May is dawning bright and warm in the wake of a saturated early spring. Susan, Kenneth and I, along with the steadfast crew of sharers and work-for-shares, are working as quickly as the passing rains will allow, preparing fields and digging plants into the soil. Since the weather has improved, the farm’s been buzzing with activity – both figuratively and literally. While the farmers are busy carrying out the plan to grow as many yummy vegetables as can be produced from our acreage, Deb and Lawson’s (they’re the ones in the moon suits) bees are visiting the pear tree blossoms, creating a subtle and pleasing buzzing as lunches are eaten.
From April to May, we have planted our alliums, nearly 3,000 individual plants, as well as a giant salad’s worth of greens. Scallions, leeks, and storage onions have been placed into bio-plastic covered beds at the Parkland, while Swiss chard, lettuce, cabbage, kohlrabi and other greens have been planted in various spots around the farm. As soon as the soil was dry enough, plants were in the ground. We’ve also been able to furrow and plant our potatoes. We “green sprouted” them in the greenhouse, and now they’re ready to root and grow us those oh-so-good starchy tubers.
The seedlings in the greenhouse are also reaching for the sky. We’ve seen an explosion of growth as the sun has come out and warmed up this inside space. Parsley and basil are looking glorious and our nightshades look almost ready to bud! Not quite, but they’re healthy and in need of good earth. You may have noticed that the cathedral greenhouse has been slowly moving down the beds to its new resting spot on the far right side of the farm and once in place, the greenhouse tomatoes will go in. And, in a couple subsequent weeks, the field peppers, eggplant and tomatoes will find their homes for the season. Susan has selected some delicious varieties and we’ve tweaked our field layout a bit in an attempt to stave off the devastating late blight.
The sharers, volunteers, and their kids and significant others have been so invaluable thus far. We’re continually amazed at people’s stamina and get-it-done attitudes and we certainly couldn’t have jumped into the season without you all. Kenneth and I have also learned a lot from the Stearns Farm members who are back for another year. We so enjoy learning everyone’s stories and the past season’s iterations. As always, if you’re in the neighborhood, stop by for lunch around noon. The more the merrier.
See you in the fields!
Seth (the bearded fellow)
For pictures of all the action, check out the photo gallery:
(For full size images click on “show thumbnails” and then click on any image.)
