Hill Creek Farm

02/23/2025

Grim day today at where many of the members are retired missionaries.

If you have questions, happy to answer all of them; simply reach out.

If you have time, reaching out to your Senators would be helpful. Literally, in both countries, the needed supplies are in local warehouses and with US government approval, can be released.

I have already made calls; I hope you will be able to make some also

02/22/2025

Spring Kickoff at with Teena and Caitlin, all of us members of PA Women For The Land Soil Health Study Circle.

We got (more) seeds! We entered drawings for door prizes! We ate snacks! We talked (a lot!)

It was a fun event.🙂

02/19/2025

High winds are over and both tunnels held!

Shout out to Beiler's Greenhouse Structures, Frank's ability to put anything together and my anxiety such that when I gave Beiler's the order, they were to "add everything for wind bracing you have!" Worked!

Farm didn't come through unscathed: Elderberry and Gooseberry deer fences need repaired and two HUGE trees in the Back Field came down, but it's all doable. The Germination Lair is in operation and the season begins.

The news from USDA, however, is not good for any size farm. Happy to go into detail with anyone who asks (buy me coffee!).

The short form is that infrastructure and knowledge that took years to assemble and comprehend is being destroyed in days and those of us that depend on that infrastructure and knowledge are left without support.

I have always said that "Agriculture is an addiction" thus, most of us will just continue anyway. I certainly will. But it's now considerably more difficult.

02/17/2025

WIND!!!!!

We've got it! Top gust yesterday was 46.8 mph, today's so far is 36.5 mph and it just doesn't stop.

So far, so good; the weather station tells us the speed and more importantly, the direction so we can vent the tunnels safely for both the structures and the crops (frisee, escarole and chicory).

Some fencing panels ripped loose in the winds on the gooseberry and elderberry deer protection fences so that will have to be fixed once the winds calm down: the return of the Polar Vortex for the rest of the week will make everyone hungry.

We're hanging on and prayers for everyone!

💨

02/15/2025

Here until noon! Stop by and say "Hi!"

02/09/2025

Ice glaze everywhere. Fed the chickens and barn cats, now staying put!

❄️

02/08/2025

This is Simon's bucket so that as a goose, he is able to rinse his sinuses. First thing in the morning, hens from the hatching Class of 2024 like to take their first drink of the day from his bucket. (He also has a watering can he likes to dip his head into also, so he gets his morning flush regardless.)

I have been raising chickens for 11 years, from 4 hens that needed a home to adding the late, great Londo (who had more joi de vivre than anyone I have ever known) so that I could breed my own flock, to added genetics and a guard goose from Pottstown Poultry. In late March, I plan to place the Class of 2025 in the incubator.

Bird Flu/HPAI (Highly Pathological Avian Influenza [it's right there in the name, folks!]) could upend everything. It's killing wild birds, domesticated poultry and cats; it's infecting cows and people.

I'd tell you more but I don't know it; the current Administration will not allow the CDC to publish 3 recent reports on HPAI status in the US.

Is the CDC continuing to study HPAI? Is USDA? Don't know! Same reason as the above paragraph!

There isn't any other reason while I, and every other US chicken owner, are sweating and stressing over what we can and should be doing for our birds. Shout out to Governor Shapiro, Penn State and the PA Department of Agriculture who are trying to fill the void, but the CDC and USDA have the resources and the expertise to study HPAI and make recommendations and we need them to be able to do so.

02/07/2025

I'm back for the final day of the conference. Brought more of my dried tomato and garlic hummus. Message me to talk or have snacks!

02/05/2025

Here! Hope to learn something and talk to folks in person instead of through my phone!😀

Made hummus with my dried tomatoes and of course, my garlic. If you are here and want a snack, text me!

02/05/2025

There is a lot to unpack in today's Heather Cox Richardson letter, but as a farmer, which has me on full alarm is this paragraph:

"Today, Musk’s people entered the headquarters of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which provides daily weather and wind predictions; cutting NOAA and privatizing its services is listed as a priority in Project 2025."

As a farmer, I am telling you -- We, the People *need* the US Weather Service and for those of us in this region, US National Weather Service Philadelphia/Mount Holly is top notch. They not only provide weather forecasts, but provide context so that farmers such as myself are not blindsided.

I don't normally ask for such things on the farm page, but please consider calling the US Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and leave a message for EACH of your Members of Congress that we NEED the National Weather Service and that Musk and his people should exit from NOAA immediately.

Switchboard is open 24/7 so call when you have a minute. Thank you for your help in keeping this vital service for us all intact.

Send a message to learn more

01/25/2025

Unfortunately, the drought continues.

National Weather Service reports that Philadelphia is on track to set a new record for driest January on record. There is no precipitation forecast for the rest of the month.

What about the snow?

Unfortunately, as the first photo illustrates, the very cold temperatures have been sublimating (evaporating) the snow directly into the air, rather than melting and slowly soaking into the ground over time.

In the first photo, the edges are sharper because the snow is evaporating into air, rather than, as in the second photo, melting, then freezing at night, then melting into the ground.

The lack of ice is a clear signal of sublimation, rather than snowmelt. ☹️

I don't ever remember so much sublimation, rather than snowmelt, in my lifetime. I didn't even know what sublimation was until National Weather Service explained it THIS WINTER because we could all see the snow was going down but the ground remains dry.

February is traditionally the snowiest month of the year in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Let's hope we get the moisture our soil needs and that the temperatures moderate so that the snow MELTS (slowly, of course)

01/23/2025

Got a scholarship for the Virtual Organic Seed Growers Conference 2025!

Had applied for a Travel Scholarship to attend in person (It's at Oregon State University every 2 years) but with family health issues, I needed to stay home and care for the poultry.

They gave me a Virtual Scholarship instead!😀

Have attended virtually for years as trekking to Oregon from Philadelphia is long and complicated.

knows that seed growers are not rolling in cash and has made every effort, along with Oregon State University to put the Conference online as well as in person so that the knowledge and techniques are well- distributed. The knowledge I have today is because of their commitment to make all relevant information on seeds available to anyone, anywhere.

February 28th to March 1st, I am glued to my laptop!

Oregon State University in 2027!

01/22/2025

Our coldest day at the farm since we've been here: -4 this morning!

This Polar Vortex is all about keeping the high tunnels cool and the livestock warm.

The most reliable way to keep livestock warm is to keep feeding them: the chickens got their normal ration, mealworms and hot oatmeal today. The barn cats have unlimited dry food and a wet food snack at noon.

With clear skies and full sun, the high tunnel ridge vents are opened about 10 am and are closed about 3 pm to conserve heat as the sun goes down. At least there's no wind!

Caring for infrastructure requires finger dexterity, so I use the pictured "mitten gloves" to keep my hands warm while I'm out and about, then flip the mitten portion down when I need to use my fingers. No frostbite ever!

Seasonal temperatures return this weekend; warm food and liquids for everyone until then!

❄️

01/11/2025

01/10/2025

We have a tractor!

Like most growers who start out with a BCS, we aren't giving it up; it's too useful for working in the high tunnels and creating beds.

Having a tractor will enable us to cover crop larger areas more often which should improve soil health. It will help us move items quicker across the farm. And we're going to look seriously at making biochar from our storm- and winter-felled trees.

It's very exciting! If you can drive a stick shift, Frank may let you move some wood chips with it😀

01/09/2025

Here are the variety trials I am signed up for 2025.

Still waiting to hear from Organic Seed Alliance to see if I am accepted into the 2025 Seed Yield Studies. As more heirlooms and new open pollinated varieties are requested for seed, a comprehensive review of how much seed a given category will produce is needed, both for planning and fair compensation for seed growers.

In addition to these formal trials, we'll be growing 'Canestrino' tomatoes for seed, stabilizing the 'Firecracker Orange' zinnia and growing out seed for a tomato from their Vault.

01/07/2025

Photo by neighbor Lynn Flemming of Hill Creek Farm this morning.

❄️

12/31/2024

Everyone catching some rays in the North High Tunnel. This time in the New Year, everyone will be under cover.

Enjoy the warmth while we have it; Arctic Air coming soon and stays for most of January.