Most people are aware that spring is a busy time for farmers. But what kinds of things are we doing that keep us so busy, anyway? Here is a partial list of some of the things we’ve accomplished this pre-spring (I say partial, because to follow the guys around all day with a notepad, jotting down every single thing, would be a harrowing task!)

Starting Seeds

We got our seed order done and mailed by the end of January, and the greenhouse is filling up with flats at a rapid pace! Some of the things that are starting to make the incredible jump from dormant seeds to baby plants are:

Tomatoes (round one, already up to 4″ pots- many more to come, I’m sure):

Homer Fyke’s Yellow Oxheart*
Ruth’s Perfect*
Kupey’s Giant Pink Oxheart* (so famous it made the paper!)
Kupey’s Crinkle Bottom*
Spring Shine
BH 826 (creative name, eh?)
New Girl
Sweet Chelsea
Sun Gold
Juliet

Other Vegetables:

Shallots
Onions
Leeks
Orach (if the voles quit hopping on the table and nibbling the orach sprouts!)
Chard

Herbs:

Hyssop*
Stevia
Greek Mullein
Arnica Montana*
Mugwort
Zaatar
Rue
Soapwort
Coffee Chicory
Pyrethrum
Winter Savory
Summer Savory
Wormwood
German Thyme
Creeping Thyme

Flowers:
Hollyhock*
Allegro Poppies
Himalayan Blue Poppies
King Arthur Blue Delphiniums*
Black Night Delphiniums

*These varieties were started from seeds we saved last year from our own plants. We’re really looking forward to seeing how they compare!

Planted in the Greenhouse Beds:

Claytonia
Spring Mix
Collards
Mizuna
Arugula
Boc Choy
Scallions
Baby Onions
Spinach
Radishes
Carrots
Turnips
Beets
Rutabaga

Wintering Over in the Greenhouse Beds:

Rosemary
Lavender
Red Sorrel
Chard
Thyme
Oregano

There are also numerous potted perrenials beginning to show signs of life, but until they begin to reveal themselves further, I’m afraid I can’t quite remember what they all are.

Outdoor Work:

We removed old, dead raspberry bush canes and are in the process of thinning the herd, potting up some to sell and some we moved to a new, less crowded location. This should translate to lots more raspberries this year. Yum!

We are moving around and digging up some hops plants for sale and a new location.

We pulled out old, dead stems and stalks in order to get some rows ready for planting. On St. Patrick’s day, we got peas, fava beans, greens and cover crops planted, new irrigation tubes laid out, and row covers over the freshly planted seeds to offer protection from frost, bugs, and weeds.

With assistance from certified arborist Seth McGehee, the health of the trees on the property was examined. Some trees and branches had to go, and lots of fallen debris was cleaned up.

We ordered all our organic fertilizers for the season, and in the process, became official Fertrell dealers. So now you can get all your organic fertilizers right from us!

We did some tool maintinence, from waking the rototiller from its winter slumber to my pet project, sanding and re-painting my great-grandfather’s wheelbarrow. Hopefully it will now hold up to another 4 generations worth of hauling.

We got the farm truck running again, thanks to Alan’s patience and persistence. Yeeeee-ha! You can watch a silly video of us and our crazy trucks on youtube.

We installed a fancy new dishwasher and an extra oven in our bakery, which means more bread and less work!

Coming in the Next Few Weeks

More seeds, more seeds, and more seeds! We’re also planning on recycling some pallets to build covered bins for holding pots and soil for easier storage and transplanting.

I’m sure I’ve missed a bunch, but you get the idea. Happy Spring, we’ll see you on the farm soon!