ed and i went to another soil health conference yesterday. heard lots about what we already knew, but some interesting new things too: stuff about how different minerals react with each other in the soil based on their physical and chemical properties (Ca, K, and S for example); also some new info on covercrops that we will apply in the field this coming season. always good to learn something new you can do.

we did a soil test this fall, and the results came back showing quite an improvement in organic matter and many nutrients, since last year. some nutrients we still have to work on, but overall we're in good shape. the exciting news is also that we'll have to add a lot less compost and amendments this year, which means money savings, and more importantly less backbreaking work for ed hauling compost to the field.

we finally finished putting together our 2012 CSA information package, and i just emailed it to everyone in our CSA and on our waiting list. it feels good to get it out finally; we've been receiving calls and emails about the CSA, and i have been quite anxious to get the info out. so now it's done, and we also updated our website with some new pics, and new info and links, so check it out if you'd like: shundahaifarm.com. there are a couple of things that still need to be fixed, but overall it works and has the info we wanted on there.

now that all this is out of the way, we can start focusing on our 2012 planting plan and seed order. that's always exciting.

i've been sick over the past week, with cold-like symptoms, and other weirder symptoms, such as a paiful ankle i could not walk on, and some general leg pain. i got tested for lyme and other tick-borne diseases, and it's not that; i'm getting better now, so my naturopath thinks it may have been some kind of weird flu virus. i'm just glad that it didn't happen during the season when i have to be out in the field and need to use my ankle.

speaking of health, i have been staying away from gluten and yeast since august, since i had an allergy test done where i showed sensitivity to them. then, over christmas, i ate everything because it was too hard not to when i'm visiting and eating at other people's houses. i have to say that i definitely noticed a difference in how i feel. my stomach did not feel good every time i had gluten or yeast. nothing major, but enough to notice a difference. also, i wonder if this cold and leg stuff i got was not maybe precipitated in some way by the sudden change in diet. well, anyway, i'm staying off gluten and yeast again, mainly bc i'm not interested in foods containing them anyway, and also bc i want to keep experimenting and see how i feel.

peace