Old Season Farm

Old Season Farm is a 17 acre start-up farm in West Jefferson, NC. Kristen and David have have had the land for about two years, and have already come a long way towards establishing a diverse farm. They have a variety of fruit and nut trees, chickens, and sheep that they rotationally graze in the orchard. Their focus is hazelnuts, a nut usually grown in the Northwest, but they are experimenting with different blight-resistant varieties, and so far their trees are doing great. The  market here is quite promising, and eager potential buyers are lining up.

"dubaduba" means "spin this coaster please"

Kristen and David are a young couple who also met on a farm, and are looking forward to being able to devote more time to farming. Currently they both work and are raising their one-year-old son, Teddy. Teddy's curiosity and wonder of the natural world around him were contagious, and we enjoyed his energy. One of his favorite games was spin-the-coaster, which he assumed was Randy's purpose in life, and we all had fun playing together. We were their first WWOOFers, and they were really excited to have the extra help. We were excited because this was the first time we'd been the first WWOOFers, and it felt like we were ambassadors of the program.
We were drawn to the farm because of David and Kristen's use of agricultural ecosystems to improve the farmland and lessen the workload. They utilize electronet fencing to confine the sheep to the grassiest areas of the orchard, moving them every week or so after they've done a great lawn-mowing job. A flock of chickens helps keep pests down in the orchard, and soon a hive of bees will help with the pollination.

Mid-sheet mulching; bark mulch pathways will be added

We helped get the garden ready for planting by sheet mulching. First Randy scythed the grass down to a manageable height (a job he was excited to try his hand at). Next we put down manure, then covered the new garden area with tons of cardboard, and then covered the cardboard with lots of old moldy hay and mulch. The cardboard kills the weeds, and as it breaks down provides the perfect habitat for worms. Sheet mulching improves the soil, and after an initial investment of labor, greatly reduces the amount of work needed to maintain a weed-free garden.
The whole family had had the stomach flu the week before we arrived, and Holly caught a mild strain of it. Kristen insisted she stay in bed all day (which Holly really appreciated) and after a day of rest and plenty of supplements, the bug was nipped it in the bud. 

Heads to be bid on

Pimp my Amish ride

Elizabeth and John back at Walnut Hollow Farm had told us about an Amish auction in Abingdon, VA, that had a festive atmosphere and great deals on horse-powered farm implements. We had kept it in mind, and decided to go on our day off. It was a beautiful drive through the winding mountain roads. Upon arrival, we perused the many booths, some offering the country-fair staples of funnel cakes (fried dough) and hot dogs, while others were uniquely agricultural, selling saddles and shovels. We lingered at the cowboy boot booth so Holly could continue her long-standing search for the elusive (and cheap) perfect boot. Then we made our way to the auction building. Inside were hundreds of people and several wagon loads of random equipment; everything from mouse traps to flax wheels to chaps to lawn ornaments. There were three auctions happening simultaneously; the rapid auctioneer songs emerged from the loudspeakers, reverberating off the steel walls, and coming back to form a cacophony of commerce. The atmosphere was both overwhelming and exciting, and we were eager to join in the experience. Randy got a buyer number, and we squeezed onto the bleachers around the auction with the most interesting-looking loot, waiting for the right item to appear. We finally threw our hat in the ring for a set of heavy duty carabiners. The dollar amounts changed fast and furiously, and being newcomers we had a hard time following the bids. Thanks to the skilled bid assistants we vaguely knew what was going on without being able to hear.We won the six carabiners for incredibly cheap, and excitedly repeated the process for a few other items. Just when we thought we getting the hang of auctions, and getting some great deals, a worrisome phrase made it through the din. "Five times the money" preceded the bidding of a set of bridles, and it gradually dawned on us that everything that sold in multiples was "____ times the money," including what we had bought. At first Holly just thought it meant we were getting more for our money, but then we realized it actually meant the final bid was multiplied by the number of items. Instead of spending the nine dollars we thought we had, we actually owed the Amish $51.It was a costly rookie mistake that ended with us paying our dues and then retreating back to our car with our tails between our legs.

Barn quilts at the Farmer's Market

The next day, Kristen took us to the West Jefferson Farmer's market. It was our first farmer's market of the year and we were so excited! We were there to buy, not sell, since there wasn't much up in the garden, but it was still invigorating to see all of the vendors and wares. While Kristen bought a fish for our dinner and bartered for an apple tree, we wandered around enjoying samples of pastured meat, baked goods, and goat cheese. Hidden amongst the goat cheese were a couple bars of goat cheese fudge, that we obviously had to buy. It was the perfect treat after a feast of lemon garlic trout, greens, and sweet potatoes.
Later that afternoon we got started on our final project: building a kiwi/grape trellis. David harvested black locust trees from their woods for the posts, and Kristen and Teddy helped us put the pieces together. Although we weren't able to quite finish our second kiwi trellis of the trip, the bulk was completed and had a beautiful natural look that the fruit-laden vines will complement.

Tying a sheer lash

Goat getting a pedicure

On our last day we helped clip the sheep's hooves, which involved some skillful wrangling, to get them all into a stall, and some elbow grease to get them into a manageable position. While the sheep were not eager for their turn, they were curious about what was happening to their flockmates. With one of us guarding the door, two holding the sheep, and one clipping the toenails, we finished the job relatively quickly.
All too quickly our time at Old Season Farm was over. We only stayed nine days, which is the shortest stay yet (by one day). We were glad to help out Kristen and David, who spoiled us with their appreciation. We always enjoy the various projects, but once again we we wished we could see eventual fruits of our labor. Maybe soon we'll get to enjoy the fruits of other WWOOFers garden work.

Our lovely room

Kristen's delicious oatmeal pie!