The first flakes started about 6 this morning. Sat the steaming cup of joe on top the wood burning stove, pulled on the carhart, and headed out to cover the 10 beds of seedlings. Started on February 2, now 60 days plus. Broccoli, collards, cabbages, spinach. lettuces, rapini, beets, carrots, radishes, snap and sugar peas, lima beans. All up and happy and completely chemical free.
Flats of fennel, swiss chard, more lettuces, celery, celeriac, parsley, basil, leeks, and onions, the second round started March 3rd. Lettuces and basil get started every 2 weeks, providing immediate replacement when one is pulled. Doing time in the potting shed and ready for planting. Another round of flats (72 cells per flat, each cell holds a single seed) started yesterday, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zinnias. Blueprint of the 16,000 square feet set. Always learning and trying to improve. In 2016 my tomatoes were on 4′ centers, in 2017 moved out to 6′, this year stretching to 8′. Such minor details the real secret to successful market gardening.
The baby chicks, now almost three weeks old, still in the spare room waiting for stubborn winter to blow town before moving in to their respective digs. Cornish coop soon to be bustling, last stop before the freezer in another ten weeks. Our little layers headed to secure, long term, comfortable lives making daddy money!
Took down two skeletal pines yesterday. The Stihl 20″ Farm Boss chainsaw, frequent appearances out of the bullpen, my Rolaids Reliever of the Year. Cleaning up the property and keeping the stove stoked. We’ve been burning since Thanksgiving, well into our third cord, hopeful to cool the old girl after this weekend. The plans drawn for proper firewood storage, covered with great ventilation, south facing, close to the back door, out of direct site lines. One day’s work.
Village Pointe Farmer’s Market starts one month from tomorrow. Nebraska Trail Run one week from tomorrow. Count all the bees in the hive, chase all the clouds from the sky!
Snow on April 6th. Farm Report Friday.
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