Hi everyone!!! My name is Kaleigh Reggiannini and I am a 2021 intern from Telluride Colorado. For the next 5 weeks I will be working with my classmate Michael Price at a small farm in Durango Colorado called, Long Table Farm. Which is a small, 1 acre, women owned, organic farm. During my time here I am very excited to be able to learn and fully experience organic farming and the yummy food that comes out of it!
On our first day at the farm we had a little mix up about where the location of the farm is. Michael and I drove 20 min in the opposite direction and then had to drive 40 minutes back to where the farm actually is. When we got to the farm, after all the apologies on the mix up, we were put right to work harvesting veggies like kale and collards for CSA on Tuesdays. After harvesting we have to wash and clean up the stems. Funny enough keeping count of how many bunches you have is one of the hardest parts, because harvesting one by one, you get distracted from counting. After the lunch the rest of the day was spent clearing beds for baby lettuce and scallions to be planted on Wednesday.
A little mushroom I found on the farm!
On Tuesday Michael and I learned how to bundle and curate garlic. Which means we tied about 8-10 garlic cloves together and hung them in the barn so they can dry out and be ready for consumption. We created a 3 layer garlic curating zone upstairs in the barn. The rest of the day we spent weeding, which is definitely the hardest part of farming by far. It is very taxing on your back but essential for the well being of all the veggies. It allows them to get the oxygen they need and prevents mold, which is very smelly and slimy, not fun to deal with.
The garlic in the barn
Wednesday was a super rainy day on the farm. So in the morning we were working until lunch in the pepper and cucumber tunnel. We weeded thistle witch is a struggle because it does not like to come out of the soil, you have to use a weeding stick. In he afternoon it finally got sunny! We were able to start planting scallions and really cute baby lettuce.
After the farm Michael, my friend tatiana who I’m living with, and me went to good will to thrift for some new clothes for the farm. I didn’t bring enough things that I could totally trash in the mud.
Thursday, we plated more baby lettuce!! After the farm I went on such a fun adventure. Tatiana and our 2 friends Evan and Landon went back up into La Plata Canyon. It is so beautiful up there. What was originally supposed to be a short drive to look at some campsites turned into a 4-5 hour exertion up into the mountains. The wildflowers are beautiful!
Fridays are super fun days at the farm. We spent all morning harvesting for the farmers market on Saturday. Personally I harvested rainbow chard, kale, arugula and kohlrabi. A new veggie that I just learned existed! It’s in the cabbage family along with broccoli and interestingly arugula.
The kohlrabi we harvested
There are a lot more veggies too for the farmers market on Saturday that others harvested or we harvested earlier in the week. After lunch all afternoon we packaged everything for the market, bagging lettuce, arugula, and mustard greens.
This was such a fun first week here in Durango and I’m so excited for the rest of my time here. This weekend I have plans to go camp, climb, and ride horses. Thanks for reading! ‘Till next time
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