hello everyone,

The ground is warming up, birds are returning and while we have still only planted things inside, farm life is picking up at the Mustard Seed. I know I have been itching to get into the garden, wondering if I should have planted things already, or if the weather would destroy anything I might plant and I should just be a little more patient. In the meantime, I've thought of something to occupy myself.
We'll be attempting to build a 12x20' hoophouse this week, and we'd love your help. We'll be working out at the farm this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and desperately need some help, whether you have tools, and are skilled at building things, or if you are just smart enough to help us squeeze some hoops into their spots. If the weather is cooperating, we might take a few breaks to plant some peas or spinach.

We are a bunch of amatuers. If you are interested in learning how to more properly build a greenhouse, there's a great event happening next week in more eastern Iowa. (check out the pfi website, events http://www.practicalfarmers.org/) if you are interested in helping us learn how to build a greenhouse, please come out to the farm this week. Give Alice a call if you are interested in helping any of these days - our hours depend on weather. 460-1467

also - we'll be planting potatoes on Good Friday, april 10, from 1-6pm - come join us for a reflective/ hopeful start to the season.

ps. if you are wondering: Why do these mustard seeders always ask for help? the answer is that everything we do is volunteer. We have this farm because we are excited about agriculture, land stewardship, cooperation, and growing great food for everyone. The food we sell just covers the cost of our materials, and building projects like this greenhouse. We all work because we love it, or sometimes because the work just needs to get done so we can keep doing the stuff that we do love. Peter Maurin, one of the co-founders of the Catholic Worker Movement, believed that all work should be a gift, because a person believed that the work was right and good and useful, and not for a wage. He didn't just talk about this, he lived this way, refusing to work for a wage for the latter half of his life. If this possible in a bigger scale? I don't know, but i'm doing my best to work towards living this way. All i know is that working with these motivations is a whole lot more fun, and incredibly freeing. We invite you to join us, to have fun, to do meaningful work, to learn, to eat great food, and maybe be quietly participating in a revolution.