North Star Orchard Blog

Farmer Zippy's Notebook: Packing the CSA

We pack CSA shares on Mondays, Tuesdays, AND Thursdays, and it is really busy! We pack CSA shares early in the morning . . . before I’m even really awake. We pack CSA shares fast . . . and we pack a LOT of them.

We have both fruit and veggie shares to pack. We do fruit shares on Mondays and Thursdays, and veggies on Tuesdays. All together, it’s a lot to keep track of!

Farmer Zippy's Notebook: Fall Planting

Look at the picture. See me? See the trowel I’m holding? Isn’t it an AWESOME trowel? I love how shiny it is. Really – don’t you think it’s just the best?

Farmer Zippy's Notebook: In the Washroom!

I got to work in the washroom today! I was really excited, because I’ve wanted to work in the washroom ever since the season started. My thoughts, after helping out there all day: it’s much harder work than I thought it would be. BUT, it was still fun. Lots of fun.

Farmer Zippy's Notebook: Gold Rush Thinning

I got to work with Lisa in the orchard recently. We were thinning apples, which I’ve never done before. These in the picture are Gold Rush – everybody’s favorite!

Farmer Zippy's Notebook: Garlic Harvest

I’ve gotten to try lots of cool jobs while I’ve been here on the farm, and there are lots of things to do here that I love. I love planting and washing and thinning and even sometimes (shh, don’t tell!) . . . weeding. But my favorite job, out of all the ones I’ve gotten to try, is harvesting.

Farmer Zippy's Notebook: Training Tomatoes (Part 2)!

Just like Farmer Ike promised, today he taught me how to train determinate tomatoes! (In case you missed it, he taught me how to train indeterminate tomatoes last week, and about the two different kinds of tomatoes, and you can find out all about that here)

Farmer Zippy's Notebook: Training Tomatoes (Part 1)!

Today, I learned all about tomatoes. Did you know that there are two different kinds of tomato plants? I didn’t until Farmer Ike told me.

All tomato plants are divided into two categories: determinate and indeterminate. Those are big words, aren’t they? They’re hard for me to say! Try saying them slowly . . . it helps. After you figure it out, it’s not so bad. I promise.

Farmer Zippy's Notebook: Lettuce!

Look at how big the lettuce in this picture is getting! Each head is so big I couldn’t eat the whole thing – and Farmer Ike says I eat a lot. Plus I really like lettuce.

Farmer Zippy's Notebook: Leeks!

Guess what I helped plant today! Look at the picture and see if you can figure it out. Grass? Nope, guess again! Onions? No, but you’re getting closer! These are baby leeks! Farmer Kelly and her helpers went out early this morning to plant them, and I got to help.

Farmer Zippy's Notebook: Up on the Brownie

Lisa took me up in the Brownie today. I didn’t want to go up at all, but the farm helpers who drive the Brownies talked me into it – they said it was going to be fun. It wasn’t.

It was REALLY scary. So scary that I kept my eyes closed the whole ride down.

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