What’s been going on!
Yet another gray and wet day. I heard the other day that it has rained 50% of the days since the first of the year. This is one of the many reasons that farmers are putting up more and more high tunnels, to be able to control at least some of the variables thrown at us by the weather. Not a perfect solution but at least it makes it possible to grow some things out of season and during inclement periods.
Yesterday we planted the last of our indoor beds to lettuces, spinach and radishes. We also put the first crops out in the field, peas and some more lettuce. How is it even possible to do that when it has been so cold and wet? The cold part is a small gamble but historically we don’t have temperatures below 20 degrees after February 1st (it was 21 degrees yesterday morning!), which is the level at which lettuce can be damaged or even killed without protection. We do cover it with floating row cover immediately.
The wet part we manage by tilling the beds weeks in advance during a dry spell and cover them with large plastic “silage” tarps to help keep the soil dryer and to pre-germinate and kill weed seeds in the top inch of the soil. We then pull the tarp off, give the top of the bed a light rake and plant. It is a careful dance this time of year to fool mother nature.
Picture of the week
Silage tarp over prepared beds next to the first outdoor crops protected under row cover
What’s going to be at Market?
Finally we will be with more Anemones! Hopefully for the season.
Stay safe and well and we hope to see you all at the market soon!
Alex and Betsy
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Peregrine Farm 