With all the effort, planning and organization that goes into farming especially on a 12 month schedule it’s hard to not feel a little warn out. There does certainly come a point at this transitional phase in the season, when trying to wrap our heads around how much needs to be done is seemingly impossible. If we could just get a little more help or maybe just push pause on one of the tunnels for a few days? Luckily for us we always keep a few extra helpers on hand just for these situations, enter the chickens and sheep.
The use of animals going hand in hand with vegetable production is by no means a new idea and when done right can be looked at as a true form of regenerative agriculture or even better yet the way things used to be. Ever since acquiring SLGNW the use of animals to help maintain and regenerate the soil health of the fields and tunnels has been a goal. It can be a tricky thing for intensive market gardeners like ourselves though, since the requirements for organic production put a 3-4 month time line from incorporation to harvest depending on the crop. We have found a few things like Winter carrots, sweet potatoes and late tomatoes where the timing is perfect. Though it is not possible for everything, we do continue to get the animals on the soil for both it’s improvement and saving us some effort as much as we possibly can. Another great crop to follow the animals after they have been munching in a tunnel is flowers. Even though the timing is pretty close to that of food production, flowers being not consumed for food relieve us of these time restrictions. The first tunnel this year to receive a visit from the animals, will be just that case, veg to flowers. So Thursday after harvesting the last spinach from that tunnel we released the animals to eat to their hearts content. It is always impressive to us just how much a small group of animals can do in just a short period of time transforming and overgrown, flowering tunnel of greens to something that looks like a lawn mower went over it.
Unfortunately for us there are still a lot of tunnels to be transformed from Winter to Summer production and the animals just can’t do their thing in every one. Fortunately, for us tomorrow marks the official start of the main growing season and with it comes three more crew members to help us take on April. Including J and J that will have us up to 6 bodies on the farm and certainly just in the nick of time as the fields are drying out and the daily temps keep rising. Remember in addition to preorder the farm stand is officially open for the season Friday’s 3-6, come by, say hi and get a chance to meet the stars of this weeks newsletter.
Have a Great Week