Up and up

This year's perpetually fickle weather threw me off as to what season we're in. Hot days reminescent of the height of summer breathed its warm breath on us a few weeks ago, but these past few days have been cool and cloudy. A marker of coming rains appeared at noon today: a sun halo.

Sun halo

Looks like it needs some nourishment

Though the unpredictable weather and drought lead many to think the end is near, frogs aren't raining from the sky. They are, however, still propagating in these drying times. See here, a tiny frog!

Still no mushrooms :(

The moisture hasn't been enough to inspire mushroom fruiting. The ponds nearby are low but still have water to keep the logs hydrated. Perhaps they'll fruit next year with the projected El Nino deluge.

What remains reliable amidst all this uncertainty is the proliferation of blackberries. Yes, the battle continues as these pernicious plants prowl for disturbed earth and empty spaces. It's too late in the season to dig them out, so I am cutting them at the base to at least get them out for the grain combine harvest.



Slain blackberries

The blackberries might get in the way of a half-acre's worth of harvest. It looks like I might have a decent yield after all!

Mai-sized rye

Triple IV

Mustard farm

Red Fife

Sonora

In anticipation of harvest, I've been checking out seed cleaning options. A University of California Cooperative Extension agent suggested I contact McFadden Farm about their seed cleaning equipment since they harvest herbs and spices.

Despite being neighbors with McFadden Farm last summer, I only had contact with the stories of bacchanalian parties and impressive fields, never with the farmers or farm. I asked a friend who regularly goes to McFadden fests if it'd be likely that Guinness McFadden, the principle farmer and manager, would let me use his seed cleaner. My friend said that Guinness is a character, larger than life, and either immediately likes or dislikes someone. I took that to mean that I shouldn't ignore the chance to talk with Guinness and that I could hope to land on the 'like' side.

I rolled up against the foothills of Potter Valley and looked out at the McFadden 500+ acre stretch of pasture, vineyard, and bounty. Guinness's office is on the second floor of a barn loft where one can view all this glorious growth. Guinness invited me to sit down and before getting to business he asked if my name is Chinese or Vietnamese. "Vietnamese," I said. "Cô khoẻ không?" he asked. It turns out Guinness is conversant in Vietnamese! "Who knew a guy who grew up in an Irish neighborhood of New York City could speak Vietnamese!" he laughed. I asked if he knew Irish-Gaelic, to which he said, "No! No, only a handful of people speak that language." I pointed at myself. We laughed at the irony of a Vietnamese person knowing Irish-Gaelic and an Irishman knowing Vietnamese. I think I landed on the 'like' side in that moment.

We went to look at the seed cleaning operation. There was an indent cleaner, air screen cleaner, and shaker. Guinness offered all this equipment for use, needing only compensation for his employees. His generosity extended to giving me a bottle of one of his fine wines and wild rice.

Herb cleaner

With the future of seed cleaning in mind, Seth of Open Field Farm and I have been looking for seed cleaning equipment. This endeavor took me into the world of grain equipment nerdiness which I will dig into further as Seth and I try to set-up a system at his farm. What's great, though, is that there are many grain nerds out there! I've had the pleasure of talking with Thor Oechsner, the former NOFA grain consultant. I asked if we should get a gravity table to partner with the 2 screen cleaner Seth already has. Thor explained that all we really need is a 3 screen air screen cleaner with many screen sizes. He has a 1912 cleaner that gets the job done. A seed cleaner from 1912!!! Screens cost about $250 each, so getting one with screens already would be a big money saver.

Kasey White of Lonesome Whistle Farm in Oregon said she uses a screen and gravity table, and that the gravity table is indisposable. She lucked out and found a small test table. Seth and I haven't lucked out on that yet, but we did get connected with Luke Frey of Frey Vineyards to check out their equipment.

Woo whee! They have everything! Even a seed oil press! But, as you can see, their equipment has been neglected. Enough time passed for a bush to build itself into this beautiful 1924 Clipper seed cleaner. Luke, Seth, and I are hoping to rescue the cleaner and store it at Open Field Farm for awhile. Sorry, bush, it might be time to relocate soon.