Our Day at the Farms

Earlier this Summer we went out I-90 to go strawberry picking and visit our friends John and Jen Logli at their farm which is located a few miles southeast of Rockford. Andy and I traded off picking berries while keeping tabs on our mobile baby, while the other ran around with our non-stop preschooler. I wish I could learn to channel more of his energy into helpful activities like picking berries, but he is also "spirited" and a "free-thinker", so most of the berries made it to his stomach while he looked for a combine...

Next we headed over to the Logli's farm and we had such a nice time with them we ended up not only having lunch, but staying for dinner as well...and then finally heading home when it was bedtime for the kiddos! We need to pretend to be farmers more often. The Logli's produce is offered as part of the First Hand Harvest, a Rockford CSA. If you live in the Rockford area, check them out and sign up for a share!

The garlic patch. John started it with 8 heads of garlic or something and now has around 130, just by splitting them and replanting for 2 years! (any of these numbers may be off by 20% in either direction...I was not taking notes and as many of you know, I do NOT have a head for numbers!) In any event, we were impressed by his knowledge, patience and thrift.

Something tells me Andy is not a real farmer...is it the collared shirt? Maybe the backward visor. In the background are John's 2 mobile greenhouses. They are great at helping him precede or extend the seasons of certain crops, and he made them himself!!

Here's our little farmer with a freshly picked onion.

And posing with said onion.

Andy and I had a great time pulling onions. I volunteered to come out again and work for a day, but apparently our summer was just building in momentum and I never found a free Mon to head out. Next time, Gadget, next time.

Johns daughter Juliana by the huge pile of onions we all harvested. I think her smile had something to do with that we made fast work of her job for the day...

Andy and AJ are playing some "swing" game in the background as I took a shot of the freshly snipped baby arugula that John sent home with us. He also gave us radishes and baby carrots and everything was wonderful. Thanks, John and Jen!

Here are two videos of AJ getting in the tractor and riding around the farm with John and Juliana. He had the time of his life!