Today we have about 12 hours and 41 minutes of daylight. In about 8 weeks (November 10) we will slide under 10 hours of daylight and most plant growth will cease or at least dramatically slow down. As a all season grower, all transplants in the hoop houses must be at least 75% mature by the date of November 10. This target date sets our planting schedule that began August 28; it was blazing hot out and difficult to imagine the coming Winter Harvest!
The tricky part of all this is that daylight will continue to decline and it takes longer each week for the plants to mature. Currently I am planting flats of Lettuce varieties and Spinach weekly. The weeks of September 25 and October 2, I'll plant 2 times per week. The week of October 9, I'll commit to 3 plantings, and the we're done! Christmas week we will start early Tomatoes and Onions, but that is a very long time in the food growing world.
This week I am at the Family Fare parking lot in Eaton Rapid on Wednesday at 12:00 noon, and the Allen Street Farmers Market after that, 2:30-6:30. Thursday afternoon is farm pick up, and Saturday we are in Grand Ledge for the Market on the Grand, 9:00-1:00. I hope to see you soon!
