It has been one of those weeks where you just have to go with the flow, hence the newsletter a day late.  Betsy and I live a pretty quiet, paced life, really.  People would not believe it with this past weeks schedule.  As I was returning home from Virginia last week, Betsy tells me a group of Uruquayan agricultural researchers was coming the next day (Wednesday), OK fine.  In the end they went to see another farm as they had been here two years ago, also fine.  Thursday was a group of 25 Chinese civil servants, with interpreter, in the light rain, all in suits and smoking like chimneys.  They were very interested in how the government affected our lives.  How much tax do you pay?  How much does the land cost?  Can you cut down all the trees if you want too?  This is a common question from foreign visitors amazed we have all these huge trees and don’t really plan to cut them down and use them.

Friday was a film crew from UNC Public TV.  We had been having erratic conversations about them coming out to shoot for a piece to be on North Carolina Now (it is supposed to air in early December) but hadn’t heard from them in the last few days and thought maybe with the chance of rain they might not show.  As we went out to start the harvest for market there was a van and two cars, cameras at work.  All day and at market on Saturday morning they were omnipresent including when I went to cut lettuce and found the ground hog had helped himself to what was left, under the breath swearing was involved but not caught on camera.

Saturday my brother Jon, from Missouri, rolled into town on the way to the beach.  We had a family meal and then the next day they headed to the beach for a week.  We were going to go down for Monday and Tuesday but I had forgotten I was supposed to do a round table book review for the Independent on Monday afternoon.  Just Food by James McWilliams subtitled “Where Locavores get it wrong and how we can truly eat responsibly”.  He has lots of interesting points and references but in many ways missed the point on sustainable agriculture and how it works.  The review is supposed to be in the first week of Octobers issue.

Tuesday and Wednesday we just gave it up and went to the beach, sure it rained but we got to visit with family, eat a lot and take a few quality naps.  Now we are back in the saddle, with the end of the season in our sights.  This is our last Saturday market for the season.  There are tears of joy and sadness.  We are always ready to change into our off season personas but at the same time we miss seeing everyone at market.  We cannot thank all of you enough for supporting us, the market and local agriculture.  Without you we would not be able to farm the way we do, thank you.

Picture of the Week

This sums up the week, a little blurry with lots of cameras looking at us