One of the hardest things for me (the former city girl) to get used to is just how much EVERYTHING costs on the farm. And as you get larger things get more expensive.
The most recent expenses were both a bit of a shock to me.
First, was an expected one. Next year's seed garlic. Do you know how much seed garlic costs? A lot! We got a great deal on 50 pounds of Music from a supplier in Canada but the garlic and 10 pounds of French Shallots came to almost $500... For garlic! I hope everyone loves there garlic next year, because let me tell you, that money would buy a LOT of carrot and beet seeds! Obviously, we plan on having it for more then just the CSA next year, but still that is a lot of garlic! Next time you see it at the market, realize that your farmer paid a lot for it, some garlics go for $20 a pound and more!
The second expense was not expected, at least not yet. New tires and wheels for the tractor. We have been looking at the rims all year and thinking they were pretty rusty and should be replaced this winter, they just needed to hold out for the winter! Unfortunately, three weeks ago they went. As timing goes in farming land it was pretty good. Our fall crops were in, and although we do have some field work to do, cover crop to put in and the last 400 feet of potatoes to dig it was pretty good timing, and we were able to limp the tractor back to the barn and jack it up.
The money was in the bank so we immediately ordered the new tires and rims, but nothing in farming is quite that easy. It turns out someone at some point put a none-standard tire size on our tractor and the centers for the tires (the things that hook the rims to the axles) are the wrong size. Buying tires and rims that matched the centers we have would have more then doubled the cost of them, so we bought new centers at $160 each.
And here is where the farming fun comes in. They are, of course, back ordered! (The centers that is, we had the tires and rims in 3 days!) The centers ship tommorow, so with any luck this weekend when I am teaching the canning class Farmer Hubby will be on the tractor getting the ground ready for the garlic. Fingers crossed.
Fingers crossed seems to be a perpetial thing in farming land... Sometimes they start to cramp.
1 comment:
My friends and I try to buy as much as possible at The Farmers Market- I can't wait to eat your garlic next year!!!!!
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