What a funny thing: an instant photo shoot in the field! A few days ago, I (reluctantly) did an interesting-people-in-the-community interview/profile for one of the local newspapers, and early today, I got an email asking for a photo, or the columnist could come out and snap one. They were on a same-day deadline. I said I’d send something along in a couple of hours. Shannon (who’s here every day till June) was working with Raechelle, here on her day-a-week, so I asked them to come up with the photo concept, location, and do the, uh, art/set direction—anything but a typical, kinda impersonal shot of a guy with a field in the background. Karen (Bob’s partner) had dropped by in a wheelchair, her first time at the farm in weeks since breaking her leg. She takes nice pics, so I asked her if she’d do the shoot, and wheeled her into the field with my camera. The concept was: S and R would pretend to mulch the garlic (the mulching’s done, but it’s the only really visible crop in the field), and I’d be around, holding a…well, digging fork (closest thing to a pitchfork, I guess). Anyhow, Karen snapped away, and for an alternate they came up with feet in the air. We emailed both, with a tighter cropping on the top one so it’s about square, with the left chopped out. I found it quite hilarious, because in a past life, I’ve attended and organized “real,” sometimes ridiculously expensive, studio and location photo shoots, with creative meetings, stylists, props, shooting permits and cops detouring traffic, the whole bit. Recreating all the basic parts in an hour or so, in the field, with whoever was around, was great! Devolution on the tiny farm… :) I wonder which one they’ll pick… (Guest photos by Karen.)
Mike (tfb)
Doing the rounds
Since the start, the idea of a daily full garden inspection—”doing the rounds”—seemed to make sense. It sounds easy enough, but somehow, it doesn’t get fully done all that often, there’s almost always something that seems absolutely pressing to do early in the morning or in the evening when a stroll about is most practical and pleasant. But of course, I do get around to see everything every couple of days at least: checking for weeds alone insures that. Today, Conall and I managed to do a pretty full walk about. You look to see how things are doing in general, check for the start of new weeds and pests…it’s amazing how things can creep up and then jump out at you if you’re not watching closely. Here, we’re checking out the onions. So far, they’re doing well!