Farm Happenings
It’s starting to feel like spring. Sure, snow keeps making unexpected appearances, but the first crops we seeded outside have begun to emerge, and the ones tucked inside greenhouses are finally starting to grow at near normal speed instead of the tortoise-like rates we see in late winter. Usually, as spring approaches, I can feel a familiar excitement building. A new season, a new beginning, new crops, new harvests, and new CSA members. I must admit that has been mostly absent this year as we grapple with how the world has changed, and how our farm business must adapt. This week, between the longer days, the emerging seeds, and the incredible support we are feeling from our amazing community, I can feel that spring excitement return- just a little later then normal.
Thank you for being part of our farm in this time.
If you are thinking about joining the summer CSA and haven’t yet, I would suggest you do so. We had planned on offering 100 summer shares, we’ve hit 110. We’ve decided in the absence of definite farmers markets, that we will go as high as 160 but I anticipate these last 50 shares to sell quickly.
On the farm we are starting to transition the first few beds of greenhouse winter greens into heat loving crops. First up: zucchini and cucumbers, and onto tomatoes and peppers next. Last year we put these in even earlier, but in doing so we had limited space for greens and other early crops. We realized, that while the first taste of a tomato is truly delightful, it made a lot more sense for our business, and for our customers to have lots of early crops like greens, radishes, turnips, and to use some of the space for an early crop of carrots- because that is almost as good as an early tomato! As I fill the cooler with crisp salad mixes, and watch rows of feathery carrot tops unfurl, I’m feeling pretty darn good about the decision.
Garden Like a Professional Many people ask when to start seedlings indoors. In general, I tell them not to. This is because I am a snob, and I like perfect transplants. A window is rarely, if ever, enough light to produce a perfect transplant. Instead you usually get stretchy, lanky plants that are frequently started too early in a fit of excitement, and are root bound and anemic by the time they can be put out in the garden. Consider buying your transplants, or buying a plant light. I do, however, wholeheartedly support getting seeds put in the ground in a family garden. Here is a chart that suggest dates for planting outdoors in this area: https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar/ON/Goderich
I’ll give you some pointers on succession planting next week so you can have a steady supply, rather then a glut followed by a famine.
Happy eating until then!
Tamara
