A lot has happened since the last post. We added 24 baby chicks to the farm on May 2--they are growing and doing well. At 4 weeks, we added a roost to their plywood palace--they continue under the heat lamp until they are 8 weeks old. One week ago, our 'borrow'-a-steer arrived--3 beautiful yearling beef cows from Colvin Ranch. They are chewing down the very high and green grass in the pasture. Daisy is not so afraid of them this year and in fact, decided they were her very own herding 'toys'. Needless to say, Mark and I spent a hysterical and harrowing 5 minutes trying to capture a border collie who thought it was her job to herd the steer from one end of the pasture and back again and again. She is now permanently on a long leash lead until the cattle leave.
As for planting, this was tomato weekend--all of the cherry, main, and paste tomatoes are planted among our three tunnels. Probably over 400 tomatoes--thanks to Mom and Dad who watered, planted, and did just about anything we asked them to do this weekend. Rachel helped us plant corn and weeded and weeded and weeded. We welcomed the cloudy weather for planting, but the weeds will surely overtake us if the blackberries and morning glory don't. 

Last weekend, we blew it out of the park (a baseball term). We had help from Karen, my sister and her partner Sydney and Nate and Kyle and if course, Mom and Dad. We planted over 1800 dry onions---walla walla sweets, alyssa craig, early yellow, and some reds. Perfect planting weather--a little cloudy. And, then we planted hundreds of potatoes--thanks to Mom and Karen for cutting the potatoes up between their 'eyes'. The help was incredible and Mark is happy--we are only a week behind. (We are usually WAY behind). Best part--visiting with all of these family members and friends. Thankfully, my family prefers to work and talk rather than sit and talk.
The picture gives some idea of the process for planting onions. We poke holes in the soil about 6 inches apart, sprinkle with organic fertilizer (blood meal), then lay t-tape down--this is drip irrigation--the black tape in the picture. Then we plant the onion and bury and water.