The Big Push

There is dirt under our finger nails and we're both tired.  Must mean lots of work in the fields.  Don't expect great amounts of humor or exemplary prose from me tonight....

Farm Report:

• Five 200 foot rows in the brassica/allium field are in and watered.  That includes onions, leeks, cabbage, kohlrabi, broccoli, brussels and kale
• The prior planting of these things has been cultivated.  The in row weeding still needs doing, but part of the battle is done.
• Pea rows are cultivated.  We still need to replant or spot plant areas that did not germinate.  
• Tomatoes are in....  about 500 of them.
• Potatoes are in... all 11 200 foot rows.
• Green bean plantings 1-3 are in.  Dry beans are in.  Limas are in.  Pole beans are in.
• The room that held the broilers prior to their move outside has been cleaned out and is now home to ducklings.  For the uninitiated, we start birds when they are chicks in smaller boxes (with heat lamps) to keep the birds warm and safe until they have feathers, etc.  Then, we begin day ranging them.
• Overground water line is mostly patched up and ready to go for the season.  A couple of non-critical fixes still needed.
• How does the laundry pile up so fast?  Oh yeah.  Farming.  Dirt.  ya, got it.
• The bees are doing very well so far this year.  John added a super (another box) to the hive - something that didn't happen last year.  Essentially adding a super gives the bees more room to make honey, etc.  We like that.
• The process of squaring the formerly triangle fields has taken more steps forward.  It won't be the final shape until next year.  We'll use cover crops to begin getting some of it into shape this year - which means we'll improvise some on placement of crops.
• Tammy did a great job patching up the fence for the hen pasture.  Necessary since they were too interested in the crops we were putting in.
• The kittens (Bree and Hobnob) are still not entirely sure they like farming season.  Unfortunately, they'll just have to figure it out.  I guess they really are cattens, soon to be cats.... hm
• Iris are blooming on the farm.  Not as many as we once had, but enough for us to enjoy. 
• Our last plant sale day is this Saturday at the Waverly Farmers' market (8:30-11:30).  
• We will be adopting a plot or two with the Waverly Community Gardens this year.  All food grown there is intended for the 'food insecure'  One plot will be winter squash and if we do two, the other will be potatoes.  We will be calling for volunteer help to keep these plots clean (they are 30'x30').  At this point, we are targeting most of what we grow there to go to the Food Bank - but we may also see some go to local community dinners, etc.

And, finally - for those who are hoping for a return email, etc.  Please be patient.  I have enough energy to post a general update - but not much more beyond that.  We hope one more high level effort day will put us in good stead for the 'heavy planting' cycle.  Remember that we plant throughout the season.  but, some crops have one window (and that window is NOW).

On tap for tomorrow:  winter squash, summer squash, zucchini, cucumber, peas, lettuce, radish, melons, watermelon....   ambitious.  Probably too ambitious - but we'll give it a try anyway.