Red Clover

There is a wonderful pen drawing done by my friend Kelsey of a woman in a hat and overalls, - it is taped to my fridge, and it is titled, "Farmer Bronwyn." I am claiming it entirely.

I have been working here at Potomac Vegetable Farms for almost a week. I get up at 7:15am and make oatmeal as I look out my oh-so-wonderful kitchen window that has a view of an overgrown garden, the barn, and various old farm machinery. I have always wanted a nice kitchen window like that.

Butternut squash is ripe when it is tan, and it must be cured in the greenhouse for five days or it will taste like cucumbers. Red clover puts nitrogen in the soil for the next crop. Garlic has a huge long stem that is cut off at an angle. After the roots are clipped, you peel away the first few layers to make it pretty. Sometimes you accidentally peel off too much and get to see that lovely purple underneath. Cherry tomato vines smell as good as regular tomato vines, and you get to eat the split tomatoes when you're picking them since they don't sell. Chickens are really noisy, and you should wear close-toed shoes in the coop since they peck. They are also smelly, but what fun to bring fresh eggs to the stand every morning. Make sure the greens get plenty of wet newspaper on top of them in the cooler. Swiss chard comes in green, yellow, orange, and red, and it is beautiful, especially when you pick it in the rain.

Peace and lots of tomatoes -