Finally. But before I get into that, let me make a few announcements.
Please, please, please spread the word about our farm. We still have shares to sell. There are more than 70 farms selling “CSA shares” in the twin cities. Some of the more recent entrants to the CSA biz are large scale (100s to 1000s of acres) farms using chemical pesticides and fertilizers. They are diluting the term CSA and usurping potential members. It is hard to compete with farms that have budgets for TV advertising. So please spread the word. We are one of the few REAL CSA farms serving the twin cities!
We are still taking orders for all our other shares like grass-fed, organic meat; organic cheese and ice cream from pastured cows; organic eggs from free-range hens; wild, line-caught salmon from Alaska; delicious, seasonal organic fruit from small family orchards; and organic, fair-trade coffee from small family farms. If these are items you consume consider buying them from us. It is a great way to support small, earth-friendly businesses and help us at the same time. Plus they are all quite delicious!
Potato Planting Party. The first event of the 2018 season! On Sunday May 6th we are looking for people who like to plant potatoes. It is a great event for people of all ages and skill levels — including small children. There is some stand-up work and some walking in the dirt work. So if you are available from 1:00 until 4:00 or anytime in between and you can either stand or walk please consider coming out. It is a great way to see where your food comes from and to meet other members of the farm. Please let me know if you can make it.
Payment for veggies shares are due a month ago if you haven’t made payment arrangements. Please send in payment if you haven’t already done so. Payment for all other shares is due in May.
Now back to where I started. Finally. The snow has melted and the frost is out of the ground. The soil temp is about 50 degrees during the peak of the day. The last remaining item we need is for the soil to dry out a bit more. Hopefully that will happen soon and the predictions for rain early next week are wrong. To give you some perspective on this season’s late arrival, last year we planted peas on April 9th. I’m hopeful we get them planted next week a full three weeks later than last year. We typically plant three plantings of peas about three weeks apart. This season we will most likely have only two. All our transplants are at least two weeks later than last year — if we get them all in next week. We’ve even been hesitant to plant tomatoes in the hoop house this year — tomorrow’s forecast is for a low temperature of 30. It has been too cold to risk losing the plants. Next week’s lows are forecasted to be above freezing so there is hope.
Speaking of next week, with this late start to the year we have a backlog of plants that need transplanting. If anyone is interested in lending a hand we will not turn you away. Please contact me the day prior or even the day of if you suddenly find some free time. But call/text/email first to ensure the soil is dry enough for planting. We have about three weeks of work to do to catch-up to where we’d like to be.
Other than fretting about the lateness of the season it’s been mostly doing repair/maintenance work and seeding in the greenhouse. And trying to recruit new members.
As always, please send in your questions, comments, suggestions, jokes, brain teasers, and questions. I mention questions twice because I run out of things to talk about in my newsletters so having questions gives me ideas for future discussions. So send in your questions!