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Here we go, the deliveries have started and the garden looks good. I believe we even saw a day or three without rain! Our new interns are doing a great job, and we currently have a couple of WWOOFER's from France staying at our farm. Looks like a great season shaping up.

Here's what's in this issue:

1. Opening Notes
2. Market Gardener Minute - Being an Entrepreneur
3. Star Veggie - Bok Choy
4. Farm Fun - A-Cappella Ponies

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Products and Promotions
This section presents stuff you should see (and maybe buy) because, well, I said so! Just kidding, as you know we only promote products and services we have personal knowledge of and really believe deliver value, and that are worth your time to check out. So, uh, do it!

**F*R*E*E*, and just in time for the summer eatin' season!**

If you have ever checked out our web-site, you know that we like food (a lot!) And you have probably read something to the effect that we don't worry much about diets but rather focus on eating good healthy food in as natural a state as possible.

You can download this cookbook from our website (for nuthin') it's got some good basic recipes (written by yrs truly) ; just right-click and 'save as' (if you are on a PC) Farm-approved recipes for some good eating!

**How to be a web-preneur ** (just like me!)

Step 1: have something to sell. This might be a service (like consulting or carpentry), products (anything from apples to zebra harness), or information (like my world-famous Bootstrap Market Gardening e-book).

Step 2: Create a web-site that brings in traffic and 'gets the click'. Not sure how to do that? I wasn't either! But I was lucky enough to hook up with a company that dragged me (painlessly) through the learning curve.

Site Build It! has helped thousands of people like you (and me) to make a new start. You can "quit your day job" or "work from home" or just earn extra money with an online business you begin with SBI! (Note: my book sales have made a few mortgage payments for me).

And right now is the best time to buy Site Build It! They are currently running one of their '$100 Specials'. You get two sites for $399 so it ends up costing less than $200 per site (that's for a whole year).

This is a great deal! Check out the link below to understand why. The special ends in only a few days - midnight June 21, so don't dawdle! See for yourself what SBI! could do for you. SBI! Summer Sandals Special

I've been using SBI since 2005; I thought it was a great deal back then. Since that time the amount of value they have added to their service is incredible.

p.s. I believe selling your knowledge is the ultimate 'work-from-home' business; SBI can help make it real for you. Check out Work from Home with SBI to launch your own info-prenuerial dreams, risk-free.

end promo
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1. Opening Notes

Before we jump into a farm update, there are three pieces of news:

1 - you will shortly receive a catalog with your delivery bags. The catalog will have hundreds of organic food items available for order from New Terra Farm. Details of how and when to order will be included.

2 - Some of you may know Jody MacIntosh; she was an intern here on the farm for a couple years. She has now started a Garden Services business. So if you need help in your garden or yard, contact Jody; she's a hard worker and knowledgeable about gardening. Her e-mail is toshgardens@gmail.com

3 - we have some cute and friendly kittens to go to new homes, drop us a line if you are interested.

On with the news: Its a little cool still, but things are growing well in the garden, the bugs are less of a pest than last year (so far) and its shaping up like a great season.

The new varieties of plants we are trying seem to be working out, and our adjusted growing schedule is on track with only minor slippage. We started deliveries more than 2 weeks earlier than last year, which is a good start.

The addition of a Wednesday pick-up day at the farm also is working out; we now pick three times a week, which is helping spread out the work and keeping the garden goodies fresh.

Once again we have WWOOFER's on the farm, this time a couple of young people from France (their accents when speaking English are utterly charming)! It's always fascinating to hear of their experiences from their home country and their other travels; they have been to Tunisia, for example.

I had to look up on a map where Tunisia is (northern Africa). A very small country, 65000 square miles or so. You could drop it into the middle of Newfoundland with about 3 times the room to spare.

So Clemence and Khaled have been a big help, as have our new interns. Moira and Danielle. We are just about on top of all garden tasks (we never catch up on all the weeding), so it looks like a good year is in store.

Thanks for your patronage, and a special thank you to the returning customers, who stuck with us during a really BAD season last year. This one looks better.

p.s. if you haven't made other arrangements, please submit your final CSA installment this month. You can mail us a cheque (address is on the website) or use the credit card payment link on our farm web page below.

thanks

Scott

New Terra Farm page

2. Market Gardener Minute - Being an Entrepreneur

p.s. It's a good idea to send RevCan a few bucks now and then, too.

2. If stress makes you curl up into a ball and estivate (that is the summer equivalent of 'hibernate' - at New Terra Farm we're all about the learnin'), DO NOT become an entrepreneur. Stress is a given; the level varies, from mild panic to 'Oh My God, they're gonna take my house!' You need to be able to keep pushing on when everything is going down the tubes; this WILL HAPPEN at some point. If you quit, you're toast. If you keep going, you will (probably) pull it off once again.

3. If you have to do everything yourself to get it done right, DO NOT become an entrepreneur. Read the book 'The E-Myth' by Michael Gerber. You need to get yourself out of working IN your business so you can work ON your business; that's the only way it can grow. Develop and document your business processes, train some people, and delegate tasks.

So, with all these 'don'ts', is it worth it? The answer for me is, ABSOLUTELY. I have been self-employed for more than 15 years, as a consultant and a farmer. There have been good years, and bad years (and a couple REALLY BAD years).

But I would not trade the independence, the chance to chart my own course, the ability do create my own life, for any amount of security. If you told me you would give me a million dollars but I had to be tied to a desk doing a task not of my choosing to earn it, I would turn it down flat. If you don't believe me, scrape up a million bucks and come see me. I'm sure I would send you on your way (and I'm almost sure I would send the money with you ;)

So if you are not afraid of making your own decisions (including some BAD ones), if the desire to be in charge of your destiny is overwhelming, if you eat stress for breakfast, and if you want to do something because you love it and not just for the money, become an entrepreneur. I have never regretted leaving 'paid employment'.

p.s. And go back and look at that link to SBI! again. It's a great way to start as an entrepreneur.

3. Star Veggie - Bok Choy

You can also start the seeds indoors about 4 weeks before last frost. Put the seeds in individual 2" peat pots, and cover to about 1/4" deep. In 4 -5 weeks transplant them out to a spot that get full sun. Note: flea beetles LOVE bok choy, so keep them covered with floating row cover until harvest.

Here's a quick chicken soup recipe that uses bok choy for added flavour and nutrition.

Ingredients

3 cups chicken broth
1 head bok choy, thinly sliced
1 small onion,peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled, chopped
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tbl peanut oil
4-5 drops sesame oil 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preparation
In a small saucepan, saute the onion in the peanut oil until golden brown. Add the chopped garlic and continue sauteing for another couple minutes. Add the the chicken broth and bring to a simmering boil. Stir in the seasonings (the red pepper flakes, soy sauce, and sesame oil). Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the bok choy. Simmer for up to 10 minutes, until the bok choy leaves turn dark green and are wilted and tender. Serves 4.

4. Farm Fun - A Cappella Ponies