Bouncing Back

I’m feeling more like my real self, the person who loves farming, teaching and being close to the soil. For months I’ve felt like farming was sucking the life blood from my veins. It certainly drained my heart.  On top of the third consecutive shitty growing year (I grow and harvest year round so it’s [...]

Quik Shade

We bought a Quik Shade canopy for farmers’ market.  I made the mistake of not ordering an E-Z Up.  I was sure I could pick one up at a big box in Bangor.  I was mistaken. We decided the Quik Shade would be ok because it was a commercial grade canopy.  We were mistaken.  I’d [...]

Rain

I’m not going to market tomorrow.  There’s enough ready to harvest for my local customers but not enough for market too.  I’m surprised at how well plants are growing.  The potatoes are beautiful and putting on blossoms, broccoli is heading up nicely, lettuces are doing well.  Unfortunately the pigweed and hairy galinsoga are growing faster.  [...]

A New Hoophouse!

I bought a 1600 sq ft hoophouse this afternoon.  When I called about it a few days ago I missed it by a couple of hours.  The seller kept my name and number just in case and fortunately for me, just in case happened.  It will be delivered in a few hours! This brings our [...]

Fresh From GH1

Broccoli.  The heads we picked this evening are 8″ across.  The broc and cucumbers shown here were grown in the unheated greenhouse.  They were planted in April.

Still a baby at 4″.

Free Range Onions

They didn’t really “range” any where but I’m going with the term anyway.  Late last summer I neglected to clean up onions that went to see in the cold house (high tunnel/unheated greenhouse/hoop house) and they started to grow last fall.  They were dormant for a while before starting up slow growth.  One plant started [...]

Early May

I feel like we’re a little bit ahead in spite of the long winter.  The peas are up.  I haven’t checked the rest of the seeds outdoor but will this morning.  It’s warm enough at night to not have heat on in the seedling house.  I’ve used a third of last year’s propane by waiting [...]

What’s Growing in the High Tunnel

Winter Density
Lettuce
Bok Choi
Spinach
Endive

Moving Right Along

I’m being lazy today. I had errands to run earlier but I’ve been home an hour and a half and accomplished none of my physical work.  Emails have been answered, a little research done but not one seedling has been potted up.  Not one plant in a greenhouse watered, picked or one inch of ground [...]

Late March

I know it snows in late March in Maine sometimes but that doesn’t make looking at it better.  Ugh. Enough already.  I do feel a little tropical this morning though. I’m writing to you from the tomato plant jungle.  Note to self: late January might be a little early to start seedlings. They resemble redwoods.  [...]

Soil Blocks

I haven’t had a great desire to use soil blocks. Steve saw the makers, the soil and the clincher – got a lesson from Eliot Coleman. Using them will cut back on the amount of plastic I use, always a good thing, and supposedly save me time. I need to drop in at Lucy’s blog [...]

Visiting Eliot

Eliot explained the new six-move rotation he’s worked out for his new movable green houses.  One 1,000 sq ft greenhouse covers 6,000 sq ft of ground a year. We paid close attention.

Going to Four Season Farm

Sarah, Keith and Alison are here from Kentucky.  Why someone leaves 71* and sunshine to come snowy Maine (and fall through the ice, but that’s another story) is easily explained.  We’re going to visit Eliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosch today.  Keith would like to start four season farming with vegetables on his farm, Black Bridge [...]

New Plans

I’m settling in to Steve’s pending unemployment. It hit me hard even though I knew it was likely to happen.  Rather than let it sink in and catch my breath I jumped into action.  Then I sat back and wondered what I’ve done and a whole list of “holy crap!” worries.  It’s ok now. [...]

In the Greenhouse

In one of the greenhouses today:
Tatsoi.  The seedling on the right had been nibbled on this morning.  When I went back in this afternoon to put the row cover back on the plant on the left had ben eaten and more of the other eaten.  I put traps out.  Meadow voles will go into [...]

I read that Jan’s ducks are laying.  Mine are not.  “Ok ladies, I know you’re not spring chickens…err…young ducks…but let’s go.  I’m feeding you.  You should be feeding me.” We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
I started seeds for sage, endive and lettuces today.  The tomatoes, sage and eggplant have been potted up into six packs.  They’ll [...]

Another Week

I love a fresh start.  This week is a bit busy but should off the farm be productive. The Downeast  Athletic Conference championship bball games for boys and girls are today.  Tomorrow and Wednesday have me out.  I think I’ll read a book I’m going to review Thursday during the bad weather and prune Friday.
I [...]

Fedco Order

There are approx. 20 vegetables ordered from Johnny’s that aren’t on this list.  If you see something “missing” it either came from Johnny’s, I already have it and maybe don’t grow that veggie.  Some of the greens will be seeded into the soil in a four season unheated greenhouse, others will be transplanted and the [...]

The Greenhouse and MNN

Wind damaged the greenhouse today.  When I opened the door the wind caught it, flung it back against the end wall and snapped the top of the frame off.  It hung by the polly and whipped back and forth in the wind.  The poly is stretched and torn.  I thought I had it firmly in [...]

April 2

I’m getting emails asking if I’m ok after yesterday’s bear episode.  Yes, I’m fine.  You might want to re-read what the bear said to me. =)
Today’s plan:  start chard and sage seeds indoors.  Transfer lettuce, tatsoi, endive, arugula, kale and pac choi to the greenhouse and get them planted.  Spread compost over 25′ of beet [...]