Market Day

4:00 am - Turn the mob into a new paddock. Lead the milkers to the barn. Milk. Feed the four bottle kids and Porter and Chuck. Feed the chickens and gather any eggs.

5:00 am - Clean-up from milking. Start the coffee and breakfast. Eat. Set-up breakfast for the children.

5:30 am - Cut, clean, and bag lettuce mix. Cut, clean, and bag spicy mix. Cut and bunch kale, chard, basil. Cut, wash, dry baby spinach. Check children to ensure they have eaten, dressed, and packed their entertainment for the day. Brew four pots of coffee and put in vacuum urns. Pack coolers (no eggs this week, we don't have the cooler space. Make a note to get more coolers.) Pack van with coolers, fudge, coffee, people, supplies. Be glad the big things were packed last night.

7:45 am - Leave for the market.

8:05 am - Arrive at market. Set up pavilion, tables, coolers, coffee, fudge, signs, cash box, bags. chairs, children. Check in with market supervision.

8:30 am - Start selling. Glad the family is all here to help. We are mobbed. Looks like we are the only local produce at the market (except a few odd bags of asparagus and a basket of green onions)

9:20 am - SOLD OUT! Everything is gone except a bit of fudge (which is starting to melt) and one urn of coffee. Chat with folks and other vendors about next week. Pack up.

10:30 am - Home. Unpack. Clean up. Check animals. Water needed areas in garden.

Wish we had three times as much stuff to take, but I don't know how we would have gotten it all harvested. Spend some time reviewing what went well and planning next week. Review planting schedule and make some changes to try and meet the market demand.

12:30 pm Lunch

1:30 pm - Off to visit a goat dairy and cheese house about an hour from here. Hope to get some advice on how to proceed, and maybe find a mentor.

6:00 pm - Home. Brain is packed (more on this later). Butt is sore, too much sitting. Eat dinner.

7:00 pm - Start chores. Water green house. Check chickens and gather eggs. Check gardens. Set fences for tomorrow. Lead milk goats to the barn. Milk. Feed bottle kids. Feed Porter and Chuck. Refill water. Clean up milk equipment. Send children for their showers.

8:30 pm. Check computer. Write blog post. Hope there is some hot water left for a shower.