Here at Great Oak Farm, this is the first week for fellow farmers Eric and Ryan to get their hands in the dirt. I am fortunate enough to work along side some amazing folks each season, and this year is certainly no exception. Those of you who were with us last year might recognize Eric (behind the mask on the left) - I'm excited to welcome him back to the farm for a second season. He brings past experiences from several other farms, a patient and thoughtful approach to his work, and a familiarity with the systems and tools we use here at Great Oak from his time here last year. We're also glad to be joined by Ryan (in the coveralls on the right) this year as well - last year he worked on a large organic vegetable farm down near Madison, and has spent time at the Rodale Institute Farm in PA as well.
Below you can see them transplanting onions, a several day task that we tackled this week and will finish up on Friday! Tens of thousands of onions. It's all hands-and-knees work to get them in the ground, but at Eric's suggestion we're going to plant and cultivate them by hand instead of by tractor in a more densely planted system this year in order to give them some extra TLC which we hope will translate into consistently larger bulb sizes this fall. We'll see if our extra efforts will be rewarded at harvest time!
Another crop we are prioritizing for some extra attention is our sugar snap peas. Heavy rains and unpredictable springs have made for some short harvests the last 2 years, so we've got 2 long rows of peas planted (and looking great!) in one of our hoophouses. The additional protection in the hoophouse from hard spring weather, crows picking sprouted peas out of the ground, and deer browsing the pea plantings at night will result in an earlier, more reliable crop for all of you to enjoy! We've also got a large planting outside as well, and have been irrigating daily to promote good germination. They are strategically located in the field directly out the front door of our house, and will be well patrolled at night by our tireless border collie Buster.
Finally, this week a whole pallet - 1600# in all! - of cover crop seed arrived. We've already been seeding organic red clover in our winter rye this week, and will be putting oats and spring cover crop peas in the ground next week. In case you are unfamiliar with cover crops, they are legumes and grains we will be seeding into fields we are not planting with vegetables to help build soil, outcompete weeds, and prevent erosion while still maintaining the ecosystem that soil microbes need to thrive. Furthermore, the legumes - clovers, and a newer, very tall and stalky legume called Sunn Hemp - will also take nitrogen from the air using bacteria that live on the nodes of the legume roots and store it in the soil for next year's veggie crops. In a nutshell, that's about as close to "free fertilizer" as you can get!! Normally, as an organic farm, we rely on composted manure to provide the nitrogen our plants need to thrive. By using legumes to do most of this work for us, we help close the loop a little more on the farm and save a lot of fuel spent trucking and spreading this fertility. Every little bit counts, and it's good to be able to do our part when we are able.
Finally - we've got cherry tomatoes beginning to form this week! We've been row covering them each night to keep them warm, and added in some portable heaters this week a few times at night for extra insurance. I am happy to report that they made it through last night's 25 degree temps with flying colors - pants are looking great, and we're on track to have the first ripe cherry toms in early July! Next week, cucumbers and peppers will be transplanted out in our hoophouses as well - it is always fun to see how fast they grow in the spring.
Until next week, take care and be well!
Yours in community,
Chris Duke
Farmer, Great Oak Farm
CSA Manager, Bayfield Foods
