Farmer's Market and things on the farm.........

Strange dry weather continues around here. Instead of waiting until mid summer to get some drainage projects done I am trying to get after them in the next few weeks. Crazy stuff. Electric fence is up and running since the deer have decided the grass is indeed greener on my side than thiers.  Chickens are looking fat and happy and producing a few eggs which I will have a t market this weekend along with a new spring batch of salad greens and spinach.

Seedling shed is loaded and things are moving right along with the transplants. On a rather sad note I have posted a photo below of what the spinach houses look like. The high heat caused bolting and aphids to become out of control, so we had to strip things out. At least I will have things properly prepped for the summer crops going in there in a few weeks. Just need the temps to warm up a bit more over the next few weeks.

 

Whew! What a week.

Last Winter CSA delivery this today. All in all a successful season given last years difficult growing season.

High winds and very cold temps causing alot of problems this week. Lost power for 3 hours at night and had to move all the seedling flats into the house. Saved 2000 tomato starts but what alot of work. Then just as we finished the power came back on! Finding lots of holes in my brand new greenhouse plastic. Ouch! The high winds do not help here either.

We have spent most of this week tearing out all the lettuce before I get the urge to harvest and try and sell it. All the heat caused it to bolt and become very bitter. The spinach houses are about to do the same thing. One house is loaded with aphids so we will tear that all out and try to get things cleaned up before the summer crops go in.

Each day the pace picks up a bit more around here. Time to come out of winter stupor and get organized.  Daily planning needs to happen a bit more daily.....

Thinking I am going to have to mow the lawn soon, ugh! What a chore. I keep tilling up more of it each year but not enough quite frankly. 

These bad boys are being grown indoors this year. I have lost them to late blight 3 years in a row now.

March Madness on the farm

Well here we are in the middle of March and it is in the 80's. The greenhouse plants have gone beyond confused and decided to bolt. In a moment of genius I have decided to sautee and freeze a couple hundred pounds of spinach for later.

I took the snowblower off yesterday (and now they are saying snow on Saturday night) and put the tiller on. Actually tilled almost all my fields yesterday. They look great and perhpas I will be able to lower my weed seed bank account for the season. An early flush of bugs is having at things already but they should freeze out over the next 4-5 weeks.

Soup season is winding down, perhaps only to gear back up again with the return of "normal" temperatures in a few days. We will see how that goes.

New seedling shed is loaded with early plants and things are moving right along around here. Trying to get basil and other goodies growing so that I can start making pesto and salsa pretty soon.

New greenhouse manager for the seedling house, she has a keen interest in leafy greens.

 Nikko has taken up residence in the seedling shed for the next few months to oversee the production of out early seedlings. My first load of soup just headed to the Boston area with Farmers to You. An impressive first order. Demand at Hunger Mtn Coop remains quite good as well. Alot of seedlings are up and doing well. Spinach houses are producing very well and the salad house is coming to life. Starting to think about summer crops and spring ramps. When the ramps arrive there will be ramp pesto. Always a huge hit at the markets. 

It may be cold outside but the greenhouses will warm up quickley and we will need to vent them as the temp will easily hit 90 degrees with this sunshine.

So check out the CSA page at Central Vermont Food Hub, yes summer shares are available.

Finally some winter arrives and the spinach is very confused.........

Hi Gang, 

Well the soup and sauce business is keeping me really busy this time of year. Usually we are just starting to think about getting stuff planted for this spring. Laura has already gotten alot of flats loaded in to our new heated seedling shed. The arugala was the first one up. We will be cutting alot of spinach and salad for our CSA and the Farmer's Market this Saturday. The four soups I am making continue to be really popular at Hunger Mtn Coop. I will have plenty for the market this weekend also. Should be interesting since it is supposed to be spring break and I get the impression a number of you have headed south for a few days to warmer climes......

Another interesting note is that my soups will be available in Boston next week through Farmers to You.

They are also picking up alot of my extra Winter Sugar Spinach. 

Gotta go. Thanks Joe