Hello to All from Erehwon! We just want to give you a quick update on where we are in preparing for the 2006 season.  The recent snowfall has given a nice cover to our little plot of land and should keep the perennials protected for as long as it lasts – a foot or so of snow seems to be enough to keep the ground from freezing. 2006 Crops        We are getting ready to plan our crops and order seed and are planning to add about 10 new items for next year.  So, if you have an idea for anything new we should add, now is the time to let us know.   Organic Grains        In the fall I discovered a nearby farmer who grows organic wheat, rye, and a couple of other crops.  I bought some rye and planted it for a cover crop and also for a few windbreaks to protect seedlings in the Spring.  I also sprouted some rye seeds in a Mason jar – what an easy thing to do and the sprouts taste great on cereal and in rice or other dishes. It’s all done in two days and the sprouts will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks! I also planted a test tray of rye grass which is fine for juicing. All are “nutrient-dense” as Robin Migalla and the Westin Price gang would say.  Question:  Is there any interest out there for having us add organic seeds (wheat and rye berries and flax seed) and wheatgrass to our program? 2006 Program        We are working on the details (coming in January) of our next program and have set out a few objectives we would like to meet: 1. Extend our season from 19 to 21 weeks. We are pretty sure we can do this because of so ideas we have for growing earlier and harvesting later. 2. Create a herb garden near the pickup area so subscribers who pick up at the farm can cut their own fresh herbs. 3. Plant larger quantities of individual crops so we can identify each item and have enough for everyone.  Also, we want to space out some items to avoid overloading your refrigerator.  For instance this week you will get chioggia beets and a few weeks later we’ll give you early wonder beets.   4. We are also exploring the possibility of adding organic products from other local producers.  We could consider beef, honey, eggs or other items so if you have ideas, let us know what you might like us to include. 5. Add another two acres so we can continue to grow our membership. 6. Add Visa and Mastercard and more payment options. 7. More animals.  Bucky the Farm Dog is great but he needs some company like a few chickens or maybe a goat. . Idea For Enterprising Subscribers        We are reorganizing our basement in preparation for putting our house up for sale (We want a smaller place with no yardwork!) and have several light stands available for short or long-term loan to our subscribers who are interested in growing their own seedlings.  We are thinking of a deal where in exchange for the stand you would grow a few trays of seedlings for us during February through April.  You could grow a ton of seedlings for your and your friends’ gardens, seedlings for a church sale, or for your own plant sale.   Wheatgrass grows extremely well on these stands.        The stands are about four feet high and if you use the floor and top shelf, can accommodate 20 standard-sized trays for 38,72, and 96 cell packs.  96 x 20 trays equals more than 1800 seedlings!  Each stand comes with 12 2-light adjustable florescent fixtures with 40 watt bulbs and costs around $.10/hr to operate if all the lights are on.  Each unit comes with a timer and we suggest keeping the lights on for about 10 hours per day.  We can provide trays and cell inserts.  Seedlings grow best at about 65-70 degrees and are happiest if they have a gentle breeze blowing on them from a small fan. Trays need to be watered about every three days and seedlings will benefit from some organic fertilizer disolved in the water. We can show you how to build a simple warm box for hatching seedlings made from styrofoam, duct tape, and a string of Christmas lights.  Are there any takers?