Hello everyone! We are back from the holidays and I'm back to farm paperwork and organizing sign-ups for this coming 2010 CSA season. More on that later this week.
Here is a quick update on some of the work we did at EverGreen Farm at the end of our 2009 season.
Remember this picture from my last newsletter back at the end of October, 2009? All those weeds! I was almost too embarrassed to show you how bad this area of the farm had become. It was one of those places I wanted to avoid. And I did frequently. With all the food we needed to harvest, and Shain returning to the classroom, there just wasn't any extra time to weed. Then the season came to a close, and the weather was kind to us, and we attacked this weeding nightmare!
Like I said, the Fall weather was kind to us this year. We were able to get a lot of farm clean up done before the snow came for good.
Look at this SAME area of the farm just a few weeks later. I love it when we get together a good crew of workers to knock out a huge job. I love it when that job involves weeding.
The brownish plant remains you see above aren't weeds, they are rows of beets that never grew to full size, a problem we experienced too often last year.
One of Shain's major goals for this past Fall was to clean out and prepare all the greenhouses before winter set in, so we could be ahead of the game in the Spring. And again, with the help of some great workers, we did it! Here are a few of us working in greenhouse #4. You can't see it, be we are laughing and carrying on, having too much fun for our own good. I'm smiling the most because I am so grateful for the help.
As I mention quite frequently, Shain is always thinking about ways he can improve our farm. One tactic that is necessary for farming successfully in our climate is to push the limits and start growing as early in the spring as absolutely possible. Usually our Falls are so hectic we don't get to cleaning out and preparing the greenhouses. And there they sat, full of dead plants, weeds and whatever. It's been a real mess in the spring. NOT this year. It's going to be much better this Spring, as long as other weather factors don't interfere.
Now let me show you more of the process we go through here to improve the soil here on EverGreen Farm.
Animals are an important part of our farm. This is one of four pigs we raised in 2009. My how they've grown. Pigs are incredible compost makers. Stinky at times, but incredible at turning garden waste into compost.
For several years now, we've "made" these two large piles of compost. The "old" pile (below, left) and the "new" pile (below, right). I am still amazed at nature's process of turning garden debris, rotten hay, and animal waste into deep rich compost which has no resemblance to it's origins.
We used most of the "old" compost pile this Fall. Come Spring, we'll use the rest of it and then rotate the "new" pile over into it's place. By then it will have decomposed considerably, but not completely. Next, we'll clean out the animal pens and make a "new" pile again.
Then in the Spring and Summer, school students will come on a field trip to our farm and start climbing and playing in our "dirt" pile. I'll tell them they are standing on a pile of "composting POOP". The kids will either laugh or freak out. I love that part of my job.
Shain loves his tractor. I love the tractor too because it makes his jobs so much easier and quicker. I don't drive the tractor. He wants me to learn. But I don't think it's sexy, I mean, I don't want to. Maybe this year. Can you see me driving a tractor? What would that do to my reputation? (Do I have a reputation?)
On this particular day, Shain and Greg went to work on spreading compost into greenhouses #1 & #2.
The compost was topped off with a thin layer of leaves. Leaves add organic matter to the soil. It's essential to achieve the right balance of carbon (leaves) and nitrogen (compost).
And the final step before "putting the greenhouses to bed for the winter" was to give each one a nice soak of water. Watering inside the greenhouses simulates natural cycles of precipitation, freezing and thawing.
This Winter has been a bit more enjoyable knowing we are a little bit a head when Spring comes around again.
It's the first week of January now. Shain has most of his seeds already ordered. He's typed up his yearly farm plans. He is ready to go.
Me? I have a small drawer full of paperwork to go through (taxes, ugh). But first we need to get our 2010 CSA sign-ups going. Are you ready for another year of great, fresh, local produce? I am!
Take Care,
Tara
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