8/24/10
How time flies when you're busy as can be! Now Balloonfest is this weekend and I am swamped again just when I thought I was starting to make some headway; Go figure. Anyways, I got Devan back to school last Thursday and all set up in his dorm. I talked to him after his first day of classes and he thinks all should go well this semester. He likes his roommates and thinks it will be a really good semester.
We got a new rat-terrier 2 weeks ago and are already regretting it. She is not suitable for our household. She is completely potty trained, gets along good with small dogs (not so much with our big dogs), she is obedience trained so she listens really well and responds to commands, crate trained, but she is very posessive of me. She will not let Wally get any where near me. She would be much better suited in a household with a single female. She does not care for men much.
The chickens are producing lots of eggs now so I am very happy with my girls. We are also 2 weeks into our second batch of meat birds. YUM!!

7/24/10
The Lincoln Farmer's Market was really good today. We thought the weather was going to run us out of the park but it quickly passed by with only a little wind. The Bistro Boys played some music for us and they are a bunch of really great, entertaining young men. You can catch them at the Owl's Roost in Lincoln on Friday nights.
My next patch of sweet corn won't be ready for another week or two depending on the weather. The green beans have been slow growing too, I am pretty sure that is due to the lack of water for weeks and the extremely hot weather. I am hoping now that we have a little moisture they will start producing a little better. The zucchini is still growing well and the Waltham Butternut squash should be ready in a couple weeks. The gourds are also doing really well. The speckled swan gourds are just adorable.
The meat birds and roos are going to butcher on Monday. I am really looking forward to getting them out of the coop. If you have ever raised chickens you know why! I went out to feed the meat birds tonight before dark and one of the fat little boogers bit my ankle and wouldn't let go. I don't know why they are so mean but they are really making me look forward to eating them!! Haha My teen girls are laying eggs now. Most of them have been laying what I call half eggs. They are just half the size of a grade A egg but have nice, solid shells and beautiful insides. I figure within a couple weeks they will be popping out full sized eggs.

7/7/10
There are just not enough hours in the day. I am working myself so hard that my body has started aching in places I never thought I could hurt! Haha It is worth it though. The thought of sitting behind a desk all day makes me sick just thinking about it!! All the veggies are just beautiful and the markets are going well. Our birthdays and anniversary are coming up in a couple of weeks and I guess I didn't even realize it was so close until Devan asked me tonight what I wanted or what I wanted to do for our special occasion(s). It is wierd having our birthdays and anniversary on the same day. Tomorrow is the Springfield market at the fairgrounds and I am looking forward to it. I have made some really good friends there and I look forward to seeing them every week.

6/30/10
The sweet corn patch has been exhausted for now. We have another patch of Illini Super Sweet that will be ready within a couple of weeks. That is the corn I am waiting for! I know a lot of people like the bicolor corn but I love the Illini. It is so good!! All the other veggies are coming on like gangbusters. I ate my first spaghetti squash yesterday and remembered why I ate so many I almost made myself sick last year! Haha
The Lincoln Farmer's Market today was really nice. The weather was just perfect. I wish it could be like that every market day. On Saturday we had a beautiful morning too. The blood drive was very successful. We were told by CICBC that we exceeded the goal so I was very pleased. I am looking forward to putting them on the schedule next year. I was very proud of our vendors that stepped up to donate and the regular customers that did so also. A big thank you to all of you for donating.

6/23/10
The sweet corn is sooooo goooood!! I have been looking forward to and yet dreading this point in time. I love all the fresh stuff that is ready but am really running myself down trying to keep up with getting it all picked. I have all this yummy food at my disposal but yet have no time to cook it, haha!
Wally got the walk-in cooler done today so I should be able to open up at the farm here pretty soon. I have some more things to do in the produce shed but hopefully it won't take too long.  

6/19/10
We had our first band playing today at the Lincoln Farmer's Market and it was a great success! Our regular customers loved it and there were many more people who stopped by just to see what was going on. I don't think there was a single minute this morning where there wasn't someone there enjoying the music or just shopping the market. I wish we could have entertainment every weekend.

6/10/10
It is not getting any better with Petunia gone. I find myself missing her tremendously. I know they say time heals all wounds but this cut pretty deep. She was so fierce and yet so gentle. She was a rat terrier and they are truly all purpose dogs tough and soft all at the same time.
The market in Springfield was great tonight. There were tons of people out and about and the support at the farmer's markets are just amazing. I am so glad to see people trying to eat better by eating fresh and local. I know I am trying harder to get away from all the chemicals and preservatives in processed foods. I think they are draining and dragging down the health of our society. People worry about pesticides and insecticides on their food but we should be really scared of food dyes, monosodiumglutamate (MSG), high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated anything, etc. They are harmful and I really wish they would make good foods without them. I would rather have shorter shelf life or have to refrigerate/freeze if necessary. I would prefer my foods not be loaded with sugar or sugar wanna-be. Why does every food HAVE to be sickeningly sweet? There are so many other delicious flavors out there such as a sugar snap pea? Have you ever just grabbed one off the vine and bit into it? There is nothing like it. How about a tomato right off the vine? Talk about bursting with flavor.  

6/9/10
It is a very sad day for me today. My rat terrier Petunia was killed this morning. She was the dog that hated cars but yet one got the best of her. She was such a sweet little gift from God and now she has gone to join Him and my other lost babies. Please say a prayer for her as she will be very dearly missed in the Wachter household. My foot warmer, my lap partner, my walking buddy, and the simplest little soul that has ever come to be by my side. I love and miss her dearly.

6/7/10
We were inspected today for our egg license and passed with flying colors so now we are officially licensed to sell eggs to just about anyone, anywhere! YEAH!!
Picked a bushel of green beans today and next time I pick there will probably be 2 bushel and not even 1/4 of the plants are producing out of the first planting. Let alone the second one. I am glad I love green beans or I would till them all under.....
More storms coming in tomorrow and that really stinks for me because I will be picking in the mud. I just hope it doesn't rain on Wednesday. On the positive side, at least if it rains I will be able to work on the walk-in cooler in the new shed.

6/5/10
Everything is in the ground except for a few more plantings of sweet corn. We received our greenhouses and the produce shed has been built. We are currently working on getting water to the greenhouses and power to the shed. We will then get the walk-in cooler up and running, hopefully before the sweet corn is ready to pick. The ears on the stalks are a couple inches long and silking. We are picking green beans by the half bushel and by next week we should be picking by the bushel. The week after that will be no stopping. The sweet corn has tasseled and has some good ears on it. It seems like it will be no time before the sweet corn will be picked, loaded in the truck, and taken to market.
I know that at least one of the teenage chickens is now laying because I am getting some of the most beautiful "pink" eggs that are so different from the others that I am used to. Which means that the others shouldn't be far behind. I also received my meat birds this week. There is nothing like being woke up at 4am by your phone. As a parent the worst things cross your mind as you are saying hello! I was blessed that is was the post office and not anyone else.
Nightshade is doing much better. He is still walking a little sideways on occasion and struggles when getting up but overall he has the spark back in his eyes. He keeps trying to roll over to rub his back in the grass but I think it makes him a little dizzy. Daisy is working real hard to take over in Nightshade's alpha dog position. I don't think she really wants that spot in the pack but it looks like she will have no choice. Petunia is just too small and Rose is getting too old.
The customers of Lincoln Farmer's Market never seem to stop amazing me. It has been a terribly humid, rainy morning and the people still keep coming. I sold out of the green beans right away and Devan is doing very well on his baked goods. We all have our tents up to keep us and our customers dry. I pray that the next market the sun will be shining.

5/24/10
Well, today didn't exactly go as planned. I was supposed to have my greenhouses delivered and they didn't show up. I called and they said they would be here tomorrow. Now that it has rained it will make it tricky to place it since we have to dig up the footings. I guess we will just have to do what we can or secure it in some way until we can place it. What a bummer.
I talked to the inspector from the state today and I am going to be inspected in about 2 weeks to get my egg license. That will be great, I will be able to sell eggs at the markets then.
I tried to finish getting the tomatoes in the ground but it just didn't work out. I only have one variety to go and planting just seems to be dragging on into forever. I was hoping to finish the tomatoes tomorrow and then get all the peppers in but it doesn't look promising since it just poured down rain for over an hour this evening. I would love to get the greenhouse emptied out. I have started some more herbs and it seems like very soon I will be starting the seeds for the fall crop. I plan on doing the fall crop seeds in the new greenhouse to see if it is truly all it's cracked up to be.
Nightshade is doing better. He is still very dizzy and has a hard time getting up but he is determined to be in my hip pocket no matter where I go. He tries to do the dog shake thing but it just knocks him down. I feel so sorry for him. Last summer during the hot days he would stand in his little doggie pool and get cooled off while getting a drink but he can't do that now because it is too hard for him to lift his legs over the edge. I really hope he gets a lot better soon. His quality of life is not very high right now and it is difficult for me to watch him be only a fraction of the dog he was.

5/18/10
Again with the rain....... When I looked this morning we had over an inch in the rain gauge and I haven't checked this evening but since it has been raining all day I am sure there is more. I would so like to finish planting. They say once this front goes through it should be nice so I am counting on that.
Nightshade has a stroke yesterday. Devan was asking what was wrong with him and I told him I didn't know. All of a sudden he started walking funny like his back legs wouldn't stay under him and he was walking sideways. His head looked like a bobblehead and he really couldn't focus. I took him to the vet today because he wasn't any better and he confirmed our suspicions. He is doing ok but still can't stand or walk real well. Doc Pierce says he should come out of it in a couple of weeks. I sure hope so because I really hate seeing him suffer. He keeps wanting to follow me around but can't get up by himself all the time. He needs a little help. 
I am finally all ready for the meat birds. I finished their coop today and all I have to do it put down their food when they arrive. They should be here tomorrow morning. They were supposed to have been shipped yesterday according to the hatchery which means I should get the call early. I hate waiting around but I guess that is what I have to do.
If any one wants a great Pyranese pup I have some friends who have a litter. Just let me know and I will put you in contact with them.

5/15/10
The Lincoln Farmer's Market in Scully Park was good today. The air was cool and it was kind of cloudy but it was not near as bad as last week. The customers are starting to arrive earlier, stay longer, and are coming in greater numbers so that is encouraging. We have a new vendor that is selling homemade fertilizer and I am going to be running some trials between the chicken poop, his rabbit fertilizer, regular compost from my kitchen, miracle gro, and no soil amendments just to see for my self what the results are. I will post them as they are available. I think I will try to take some pictures too and post them. I should start my experiment on Thursday. The 13 new babies are doing well. I really hate leaving chicks in a confined area but I know I need to because they are safer there for a little while. The hens are laying good and the teens are starting to explore the nesting boxes and the eggs that are being layed by the hens. I have been getting a different looking egg the last 2 days and have wondered if it belongs to one of the teens. It is a little smaller and a little darker than what I have been seeing from the others but I guess you never know. The teens are not quite 3 months old so I didn't think they would be laying yet but some animals mature faster than others.

5/13/10
The first day of the farmer's market at the Springfield fairgrounds went really good. I was pleasantly surprised at the vendor and customer turnout. The only time I was there last year was once during the peak season and it was just overwhelming. I am glad we made the choice to sell there this year. It is a really nice market with a good location and a good variety of vendors.
The chickens are doing real well and are growing by leaps and bounds. I am pretty sure among my teenagers I have at least 2 roosters. Their faces are redder than the others and they are developing double combs that are real noticeable. The babies are getting so big and are getting more feathers. Tomorrow I am picking up 13 babies that a local school hatched out for their class. I don't know what I will be getting but I guess I will figure that out as I go. They should fit in well with my 2 week olds in another week or two. I have also ordered some meat birds that will be ready to butcher by August. I know how much I enjoy the eggs so I can't wait to have the fresh chicken in my oven or on my grill!
We are getting more vendors every week for the Lincoln Farmer's Market so make sure you stop by if you haven't had a chance.

5/8/10
COLD! The only word I can use to describe the market this morning. It was pretty windy but the cold was just unbelievable for mid-May. I was really surprised and very pleased by all the customers that came out this morning. It was nice to see everyone in the not-so-perfect weather conditions. The musicians did not set up because the weather was just not condusive to having them out there. I gave the babies their freedom and the coop all to themselves. I am anxious about having the teens in with the 5 hens. The hens are quite the bullies to my 13 teens. I had to set up another roost poll because the hens won't let the younger ones anywhere near them. I really hope they learn to get along. Tomorrow is mother's day so happy mother's day to all the mothers out there. I am really fortunate to be able to spend the day with my family.

5/5/10
Once again we had a beautiful afternoon for the Lincoln Farmer's Market. I loved the people buying and enjoying all the fresh produce, coffee, baked goods, crafts, and plants at the market. I am really looking forward to this Saturdy when we will have some musical entertainment. We will not have a band per se but we will have some great musicians "jammin". Next Thursday (the 13th) will be our first night at the Springield market at the Fairgrounds. We are looking forward to it but probably won't have much to take, probably just the dog biscuits, green onions, radishes, and maybe some spinach or lettuce. My 5 hens are really putting out the eggs. I am proud of my girls! The babies are growing like crazy and not wanting to stay in their straw "cage" and the teens are trying to fly over the top so this weekend I will have to fix the situation. I believe it is time for the hens and the teens to learn to live together. The babies are growing so quickly that they will need a lot more space really soon.

5/2/10
The Lincoln Farmer's Market opening day was a great success! I am so glad the market has finally started up again for the season. After the market on Saturday I managed to plant all the Roma tomatoes. I am hoping I can get done planting this week. We got another 4/10" of rain last night and I couldn't work outside today so I did some running around and some housework.

4/28/10
I replanted some green beans that didn't get in the dirt the first time today and tomorrow I plant on planting the rest of the green beans. We are also going to try to get some more sweet corn in before this weekend. I would love to plant the tomatoes and peppers and okra but it is just too chilly out still. I will probably put down the plastic for them in the morning before the winds start up. I want to get this stuff out of the greenhouse. I am getting tired of taking care of it. It does much better on its own in the dirt. The asparagus is still coming and we are eating a big bunch for dinner tonight with our pork chops. YUM!!

4/25/10
So far we have got an inch and a half of rain. It was much needed and I am not hearing complaining from anyone at this point. I belive the rain is going to taper off today which means I may get the rest of my planting in this week. I am happy to see the second patch of sweet corn pop up with this rain. I have a feeling once the sun comes out again the third patch will show its pretty green leaves too! The 27 babies are finally out in the coop. I am doing the worrying and constant checking thing but they all seem to be fine. I have them in with the teenagers but they seem to be leaving them alone for the most part. I have them seperated with just a few straw bales. We are going to meet up with the rest of the family tonight to celebrate Devan's birthday. He says "eh, its just another birthday". Huh, I remember what it was like to be 19; I had just bought my first house and it was an exciting time in my life.

4/23/10
I am so glad it rained! I know you can check my previous entries and see how tired I was of the rain but we had gone way too long without any moisture and I was having to water everything so I am glad to see the water falling from the sky. We managed to get some more sweet corn planted yesterday. We planted Peaches and Cream and another sweet bicolor. YUM! I can taste those wonderful ears already. The baby chicks are doing wonderful and growing like crazy. I can't wait till they get out to the coop with the rest but I thought I would wait until the bad weather passes. We are now a week away from the start of the Lincoln Farmer's Market and I am getting more and more calls and emails every day. I am just so excited!

4\18\10
The pre-market party and vendor meeting for the Lincoln Farmer's Market was a lot of fun yesterday. We had some great people show up who will be vending at the market. We tossed around a lot of great ideas and we are all excited about the opening of the market. They were calling for frost last night be we did not get it. I woke up this morning anxiously looking out at my plants and when I went to check them all seemed fine. I had said a prayer before I went to bed Saturday night and made sure I said thank you after I checked the plants. My prayers were truly answered, this time. I had planned on doing some preparation for the arrival of my new chicks on Monday or Tuesday morning but before I could even get my teeth brushed my phone was ringing. It was the Post Office in Springfield and they had my chicks in their warehouse. Needless to say I threw on my clothes and hopped in the truck. I had the option of waiting for them to be delivered to Lincoln on Monday but I could not stand the thought of those poor little babies in a cold warehouse/building/truck for another 24 hours without food or water. I know they are only chickens but I just had to go get them. So I had to rush around when I got home and get everything set up in their brooder. They are all healthy, drinking, eating, and jumping around in their little box in the basement. I will have to work on the coop to get them out there in a week or so.

4/14/10
Today was a really good day. Corey Meador was nice enough to come out and help me get all the cucumbers, squashes, shallots, the rest of the celery, and some more onions planted. I feel like I am finally making progress and getting caught up to where I need to be; 2 steps forward...... Oooooh, oooooh, oooooh and the sweet corn is up out of the ground as is the green beans! I am so happy to see them thriving. My mouth is watering just thinking about the taste of the fresh produce!!
I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new chicks the first of the week. I will be getting their temporary housing ready for them on Sunday just in case they show up on Monday. Right now I am getting 2 dozen eggs a week from my 5 hens and am just thrilled. They are settling in and are getting used to me as I am them. The 13 teens are now going outside and enjoying the sunny days. I am still a little anxious about them going outside but they seem to be doing fine.

4/10/10
The days just keep getting better and better and it seems like I am falling further and further behind! I know I will eventually get everything planted but at this point I have not seen the light at the end of the tunnel, yet. The girls gave me 4 eggs today and I am so proud of them. I think I have named my Barred Rock Hen Barbie because she is quite snoody and thinks she is better than the other chickens. She has quite the attitude. If I hadn't seen her lay an egg with my own eyes I might just suspect her of being a rooster! Haha I am also anxiously anticipating the arrival of the next 26 just one week away! I will be getting 10 white leghorns (white eggs), 4 cuckoo marans (dark brown eggs), 3 silver leghorns (white eggs), 2 buff orpingtons (almost pink eggs), 2 buff laced polish (white eggs), 2 red star (brown eggs), 2 black giants (brown eggs), and at least one little surprise bird. Needless to say I will have quite a variety! I opened the coop door to the outside for the 13 teens today but they just stood in the doorway and looked at me. I left if open for several hours and kept checking on them but they never came out. I will try it again tomorrow.

4/9/10
It was a beautiful day today even if it was a little cool. I had to get caught up on some paperwork this morning but by the time I got out it was almost perfect! The only thing I got planted today were some Gladiolius bulbs. I did a lot of weeding and decided to tear up a flower bed and relocate all it's inhabitants. Then I started weeding and will need to continue in the near future.Tomorrow should be a good day to plant some more veggies. I think we will plant some more sweet corn and other stuff depending on how much plastic I get down. My beautiful girls gave me 5 eggs today. I gave them extra scratch for all their efforts and I think they appreciated it as much as I did. They are such good layers. I can tell the difference in the eggs from the Buff Opringtons and the Barred Rock. Oh, and tomorrow I also need to work on the chicks outside run so they can start spending a little time outdoors. I am sure a few bugs and fresh air will do the little girls wonders! We are exactly 3 weeks from the opening of the market. I am so excited and can't wait until the vendor meeting next week. It will be nice to see and spend time with some of the new vendors.

4/7/10
4/10 of rain today which makes it too wet to plant, again. Corey came out yesterday and we did manage to get all the sweet onions, sugar snap peas, and icicle radishes planted. Yesterday I got 5 eggs from my hens and today I got another 3, these girls are rockstars!

4/5/10
We got another 1/2 inch of rain in the last couple days and now it is raining again. I haven't got much more planted but I have got a lot done with the chickens.....
I finished planting all the red candy onions about the time the rain started at 12:50pm today. I was hoping to get the yellow candy onions in but didn't want to do it in the lightning and rain. It looks like I should have (at the least) rhubard, spinach, asparagus, and table onions ready for May 1; the opening of the LINCOLN FARMER'S MARKET!! I thought it was too early but I actually got a good bunch of asparagus picked this morning. It should be yummy for supper tonight. I know there are other vendors that will have other produce ready I just can't remember what they said right off hand.

4/1/10
For April Fool's Day, is turned out to be a pretty good day. I managed to get all the ground tilled and with David's help got the mulch layer tweeked and ready to put down some plastic first thing tomorrow morning. The mulch layer will not work on our little tractor so we had to hook it to the Minni-Mo; It is old and decrepid but it should do the trick. It took some doing but it seems like it will work out fine. I planted 60 strawberry plants, some more rhubard, lettuce, and cabbage today. If all goes well tomorrow it will be sugar snap peas and sweet onions. I really don't want it to rain on Saturday but need some time to work in the greenhouse transplanting some stuff. The second chicken coop is built and I moved the chicks  to the new/bigger coop. I figure when they are big enough they will go to the smaller coup with the 5 hens and I will then put the new chicks in the bigger coop. There will be more of them and they will need the extra room. The outside run is done for the smaller coop and I still have to build the outside run for the bigger coop. I have about 2 months before it needs to be done but why put off the inevitable? I picked up another 4 eggs today so that makes a total of 15 since Sunday. There is not enough eggs to go around right now but that is just a matter of time. They always say, "Be careful what you wish for".

3/28/10
We got another 4/10 of rain last night and this morning. I am not real happy about getting the new moisture on/in the ground but I am glad it wasn't any more. I did have a chance to get my mulch layer put together though. I am not real thrilled with the company that I bought it from and their lack of "parts as promised" but I will see what they are willing to do about it before I post any more information about them. Once it dries out I will be able to work the ground, get the mulch down, and get some sugar snap peas planted. I think the sugar snaps have to be the best thing of the summer next to the sweet corn and green beans!! Oh yeah, before I forget, I went out to the coop this afternoon to see what the hens were up to and I noticed something "odd" in the laying boxes so I went in and low and behold there were 4 EGGS!! I was so tickled that I hastily picked them up and broke one. I wasn't very happy about it but Rose was since she was the recipient of the yummy stuff inside. I think we have scrounged enough materials that we are going to expand the coop tomorrow. There is really no room to get in there and mess with the chicks now that the hens are in there and the hens don't have much room since 3/4 of the coop is taken up with chicks and straw bales. I think it will be for the best to have the extra room and a seperate coop for youngens and any that may need to be secluded in the future. I am also going to try to get some type of cover on the top of the outside pen tomorrow because the hens do not have their flight wings clipped and I am sure Petunia will kill the chickens if she gets the chance.

3/27/10
The last few days have been non-stop. I finished planting all the spinach and yellow onions before the rain hit. I was very thankful that we only received 1/2 inch; I also finished building the outside run for the chickens before the waterfall started. Today I went to the Lake Fork Community Sale and they didn't have much that I wanted or needed. I tried to get some laying hens but the young man that was selling them was very proud of them and ended up buying them back. Another friend of a friend saw me lose the bid and offered me 5 of his hens. I picked them up this evening and I now have 4 Buff Orphingtons and 1 Barred Rock that should start laying pretty good here real soon! I will be so tickled the first time I go into the coop to get my first egg(s)!! YUM!!!!!!!! I think the chicks that I got at Rural King are a little older than 19 days. They have already started molting so I think they may be at least a few days older than what I was led to believe. Now that I have the older hens in the coop I won't be able to let them have free reign until they get big enough to defend themselves.

3/22/10
After helping some neighbors with some clean-up and plumbing issues this morning I planted 1/3 of my spinach, all the green onions, beets, and carrots. I am going to do my best to plant the peas tomorrow but I have to go to animal control and get some pictures of the new dogs and cats they have in that need to be adopted. Of course the chickens are getting bigger and I have dropped their temperature in the coop another 5 degrees. Two more weeks and they will have free reign of the coop and I will be able to let them go outside in their pen during the day.

3/19/10
We planted Red Pontiac and Yukon Gold potatoes today along with white onions. I am thrilled to start getting the produce in the ground. The dirt is still not working up very good though. You have to go over it again and again with the tiller. The chicks are getting bigger; they are 11 days old today and it seems like every morning when I go out to the coop they have grown a bunch. I have never watched a chick grow so I am just thrilled to watch these little creatures do their thing. It seems like forever before I will get the other 25 but I know it will be here before I know it.  

3/16/10
We have been so busy cleaning out sheds and building the chicken coop. I haven't even had time to go to animal control to get pictures of the new animals they have in to put on petfinder; I hope to get that done tomorrow. Don't forget: Recycled pets make the best friends! Ok, So here is a picture of the chickens that I got at Rural King in Decatur this evening. There are 13 total: 5 Barred Rocks, 4 Cinnamon Queen, and 4 Silver Wyandottes. 
I really wanted to get day old chicks but these little girls were born 3/8/10. They are so cute. I have had Rose around them but she just stands over them and drools so I am guessing I should never leave her alone with them. I should be getting my shipment of chicks from MacMurray Hatchery sometime in mid to late April. Oh, and we were working on the coop this morning and just got done with the little door that goes to their outside run when Rose thought she could get through it.
After me calling her over and over she finally got through it but I don't think it felt very good. She is a really big dog and this is a really small hole!

3/13/10
I am so excited!! David finally agreed to let me have chickens! I can't wait to have fresh eggs and fresh chicken. I eat an egg almost every morning and being able to get fresh ones every day just thrills me. I figured he would drag his feet to build the chicken coop but he agreed on Thursday evening, we started asking around, searching the internet, and scrounging around the farm for materials Friday morning and started building Friday evening. We have framed in the coop, got the chicken wire up and are in the proccess of reinforcing it with old hog panels (mostly due to our dogs, coyotes, and foxes). I will be ordering the chickens for delivery this week. I am going to order white egg layers, brown egg layers, and dark brown egg layers. I will probably keep them in the basement for a week so that will give me plenty of time to make sure the coop is all set up and mayble it will warm up a little too. Now, when people come out to the farm for produce this summer they will be able to get their eggs also. If any of you have some extra egg cartons I would sure like to have them to put my eggs in.

3/10/10
I attempted to finish planting the rest of the seeds today but was unable. My racks in the basement are full. Soooooooo, it looks like I will be moving some of the bigger, more hardy plants to the greenhouse tomorrow. I didn't want to do that this early but I have no choice. I hate using the heat at night as it just adds to the expense of growing them. I need to look into alternative energy sources to get my nighttime heat out there.

3/9/10
Still haven't got the last of the seeds planted. I don't know why I just can't get those last few in the dirt.......    I will be moving the plants to the greenhouse in the next week or two. They are getting a little too big to be under the lights for much longer. Getting more and more amped about the market. Al & Val came by for dinner tonight and that's all we could talk about. So many people interested in becoming vendors and so many organizations wanting to get involved. WAhooooooooo!! They say it is supposed to be 70 degrees tomorrow but raining. I would really like to see the 70 degrees but the rain could miss us and I wouldn't be too upset. Mud, mud, mud. Everywhere I look is just mud. I think the dogs know where every puddle and soft spot is because they usually try to bring it in the house with them. I should have bought stock in the company that makes Swiffer.

3/5/10
Well I had to run in town for a few minutes this afternoon and decided since the sun was so warm I would take the bike. All I can say is burrrrrr! I should have put on my chaps before I left the house. I had enough on the top half but not near enough on the bottom. It was really cold on my legs 'til I got into town. I had plans on going to the grocery store after I got done at animal control but decided it would be best if I just went home and tried to finish my planting. I only have a few hundred seeds left to start so I guess I better get in gear...........

3/3/10
The sunshine today was just wonderful! It sure makes you want to make sure the equipment is ready to go to the field. I think David and I both have cabin fever. As far as we're concerned spring can't get here soon enough. I managed to get most of the cats available at animal control on Petfinder today. Man, are there lots of them. Some are a little wild and would make great barn cats and others are just lovers that really need a house with a loving lap to lay in. Some of these poor cats haven't been out of their cages for months and I feel sorry for them because all creatures need to enjoy a little sunshine. Even prisoners in jails get to get out of their cages and enjoy the sun. It is just a shame. I encourage anyone with animals to spay and neutere. That would solve the problems of all the unwanted animals.

2/22/10
Went to the Logan County Animal Control today to take pictures of the available dogs to place on petfinder for Logan County Animal Rescue. It is truly a shame that there are so many unwanted animals. I actually saw a dog there that belongs to a neighbor of ours; it had been there since New Year's Eve. It is a shame that they got an animal and then decided to let the county have it. This dog will probably end up euthanized because it is a pit/boxer mix; it is truly a sweet dog but likes to run and likes to chew fingers (to play, not be mean). After animal control I managed to get a lot more seeds planted. I am about 2/3 done planting. I am learning a lot of things like 'you start artichokes in the refrigerator'. Hmmmm, who'da thunk it! I was also asked about the Lincoln Farmer'd Market becoming a member of Main Street Lincoln so I will be looking into that tomorrow since Main Street is working hard at helping us with the market. We only got an inch of rain yesterday but the sump pump hasn't stopped running since the snow is also melting. They keep saying it will be another wet spring but I am really praying that it is not. The ground is so wet and really needs a chance to dry out. There will be even more fungus problems this year in all kinds of crops if the ground remains saturated.

2/16/10
Didn't get anymore seeds planted today but did manage to get the lights up and make some room for some more flats. Today Lincoln Farmer's Market and Wachter Farms officially became members of the Chamber of Commerce. This is a first for me but I hope it will be a long, happy relationship.

2/15/10
It has been a busy week and a half. I went skiing with Bridget last weekend and to the farm show this weekend. My sister also got married this weekend and since I got back from Louisville I have been busy planting more vegetables. David told me I needed to get a little bit of every seed so we could experient and see how things grow and all I have to say is I need a bigger greenhouse. I have already filled up my growing racks in the basement so I don't have a clue as to how I am going to fit all these flats in my little greenhouse! There were 8 college kids here all weekend babysitting the dogs (can you say "how many young adults does it take to feed the dogs?") and I am just happy my house was still standing when I returned and there were no injuries reported. I left them a list of rules and regs and when I returned they had written amendments to all my rules so I don't know who was telling who what.  

2/6/10
Wow, it is getting busy fast. Between the farmer's market, starting seeds, farm shows, and trying to live life it is getting a little hairy!! But, no, I am not complaining. I am actually enjoying it quite a bit. I spent the last two days skiing with my good friend Bridget and am now back to getting the veggies started. I guess the weather was pretty bad while I was gone but it was great up in Wisconsin. The ski conditions were wonderful!

1/25/10
It is snowing and blowing pretty hard outside. I took the trash out and really wished I had a coat on when I went out. I really wanted to run some errands and even get a few things done in the garage but I guess it will have to wait. So, I am cleaning house today and working on my seed orders and trying to find a new digital camera since mine took a big heaping poop. I am also trying to find some good recipes for the not-so-ordinary produce I am growing. I think it will be nice to hand out recipes at the market for vegetables that people might not be used to cooking.

1/24/10
We had a good time last night going out with Scott & Jacinda & Ace. The Texas Roadhouse just can't be beat for a good steak!! I have been looking into laying plastic down for the produce. I spend so much time weeding that I don't have a lot of time to actually take care of the plants, pick them, or sell the produce so I am going to see if the plastic will help. I am going to put some down by hand this season on a few crops we had weed problems with last year and if it works I guess I will have to get a cheap plastic laying machine or see if I can rent or borrow one from somewhere. The facebook page is up and running for Lincoln Farmer's Market. It is easier to update from my phone so I will try to keep a schedule on it of what is going on for the market.

1/13/10
Happy New Year! I have issued our first press release. We are letting the community know about the change in location for the Lincoln Farmer's Market and also asking for vendors, artists, and entertainers. It has been on Lincoln Daily News and in the Courier so far. Hopefully by next week it will start hitting some of the papers on the outskirts of Lincoln. Unfortunately due to all the snow and blowing last week I was only able to make to Wednesday's feature at the Specialty Grower's Conference but it was probably the best day for me to be there since it was focused on managing the farmer's market. I met some really great people and got some really great ideas. I have started to get some feelers out as far as sponsors and new vendors for the market. I am gathering names of possible local entertainers too so I guess all is going as it should be. We have a really great community here in Lincoln I just can't wait to get out and start talking to everyone again. I have placed my seed orders and have received (almost) everything I need for this year's crops. A few things are on backorder and a couple others they can't ship yet because of the freezing temps, but other than that I am ready to start the tomatoes and peppers very shortly. I have thought about trying a dozen or so plants now and seeing if I can't get myself some early tomatoes via the greenhouse. I guess we will see. I went to the grocery store on Monday and I found these strange orange/pink, wax covered things where the tomatoes were supposed to be; YUCK!! Devan is back at SIUE and loving his new semester classes. He has a lot better teachers this semester and he is really excited about them. He is busy deciding where he will room for his sophomore year and with whom. He loved being home over the holidays but I think he loved getting back to his friends and his life on campus even more.

12/21/09
Tis the season! I am ready for Christmas. Devan is home from SIUE and the presents are bought and wrapped. Mom is already planning the Christmas meal and I am ready to eat. I love driving around and seeing all the beautiful Christmas lights. We were in Chatham the other night for my mom's Christmas party and there was a house in Chatham that was definitey worth seeing. I just smiled from ear to ear when I saw it. It was obvious that the owners went to great lengths, effort, and expense to put up such a display. I am glad they did because I really enjoyed it. I remember when I lived in Mattoon there was a house on the way to the lake that always had such a beautiful display of lights every year. I just want the people who go to such lengths that I am someone who appreciates what you do. We had to run to Bloomington on Sunday, which I was dreading because I knew it would be a madhouse, and it started snowing on our way there. When we got to the mall I was really surprised to see all the smiles coming from both store employees and patrons. It was a really great experience. I just don't see why some people go out into public on busy shopping days and expect to get what they want faster than they would any other time of the year. If we all just showed a little patience and goodwill life would be much more enjoyable.

12/9/09
The farm work has come to a screeching halt! I cannot believe the wind right now. 50 mph and snowing makes for a cold combination. We are really fortunate though that we did not get a bunch of snow like they did to the north of us. All I can say is I am ready for skiing! We are working with our LG rep. Rich Selinger today and getting seed orders in place for ourselves and our customers. Get your order in! I am also working on getting my seed for the garden fruits, vegetables, and flowers today. I want to get everything ready to go so that when it is time to plant those little seeds I will be ready. I am also sending out invitations to Lincoln Farmer's Market annual party and first vendor's meeting for the 2010 season. Anyone who wants to vend and come to the party needs to contact me ASAP.

12/6/09
We finished harvesting last Sunday and boy was that a relief! We are now trying to work ground before the ground gets too solid. I wanted to get the garden composted before David worked the ground but it didn't happen. I am still hoping to get the compost down and have him work it again. We went to a benefit for Logan County Animal Rescue last night and it was a lot of fun. They are a very worthwhile organization. They pretty much save the animals that are destined to be euthanized and place them in no kill shelters or foster homes or with rescue organizations. They asked me if I would set up a website for them and I am anxious to get started. They really need people to know about what they are doing and they need additional funding.

11/23/09
I was just told by my husband that if it wasn't raining, Thanksgiving day will be spent harvesting corn. It is terrible that Mother Nature is dealing us so many soggy cards these days. I am looking outside the kitchen window and thinking of how beautiful it looks with the sunshine and the breeze blowing the pines but realize that it won't last with the storms heading straight for us tonight. I would like to finish the fall work in the garden but it is not looking promising. I wanted to get the compost on and the ground turned under but it doesn't look like that will be done any time soon. It is so wet out that when you step in the garden you sink to your ankles. The ground is just so saturated there is no place for it to go. I even had some water trying to come in the basement through the floor which almost never happens! Devan is home for 10 days for Thanksgiving and I am just elated. It is great having him around for more than a day or two.

10/27/09
It is raining again. I was sitting here at Heartland doing some modification to the market site and realized there were people walking by with umbrellas. What a bummer! The way I understand it, all the farmers that have been waiting for the corn to dry down enough to harvest have just thrown in the towel and decided that whenever they can get in the field they are going to go.

10/17/09
Well, the rain finally gave us a break the last couple of days. It is so muddy but the fields are full of combines. The only corn we are shucking is testing around 30% moisture. The beans are better but there is so much moisture in the morning.

9/30/09
Harvest has begun at Wachter Farms! Wally took the ends off the bean plot yesterday and today they started on their first field of corn. The corn was testing 21.9 and Wally figured it was time. I must admit that the sound of corn flowing into the bin is exciting. This year has been so strange weather wise and caused great concern at times due to the cold and rain. Wally noticed yesterday that the diplodium (sp) in some of the corn was pretty bad but we won't know the extent until the field is opened up. It is a shame that some of the crops are damaged since they look so good from afar.

09/22/09
My oh my how the summer just flew by! The 1/2 inch of rain on sunday and now the rain today has given me a chance to get caught up on some things around the house. It is just so hard to believe it is the first day of fall. Wally is just chomping at the bit to get in the fields. I know a farmer that had planned to get in the field yesterday just so he could get some corn out and some wheat in but the rain held him off. The corn is nowhere near dried down enough but if some of these bigger farmers don't start going their families will be bringing them their holiday dinners in the field. The Lincoln Farmer's Market is now under my management. Due to the previous and unfortunate management of Doug Fink the old market is no longer what it used to be and I am sure will no longer exist before it is all said and done. He has destroyed it and made all the vendors extremely unhappy. The vendors that now fall under the new Lincoln Farmer's Market are doing quite well and are enjoying coming up with ideas to bring in the customers and give them an enjoyable shopping and learning experience.

07/02/09
The weather is much cooler this week. I hear it will not last long though. My poor tomatoes don't know what season it is. I shucked a couple ears of sweet corn last night that looked a little further along and I was impressed at how well the kernals have filled in and how far along it is. The sugar hasn't dropped yet but it could be any time. I will closely monitor the field that is coming ready in order to pick it at the peak of ripeness because we all know the difference a few days can make. Can I get an amen? My second planting of grean beans will be ready to start picking on Friday. I have been selling everything that has been picked but I am ready to have enough to put in the freezer.

6/26/09
Hot!! That is the only way I can describe the weather. I spend all day in the sun and heat battling the bugs for my produce but I still wouldn't trade it for another day behind a desk in air-conditioning. Spent all day yesterday weeding and spraying. It seems that the produce isn't the only thing thriving during this hot weather! We have potatoes, onions, sugar snap peas, and green beans ready. The sweet corn is silking and smelling very sweet so it should be ready very soon also. The farmer's market in Lincoln is going very good. There are more vendors all the time and it is looking like a very good year at Latham Park. I have been bouncing back and forth between the Elkhart market and the Clinton market. Neither has very good showing of community support but I think it is just the lack of items offered.

6/16/09
We just got back from a little vacation and it seems everything has grown by leaps and bounds. There are so many tomatoes on the vines! The spinach, green onions, strawberries, and even grean beans are producing like no tomorrow. The sweet corn is knee high and if I didn't know better I would say you can even see it growing if you look at it long enough!!

5/21/09
This has been a beautiful week. The farmers are very busy either planting or using the rotary hoe to break open what they have already planted. There are very few ponds left but lots of wet spots still. With the small chance of rain tomorrow and the bigger chance of rain on Tuesday everyone seems to be in a hurry. The farmer's market in Lincoln is building steam. Due to the lack of advertising for our market many people do not know that we have anything to offer yet. More people show up every time but it is due to word of mouth and people just driving by. I can't wait until all the produce is ready. I can taste the fresh green beans, tomatoes, and sweet corn now!

5/16/09
Last Saturday started out to be a beautiful day. We had finally started getting in the fields and things were getting really busy in our neighborhood. Then a big storm kicked up around 5pm and we were scrambling to get the seed corn in the shed in strong winds and heavy rain. The rest of the week wasn't much better as we were watching the skies on Wednesday for threats of tornadoes, etc. Friday we figured there wasn't much else to do so we invited 30 of our closest farmer friends over for lunch. Unfortunately we got another inch and a half of rain Friday evening. Anybody know where I can get a boat? We're going to need one if this weather keeps up..............

5/3/09
We ended up with an inch and three tenths out of the last round of pummeling by mother nature. It hasn't rained for a few days which has been great considering they were calling for rain on Saturday. The fields are still muddy as can be; lots of standing water. If we dodge the rain they are calling for Tuesday night and Wednesday then by this weekend we will be able to get in the fields. We went to a fish fry at another farmer's house on Friday and everyone is in the same boat, literally. There has been little to no grain planted in central IL yet this year. On a more positive note the sweet corn and green beans are trying to make their way out of the dirt. The ground is pretty hard from all the rain but it is making a valiant effort! The onions are loving all the moisture and I don't think I have ever seen onions grow this fast. The potatoes are also doing well. The little green plants are popping right out of the straw. It is still not warm enough for the peppers or tomatoes to take off but I am sure it is just a matter of time. The spinach is even loving the cool, wet days. We only have a small asparagus patch but it has been giving us enough to feast on a couple nights a week. Everything in the greenhouse is doing great; I can't believe how big the tomato plants are. I got rid of some plants at the farmer's market in Clinton on Saturday and will take some more to market in Lincoln on Wednesday afternoon. I am holding some of the peppers and tomatoes back just in case all the water wipes out what I have planted. Of course everything in the greenhouse is just leaps and bounds bigger than what I have in the ground.

4/25/09
Woke up this morning to thunder. It rained two tenths of an inch during a fast moving front. Looks like we will be working on installing the new double oven.

4/24/09
The past couple days have been very nice but very windy. The fields are starting to dry out but are still not quite ready to get in yet. We dodged the bullet last night and the storm tracked to the north of us. Hopefully by tomorrow we will be able to work ground and maybe get some crops planted in front of the storms that are expected for the first of the week. Wally is cleaning up the junk that has piled up from all the work happening on the tractors and I have just about got all the vegetables in the ground. Hopefully all will continue going well. The first market is next Saturday.

4/21/09
It's still raining but hopefully it will stop by this afternoon. The rain guage is showing 1 1/2 inches but we will have to see what the total is when it is done. David is still working on equipment and I am starting to get things organized for the markets that are just around the corner.

4/19/09
All I have to say is "it's raining".

4/18/09
The green beans and sweet corn are now in the ground. If all goes well we will have Peaches N Cream, Silver Queen, Ruby Red, Bodacious, and Illinichief Supersweet. The teenagers came out to the house yesterday so I put them to work. We planted more sweet onions, tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower. It is amazing how much you can get done when you have a bunch of 17-20 years olds willing to work. They are calling for rain tonight but I am praying that it moves around us or at least only gives us a small shower. The farmers are just chomping at the bit trying to get in the fields. If it didn't rain this weekend then I would foresee a lot of action in the fields on Monday. David is keeping busy working on the equipment and getting last minute seed deliveries taken care of. I am still trying to get things cleaned up from all the winter storms and trying to get everything planted and keeping everything in the greenhouse alive.