Talk to your kids...

This was at the bottom of an email from our Tamworth Farmer's Market Managers... 1 in 5?! I hope the numbers are that good! Love it.

Grow peas grow

Despite some SERIOUS aphid pressure and a few unheated nights in the 19 degree region, the peas that were planted on March 5th have made great strides for the sky... or at least up out of the soil!

A new tool!

I have a running list of tools that I love and hope to one day add to my arsenal. 

Last week I fell in love with a new one (well, new to me, anyway): the broadfork.

I borrowed one from a friend to work on our asparagus patch which was completely over run with quack grass ('round here it's witch grass). The grass was suffocating the asparagus and needed to be removed. The broad fork made really quick work of the task. *okay, I had some help from lots of little hands to actually pull the grass out... but without the use of the broadfork to loosen the soil up - forget it!

Turning 80 in March

I cannot get over what this week's forecast looks like:

Sunscreen? Check!

Tanktop? Check!

Method for watering seedlings? Check!

New England in mid-March? ::record scratches:: Say "what"?!

Helping Hands

The greenhouse is warming up... and heating up... and filling up! 

I have been busy seeding onions, leeks, scallions, lettuce, spinach, kale, kohlrabi, beets, and more! All of these little guys are pretty cold hardy, and with warm nights (staying above 32 is warm!) and even warmer days, we have been able to conserve energy and not run the heater - hooray!

Lots of people are excited about the coming spring, and many have come in to get dirty with me. Yesterday, a few students came out to help during their science class.

 

Fenton is making soil blocks for me to seed beets into while Devon, Tiffany and Mark shell beans (yes, there are STILL beans to shell!) We will be using these beans as seed this season and will also distribute dried beans to our Spring CSA members. 

Thanks, everyone!

pick your hose, not your nose

Another gorgeous day! I am so torn between being completely elated with the weather, being super bummed about what this means for sugaring season, and spinning in circles trying to keep myself from starting too many seedlings NOW. (It is really too early on the calendar, starting some things now would mean certain death because I might not get them into the ground. The danger of frost is too great)

All of this sunshine and heat means draggin' hose all over the place to keep the high tunnel watered. Literally hundreds of feet of hose get dragged from the school - where there is a frost-free hydrant; across the road - where cars slowly and carefully drive OVER the hose; through one of the fields - muddy with recent snow melt; to the high tunnel. Lather, rinse, repeat every other day. I truly do LOVE what I do.

snowy greens

A March harvest of greens from the high tunnel for tomorrow's Farmer's Table Lunch.

It was 80+ degrees inside the tunnel today - tshirt weather for sure! But there is still a good coating of white on the ground outside...