Our onion sprouts started popping up today. At first we saw only one but then they all of a sudden were popping out all over the place. Rafa spent his quiet time watching them sprout! We've planted 400 red and 400 yellow and 400 leeks, 2 in each six pack cell. It was also a two egg day!

The weather turned to spring today so by the time we had walked to our special spot near the arroyo, everyone's jackets had been shed and I had a huge pile to carry. We sat and made sage dolls with treasures that the kids found. Tono's had wild hair made from a scraggly root system he dug up with delight, Rafa's had a "crystal" heart. They brought much pleasure and joy.

brand new babies

Seeding started today! We tucked our babies into their beds of soil and sang them lullabies. It was a perfectly clear day (when we counted the clouds we found exactly two very tiny ones) and the sun warmed us as we worked. The spray bottle was the biggest hit for the boys! I was impressed by their first display of dedication to the farming project. They worked with focus and care. Rafa spent much of the day moving seeding trays around, organizing them just so in the garden cart, taking them for rides around the yard, helping carry them where they needed to go. Now the seedlings are all cozy in a sunny spot on the floor of Jennie's room and the anticipation of new life fills the house.

first egg

Our friend Jeff, who had been instrumental in inspiring us to start our farm and get chickens, had just paid a surprise visit. We headed out to the chicken coop lamenting that the chickens had not yet started laying. Then lo and behold we found our first egg! Rafa was so taken aback that he surmised Treska had snuck the egg into the coop to trick us. We headed across the street to share the news with the Figurski-Steins and soon the coop was bustling with the excitement of children planning their egg business, the cookies that would be made with the first egg, and who would be first to check tomorrow. The egg was passed from hand to hand and inspected until every spot on it had been noticed and appreciated. A very exciting moment indeed!