Year in Review: 2014
What can be said for our first year at Robin Hills Farm?! (Deep breath... and... SIGH....) What an amazing year it has been! This year has been a year of firsts, but perhaps the most exciting of all was the inception of Robin Hills Farm. After months of site surveying and analysis, the team settled on a beautiful piece of property north of Chelsea on M-52.
The piece of property would be the perfect home for the Robin Hills Farm project. Abandoned for many years, the 129 acre parcel was never conventionally farmed (though it was an old family farm back in the day!) and so would provide the perfect site for a future organic farm. In addition, the unique geography of the land would be able to offer all of the things the team at Robin Hills envisioned! Hiking and biking trails could be carved out of the hardwood forests; the rolling hills of pasture would serve as an ideal home for livestock; the spring-fed pond adjacent to the abundant wetland on the property could afford a welcome reprieve for community members to escape the hustle and bustle of town life and cast for rainbow trout. All of this, however, would be many months away. In the meantime, there was development to be done. This didn't only concern physical construction but also pitching the project to the local Sylvan township in which Robin Hills Farm is located.
Topographical analysis and soil sampling continued into the summer, but the property was closed in July 2014. Finally! Structural and landscape design could proceed! Excavation followed quickly, and the hoop houses were erected in August.
Those who could lend a hand, did, and the two hoops currently located in the garden are remarkable structures to behold (thanks, Nifty Hoops!!).
And with only a few months until winter, Mitzi, the vegetable farm manager, got down to business bed-prepping, seeding, and planting. The results were no less than amazing! In October, the south hoop was bursting with fresh produce, courtesy of the tremendous efforts of Mitzi and some incredibly fertile soil:).
As with all new projects, a million things happen at once. As Mitzi was harvesting the bountiful produce, Nick, Brent, and the clan were expanding the pond area, which involved a lot of big machinery and vision. As the pond project developed, new projects began (on what seemed like a daily basis!) including the dirt road that ran through the property, and of course the beginnings of the first permanent structure, the Garden Barn!
And all of this before the new year. The team at Robin Hills then dusted their clothes off, wiped their hands clean, and said, 'Well, I suppose that's enough for one year!"