The latest headlines from : Energy Farms

We continue to make progress weeding, but it is a slow job. The flax area has been completely weeded and we've moved onto the canola area. Everyone helping out is becoming much more familiar with the local weeds, and while I am sure we all have our favorites, our least favorite seems to unanimously be bindweed.

We are on a weeding blitz this entire week, last week we managed to weed through the Flax plot, which was much easier because we planted them in rows. However the canola, following seeding instructions, were broadcast with a manual belly seeder. The canola plot covers six thousand square feet.

Yesterday, Keith and I and three very hardworking volunteers launched a counter attack, and made pretty good progress, in the flax plot. It is incredible the sheer amount of plant mass that has managed to grow in the time since planting, if nothing else it shows that the soil is very fertile!
Weeding will be an ongoing saga, and we'll keep you posted!

The latest from the farm is that the weeds in our the field where the majority of the energy crops have been planted are taking over!

On Wedensday of this week we had our first official visit/tour of the farm. Californian Congressional Candidate (for the Green Party) Byron DeLear stopped by to check out what is happening on the farm and enjoyed a quick tour of the project.
In other news the Kenaf is starting to sprout and we know have peas ready for munching!

Already the weeds are making their presence felt. The 'smart weed' is everywhere.
Laid down saw dust on the pathways.
Prepared beds for Miscanthus plants.
Ordered potatoes from Discovery Organics.
Prepared beds for potatoes.
Planted 40 Miscanthus plants in three and a half beds.
Each bed is fifty feet long and two feet wide.

My first week at the UBC farm. Getting into the flow of things, developing relationships with the farm folk.
Had a meeting with Tara and Celine to develop a long range outlook of our project.
Dug and prepared beds at our garden plot for new transplants.

We had two great days so far out on the farm on Tuesday and Thursday, seeming to spend the majority of our time trying to catch up with the weeds. Off the farm, we have managed to find all the parts we need to start the construction of our small scale biogas digester.

It might be difficult to summarize what has now been approximately 2 months of being out on the farm, this will be a condensed version so as to not to publish an essay.

Greetings,