Them good old Gilbert-Lawsons

I didn't ask Elisabeth Gilson-Lawbert and Mitch Gilawsonbert's permission to post this blog, but I will tomorrow night at my goodbye party.  The following is an email they sent out to their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) members today.  I was a member a couple years back, and since we're pals, they still keep me updated. If you, like a growing number of people, wonder more and more about where your food comes from, read on.  I think it's plum beautiful!

A little context: Lizzy and Mitch are in the process of moving to new land outside of Rome, Georgia.  They have been married just over 2 years now, and are the proud parents of two bouncing baby puppies, Lou Lou and Smokey. 

January 22,2008

As the hard freezes are rolling over the Chickamauga farm, we are watching the last of the fall crop wilt away. The move has distracted our attention from the old veggie patch as we turn our attention to the new farm. We are sad to say goodbye to this beautiful place that has grown so many vegetables and friendships for us and so many other people in this area, but we welcome a place we can call our own.

Mitch purchased a new (new to us) manure spreader this winter to start piling up the compost on the new land. Watching this manure spreader in action is quite
amazing, and beautiful if you think seeing thick black old cow poop flung into the air is beautiful. Our goal has been to spread 30-50 tons per acre of compost onto our new land;
however, we have met some challenges along the way. Turns out it's not too hard to get the manure spreader stuck during this wet winter! But we've still got our goal in mind. 

We almost have the growing field cleared of the 10-year-old Sweet Gum trees. The field has opened up
a lot since we purchased the land and Mitch has had some great new experiences with a bulldozer. The
strawberries, garlic and spinach are in and making themselves cozy under a blanket of mulch. John's
Creek runs a long border along the field semi-circling the veggies. This new place is on its way to feeling like a working farm and our new home.

Thanks to the help of Billy and Sandra Morris, their kids and plenty of family help, we've almost completed our barn/shed/workshop. All that's left to do is hang the doors! 

As for Mitch and I, well, we're swinging back and forth between the old and new farms, packing up piles and piles of boxes, furniture and LOADS of farm stuff.
We have a little RV that we're staying in while in Rome (nice and cozy) until we can start working on our little house. We're expecting that the house could
take 8 months or more, so we're making ourselves at home in the camper for awhile. Thankfully, Mike Brown offered to give us his camper trailer that is quite
bigger than the one we're in now, so we'll have a bit more elbowroom and can maybe still be talking to each other when it's time to move out! 

We're so excited, though. The new farm is beginning to take shape and we are visualizing our dreams
constantly. We hope to get some berries and fruit trees planted this winter, but with everything else, it may be hard to get the land properly prepped. Next step is to build the chickens a house, the tractor and implements a barn and then start farming (and a house at some point)! 

We hope all of you are having a great winter and had a wonderful holiday season. Keep in touch and we hope to fill your homes and refrigerators full of wonderful
vegetables this year! 

Sincerely, 
Mitch and Elisabeth