With April and arguably the main growing season nipping at our heels, things around the farm begin to look the part. Tell tale signs of the season are popping up everywhere. Plastic low tunnels being replaced with fabric row covers, trays of transplants spilling out of the already overcrowded nursery and a team of 3 or 4 farmers out in the fields. Beds outside are being prepped and even a few already planted, with many more on the schedule for the coming weeks. The thing we have found about April (often when March has left like a lamb) is that a couple of weeks of cold cloudy days can halt and stunt those things planted on beautiful March days. Ambition and over planting are perhaps one of the easiest parts of farming and in fact a necessity to it. So obviously we won’t really be changing much of what we have done in the past, just doing it a bit smarter(hopefully). The majority of what we have planted this past month has been inside the high tunnels. Warm and protected from the elements, the choys, lettuces, beets ect. should arrive a week of two earlier than similarly timed outdoor plantings.
A big push for us to get as many things planted this time of year as possible is simply for real estate’s sake in the nursery. Trays of starts are being potted up for plant sale or on farm planting. As tray after tray of freshly sprouted seedlings eagerly emerge from the germination chamber. Its a fine balancing act between finding enough space and time for all the planting, prepping, starting and potting up. Even with a second nursery up and running in Middlefield, it is still the case that farmer and veg alike jockey for position. Living and working on the farm have a way entering their own ebb and flow, in a way we suppose mirroring life.
Another familiar sign of the season comes this Saturday with the first day of April. We will be back outside for the Cityseed market for the remainder of the year. Same location at Conte West middle school, starting one hour earlier from 9am-1. Preorder is recommended if you still feel like sleeping in. The Madison Market is back on this May starting 5/5. We still await details as to the Durham Farmers Market and will let you all know as soon as we do.
Have a great week.