Chugging Along

Ever wonder what it takes to keep a place like Rock Spring Farm running and running smoothly at this time of year? The summer staff have moved on back to school, but there’s still plenty to do around here. I often highlight the flashy stuff in the newsletter - seeding cover crops, building fence, operating the new root harvester, pulling in the fall harvest – but it’s the nose-to-the grindstone stuff that gets the crops grown, picked, washed, and packed each week. I have three key players on my fall farm team!

Sarah, who works year ‘round, coordinates our packing shed operations, keeps track of what needs to be harvested and when. She enters our wholesale orders into the spreadsheet we use to tabulate them. She prints the labels for the clamshells we use to package our herbs. She puts the herbs in the clamshells. She heads up most of the harvests, but most especially the peppers and the broccoli. She washes the vegetables (next time you smile when your carrots are so clean, think of Sarah). She cleans the floor in the packing house. She cleans the windowsills. She waters the herb babies in the greenhouse. She remembers to turn on the drip irrigation in the greenhouses. She reminds me to order paper towels and boxes.

Sanna, who has worked here since late May and will stay on through the Thanksgiving rush, works with Sarah on the harvest and packing operations, providing the bulk of the labor for that at this time of year (along with Sarah). She harvests most of the tomatoes on her own. She puts the Sungolds in their clamshells. She harvests the herbs, and bags the salad mix and spinach. She does the dishes after lunch. She washes the crates and the buckets, and sweeps up in the herb room.

Ben, who works year ‘round, coordinates most of the crop production activities. Every Monday, he checks the farm propane tank. On the first Monday of every month, he checks the fuel level in the diesel barrel. He checks the oil in the tractor before he starts it every day. He seeds crops, prepares the beds, and plants the cover crops. He repairs and troubleshoots the little problems that crop up, both mechanical and otherwise. On Mondays and Thursdays, he drives the delivery truck up to Featherstone Farm (they take it from there), and brings back our used CSA and wholesale boxes. And, of course, when necessary, he helps out with the harvest.

Chris (that’s me) directs the traffic for the farm. I manage the overall operation, coordinate with the wholesale vendors, write the weekly newsletter, create the marketing pieces, track CSA members, do the bookkeeping, track CSA members, and reply to emails. I answer the phones. I coordinate with the banker, place the help wanted ads, and deal with human resource matters. I manage the education and outreach to other farmers. I order the supplies we need and put the pieces in place to keep our projects moving ahead. I plow the snow from our long driveway, worry about the potential for frost, flood, and drought, hope for rain when we need it and wish for sunshine when we don’t, and deal with the everyday and not-so-everyday emergencies. I help out where I’m needed, and try to stay out of the way when I’m not.