one more, why not?

Okay, so at first, I was just getting odd stares around town as I carted my crazy family of five around. People would hide their eyes behind their books and pretend to talk on their cell phones as we passed.  Few would venture close enough to chat.  If conversation did ensue, I would get horrified looks as I excused our family home to go feed the three "kids" back at the farm (the goats).  THEN, as I told of our gals in the hen house, I swear I saw some out-of-body experiences.  I don't know what people are going to do now, but it ain't gonna be pretty. 

All of you Compass families out there are nearly as crazy as us (and we have found so much companionship in your craziness, by the way), that I think you'll be able to appreciate one more...

Tess!  She is our new farm/family dog.  We adopted her this week.  It is all a crazy mixed up story, but I'll just say that the dog search has gone on for about 3 years for us, and in a fortuitous stroke of luck, we found an energetic, polite, well-mannered, and extremely sweet companion that will be a perfect and crazy addition to our family.  And because of the nature of this business we call Farm School, she is now a new member of your family as well.  So, welcome Tess, it's good to have you.

farm stand: come and get it

Besides what has ended up on my table and with a few summer visitors and volunteers, we have now harvested the first round of our crops.  On Thursday, we opened up the Farm Stand for one and all to show our early bounty- and of course to sell some as well.

Spinach, salad mixes, Asian greens mix, kale, basil, mint, chives,  farm fresh eggs, rhubarb, and some dill were all available and in plentiful quantities.  Thanks to all the Compass families and neighbors who stopped by to support us.  We'll let you know when we'll be at it again.

Myrtle the Yurtle

So, the newest project that has popped up is the yurt.  Thousands of years ago, Mongolians started making really sweet portable housing that aided in their numerous brilliant war tactics.  Capitalism being what it is, has brought this wonderfully fun tent design to our modern day doorsteps. We have an American version of the yurt out on the farm, and now we have a traditional Mongolian yurt yards away from the South Village that will hold the marimbas and various academic outlets throughout the year.  It all went down something like this:

Chris: "Jason, I found a really great deal on a yurt, and the guy will even help us set it up."
Jason: "That's great, we've been looking for one for a while."
Chris: "Yeah, the only thing is that we have to have a foundation built and be ready to set it up in 2 days."
Jason: "oh."
(pause)
Jason: "Let me make some calls and get back to you."
Brian: "Hello."
Jason: "Brian, I need your help."
Brian: "ok."
(lots of hammering sounds)

(next day semi-truck pulls up)
 Yves: "Where should I park this thing?" (strong French-Canadian accent)

putting up lattice work frame and door

Jason: "This door is only like 4ft tall; I didn't know the Mongolians were so short."
Yves: "That is a common misconception, Jason.  Actually they are pretty large people.  The size of the door is actually related to energy, weather and materials efficiency."
Jason: "What are some other interesting things about the yurt?"
Yves: "Well, all the wood is sustainably harvested and hand crafted by the Mongolian family.  The lattice work is tied together with Camel rawhide.  The ropes are hand-woven horse hair.  The wool insulation is felted from their own flocks."
Jason: "Wow."
Brian: "If we aren't doin' it like they used to a hundred years ago, then we aren't doin' it right."
Yves: "Indeed."

Hand-crafted and painted wood work

Lattice held together by camel rawhide

Horse-hair ropes meticulously made by Mongolian family

Yves: "It usually takes me about 30 minutes to set up one of these by myself."
Brian: "How long have we been at it now?"
Jason: "Oh, about 3and a half hours."
Chris: "Great work Guys, want some doughnuts?"
(you bet we did)

securing the support poles around perimeter

putting first layer of cotton over structure

this is Scott

(FINALLY, after much hard work (and Herculean strength from Scott, pictured above))

I need a doughnut

Tudah...


Yves: "It was a pleasure working with you all and doing business with you.  I'm off to Canada." (the french part of Canada- hence the accent)
Brian: "I want to sell these things."
(handshakes and business card exchanges)
Farm School:  "THANKS YVES, FOR HOOKING US UP WITH SUCH A GREAT YURT!"
Yves: "And thanks to you for supporting the Mongolian craftsmen who made this all possible."
(Hugs and more handshakes)
   THE END...

So, we got a yurt and now you know how.  Special thanks to Brian Piepergerdes (see him for all your yurt needs and questions), to Scott Talmadge for the extra hand, to Yves for all your accommodations, to Chris Von Lersner for your hard work and nourishment, and to all our significant others who put up with, and strangely enough, support our crazy endeavors to make this school cool.  Oh yeah, and to the Mongolians for thinking outside of the box (get it, outside of the box- the yurt is round, get it now, that's hilarious).

Come check out the new yurt everyone and see how beautiful it is.

the long awaited "2nd Installment"

Yes, water indeed does find a way.  And so do we.  After much digging, trenching, and hoisting, we accomplished our curious feat.  Behold, a combo, 3-tiered weir/ rock filtration system (as according to the diagram you witnessed on the preceding post). 

Basically, it turns water like this:

into water like this...

Nearly drinkable for humans.  Definitely drinkable for veggies, and the filters and sprinklers seem to like it better as well.  We'll see how it all shapes up.

water will find a way

It all started one evening as a therapeutic vent.  That turned into a game of follow the leaky pipes.  That turned into more therapeutic venting.  But alas, something magical was born.  This, the birthing of genius, was heroically contributed by Brian Piepergerdes- inventor, innovator, and pretty good ditch-digger.

 

What is it you may ask?  This my friends is freedom (in its early planning stages of course).  Stay tuned for tomorrow's installment of 'water will find a way,' and see the making of history.

when it rains it pours

Water.  Yes, water.  I love you at times, and at others I'd just like to freeze you into a block and cast you into a fiery abyss.  But then you'd turn to steam and either scald me or just return to the atmosphere, come down a river and get me back in the form of bursting my irrigation lines like you did today.

We get our water during the summer by the lovely little ditch that runs by our farm.  It's name is Church Ditch named after the predominate family that lived on our road once upon a time.  It is fed by Clear Creak, which is a much larger, but still lovely little river that comes down the Rockies and foothills of Golden.  I have been working on getting the irrigation set up for the crop fields and orchard, but I have been running into a couple issues.

You will see me in the picture below, working on the pump.  What you won't see is all the pipes, filters, and couplings breaking and bursting every time I turn on that pump.  You also won't see the mud pit I keep slipping and falling on, nor the tiny muddy goat hoof prints on my back where the baby goats keep jumping as I'm bent over trying to fix couplings.  Furthermore, you will neither see the steam coming out of my ears as this circus ensues.

All in a day's work, I suppose.  Although, in another day's work, I am hoping to remake all the fittings that have burst and actually get this irrigation system dialed in.  For now, I will take a much needed break.

summer is upon us

It is somewhat ironic that plants and seeds are going into the ground, baby goats have arrived, warm weather is upon us and all the students have just left school for the summer.  Just to keep with the trend, I will be starting the "school farm blog" when school is out.  But have no fear, students will be showing their happy little faces around here all summer and you can follow us on our journey.

 

 

 

Speaking of following on a journey, I suppose we should introduce the newest members of our family...