Our restoration volunteer day last Saturday was very productive and fun. Thanks to those of you who came out to help! We got a lot of mulch spread in a short amount of time. Laura Kummerer turned her spotting scope on the osprey nest, so we got a great view of the 2 chicks and their parents, and took a walk through the grassland to identify the different native and invasive species. Thanks to intern Clare Peabody for organizing a successful volunteer day!
This week we are busy getting the farmstand ready to move from the old Redman House location to our new home in the parking lot of Annieglass just a mile up the street. As sad as we were to let the Redman farm go when the property was sold at the end of last year, we are delighted at the prospect of opening the stand at Annieglass. Annieglass founder Ann Morhauser is a great supporter of local fresh produce. And why not combine art and food?
One difficulty in the move has been finding an appropriately sized cooler for the farmstand at a reasonable price. In the past we have bought two used walk-in coolers for our packing shed. It didn’t seem that difficult to find good used coolers for a decent price, even if it meant driving up to Humboldt to pick it up. But this time it seemed that coolers were being snatched up as soon as they were posted on Craigslist and the prices were high. We considered buying a new cooler, but, in addition to the high price, they tacked on over $2000 just for shipping! After months of searching, Steve finally scored a cooler and went up to Sunnyvale to pick it up yesterday. Not only did he get a cooler in nice condition, but was treated to a delicious home cooked Pakistani lunch in the bargain. One of the benefits to buying used equipment is that it’s so much more interesting and meaningful to make a personal connection with the seller.
It’s the same with the old tractors we’ve bought in the past. The 1953 D-4 tractor we bought in 2003 somehow maintains some essence of Bob Lynch, the old farmer who used it for 50 years in his Stockton walnut orchard (See Steve’s essay “A New Life for an Old Caterpillar”). It may just be a piece of equipment, but making even a brief connection to the people who used to own it imbues it with character that you don’t find in new equipment.
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