Welcome 2024!  Here we go again on another trip around the sun!  Already this year has brought some crazy, but I hope you can find grounding in the things you know; your inner self and produce from Little Ridge Farm!

We JUST returned from an amazing trip to Spain.  We spent several days in Madrid, walking and biking the historical city; enjoying the views, wonderful food and delicious (inexpensive) wine.  Then we flew to the Canary Islands and spent a week on Tenerife.  It is more touristy than our preferred destinations, but it was overshadowed by the shear beauty of the Island.  It is volcanic and has the largest mountain in Spain (12,188′).  Teide (the volcano) soared above us most places we went, including an incredible view from our villa.  We ventured a serpentine road one day to take a cable car up Teide, but the winds were too strong. Instead we walked around its moonscape caldron and lifted humongous, deceptively light, magnus rocks above our heads : )

Despite the STEEP landscape of Tenerife, it is largely agricultural.  The slopes are terraced with plots filled with mostly bananas.  These terraces seen on the upper left are half planted with potatoes and half in cover crop with goats grazing them.  While the work-day view is phenomenal, I cannot imagine the hand labor that went into making these terraces.  Certainly present day farming is still a challenge but the current day farmer is basking in the handwork done several hundred years ago.  The building in the lower right corner of this photo was a built in 1930 to capture spring water and pump it back up into the ag terraces.  While it is no longer used, it was a true ingenious feat in its time.

While we played in Spain, Benny played here with our house sitters and their dog, Cailee.  I cannot tell, now that we are home, if he is pooped from playing so much or just bored.  He will be happy to see you at pick up today!!

Simon stayed with my folks and had a relaxing time away from the puppy.

I pushed to get loads of farm work done before the trip, so I am not feeling too far behind, but I have a lot on my plate.  Seed starting (early March) will be here before I know it!

YOU CAN HELP!  part of the winter push is to advertise for the CSA.  Please spread the word and sign up early to save YOUR spot!  Signing up is ez-pz these days with our new online system!  I also have flyers, if you would like some to share, let me know.  

See you soon!