May 4, 2010
Life on the farm is keeping us busy, between the transplanting, rototilling, seeding, greenhouse planting,
irrigating, the hens and the baby chicks we just got this past week. Chris and I planted over 1,000 broccoli
plants, about the same number of cabbage, 300 lettuce plants, and 250 Napa Cabbage within a couple of days, and direct seeded
lots of Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, mustard greens, kohlrabi and radishes to go along with the beets, carrots and peas that were
planted several weeks ago and are all looking lovely. The greenhouse continues to fill back up, even as
we empty out the plants going into the ground, with further successions for the fall. Since the weather’s
been dry, we have been irrigating and drawing our small pond down quickly, so Chris is hoping to get the backhoe over to dig
it out some more this week – that way when it does rain we’ll have a lot more water reserve. All
in all, though, the veggies are looking really good for June…we can’t wait!
Our first batch of 100 meat chickens arrived last Wednesday as day old chicks, which has been very
exciting for us and for the boys. Their first feathers are starting to show on their wings, and they race
around trying to fly already! Last night, we were watching them with the incubator lights on, and as moths
and flies came down to the light, the little birds were already catching them! They scratch around like
the big hens do, too – we think they’ll really do phenomenally well in a couple of weeks, when they are big enough
to be on pasture.
Several of you have asked about helping out on
the farm; we would love to have the help. We have lots of things to do – planting, weeding, mulching,
and rock picking among other things – so any level of skill is welcome. The best days for us are
Sunday through Thursday, at whatever time and for however long are convenient. Please just email or call
to let us know when you want to come and we’ll arrange the details then. Thanks!
Also, we do still have share availability, so if you were waiting to sign up, you’re not too
late. We’ll also be selling at the New Baltimore Farmers’ Market again this year, which is
moving to a new and dryer location at the Cecil Hallock Park on Route 54.
The next real newsletter will be the first weekly one of the season; you’ll get a reminder email
shortly before the first pickup so that (hopefully) no one forgets! I hope everyone has enjoyed our off-season
updates. See you in June!
Best
wishes from your farmers,
Samantha, Chris, Alex & Benjamin
