2013 Rally

[Connie Christians]

Hi everyone, What a busy year 2012 has been! Organic veggie growing, building a greenhouse, learning aquaponics and fish culture, developing a market for our food, raising and breeding laying chickens, planning for bees, goats, calves, earthworms, fly larvae, duckweed, flowers and berries. And 2013 is getting started with a rally- in January, we're traveling to California to help develop an aquaponics system, based on our model, that will go to Nigeria to help flood victims.

We have re-purposed every blue barrel (and some white ones) in sight, using them in very creative ways. I'm way behind on video posting for our site, but I'm slugging it out, so anyone should be able to go to our newly revised Trokey Family Farm website and check out our progress soon. (freshveggie.co and freshveggiedotco on FB)

Tilapia must be the easiest fish on earth to raise. We have unintentionally raised 90+ mature adults and even reared fry. Who knew that we were fish people? As soon as the water warms to 80+, I'll be stocking our new hatchery tanks and harvesting some of the larger fish for the freezer.

1000 red wigglers are on their way as I post. A few will be added to each grow bed and the bulk of them will go to vermi-pit that we made.

It's great having a greenhouse structure to keep everyone warm and growing. Mid Missouri can get cloudy and chilly in January, although this week has been mild and warmer (50-60 deg in the daytime). We sold the wood stove that we purchased on Craigslist and opted to replace it with a double-barrel stove that we built for a fraction of the cost. And it works awesome! 

We have tomatoes still producing, although I'm ready to seed new ones for Spring. The lettuce is VERY nice. We're growing a 60 day variety, It's a head forming buttercrunch which does well in the summer and winter months. We've been eating on this crop all fall and winter, along with sprouts and broccoli, onions, kale and swiss chard. The cool season veggies obviously do best.  

My daughter and I are managing the local Farmers' Market and having a blast. We have recently been given grant money to expand it, which is very cool. So, we'll have our hands full with growing on the farm and  working with the market and other farmers. Time for a real revolution, people... re-invent your life and grow more of your own food, if not- buy it locally. Cheers and Happy New Year- best wishes to all!

[Rod Russell]

Also , I'm just back from a build project in Zambia and i really want to take this back there, and to Kenya.

Rod

[Rod Russell]

You are an inspiration, I'm just getting started.

[Steven Gardner]

+ 1. Inspiring read thanks...

[Jon Parr]

Nice read, Connie, thanks. I hope to meet you and see your project in Cali.