Market List ; At least 15 varieties of tomatoes, Purslane, Lambsquarter, Wood Sorrel, Tomatillos, Kale and Bright Lights Swiss Chard
As a few of you know, we are having a Solar Eclipse event here on Sunflower Savannah Farm. What we haven't talked about is what happened at Vesterbrook Farm last month and is happening all over the country.
Vesterbrook Farm which is a Century Farm in Clarksville, Missouri is ran by Mike and Carol Brabo. They have for the last 10 years or so ran an Certified Naturally Grown CSA. In the Spring, Summer and Fall, they put into the boxes, mostly what they grow which includes, vegetables, fruits, pasture raised pork and lamb. In the Winter, they supplement what they grow with Organic produce purchased from other growers, CoOps and food hubs. Carol is hearing impaired and their kids are grown and gone. Farming is always a struggle but Mike especially has felt the calling to provide clean food to anyone who wants it. Nay...anyone who needs it. Mike is like a preacher searching for Clean Food converts. That's what makes it so sad what happened out there last month. There farm must have been part and parcel of a bigger whole because Carol's cousin farms next to them and sprays herbicides. He and Mike have butted heads many times over this issue and indeed, the Brabo's have their farm on Drift Watch. Drift Watch is program that allows your Certified farm to be marked off so that "legally" no one can spray anything, Herbisides, Pesticides or whatever. Last month Mike came home to someone spraying the fence rows on a tractor and within minutes they started seeing leaf curl. The drift came over what they thought at the time was at least 30 feet. Mike being the dedicated Clean Food advocate that he is, immediately canceled his deliveries and made it known to his Certifiers and his customers. They threw away hundreds of lbs. of squash, tomatoes, Kale, etc. because the money did not mean as much to him as the health of his customers. Let me just state here that Mike is no country gentleman farmer, like the rest of us, they are working on a shoestring. Reaching out to the surrounding farmers, Mike was told that "he shoulda known better than to try and organic farm in row crop country". Mike and Carol are not only wiped out financially for this year but even if they could hang on for this year, it will take 3 years to get their certification back.
Ironically the next week, there was a government recall on the chemical that was sprayed which destroyed Vesterbrook's livelihood.
So we thought that we could use the Eclipse as a Fundraiser for this Farm.
We have a field that's approximately an acre on the South West corner of the property. It's directly in front of the Growing area, Greenhouse and barn. The sun goes directly over it from East to West, it should be an incredible view. As Dan from Ozark Forest mushrooms says, St. Clair is Ground Zero for the view, we are only 15 driving miles from St. Clair but less as the crow flies. Come out and share this adventure with us.
You can get your tickets at; http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3057442
Now for some good news. Some of you who follow the blog know that we have been waiting on Bumblebee to deliver her pups. Today it finally happened.
Here is Jade with 1, 3and 5 -giving 6, 7 and 8 a chance to nurse. We are up to 11 now.
This is a pic when we thought we were done at 7 but about an hour later she had 2 more, then awhile later another and then the hopefully last. So we will see you Saturday, beautiful weather expected again.
This is number 2 
Here is Jade with 1, 3and 5 -giving 6, 7 and 8 a chance to nurse. We are up to 11 now. 
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