Weather Forecast: Tuesday, mostly sunny, high of 59 degrees F; Wednesday, 30% chance of rain, high of 66 degrees F.
Weather permitting, we'll begin our farm practicums this week with a walkabout to introduce you to the land and ecosystem within which we farm. With any luck, you'll have a chance to meet some of our neighbors who have recently returned from southern climates.
If you haven't had an opportunity to look at our farm website, please a few minutes to browse through it so that you can get a sense of our farming philosophies and what we do:
https://harvestofjoyfarm.wordpress.com/
On our walk, we'll stop by some of the gardens to take soil samples and talk about how different soil types affect what and how we grow. Prior to class, please review this short article by Tom DeGomez (University of Arizona), Peter Kolb (Montana State University), and Sabrina Kleinman (University of Arizona) which explains the 5 basic components of soil:
http://articles.extension.org/pages/54401/basic-soil-components
Then, watch this 15 minute video in which Dr. Elaine Ingham talks about the effects of "modern" agricultural practices on soil health:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEtl09VZiSU
If we have time, we'll begin building a compost pile so that you can get some hands-on experience with the soil-building practices described by Dr. Ingham.
IMPORTANT NOTE!! Please wear clothing to the farm that you will be comfortable getting dirty, stained, and/or torn. This includes footwear. You may want to make a trip to a used clothing store to pick up some farming clothes and shoes if you don't currently own any. Also, it is frequently colder and windier on the farm than it is in town. Dressing in layers and bringing one additional warmer layer than you think you will need is a good idea.
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