Hi friends! It's July and we're gearing up to deliver our first CSA shares!! If you signed up for a summer share, watch for a separate email about that. We're so excited to get that program rolling! The summer share option is over, but you have until August 15th to sign up for the Fall Share if you're interested. Just click on the link to order! https://forestviewfarm812.com/product/csa-share-fall-2023/

We've been busy since we returned from vacation! We've gotten some rain and the garden is producing. I picked all our broccoli and cauliflower, then cut the plants to the stalk and planted late corn and squash in that space. Leaving the stalks in the ground keeps the roots in tact and allows the plants to slowly break down, releasing stored nitrogen into the soil. Win! I also harvested gooseberries, cut peppermint, and gathered mullein flowers. I made jam with some of the gooseberries and plan to make wine with the remaining berries! I'll let you know how that goes. I'm making tea with the peppermint and ear drops with the mullein flowers and garlic. Harvesting and collecting is a lot of work, but so worth it! Look at all that beauty, and it's just the beginning. Green beans are flowering and tomatoes are ripening. YUM

The layers, rabbits, and meat birds are doing well, despite the torrential downpours we've had lately. Our youngest hens are starting to lay so we're getting more eggs! Abundance is exciting!

I spent time packaging my soap and bug spray this week. Making products is the fun part, but they all need labels and packaging. Most people don't think about the work that goes into creating a sellable product. Here are a few pics to show a little bit of the process. What you don't see is designing, printing, and cutting labels. I can fit three soap labels to a page and 10 bug spray labels to a page. Each one has to be cut to precise dimensions and placed just right. And to protect the bug spray label from moisture, I place a piece of tape over it. It's all quite time consuming, but it looks good when finished!

This coming week will be busy with swim lessons and a birthday in our household! Our oldest is turning 14. We'll spend some quality time together and try to stay cool in the summer heat. Hopefully I'll get to harvest lots of beans and tomatoes soon too. Have a great week everyone! Hope to see you at the market next Saturday!

~Sandi