Winter Term - A Much Needed Update

This term at school has been a long-haul and a whirlwind. Even though I only signed up for 10 credits, the homework load seemed bigger, days longer, and really in depth projects. 

Just a few of the resources that I listed for one of my projects

It also didn't help that one of the classes, which was required for my certificate, had long-winded curriculum, an indifferent instructor, could have been entirely online without the unnecessary class lectures, and didn't have any material applicable to actually doing anything in horticulture or agriculture. (/rant) It's almost done, and I won't have it hanging over my head.  

Sunrise on my commute to class

My fun class of the term was herbal products. The instructor sure packed in a lot of material in the three week span of the class! 

Snippet of the syllabus

Distillation and essential oil demo using Douglas Fir 

 On top of classes, I started a new job. Yep. I'm crazy. The beginning of the year involved my last day of my job at the farm store (that I couldn't get to because we had freezing rain), training for the new job, and classes starting. That was quite the week. . 

The new job is at a chef's garden, and I'm loving it. 

Here's just a few of my pictures from the garden

That's a lot of micros.

Celeriac floats

Romanesco Cauliflower

Mustard Micros

 I only had about 4 days on the new job before I was left to fend for myself for a week and a half. My coworker/supervisor went on vacation while I held down the fort praying that nothing in the garden died on my watch. The kitchen would make requests, and I was supposed to get what they needed. My coworker also left a list of things to work on weather-permitting. Nothing out of the ordinary, just routine. But it was all new ground for me. I'm glad to report that everything survived (including yours truly). My coworker says that she left things in good hands, but I was feeling woefully awkward and unsure of myself. It took me longer than it should have to find that tatsoi to harvest the raabs. ;) In my defense, it was hiding in the tubs on the other side of the greenhouse. 

Even with all that going on, I was still able to get to the OSU small farm conference, a few concerts, a dance, and a soap making class.  

Honey and goat milk soap! 

 Looking at all that, it's no wonder I'm so tired. 

Until next time!

SG