Greetings from the Greenhouse

It's February and things are cold here on the farm. The cold keeps us indoors at this time of the year, and has a lot of folks wondering what farmers actually DO all winter. So, let us catch you up on what happens on the farm during the winter months.

1. Planning

Farms take a lot of planning. And I mean a LOT! We have to figure out what we want to sell, how much and when, and then come up with a crop plan that utilizes all of our space, while also producing each item at the desired time. RonDell has been diligently working on the crop plan for the last few months, working with Josephine, our market manager, to figure out which varieties we’re going to grow, when each crop needs to be started, and when it can be harvested.

2. Preparation

We are getting ready to start planting. What does that mean? Well, it means that we’re: taking inventory of tools and sharpening/ordering what is needed; ordering seeds from seed catalogues (ours come from Johnny’s and High Mowing); buying necessary seed starting materials, including sterile soil and plant flats; and prepping beds once the ground is thawed enough to do so. This last one is especially tough work!

3. Starting Seedlings! It’s that time of year! Seedlings were started in our greenhouse co-op last week. So far we have cauliflower, spring onions, and lemon balm sprouting up. Carrots will be starting soon too. Having access to a greenhouse is a huge boon for us, as it allows us to get started with our crops well before the last frost date, which can be as late as Mother’s Day!

If this sounds like fun to you, you might consider becoming a City Farmer with us. City Farmers commit to 3 hours per week for a 12 week session, and work on a broad range of farm-related tasks or youth education. Learn more about City Farmers here. If you aren't ready to be a City Farmer, that's ok! We hope to see you in the Spring for our Season Opener on April 28th!