Farming in the Rain

Yesterday a few of us die hards braved the weather and showed up at the Free Farm for our regular workday. The weather didn't scare me because now we have a new hoop house to work in under plastic that seems to have held up so far to the winds we get there. Steve rehung the main door that was previously hung with small screws and I think the wind blew it open and off the hinges. I brought our huge seed collection hoping to start planting, but alas all I could do yesterday was clean up the hoop house inside, make some more temporary shelves for all the seedlings we started at our anniversary party and MLK day event, and finish the plumbing for our outdoor sink. It still isn't finished as we ran into a problem draining it into our bamboo patch. But the hoop house is rocking and it is warm inside when the sun peeks out.

I am feeling so grateful for all the great help we have had the last few weeks. Every workday it seems like new folks show up, bringing there own set of skills and divine energy.

Tomorrow Recology is going to drop off a truck load of compost. On Saturday we are hosting about 20 teenagers from  a youth group from Christ Church in Alameda. It is an annual event they participate in called 30 Hour Famine,  the kids will be fasting for  30 hours to raise awareness & empathy for those who go hungry. They will be helping move the compost and then we will make compost extract (my first time) and we will inoculate it with microbiology. Hopefully it will clear up by then.  We will also have others putting the plastic on the second hoop house and finishing it up so we can use it as a hot house, growing things right in the ground. If we have the people power maybe we can plant some seeds in flats.

Our new hoop house or greenhouse

 a new pot made by Stanley's students

(Stanley is a volunteer intern from Get-Up class)

our hot house ready for plastic and windows and door