The first week of spring….

What a nice run of warm sunny weather we’ve had! This is the stuff I pine away for all winter long. We’ve got fields tilled up.

And the greenhouse is *the* place to be. Lot’s of good stuff in there. Flats of seeds getting ready to sprout. Already growing and making sweet, little bright green leaves are: Herbs, celery, strawberries, cabbages, lettuces, peas, leeks, and carrots to name a few. The last of the cress, arugula, winter spinach, and mache are being eaten or given to the chickens for snacks.
Lettuce and peas over here…..

Cabbages and things over there.

We’ve shuffled things around, moving a blueberry and current bush here, some oregano there, and rescued the strawberries from the deer outside and planted them in a corner of the greenhouse. On the very first day of spring, after a glorious day spent goofing around on the farm and in the wood, we planted 4 types of potatoes from potatoes we saved for seed from last year’s crop and need to do another big bunch again soon. Some brocc, cauliflower, cabbage and celery babies went outside today and we continue to sow flat after flat, after flat, of seeds.

We’ve got eggs galore and have been selling them, dyeing them fun colors with naturals food dyes, crafting with them and generally feeling overwhelmed by them. If you need eggs, please contact us. We’ve got ’em. And they are SO good.

Things are starting to come back to life and feels pretty good. We’re seeing new things in the wood everyday. The girls gave me an un-birthday today and found the first trilliums in honor of my day.

Wood pansies are sprinkled throughout the trees and bleeding hearts are well on their way. Salmon berries are starting to bloom too. The pull of the sun is strong, we are answering! I feel blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful family, friends and nature.
Woodland delights

They both smell even sweeter than they look.

We’re still looking for egg and CSA customers. Now is the time to let us now if you are interested. Things must get planted and planned for at this stage in order for us to bring all that yummy stuff to you soon!

I’m narrowing down the search for a farm stand this year. I’ve decided to pursue this over some of the farmer’s markets due to my need to be closer to my children during the summer months. There are a few locations off hwy 30 that get good traffic and yet are safe for the kids and are just a quick skip from home. We’ll be doing some of the local fairs and fests and will have an honor stand along with our egg hut down at the end of our driveway.

As always I am trying to find the delicate balance of full-time farm work plus full-time business promotion work meets full-time parent to three full-time home schooled children. How’s that working? Rhythm plus routine plus flexibility plus the need for more hours in the day and I think we do ……okay.

Warm Spring wishes from all of us!

seeds seeds and more seeds

I am discovering just how much squishy wet mud annoys me. A good deal it would seem. Today was cold and misty and almost nice. Ever more patches of bulbs are up, strewn hither, thither and yon.

It’s been a busy few weeks. And wet. Very very wet. So no additional work outside preparing beds or constructing animal shelters or or or. It is soggy. There is so much work to be done though, that there is no shortage of indoor and greenhouse work. Doug has most of the beds in the greenhouse amended. And we got 6 varieties of peas planted in there a couple of weeks ago. When I’m not sifting through seeds,

my table on any given evening

I’m making things to eat to stave off cabin fever.

Notice anything?

My first cream cheese. Someone small in my family thinks taking pictures of perfectly delicious food when one could be sampling, is just plain silly.

We have had to do lots of errands, gathering materials to start a farm. Quite daunting! But we did manage to purchase our strawberries, more blueberries, a few hops, a currant, horseradish, and what ever else, and of course more seeds. And other good stuff like shovels and big sharp loppers. ( I *love* pruning.)

On that note, a friend suggested that I make a wish list of things we need and see if there aren’t folks out there with sheds or garages full of useful junk like old tools or buckets or hoses etc. I thought that was a good idea. I think I’ll do that. I’d rather spend money on fruit trees!

Our house is being over run with seedlings. But they are lovely, and we will be sowing more greens and hardening off flats as soon as we get the chickens’ access the the greenhouse gated off. The crappy weather has really hung up a good many timely projects. But, when in doubt or feeling less enthused, I start a few flats of seeds before going to bed. We have tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, fennel, onions, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, celeriac, kohlrabi, lettuce, herbs, flowers, rhubarb asparagus, chard, garden berries and blah blah blah growing cheerfully inside. Keeps us moving forward even when it seems we are standing still, watching it rain.

they are so sweet

there are so many of them

you get the idea

Pep, our broody hen has been sitting faithfully on her eggs. She is dedicated! We started with nine fertile eggs, but she is sitting on four now. For those of you who know anything about little boys….never mind. I am still holding a grudge so best not to dwell on it. Pep’s hatching date is April 3rd. The girls and I are a very cautious and guarded brand of excited.

not much to it, but she likes it.

And best of all….. Doug and I have our first CSA subscribers! From our dear family friends. They have been our cheering squad and super kind and optimistic to us as we talked and talked and plotted and planned. Our kids have grown up together and now they are now our first official paying customers! It’s humbling and empowering all at the same time. Thank you. And many thanks to my generous family that have been helping out any way they can and encouraging us to really go for it. So we are.

We will be actively seeking additional subscribers in the next week. We are thinking at this point that we can grow for 20-25 full shares. We hope to have extra for a farmers market or farm stand. We are aiming for June through November. Weather Gods willing.

More good stuff in the wings…….