ch-ch-ch-changes

Some interesting developments have transpired in the last two weeks. I now have access to a large chunk of land in Cloquet, Minnesota, which is about 20 miles from Duluth and it is where I plan to be living within the next 2 months. I have decided not to farm at Duluth Community Farm because it is so far from my new house and because the organizers have asked for, in my opinion, too much of my profits. I have nothing against them. I understand that this is the first year and they are just getting started with the program and they are lacking funds, but for me a major part of farming on my own is keeping the money I work so hard to earn.

I still haven't planted anything yet, so that is not a problem. The new place will still have to be tilled and it's possible the soil isn't as good and that the farmers' markets I might end up selling at might not have the visibility that the one at Duluth Community Farm will have, but farming in Cloquet means I get to spend more time with my boyfriend (and hopefully get more help from him) and it means we can grow perennial crops and benefit from our own soil-building efforts, and that we can start right away at making the land productive. A fellow gardener has offered us such treasures as weed-blocking fabric, a rain barrel, and a worm compost bin. We found horsetail and raspberries on the land.

It's a little scary to be doing this more or less by myself but it's also exhilarating. Something similar happened to me last year and the best outcome possible was the result. I started the season working for farm managers who didn't value my hard work and I ended up leaving for another farm where I was treated and compensated much better. Now that I find myself in limbo again, I am comforted by the fact that I found the right place to be last year, and I trust my instincts.

I will post more information as I figure it out, and I will let you know in which farmers' markets I will participate once I know. Once that gets started, I will post my produce availability each week.