Iroquois Farm Group

we have donuts now or we will soon. i cleaned out the hol-n-one donut maker that was down stairs. i had to run to massena today, then back out to waddington. but we did split up the work day which is nice. jes and i are switching off half way through the day. i like the idea of getting outside for half the day. basically all the customers we had today were locals. that's a very good thing for us, it means that people around here are starting to notice us. before it was mostly people passing through from one place to another. tonight was good though. alright, i'm out.
Peace,
Kyle

Morning,

Scrambled eggs and bacon,

I can’t eat these eggs,

I ate toast,

It was rather tasty.

The day didn’t go without a hitch, but that is the day here at the Iroquois Farm. Our benefactor showed to inform us that some guy was to come and do something with the fields across the road, or the southern acreage, which is fine, as long as we get at least something from it, as we were not given the opportunity to plant corn.

Mahlon again amazes me, with his unbelievable penchant for the sublime and ridiculous. What ever we have suggested he has said, you could do that, and then he comes along and does his best to ensure that we can’t do that. I have begun to just do what needs to be done, and let him deal with the repercussions.

There is a resounding air of resonance around here.
Everything is so up in the air, and reverberating.
We need to stabilize the lines between our eyes.
To find the balance that will produce the harvest years.

Any way, things are starting to go; we had some business this evening, but not quite enough to help us pay the bills. We really need to find some people willing to pitch in a few dollars for a portion of our profits, or some other such thing, just till we can make arrangements to purchase equity in the farm.

We got more planted in the kitchen garden, and nothing in field 2, which has such a short window before the moon turns. Next year will be different. We have many plans, but they could not be put in place until we have a better deal with the organization (C.A.R.I.).

If we can get the greenhouse done, and at least the rest of the tomatoes in field 2, that would make me happy. We couldn’t invest in the seed to plant out the rest of the field, so we will have to make do, and let it go for now. I really want to start work on the stage, the dock, and the private grove before august if business allows.

Things may change tomorrow.
I can feel the September breeze.
I can see the time is still ticking by January.
There is no end to this, if we can.
If we can, if we can, only set ourselves free.

So much to do yet, coming yet…

-James-

Word. What's going on? In the restaurant all day today. but it was cool we had buisness today. Yah. actually had people before we were open. and an older gentlemen taught me how to walk stairs when i get older and have knee problems. apparently you walk sideways. that way you plant your whole foot at once instead of just the ball which puts extra pressure on your knees. just passing along some new info. otherwise it was an alright day we nearly sold out of desserts, cool right? all but two people who came in got something for dessert. they are all home made and they are all delicious. i got to try the chocolate cake today. awesome by the way. when we didn't have people i was cataloging books. you want to numb your brain? try doing that for a while. but it was a good day i'm pretty excited. but i'm also tired i was there from 9:oo am to about 10:30 pm. so I'm out.
Peace,
Kyle A. Clark

We are two days out now, as yesterday a bout with the weather kept production down. Another day now and lessons continue. The trickle effect is still hurting us, but at least we are still open. Another month and we should be better. The barn was getting better, but has been put off another day. We mostly tooled around today repairing after the storm. The gardens are now farther behind, and we have much more to plant. I have been thinking that we need to put more ritual in the process maybe that will refocus the efforts. I have seen some promise, and through process, I see some learning, or unlearning as the case may actually be. Mahlon screwed us on the housing, no surprise there, and we will barely make bills this month if we don't get some more business. I am going to write a few press releases, and maybe an article or two to help with the press.

We need more people to accomplish more, but with out the housing, we may not be able to accomplish as much as we should. We have a long ways to go to increase the sustainability of the place, but we are beginning transition. The restaurant is already starting to incorporate local products from local farms. We have now begun the process of changing over to buying from the local farms, as well as growing some on the farm. We also will need to find a better alternative to energy, as the cost of energy is raising, and we must cut that cost to make the operation profitable. Still seeking financial assistance, but I have so little time for that, and yet I need to find it faster every day. We need to do more in the community too, and get events underway, but that all remains to be seen.

Everyone is tired and they are working fairly well, but they still suffer from the urban disease of half heart and close enough, but that is being beat out of them. Paul is learning slowly that doing something right the first time decreases the amount of times it must be re-done. Kyle is learning that he has much more to learn, but he already knew that. Arleta was in a little better spirits today, and meals are getting a little better, more connected. Mary will brighten as she gets more to do from me. All is getting a little easier for most everyone concerned, we only need to continue to put in long days of hard tedious labor, and the spirit will begin to repair itself.

Lack of sleep has wore me down a little, but I will not let that slow me, I must work twice as hard as anyone, because I got everyone into this, so I must pull them along.

Thanks for listening to me whine...

-James-

Alright, much better day today. fixed the roof on the restaurant today. metal roofs are not the most fun to be on but whatever. paul wouldn't go up cause "we didn't have the right equipment" did some work in the garden, cleaned out some water barrels, and ended up picking some mull berries. we've got a mullberry "bush" that's bigger than alot of trees i've seen. then i ended up watching the boy for the rest of the day. i was very concerned that we weren't going to be able to open the restaurant but we got it taken care of. oh and i apparently suck at spacling.(i doubt i spelled that right) tomorrow we're setting up a collection tarp for the berries so we can stop picking them. alright i'm out
Peace,
Kyle

He-hey, how we doing? good? good. well it was an exciting day in the restaurant. not to many people came in but i did sell a couple of my hand-made bracelets. oh yah, our roof leaks. awesome right? found out around 3 or 4 whenever it really started coming down. it's kind of funny that we haven't noticed this til now. i just can't remember another day we were open that it rained. hopefully we can fix it ourselves. okay well that was my day. it's funny cause i was hoping to get out early but couldn't figure out how.
Peace,
Kyle

Today started out a little better, but slow. We didn't get really going until about 8 am, so we were a little behind. We need to get going a little sooner so we can get more done. Kyle was out early and watering plants, so that was good. I will be up again at 5:30 am and will get out in the garden by 6:30 am tomorrow. I did get some of the kitchen garden planted today, but the beds were not ready so I had to re-till them, and re-build them. At least the ruff layout is done and it looks pretty good, although I have made a few mods to it. Paul did a decent job of laying it out, but he is still in too much of a hurry to really be productive. He will take some time yet. Jess spent most of the day with Arleta and the baby (Terry), which is a good thing. Arleta caught a northern pike, which is now in our freezer. Kyle and Paul spent most of the day in field 2 planting the beds with tomatoes. They really should have gotten more done, but they still suffer from urbanity. Kyle is coming along with the tractor, although he has a long way to go on the feeling of performance in machinery. We have collected a fair amount of mulberries, and Arleta will be baking a mulberry pie this week, as well as making a jam.

Mary helped me plant some, as well as the boys, (K&P) however at the cost of missing a call or two. I will work with her on ensuring that she can answer the phone from wherever she is. Technology would really help there, if we could switch to an IP type phone system, we could make better use of voice mail, and use higher power phones that could reach further. There is so much yet to do, and the money is so short, sometimes it seems very frustrating.

I am certain that Mahlon will be at our door sometime this week, to remind us of the obvious, like advertising; however he took our advertising budget money. We are still here, still working, but for how long?

-James-

Hey how's it going? I'm Kyle, I wait tables and do general farm work. Basically I'm a grunt. It's great here though. today we discovered that we didn't have enough beds for the tomatoes. I guess the moral is check your math. It doesn't matter though tomorrow is another day and we'll get it eventually. I'm still not always sure what I'm supposed to be doing. I wasn't raised on a farm. I mean I was brought up in the "country" more commonly known as the middle of nowhere. This whole farm thing is a little different to me. I've done it before and it is something I've always found very rewarding, at the end of the day you can look around and see what you've done. I love it. Granted we've had equipment problems and several other difficulties. Basically for the first month we were paying to clean up the place. Kinda screwy but do what you've got to do. Everything will work out eventually. i don't know I guess that what will happen will happen.
Peace,
Kyle A. Clark

Seemed to drag ass this afternoon. Everybody was moody, I was tired because I had drama on my mind and couldnt sleep yesterday, now I am just whipped and ready for a nap. I look forward to sleep and coffee.
p

Here we are, on the land, trying to recapture the truth. With too much to do, and not nearly enough of anything, and yet I believe it can be done.

Today I worked in the kitchen, mostly, but I wasn't really needed there. I was trying to keep the peace, but it ended up bad any way. All I want is the end to this conversation, about the self, and what ever, and so forth. There is so much good here, and yet it is only obscured by the anger and fear.

Each day on the farm we strive to accomplish a little more. I live with the threat of money not there, and some people come into the restaurant, and that is promising, but it trickles, and nets nothing. The gardens are only a crescent of what they should be, but I can't be everywhere. This is a great place, and if Mahlon can get over himself, it could be even greater. He looks like he might have a little bit of a spark of something, but that his drive for cash is driving him to not see beyond the now. In the end it really won't matter, and I hope for the best for all those concerned, whatever, I hope mostly that the community does not suffer any further for the greed of one man over the potential of the many.

-james-

done. have to rake the corners and it will be complete to plant on in the morning. tired, feet hurt, look forward to dinner, lol. too much time in the city. 3 years is a long time to be away from farm work. will take a few weeks to get used to again. i do feel good though. arms are getting pretty big again, cardio is improving. just wish i had more time. i miss doing my karate and jiu jitsu. things will eventually slow down and there will be time. patience has never been one of my strengths, lol. got to go finish that field, we start planting in the eats field (affaectionately becoming known as "Old Bastard" to some of the fine workers on the farm) tommorrow. i cant wait to get this stuff in the ground. i think aloot of the pressure will subside then. later
paul

We have spent an inordiate amount of time working on simple projects.

Over the past two months, since April, we have been working to just make something work here. Most of the equipment is inoperable in one form or another, and we have been struggling with the normal types of problems that generally plaque most farm operations. Two weeks ago we fianally got the restaurant open, and this is supposed to help us, but no one knows it. If your in the Saint Lawrence County area any time soon, come out and see it, you might be surprised. We will be writing more on the farm.

I will try to get the members of the group on their own names, however for now it appears the only I know how to operate the blogger sign-up and other features.

-James-

yesterday was a hoot. I have built beds to plant on before, I havent ever built that many in one day. 6-8 of them. I lost track. I am now a lovely shade of deep red, other than that I am fine. I want to get another tattoo some time this week. Sun burn has to die down first. Went swimming at lunch yesterday. That river is much warmer now than it was 2 weeks ago lol! GTG...caffeen running low

Paul

My name is Paul Netusil, I am 24, happily married, with a great 7 month old son. I come from a long and proud heritage of rednecks, hillbillys, and hicks. My family has two traditions. First is flannel. And not being one to break from family tradition I own more flannels than I own underwear. The second tradition is to beat up a family member everytime you get more than 4 of us together at any one time. This is not an exageration. There was only one fight at my wedding (which in itself is miraculous). It was my 68 year old grandmother beating the hell out of her 47 year old boyfriend in the bar after the reception. She had become loaded due to massive partaking of Wild Turkey and Cuervo and passed out. When she came to (still drunk mind you), he was back down at the bar, so she stormed down from her room, saw him at the bar and snuffed him out. Boom! Better believe that she dropped him too. This has no relevance to the farm, I just think it's a damn funny story. The farm rocks. I dig it. Done some smaller scale farming at orchards and berry fields so I am kind of use to it. Just have to figure out the specifics of this kind of farming. I dig the organic aspect as well. The restaurant is a wild experience. Learning to cook more than Ramen noodles (affectionately refered to by most of my friends a crackhead soup), and toast which i dont mess up too bad unless I try to do something fancy like making BUTTERED toast. Then its a 50/50 shot. Alright I have to mess with the fields. Write more later.
p

In April we came to the Iroquois Farm, with the knowledge that there was a lot of work to do. We had only begun to see the truth. Under the dust lay several more layers of decay and neglect. Further we came to the Iroquois Farm with the thought that the land mattered, we have discovered else wise.

I had planned on writting this blog sooner, however the work has kept from doing so, now I feel it is absolutely necessary. My name is James Doud, I live on the Iroquois Farm, in Lisbon, NY on the Saint Lawrence River, with my wife and several friends. This is our journey of transformation, from 10 years of slow decay, to true sustainable agriculture, if we can only keep it rolling along.

More post will come from myself and others here on the Iroquois Farm, but I will let them introduce themselves.

Thank you and good day...
-James-