headed into the parking lot of a car parts store. I pulled into a slot and pulled out the owners manual - first time I have looked at it since we bought the car seven years ago - its a Subaru. It's supposed to last a lot of miles - owners in Tulsa have 700,000 + miles on their cars.
David just sold his Harley to a friend at work so he can trade it up to a Goldwing - they have airbags and David rides so faithfully and carefully but so many others don't. I was really thinking - isn't this the way it goes - he gets us deeper in debt and my car breaks down.
I sit in the heat rolling windows down and start looking up what Check Engine means - I am worried - big time. I find the info and it says - to the shop NOW no extra driving. So far to Ferguson in Broken Arrow - I don't think I can handle it. David's at work. Then I keep reading and it says that if we had just put gas in it recently it may be a loose gas cap - OMG - I go around to the other side of the car and open the gas tank and whirl it closed. Then just in case I open it again and close it again. I start the car and angels sing. It is running so smooth and just fine and the light does not come on again.
I drive home and look skyward - a quick 'thank you' is said. And I am a little happy that instead of panicking or freaking out I read the manual, found the problem, put it in order and got to go home. I am grateful.
David just sold his Harley to a friend at work so he can trade it up to a Goldwing - they have airbags and David rides so faithfully and carefully but so many others don't. I was really thinking - isn't this the way it goes - he gets us deeper in debt and my car breaks down.
I sit in the heat rolling windows down and start looking up what Check Engine means - I am worried - big time. I find the info and it says - to the shop NOW no extra driving. So far to Ferguson in Broken Arrow - I don't think I can handle it. David's at work. Then I keep reading and it says that if we had just put gas in it recently it may be a loose gas cap - OMG - I go around to the other side of the car and open the gas tank and whirl it closed. Then just in case I open it again and close it again. I start the car and angels sing. It is running so smooth and just fine and the light does not come on again.
I drive home and look skyward - a quick 'thank you' is said. And I am a little happy that instead of panicking or freaking out I read the manual, found the problem, put it in order and got to go home. I am grateful.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Farm Building Almost Done
I bought a building almost exactly 1 1/2 yrs ago - my goal was to turn it into an air conditioned, room that customers could use without speaking to me - smiles. Yes, I am not getting much done when I am talking to a customer and I also have faith in humans to actually pick up and pay for vegetables cuz so far humans who leave the garden festivals always send me a check when they find they have run out of money. So far I have not been stiffed.
I am hanging the wallpaper - I finished the floor at least 2 weeks ago - seem longer than that to be frank - offered to pay a friend to do it cuz said friend likes to paper - but yesterday was supposed to be the day and it was just a matter of David helping her put a couple of tables and a container of water - and it didn't work out. I have three more lengths of paper to hang - it looks very nice and I am surprised that it doesn't look worse - I am no papering fool - she would have done a much better job I am sure - but the walls aren't exactly straight. I like the idea of things being perfect at times - but mostly I just want to get by - I am leaning toward Atomic Living. Get close - make do - eliminate waste. I don't care if the vendors at the markets pay me an exactly 10% of profit - just knock off a full 10% to bring your total down - that's set aside for your taxes and market purposes - then figure 10% again with a top of $15 and if there's pennies - oh please!
I keep looking at my 80 tomato plants dying in the lower garden and the clouds getting ready to let go again - they aren't dying from the heat but the lack of air in the soil - fourth year. 13 years we used that lower garden - I cannot remember once the garden dying from rain. Last four scares me to death. Oil spills in the gulf - we are gonna eliminate ourselves. Garrison Keillor's article today in the Sunday Tulsa World was pretty much - "Might as well kiss our behinds," cuz it is all but over.
The young girl at Ace who waited on me was sick to her stomach - ulcers. Ulcers are curable I said. She knows but she is losing her job soon - she's a baby - must be her first out there - bless her heart. I got to leave home and go to DC and had a job that could have been a lifelong career. I came home instead and got married and moved to Minnesota for a couple of years and back here - he's the freak who got me into gardens - into the great outdoors - man am I tanned right now.
Well, the building will house the maters and peppers and whatever I get into it - as much as we go - I feel guilty cuz I don't go enough. Felt guilty at the market for using it to run for office - Rex said that was foolish - since that is what I do. OK - so if I get to shouldn't other candidates - no - he said - they don't do that for a living - hmmmm.
I wish my onions were weeded - paper first - squash into ground next - growling at the rain for a while - please - Dude - I know it is our fault but we have had enough here - but if I pray it away, it may stay away and that doesn't work either. So maybe He will work on the ones of us who don't believe its real or has power to fix it - boy that would be nice.
I am hanging the wallpaper - I finished the floor at least 2 weeks ago - seem longer than that to be frank - offered to pay a friend to do it cuz said friend likes to paper - but yesterday was supposed to be the day and it was just a matter of David helping her put a couple of tables and a container of water - and it didn't work out. I have three more lengths of paper to hang - it looks very nice and I am surprised that it doesn't look worse - I am no papering fool - she would have done a much better job I am sure - but the walls aren't exactly straight. I like the idea of things being perfect at times - but mostly I just want to get by - I am leaning toward Atomic Living. Get close - make do - eliminate waste. I don't care if the vendors at the markets pay me an exactly 10% of profit - just knock off a full 10% to bring your total down - that's set aside for your taxes and market purposes - then figure 10% again with a top of $15 and if there's pennies - oh please!
I keep looking at my 80 tomato plants dying in the lower garden and the clouds getting ready to let go again - they aren't dying from the heat but the lack of air in the soil - fourth year. 13 years we used that lower garden - I cannot remember once the garden dying from rain. Last four scares me to death. Oil spills in the gulf - we are gonna eliminate ourselves. Garrison Keillor's article today in the Sunday Tulsa World was pretty much - "Might as well kiss our behinds," cuz it is all but over.
The young girl at Ace who waited on me was sick to her stomach - ulcers. Ulcers are curable I said. She knows but she is losing her job soon - she's a baby - must be her first out there - bless her heart. I got to leave home and go to DC and had a job that could have been a lifelong career. I came home instead and got married and moved to Minnesota for a couple of years and back here - he's the freak who got me into gardens - into the great outdoors - man am I tanned right now.
Well, the building will house the maters and peppers and whatever I get into it - as much as we go - I feel guilty cuz I don't go enough. Felt guilty at the market for using it to run for office - Rex said that was foolish - since that is what I do. OK - so if I get to shouldn't other candidates - no - he said - they don't do that for a living - hmmmm.
I wish my onions were weeded - paper first - squash into ground next - growling at the rain for a while - please - Dude - I know it is our fault but we have had enough here - but if I pray it away, it may stay away and that doesn't work either. So maybe He will work on the ones of us who don't believe its real or has power to fix it - boy that would be nice.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Ag and Politics
Wow - I did something that I never considered yesterday before in my life - I paid the state of Oklahoma $200 for the privilege of running against Mark McCollough in District 30 in Sapulpa/Kiefer/Mounds/Glenpool yesterday.
Today we raked up our pile of old wood to take to the dump - what a way to start a campaign.
The Republican was running unopposed - seemed just wrong to let him have the job. Shame is that someone asked me if I had to know law to do this - the requirements - be 21 yrs old, registered in the party of choice and resident for 6 months. How many of you are under or unemployed? If you fit that criteria and had an extra bit of cash you could have run for these offices or spend a bit more for senator or governor - what does it pay - I've heard $38,000. That's less than I was making 10 yrs ago when I went to work for Williams Communications - so that's not a lot of incentive. Do I want the job - only if I can really make a difference - cuz I am not happy with how either party is running it today. I am reluctant - oh man I am not into politics - these guys - and they are mostly guys - where is the logic? I am paying taxes on seeds with a Farm Exemption card in my purse but let me buy bags of dog food and those same taxes are exempt - this was the number one reason that set me off this year for being angry over our state laws.
Beekeepers can't extract and bottle honey for public sales without jumping thru hoops, cost $350 dollars this year for a meat producer to use a trailer and sell their beef at the market - it is already USDA inspected - this isn't to look at the meat - it's to look at the trailer. This is outragious but it is the law - rule of health dept - code - whatever - it is too much. Egg license is $50 for small producers - that can mean many dozen eggs to break even.
Familes are hungry, programs are being cut, teachers laid off, we passed tax cuts for the weathiest a few years back - ain't that a hoot. And our healthcare is in the toilet. Our roads - oh man - I drove from the airport to Casa Bonita to eat while waiting on my husband and went down Memorial and over on 21st St - man Tulsa looks bad - worse than Sapulpa. I guess most of you know that Sapulpa's income is a lot lower than say Jenks - overall - been doing a lot less with a lot less so actually Sapulpa looks better than Tulsa. But businesses come and go. The last candidate was the just retired Superintendent of Sapulpa School District - said he was asking Mark for votes on bills for the schools and that Mark voted against them - I have to check the records on this stuff - this is heresay - and inadmissable in court - he's an attorney. And his father was a teacher - and he went to college himself - why vote against education when you have one???
But I am a concerned citizen. I run a mom and pop greenhouse/market garden and have been in business for 17 yrs. I worked the first 10 fulltime and completed college at Bartlesville Weslyan cum laud - I run two farmers markets and draw no salary at this time. One of these was just tied to the Jenks School District and we pay them for that privilege adding 5% of our profit to their coffers for the kids.
My lower garden is drowning for the 4th year in a row. The weather is changing and it isn't for the better. The environmental issues concern me, a year ago I even got my act together to change my health issues and that's another concern. And I did it with more help from taking vitamins and educating myself than I did with traditional medicine but doesn't that just mean we need to educate our doctors better on nutrition. Heaven help us we need to leave this planet cleaner - I have a grandson who's 10 years old.
I am not a politician - I am just a ordinary citizen.
I have worked for a trucking firm, manufacturing, engineering, and healthcare. I spent most of my time in education at the votech, at the electric company in Tulsa and my first job out of high school I worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington DC -back in the 70s - maybe that makes me a Washington insider - NOT!!! I was a file clerk and I met my husband who was in the US Navy back then. I am an Air Force brat and I produced an Air Force veteran and SHE used to load bombs on F16s. I've traveled outside of the US twice - I lived in Great Britain for 3 years as a child - and went to see my Military daughter and son-in-law in Japan about 10 years ago. But I was born at Tinker Air Force base a long time ago - and I graduated in Bristow after Dad's retirement. So I served in the military as dependent for 16 years.
Hope I can count on some help - cuz I am sure running out of time.
Today we raked up our pile of old wood to take to the dump - what a way to start a campaign.
The Republican was running unopposed - seemed just wrong to let him have the job. Shame is that someone asked me if I had to know law to do this - the requirements - be 21 yrs old, registered in the party of choice and resident for 6 months. How many of you are under or unemployed? If you fit that criteria and had an extra bit of cash you could have run for these offices or spend a bit more for senator or governor - what does it pay - I've heard $38,000. That's less than I was making 10 yrs ago when I went to work for Williams Communications - so that's not a lot of incentive. Do I want the job - only if I can really make a difference - cuz I am not happy with how either party is running it today. I am reluctant - oh man I am not into politics - these guys - and they are mostly guys - where is the logic? I am paying taxes on seeds with a Farm Exemption card in my purse but let me buy bags of dog food and those same taxes are exempt - this was the number one reason that set me off this year for being angry over our state laws.
Beekeepers can't extract and bottle honey for public sales without jumping thru hoops, cost $350 dollars this year for a meat producer to use a trailer and sell their beef at the market - it is already USDA inspected - this isn't to look at the meat - it's to look at the trailer. This is outragious but it is the law - rule of health dept - code - whatever - it is too much. Egg license is $50 for small producers - that can mean many dozen eggs to break even.
Familes are hungry, programs are being cut, teachers laid off, we passed tax cuts for the weathiest a few years back - ain't that a hoot. And our healthcare is in the toilet. Our roads - oh man - I drove from the airport to Casa Bonita to eat while waiting on my husband and went down Memorial and over on 21st St - man Tulsa looks bad - worse than Sapulpa. I guess most of you know that Sapulpa's income is a lot lower than say Jenks - overall - been doing a lot less with a lot less so actually Sapulpa looks better than Tulsa. But businesses come and go. The last candidate was the just retired Superintendent of Sapulpa School District - said he was asking Mark for votes on bills for the schools and that Mark voted against them - I have to check the records on this stuff - this is heresay - and inadmissable in court - he's an attorney. And his father was a teacher - and he went to college himself - why vote against education when you have one???
But I am a concerned citizen. I run a mom and pop greenhouse/market garden and have been in business for 17 yrs. I worked the first 10 fulltime and completed college at Bartlesville Weslyan cum laud - I run two farmers markets and draw no salary at this time. One of these was just tied to the Jenks School District and we pay them for that privilege adding 5% of our profit to their coffers for the kids.
My lower garden is drowning for the 4th year in a row. The weather is changing and it isn't for the better. The environmental issues concern me, a year ago I even got my act together to change my health issues and that's another concern. And I did it with more help from taking vitamins and educating myself than I did with traditional medicine but doesn't that just mean we need to educate our doctors better on nutrition. Heaven help us we need to leave this planet cleaner - I have a grandson who's 10 years old.
I am not a politician - I am just a ordinary citizen.
I have worked for a trucking firm, manufacturing, engineering, and healthcare. I spent most of my time in education at the votech, at the electric company in Tulsa and my first job out of high school I worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington DC -back in the 70s - maybe that makes me a Washington insider - NOT!!! I was a file clerk and I met my husband who was in the US Navy back then. I am an Air Force brat and I produced an Air Force veteran and SHE used to load bombs on F16s. I've traveled outside of the US twice - I lived in Great Britain for 3 years as a child - and went to see my Military daughter and son-in-law in Japan about 10 years ago. But I was born at Tinker Air Force base a long time ago - and I graduated in Bristow after Dad's retirement. So I served in the military as dependent for 16 years.
Hope I can count on some help - cuz I am sure running out of time.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Animals in the garden
Just as I finished my last email I went outside to work but I had been hearing the plea of a small creature thru my office windows - I knew that a frog had been caught by a snake - but I didn't know I would find it. The cat had spied it on a plastic tarp - the snake - light green with round eyes 3 feet long had a small bullfrog by one leg - his tiny screams of Help - this loud chirp - this plea. I looked at the snake and that frog - the snake was too small; the frog too large - he only had one leg down its throat and the rest would not go - so I picked up an 18 in handtool and proceeded to pin the snake to the tarp. Oh, he faked it - he rattled that tail - there was no diamonds and it was as pointed as a pen. The frog was still screaming his 'let me goooooo' and finally my tool in the middle of the snakes back caused him to release his grip. The frog leaped 3 feet straight up and the snake slithered into my shade garden - damnit - not exactly a good spot - but I doubt he will stay long. I did try to shoo him further but he is under mulch - its ok - he's harmless - the frog is safe.
Sometimes I even amaze myself - not a scream no hesitation.
My dad was scart to death of things like that - scared - I spelled it incorrectly on purpose. He killed snakes and spiders as if they were the size of volkswagons - initially gardening scared me - bugs - spiders, snakes - worms - now I am one with it all. Yesterday 2 nukes of bees were delivered by my beekeeper - the indominable Ms Della and my hair was still drying and blowing about wildly. I got stung twice by bees who accidently became entangled in my hair. Even my bees did not hurt me for their sake but out of fear of my wild ass hair that was blowing all over the place and they were kinda lost and scared - they got caught - I'll bee more careful.
Sometimes I even amaze myself - not a scream no hesitation.
My dad was scart to death of things like that - scared - I spelled it incorrectly on purpose. He killed snakes and spiders as if they were the size of volkswagons - initially gardening scared me - bugs - spiders, snakes - worms - now I am one with it all. Yesterday 2 nukes of bees were delivered by my beekeeper - the indominable Ms Della and my hair was still drying and blowing about wildly. I got stung twice by bees who accidently became entangled in my hair. Even my bees did not hurt me for their sake but out of fear of my wild ass hair that was blowing all over the place and they were kinda lost and scared - they got caught - I'll bee more careful.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Planting Foo
Yesterday I planted 105 peppers - habanero, kong pow, black pearl, jalepeno, corno verde, gypsy, parks whopper banana and then my sweet bells, chocolate beauty, gourmet, islander and an entire flat of jupiter. I am going to hit restaurants with bell peppers.
Today I want to plant 100 tomatoes - I know I won't cuz I really intend to get the hoses and the mulching done and I don't have the materials for the mulching. I also plan to plant all my eggplant - (plan/plant/eggplant - can't help it - just turns out sounding repetitive).
Della came out to care for the bees - she coos over the girls and speaks lovingly to them - I smile as I tuck peppers into the ground - then I tell them to sit tight - I will water them into the next day. Most of my cole crops look so pretty except for the weeds that are trying to get toe holds - mulch sits in bags unground - my grass is unmowed, my feet are getting tired and my skin is getting brown. I am not sitting still - tomatoes are being tucked into pots for resale at market - plants being arranged for better viewing and Jenks market may be in trouble again - insurance went from $169 to $503 - market doesn't make enough to justify those costs. It gets to where I don't wanna do this - the OTC is trying to force us to buy permits and collect taxes - for 17 years I have paid my damn taxes - I won't become their lacky. Put me in jail.
I have a lot of left over tomato plants - I plan to use existing fence row for a lot of them - stake and weave where there is no fence row - the plants are indeterminate - they won't last the summer and David suggested we plant another flat of parks whopper in about 6 weeks - sometimes he is brilliant.
I am da FOO who will plant all day today and probably most of tomorrow - best of luck all of ya.
Today I want to plant 100 tomatoes - I know I won't cuz I really intend to get the hoses and the mulching done and I don't have the materials for the mulching. I also plan to plant all my eggplant - (plan/plant/eggplant - can't help it - just turns out sounding repetitive).
Della came out to care for the bees - she coos over the girls and speaks lovingly to them - I smile as I tuck peppers into the ground - then I tell them to sit tight - I will water them into the next day. Most of my cole crops look so pretty except for the weeds that are trying to get toe holds - mulch sits in bags unground - my grass is unmowed, my feet are getting tired and my skin is getting brown. I am not sitting still - tomatoes are being tucked into pots for resale at market - plants being arranged for better viewing and Jenks market may be in trouble again - insurance went from $169 to $503 - market doesn't make enough to justify those costs. It gets to where I don't wanna do this - the OTC is trying to force us to buy permits and collect taxes - for 17 years I have paid my damn taxes - I won't become their lacky. Put me in jail.
I have a lot of left over tomato plants - I plan to use existing fence row for a lot of them - stake and weave where there is no fence row - the plants are indeterminate - they won't last the summer and David suggested we plant another flat of parks whopper in about 6 weeks - sometimes he is brilliant.
I am da FOO who will plant all day today and probably most of tomorrow - best of luck all of ya.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Sudden Death
Just got home from the local feed store - Farmers Feed in Sapulpa. They just lost a son and brother. Sam and Kay Johnson own it - the kids work there - and one of the sons died. This guy has loaded feed and hay into our vehicles for 20 years or more - and it was shocking to me. We forget just how short life is and how quickly it can be taken away. I heard the story but my heart is way to tender and I had to walk out - tears were rolling down my face as I approached our truck that was parked near the cattle panels that I needed to move my plants out of the greenhouse.
It wasn't that he was a close family friend - it was the fact that this handsome, strong, muscular man's life was just snuffed out - gone so quickly to an outsider who didn't know he had cancer. We don't see what is wrong in other peoples lives - we don't tell others our own horror stories as we wage war with emotional pain or deep illnesses.
The greenhouse business makes me nuts - I get very stressed out this time of year and for all intents and purposes, I must get my butt outside and work to get it all ready for sales at Herb Day at Brookside start this next Saturday. And I am so stupid for letting it get to me - that all this stress piles on me and I become a nutcase crazy bitch. Maybe I can slow my mind down and try to enjoy the process - after all, any one of us could die between now and tomorrow.
And then there is the taxes - death and taxes - life's only guarantee.
It wasn't that he was a close family friend - it was the fact that this handsome, strong, muscular man's life was just snuffed out - gone so quickly to an outsider who didn't know he had cancer. We don't see what is wrong in other peoples lives - we don't tell others our own horror stories as we wage war with emotional pain or deep illnesses.
The greenhouse business makes me nuts - I get very stressed out this time of year and for all intents and purposes, I must get my butt outside and work to get it all ready for sales at Herb Day at Brookside start this next Saturday. And I am so stupid for letting it get to me - that all this stress piles on me and I become a nutcase crazy bitch. Maybe I can slow my mind down and try to enjoy the process - after all, any one of us could die between now and tomorrow.
And then there is the taxes - death and taxes - life's only guarantee.
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