Ah, spring. The season of many faces here in the Northwoods. With temps and moisture both on a roller coaster that changes daily, there's never a dull moment. While those swings can drive us crazy trying to figure out what kind of clothes or boots to wear on a daily basis, it's good news for the maple syrup producers like Travis and family of Heritage Acres. Cold nights and warm(ish) days help the sap to run, and make for a good maple syrup season. Pancakes with gobs of butter and plenty of real maple syrup are one of my favorite comfort foods all year long, so when I am feeling frustrated by the ups and downs of spring, I remind myself that it's for a good cause - syrup!
Outside, as the snow recedes, it's nice to see our cover crop residue peeking through the landscape. I know, it just looks like dead grass - what's the big deal, right? Technically it is dead grass (and dead legumes, too) - oats and peas, to be exact. The root systems are dead, but help hold soil in place during wet weather (aka spring). And even though the roots are dead, the organic matter provides a nice habitat for all the microorganisms that our soil needs to thrive once the temps warm back up.
This spring has been the strangest, slowest season on record here for spinach harvest. Typically, we are harvesting spinach in earnest by mid-March, however this year that spinach just is not quite ready yet to take off and accept that spring is finally here. Honestly, how can you blame it! This winter was about 5 degrees colder than average, and I think that must have helped to encourage that spinach to stay dormant longer.
As you can see, it has finally begun to grow upright leaves again. I should have put my finger in there for scale - they are smaller than they look when photographed up close. Fingers crossed we'll be picking it in about a week, just in time for spring CSA boxes.
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And garlic lovers, rejoice! The first beds of hoophouse garlic are up and at 'em. Those allium family plants (onions and garlic) are some hardy buggers. Plus - not to toot our own horn, but wowza - check out that nice looking soil in there! So much structure and organic matter. All those years of applying compost are paying off.
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Thankfully, despite the weather ups and downs, there's more certainty in our controlled environments. The greenhouse is right on track, and seedlings are looking really good in there. It will be a few more weeks until we start the next round of transplants (including the first hoophouse cukes, believe it or not!) But in order to make room for more transplants, many of these will have to be transplanted out in our hoophouses, which usually happens that first week of April.
And of course our microgreen room is in full swing. Small but sooo nutritious, they have been a welcome, healthy addition to our diets this winter. Southshore Meats Sheboygan brats (not only local, but seriously the BEST brats around!), Spirit Creek Farm mustard kraut, the last of the roasted beets, and a side of microgreens was dinner one night this week here at our house. Full of flavor, well balanced, and a 100% local meal, handmade and homegrown by our friends and neighbors. Not just food for the body, it's food for the soul as well.
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That's it from the farm this week. Thanks so very much for making us YOUR farmers this winter! We're looking forward to the spring CSA season boxes starting the first week of April!
In community,
Farmer Chris
Great Oak Farm
