Friday, February 4, 2011

The birth of Black Diamond Canyon Farm


In December I officially made the jump from gardner to urban farmer with the purchase of a city business license and the acquisition of a CRS tax-id number. Considering my affinity to a sense of place, I named it Black Diamond Canyon Farm. While I had pondered the move earlier, in a sense my hand was forced by the unwillingness of my bank to cash several hundred dollars worth of NM Farmers' market WIC and Senior Nutrition Program checks, that I had legitimately accepted during the latter part of the farmers' market season, unless I provided a CRS number for them to report it under. None the less, the $35 expense and slightly more complicated personal taxes were little burden considering the many benefits I've gained.
Turning a new leaf; the winter of 2010/2011

The excitement and new sense of purpose in planning this coming years' crops being the first of these benefits. Followed closely by making equipment and supply purchases tax-free, and in-time the benefit of having better branding and merchandizing potential should help alleviate my biggest growing hurdle of 2010-- what to do with all the food I grew when customers don't show up at the market and I'm too full to eat anymore and tired of canning it.

In the months since the final harvest of 2010, I've been more than busy both outside in the fields and inside planning. I'll cover all those activities on the new blog/website, www.blackdiamondcanyonfarm.com, but I'll run down a few of the bigger changes now:
  • With the blessings of several of my neighbors I've more than tripled the square footage of my growing areas for the coming year.
  • Submitted paperwork to become Organic 'Registered' by NMOCC.
  • Planted 2500 garlic plants (12 varieties) and overwintered 1000+ various onion/leek transplants to experiment with cold tolerance.
  • Purchased a really efficient mechanical seeder and professional grade salad spinner/chiller.
  • Constructed 6' x 160' of protected low tunnels growing winter greens and carrots (on the recent nights plunging to -21 degrees, the unheated tunnels never dropped below 22 degrees above zero- totally within the tolerable temperature range for carrots and baby asian greens).


2 comments:

  1. Hello!

    I just discovered your blog, and I have enjoyed reading it. I work for Cottonwood Gulch, and we run outdoor education programs in the spring, summer, and fall at our Base Camp just south of Thoreau. We have recently ramped up our farming/gardening program, and I would be eager to speak with you about that--any growing tips you can provide would be very welcome. And you should come visit, our land is quite beautiful.

    Give me a call or shoot me an email when you get a chance:
    505-248-0563
    jordan@cottonwoodgulch.org

    Looking forward to meeting you!

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  2. I was looking for a certain potato and came upon your site. I've traveled to NM for an annual walkabout for the last 8 years. Last year was the first year I've missed and after seeing your site i'm going to make my way out to Gallup on the my summer/fall visit. Thanks!
    Mark

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