We only have cold resistant starts in the greenhouse at this time of year, but even they prefer not to experience an arctic blast. We cover the trays inside, fill tubs with hot water and place those on the floor under the trays, then add polythene curtains to reduce the… Continue reading
It was the perfect weather for plowing today. The lower end of the field has dried out and getting opened up now will help it to warm up faster (even if it is only to melt the snow). This is one of our more dramatic barn cats, Mini-Me. This part… Continue reading
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We are loving our new potato hiller. The previously back-breaking work of covering the potatoes by hand can now be done with a pass of the tractor. We will use the hiller again a couple of times during the growing season because more hilling up of the plants means more… Continue reading
1. Join our CSA! When you join a Community Supported Agriculture program such as ours, the money you spend on food goes directly to supporting our farm. There are no middle men taking a cut. 2. Recruit a new CSA supporter. Word of mouth is the most effective advertising for… Continue reading
I haven’t seen the Bluebirds or Juncos for a few days and now I think I know why. Identification of the bird-eating hawks is difficult but the brown feathering and yellow eye are clear signs this is a juvenile. The straight tail tip indicates a Sharp-shinned Hawk rather than a… Continue reading
Today was woodpecker day in the front garden. We use dead logs to mark the edges of the “flower beds” – it has a certain rustic charm, helps us use up the deadfalls, and creates hiding places for the bugs and grubs – a food source for woodpeckers. The male… Continue reading
This is the first year we have had bluebirds as year-round residents. Eastern Bluebirds are very helpful on the farm as they are predominantly bug eaters, but they do also eat fruits. We do not set out bird feeders, but we deliberately plant and cultivate fruiting trees and plants. The… Continue reading
It’s all hands on deck today as the first frost of the season approaches. The weather forecast is calling for a low of 24 tonight and that means death to so many tender vegetables. We’ve harvested everything we possibly can of the vegetables that would otherwise be killed – tomatoes,… Continue reading
You’ve probably read about the massive fresh vegetable recall that seems to be growing faster than okra on a sunny day. If you haven’t read about it you probably should, the list of stores who sold the recalled vegetable is short: Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Safeway, Albertson’s, Pak’N Save, Vons,… Continue reading