Things are finally settling down on Black Sheep Farms. We’ve gotten some time to recover from a busy year, relax and think about 2010. The Village Pointe Farmers Market ended in early October, and Kelly and I took a trip to San Francisco to see some friends. It was our first “kidless” vacation in over 10 years. We went to the Berkeley Farmers Market, Botanical Gardens, Japanese Tea Garden and Conservatory of Flowers. What else would you expect from a couple of farmers?

We’re assembling a poll for our 2009 CSA members. Although we kept track of our experience, we hope to get some valuable feedback so we can make 2010 even better. Our waiting list is up to 76 families, but since we’re using a lottery system, everyone has an even chance. Sign up now!

Kelly just got done planting garlic, and we still have a few hundred tulip bulbs to get into the ground before Winter moves in. I spent this Sunday with the chainsaw and log splitter, but we’ll still have to buy a couple of cords of firewood to get us through the winter. We love the wood furnace!

Even though I call this the “off-season,” we’re busy with the business of farming. We’ve been planning an expansion of our gardens, researching hog breeds, thinking about adding more laying hens and wondering what types of vegetables to plant in Spring. We are also working on our labor and bookkeeping strategies.

Hopefully, this will be enough to keep us busy until it’s time to start seeds in a few months. I’m already tired just thinking about it all.

-Brian