Springtime 2023

It’s that time of year again, folks. The time of year when I start having to go 3 rounds in the ring with myself every day because it is TOO EARLY to start seeds. Our last frost won’t be until the end of May. The few times I have started seeds now, at the beginning of February, the seedlings have been gangly and weak and the transplant was terrible. So I’ve learned my lesson. But the days are getting noticeably longer, so anytime we have temps above freezing like we did today my hands get itchy for some soil.

I was talking with a patient of mine last week, and he may have given me the key to getting through this time of year. He was telling me that right about now is when he would normally be making his own seed tapes, for seeds like carrots that are really too small to place accurately by hand. He used toilet paper and white liquid glue. Then my coworker told me she uses toilet paper and a baking soda-water mixture in a spray bottle. So now I’m feeling a little foolish and late to the party, but I’m also excited to give this method a try.

Speaking of patients and coworkers, I started a new job. It’s a step up and the money is decent, but the commute is 1.5 hours each way. That’s going to seriously cut into my weeding time. No decisions are being made yet but… I’ll be honest, it’s a long drive. Thankfully we haven’t had too many bad winter storms.

I am very excited to see how little Bug does in the garden this year. He was determined to help last year, and about the only thing I had growing last year were mint weeds, so he was able to pull plants out of the ground almost indiscriminently and he was very cute. I think this year he might approach actually helpful, getting on towards his second birthday. We’ll see. I think next year I’ll do up a separate little garden plot just for him, if he ends up as interested this year as he was last year. If he has no interest, obviously, we’re not going to try to force him, but last year he couldn’t be kept away and he loves to help feed the rabbits and the poultry and the dog, and unload the dishwasher, so I imagine his helpful little self will want to be in the garden too.

Anyone have tips for gardening with a toddler? Leave them in the comments below!

Fall 2022 Recap

Hello! Welcome back to the farm!

Big changes incoming! We got our LLC filed and our tax ID application in, so the store page should be opening up really soon! We also got our garlic harvest in, but that was a bit overdue so I have no idea how well the garlic will or won’t store. We will probably mince and freeze most of what we don’t plant, just to be on the safe side.

The garden went mostly to the weeds again this year, so I’m working hard to try to get ahead of it for next year. I’m pulling weeds, and as I go I’m putting down a layer of cardboard, then the pulled weeds that haven’t gone to seed. The weeds that have gone to seed are getting tossed over the bank! A weed is just a plant growing where you don’t want it, and that bank could use some extra erosion-preventing foliage. Once the weeds have thoroughly desiccated in the sunshine, I’m going to put down fresh chicken and duck manure to cure over the winter, topped probably with another layer of cardboard. That should give my soil enough protection to not erode over the winter, while leaving me a mostly clear workable space come spring!

This weekend we are planning to harvest some long-overdue rabbits and maybe a couple of chickens. We’ve also got to get the frame feeders installed in the beehives. We must be in a dearth - those girls have gotten MEAN! I got stung while I was pulling up the garlic, at least 20 feet from the hive entrance! If they survive the winter, we are going to have to move them a lot further from the house. My one year old is getting really mobile and curious, and I don’t want him stung just for toddling around our front yard.

I’m working on getting some grant applications in for some exciting projects coming next year - we’re hoping to upgrade our chicken enclosure and get a few more rabbit runs built. I firmly believe that our rabbits are happier on the grass, and it reduces our feed bill too. Win, win!

Next year I’m looking at planting our corn, squash, and beans in the 3 sisters method. Anyone with experience with that style, please leave me a comment below! How did it work or not work for you? Lessons learned? Anything you’d keep or change about it? Corn is just such a space-intensive crop, I don’t really have room to plant all that I want to plant unless I start mixing other things into it. Anyone have experience growing cucumbers instead of squash? I know many squash are in the same curcubit family… Let me know what you think! Thanks a bunch in advance!