What's New At The Farm? 3/25/09

I'm back.................. Hopefully for the duration.

What a difference two weeks makes! The snow is melting slowly so we should have no flooding this spring. I don't think there's much frost in the ground so we should be able to get on the ground at least as early as we did last spring.

Signs of spring abound; I saw two killdeer on Monday and some ducks on Saturday. The next five or six weeks are my favorite time of year. The birds are returning, buds are swelling and no black flies yet. As March winds down the threat of snow showers diminishes considerably as does the chances of a killing frost. Seems like only a short time ago I was harvesting in the garden and now it's time to start planning for this season.

Not quite so many potatoes this year; two people don't need four hundred pounds to get through the winter. More peas though. I dislike growing peas; too much work, but I must say I enjoyed them all winter, so, yes; I'll plant more this year. Not quite so many beets; beet greens don't freeze up very well and to tell you the truth I'm getting a little tired of them right about now and we still have 20 quarts left. Harvesting the Brussels sprouts this year should be a priority; more salad mixes and perhaps some staggered plantings of summer squash and zucchini.

More plastic mulch and more row covers this year. I think I'd like to plant some peppers and freeze them for winter time use. Not a lot; just enough though.

I think I'll build a new raised bed for a new patch of rhubarb. The old raised bed has rotted away and the chickens have taken over the rhubarb patch. Raised beds are nice for rhubarb because it comes up and thrives with the warmer temps more so than being on the ground. I've got to replace the raised beds around the house; the old ones are the better part of twenty five years old. The original ones were cedar but I think I'll use railroad ties this time around: use what you have you know.

Things here on the farm are gearing up for planting season. Lots of prep work in the greenhouses as planting is right around the corner. The warehouse is soon to be loaded with all kinds of planting goodies: potting mixes, fertilizers, row covers and plastic mulches. I need to do some ordering: planting stakes, tomato trellis supplies, irrigation needs and planting flats and the cover crop seed, at least the bulk of it will be ordered shortly as well. The field planning needs to happen soon; where all the crops are going to be planted this year. And finally, I've got to finish hiring crew for the 2009 growing season.

Lots to do; well, that's spring.

Until next week, enjoy the spring, Brian