Here Comes the Sun!

The little rain we had this winter has ceased. The clouds have dissipated, revealing pure magenta skies. And the temperature is soaring. Our colorful meadow has dried to a crisp. There are still a few Queen Anne’s Lace, hollyhocks, and thistles bravely dancing in the hot wind. Surprisingly, we have some wild sunflowers that popped up, thriving in the parched, heated ground. 

It is sad to move on to summer, an intense season of brown here in Israel. But I am collecting the wildflower seeds and spreading them in hope of seeing these beauties again next winter. Those sweet peas, nasturtiums, and lupins have dropped seeds where they stood, promising more abundance after the next rain, but we will have to wait another eight months to see a serious downpour. 

We have covered most of our vegetable beds with a black sheeting to protect them from the scorching sun. The summer crop of tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, carrots, cucumber, and basil soak up the full sun and are thriving. 

We will now have to harvest on Thursdays at 5:30am to pick for our market day, as by 6:30 the heat is already intense. It is a rush against the fiery sun. We now have so many zucchinis, we have to pick them every other day to prevent them from becoming giants. This means there is a surplus. 

Out comes the recipe book in search of zucchini ideas. We have made zucchini soup, zucchini pickles, zucchini bread, roasted zucchini, zucchini pashtida, and zucchini chocolate cake. They are added to everything we make and serve, be it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Of course, the chickens are enjoying the zucchinis daily. Unfortunately, we lost a chicken last week. It was the Legbar and she was my favorite – I even made a mistake of naming her. Her name was Sophie and she was a loner, right at the bottom of the pecking order. She showed signs of fatigue and would sit alone with her eyes closed and hop into the coop early at night. The chickens would trample on her to get to their food. No one cared. And one morning, she was no longer. 

I was afraid that she may have had a contagious avian flu and have become extra vigilant with the other chickens, not that I would know what to do to help them. I sit in the yard with them as they eat their zucchini and eye them carefully. 

Two just started laying eggs: a silkie and a Rhode Island Red. This is very exciting news around here. Maybe I have become an over-vigilant mother hen, but I am becoming attuned to the egg-laying squawk. These are not brooders; they lay the egg and then abandon it, running back to the yard to scratch for bugs. This makes it easier for me to sneak in and take the prized egg, which I do with guilt. 

Out front, my organic sweet corn is actually forming, tucked inside a silk pocket. I am fascinated by the growing process of each plant and was in awe to learn that corn is wind pollinated; the pollen is on the male tassels on top and must travel to the female silks below in order to form an ear – and every silk tassel represents a single kernel on the cob. As soon as these two parts of the stalk were visible, I gently shook it to release the pollen.

The glorious sunflowers are now opening and each seems to have a different face! One has a black center, one a light yellow and one is ringed. I planted them from seed late February and they must be over eight feet tall! Gorgeous, graceful, and awe-inspiring! 

I also have organic Jerusalem artichoke growing in our front yard bed. I bought organic tubers, planted them, then waited and waited. They are now flourishing and are also about to flower. Apparently, they are part of the sunflower family so will feel right at home with their towering relatives! 

From a freshly laid egg and majestic flower bloom to delicious organic produce, every day brings a new and exquisite surprise. And I am here to observe this, grateful to witness such blessed abundance. 

The Meadow

The most beautiful surprise this spring was a profusion of wildflowers. After the rains, the garden was transformed into a symphony of colors with its peak being April. One year ago, the property could barely support a few prickly weeds so this was a true tribute to organic gardening techniques.

We had raked thick mulch all over. This protects the soil, retains moisture and when it decomposes, it adds a new layer of rich soil. This was followed by a generous sprinkling of wheat, clover, and sweet pea seeds. The wheat is good for loosening compacted clay soil, while the clover and sweet pea are natural nitrogen fixers and boost plant growth. 

Not only did we have wheat, clover, and sweet peas, lupins, nasturtiums, and poppies bloomed along with a variety of spring flowers. These wildflower seeds may have been dormant in the local mulch that we had spread across the property. The flowers then attracted birds, bees and other pollinators, turning this once desolate land into a thriving and dynamic garden.

Some of the flowers were waist high and we carved a natural path to the market garden, popping a sweet pea of two or three in our mouths, taking in the fragrance of a bloom, and stopping in our tracks to appreciate this wild burst of beauty.

Now that April is nearly over, many of the spring flowers are fading. Wildly tall Queen Anne’s Lace beckons in the breeze, while the sweet peas are still sweet. We are quickly moving into summer, at which point we will ‘chop and drop,’ cutting down the meadow and leaving it to enrich the existing soil. Hopefully many of these plants will also reseed for a welcomed appearance next spring. 

Since those aphids won their battle, the chickens are eating a large dose of organic lettuce daily. Every time I walk from the vegetable garden and pass the chickens, they rush towards me in clucking anticipation. They have still not started laying eggs, but given their diet, the eggs should be nutritious! 

The cherry tomatoes we planted are now tall and flowering, promising a huge crop. I am not sure if aphids will take to these, but it looks like they have moved on to the kale. The zucchinis are abundant and the carrots are also almost ready. 

Our favorite so far are the beets. Sweet, delicious and filled with nutrients! We cleared out the romaine lettuce and rocket to plant some more summer vegetables including peppers, eggplant and squash. 

We also planted around the trees in the food forest. Aside from sunflowers, we planted acorn and butternut squash, and as soon as the seedlings are ready, we will add melon and watermelon to the areas around the trees. 

It is sad to see the meadow fade but this is the natural pattern of seasons here in Israel. Fleeting, this makes us appreciate their beauty even more. 

They too have to eat

“They too have to eat.” These were Yuval’s compassionate words regarding sharing our organic greens with other critters. As we stand over buckets of water, dunking and swirling heads of lettuce, our feet in mud and our hands covered in caterpillar refuse and aphids, I keep trying to remember these words.

Last Thursday, we were up with the first rays of sun, chipper as the birds and ready to harvest. We cut bundles of spinach, Swiss Chard, green onions, arugula, parsley, rocket, and coriander. All was going really well and we were making good time. 

We are always racing the sun, trying to get the vegetables picked, counted, boxed and loaded into the air-conditioned car before the heat intensifies. It was a great morning until we met the aphids.

The aphids had moved in big time since last week’s harvest. They first set up home in the romaine bed, then moved into more stylish quarters in our curly lettuces. Meanwhile, the elegant, ruffled, buttery crisp salanova lettuce was slowly ripening to perfection. The aphids had taken it over before we could even taste a leaf.

I now know more about aphids than I want. They are as small as a pinpoint and are miniature sap-sucking tyrants. One single aphid can produce 600 billion offspring in one season. Male aphids are skipped over in the proliferation process and females can birth live pregnant nymphs. All of these factors speed along the numbers game.

As we had multiple orders of lettuce to fill, we first tried to shake the aphids off. We then grabbed buckets and a hose. One person cut the lettuce, the other swished and swirled it like a mop head. We then had to check it and bag it. The disgusting water in the buckets had to be dumped outside the garden, then refilled afresh. 

This took three of us so much time, we had people coming into the garden wondering what happened to their orders. And this was all for a 5 NIS organic lettuce. 

It was a disheartening battle and we were losing. I was tired and sopping wet. We picked a bit of lettuce and then discarded the rest. We now have to build two composters in the back so we can dump all of the infested lettuce. The timing is terrible as Pesach is coming soon and many people would have enjoyed those enormous romaine leaves at their seder. 

It is also a humbling experience. I can see humankind’s desire to find a workaround, fix things, win nature’s battles, and make a situation more beneficial to himself. Yet there is a complex delicate, and unseen order to creation. We are the observers and we must let nature work it out. 

Ladybugs fly in to the rescue.

The interesting part of this story is that the ladybugs found out about our plight. They do not have internet or cellphones but the word got out and they flew in. Ladybugs dine on sweet aphids, eating up to 50 a day and they do not damage the plant. I am hoping they are battling it out right now as I cheer for Team Ladybug. 

Insects that have aphids on the menu are called aphidophagous. I am putting it out there to all the aphidophagous bugs that we have a banquet awaiting them!

Next time around, I will try companion planting to repel aphids, placing lavender, rosemary and sunflowers at various place in the beds. We are also trying to install a bubbler, a kind of washing machine for lettuce. But this will require a dryer. The list goes on. 

With three wheelbarrow loads of lettuce to consume, my neighbors’ goats scored. My chickens did well too. On the chicken front, one of our 13 has so far expressed itself as a male. I know that the rooster is supposed to a leader and protector of the hens. 

The so-called rooster that self-proclaimed his sovereignty one early morning does not exactly have leadership stature, charisma, or charm. Our rooster is a silkie, a forlorn, dishevelled chicken that looks like a rabbit and can barely see because his feathers cover his eyes. 

He has a powderpuff head and two toes that are feathered. When he is wet, he looks like a rag. I read on a website that you should dry a wet silkie with a hairdryer. That is not happening on this farm!  

And, a silkie cannot fly. In fact, he keeps bumping into things. I do not think the hens will accept him as a protector. Even his crow is not exactly classic. Seems to be a theme around here! 

We are all beginners on this journey and may not be the best candidates for the job. But we are trying our best, learning a lot, and are left in awe at the end of every expansive day.

Does this mean we are farmers?

Our market garden has flourished in the warm sunshine. We had an unseasonably dry January. It was hot and sunny with cloudless blue skies, and we kept praying for precious rain. 

This small garden of seedlings quickly transformed into a sea of shimmering green; we had deep green dinosaur kale, curly green and red lettuces, rocket lettuce that was almost knee high, and Turkish spinach. 

Early February, Yuval announced that we had enough produce to sell. Sell what? And to whom? How? And where? 

As the greens grew, we flew. We came up with a name for our market garden, then a logo.

Meanwhile, clouds gathered and rain fell. At first it was soft, soothing, nurturing rain. As it gathered intensity, hail fell. Then fierce winds blew in. With each weather ‘event,’ I imagined those perfect market-ready leaves being blown, pummelled and bashed. And we had not even sold one order! The life of a farmer. 

We honed in on the name Ahavat HaAdama for our garden, which means Love of the Land. This resonated with us in many meaningful ways. One is the spiritual aspect of farming the land in Israel. It is a return to what our ancient people once did here. This tradition has been lost, resulting in a disconnect between people and the source of their food. And as so many Jewish laws revolve around farming, we are now able to follow many of the halachot in the place where they were given thousands of years ago. 

For me, ‘loving this land’ is simply being out there to observe the growth and admire the simple ingredients of healthy organic food: sunshine, water, and good soil. It is simply miraculous. I find it heals the soul to tend the garden softly, slowly and quietly, lulled by the song of birds. 

On a more energized note, we had to move fast to find a market. I learned how to make an online order form and we put out the word to English and Hebrew speaking local markets. The response was positive and exciting. Yuval decided to first focus on bags of mixed tender baby leaves and bunches of rocket. To be true to our organic principles, we found biodegradable bags and then had our first harvest. 

We picked, packed, and delivered. From our first offering of two items three weeks ago, we have now grown to nine items. This week we have arugula, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, spring onions, romaine lettuce, parsley, coriander, and mixed leaf salad. Simply knowing that people are appreciating our organic freshly picked veggies is fulfilling. 

Yes, it is a lot of work and yes, farmers are not high-income earners. But this is not about profit lines and revenue. This is about love, an act of helping to create healthy food in a world where most food is radiated, sprayed with chemicals, over-packaged, and shipped. 

This is also about connecting people with a source of goodness. Ahavat HaAdama is creating its own momentum as people hear about the market garden and come to visit. Simply seeing food growing on our terraces is moving to those who come here. People are fascinated by the vivid colors and textures and are astounded by the taste the fresh leaves. Others are moved to tears to see that people are farming the land.  

I feel grateful that we have this opportunity to offer people healthy food and see how organic vegetables are grown. Yes, it is work, but it is so satisfying. And the work never ends! We recently planted another terrace with 1200 seedlings including red and green lettuce, zucchini, plus we seeded carrots and radishes. 

Meanwhile, the chickens are clucking without the crow of a rooster—yet. We expect there are at least five roosters in the bunch. They are fortunate chickens as they get all of the organic scraps fresh from the market garden. Our cat has not attempted to take them on, although she definitely stalks around their fence. And if our dog could get in there, it could be bad news. We are hoping to see an egg in the next month or so. 

We thought the porcupine changed his address or went on an extended leave. We actually have never seen him but know he is capable of moving boulders. He would stalk about at night and leave quills as his calling card. However, last night, we heard him again. My son thought it was a burglar and when he went outside, he saw an absolutely enormous animal. We are completely fenced in so are no sure how he got in or if he can get out. But if he were to stay, he has a delectable feast out back in the vegetable garden. 

Our last wildlife tidbit is the caterpillar. After the rains, millions of caterpillars crawled out of nests. They are everywhere, and yes, they too found out about Ahavat HaAdama. Yuval is not worried. “They too have to eat,” he says. It is a race between us and them and I can’t wait until they turn into butterflies!

The Market Garden

January marked a complete transformation of the market garden, as it turned from brown to shimmering green. With the help of super friendly people in the community, we planted over a thousand seedlings. The brown no-dig beds were soon filled with tiny organic seedlings of kale, lettuce, Swiss chard, beets, arugula, coriander, and parsley. 

The first day they went in, there was a tremendous wind that raged from the north and we raced out to cover the newly planted seedlings with plastic. The wind blew and the plastic flew as we tried to secure metal poles and tie down plastic as a kind of temporary greenhouse. 

The wind died down, a trickle of light rain arrived, and then it was summer! Yes, it is still January and although they are not yet using the ‘drought’ word, this is the driest winter in Israel for 60 years. There may be rain next week, but these sapphire-blue skies do not look like they are portending precipitation.

We are fortunate to have a watering system. The warm, intense sun is doing its magic and the plants have quickly grown in just three weeks. This spurt logically leads to the next step; what are we going to do with so much produce? We will have to find a way to sell it. Somehow.

It is a pleasure to work in the vegetable beds on a fresh morning, the silence punctuated by the migrating cranes flying in formation above. (It is a bit worrisome that they are still migrating, and some are going in the wrong direction. If I were a crane, I would just say put; what is the point of flying to Ethiopia just to turn around and come north again?)

Watching the migration in the skies above.

While the veggies were growing, the chickens arrived. But first, they needed a coop. Amir and a friend sawed and drilled, and hammered until we had a predator-proof coop complete with a retractable poop tray and a large treed yard that would make any free-range chicken cluck with joy.

We bought six one-month-old chickens and as it happened to be a cold, rainy night, the chicken seller said they needed a heat lamp in the coop. The hardware store was closed and despite the fancy chicken digs we had, there was no way to keep the chicks warm.  So these new, nervous chicken parents put them in the basement. We draped the furniture with old sheets, turned up the heat and left them. Boy, do they make a racket. 

We moved the chickens to their big digs and I spent the next morning cleaning the poopy floor. We soon had a heat lamp set up complete with a timer, a feeder, and a watering system, and as we were admiring our handiwork, our kitten walked right through the bars of their fence. 

I had no idea a cat could contort itself with such ease to fit through a tiny area a fraction of its size. This coop was not predator proof! We used chicken wire to fill in every hole we could find, then made the chickens a tiny area outside their hatch that was cat proof complete with a fenced-in roof. 

I now have to fatten up my kitten and my chickens. I have seen large cats sitting in chicken coops without disturbing the feathery inhabitants and hope my cat will one day feel the same way. As for the dogs, they simply feel left out.

The other chicken surprise came when we bought seven more chickens. When we asked for hens only, the new chicken seller said “I honestly can’t tell the difference. I thought I knew, until people woke up to a cock-a-doodle doo one morning and then returned them. I can’t do business like this. If you want to bring them back, fine, but I cannot refund you.”

When we explained that the first chicken guy sold us six females with confidence, he replied, “I admire his skill, but I cannot assure you.” He then picked out a Silky chicken from a cage and put it in a box. This must be the most ridiculous looking chicken I have ever seen. If a rabbit were a chicken, it would be a Silky. 

We now own several breeds of chicken including Rhode Island Reds, Plymouth Rocks, Sussex, Legbar, Bielefelder, Penedesenca, and of course, the Silky rabbit chickens. This is a whole world unto its own as each chicken breed has a distinct personality.  

They are adapting to their new digs and so far, we have not heard a cock-a-doodle doo, but I am sure we have a few roosters in the coop. I will deal with that when it happens. The females will not lay eggs for another four months. That’s a lot of eggs, unless there are more roosters than hens.  

Not sure, what will happen then, but we may also be selling eggs! Not sure who is buying, but we will soon find out – or we will be eating lots of omelettes!