MArch 30th market, Ruth enjoying big girl chair

Tater sprouts

 A little late gettting these babies in the ground, but so it goes with most everything this season.  We're trying to greensprout them for a few days, cold and under lights, then we'll chop them up and plant.  Let's hope the onion maggot isn't waiting for them!  

March 23rd market, post market

We had a great market yesterday.  We were out of everything by 11:20!  I did it by myself and it was a little bit crazy, but the amount of stuff we had didn't warrant another helper, so customers had to wait a little.  Oh the ebb and flow of winter market.  Once our hoophouse produce ends, there is going to be a nasty produceless gap for us; it'll be a little like going to market naked, like the moment of first sin....we'll feel judged, people might even want to cast stones at us.  We understand.  We all have expectations, needs to be met.  

We are experiencing a bit of a flower lull right now, particularly in the tulip department.  Our 3,000 yet to bloom are holding tight.  Easter weekend is next weekend and everyday I go check on them and I think they actually laugh at me when I get up close, all up in their foliage, checking to see where the hell the bud is.  Oh, there it is.  Way down at the bottom.  So our luck goes this year.

I had to rush back from market yesterday so we could get some much needed tractor work done.  A very small window for us to get into the soil as it is going to rain all day today.  Stuart was on the tractor til 7pm, trying desperately to get some beds ready for us to plant.  So far this year, every bed we have planted in has been too weedy for my taste, a little too much chickweed still lingering; it's like carelessly, recklessly, hastily washing a bacteria-ridden vase or bucket meant for flowers without using a disinfectant.  There will be consequences and it won't be pretty.

And be sure to check out our beautiful field of lavender below!  Who know we could grow such beautiful purple flowers!  No more overwintering direct seeded crops.  Just say no to hours and hours of weeding henbit and thinning.  Just say no.

Of late

 I found a dead owl on the side of the road this past Wednesday.  I drove by it on the way to town and and it was still there on the way back, its feathers fluttering with each passing breeze.  I drove by it once more and for about three more miles deliberated whether or not to turn around and pick it up.  I kept thinking about Ruth and how much she loves owls (they are a topic of discussion every day), so I decided what the hell and pulled a u-turn.  The body was surprisingly soft and supple and slipped right into one of our flower buckets.  We now have the wings to honor owl, and we buried the rest of the body under a redbud we've been meaning to plant.  To be honest I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with the wings at this point, but I think something beautiful will come out of it!

 We are several weeks behind normal here at the farm.  It has been so wet and cold there haven't been enough chances to get the tractor in the soil to get our beds ready.  Lucky for us we have the greenhouse and hoophouses to harvest from, but there will be a gap coming up soon!  I tried some hyacinth this year after a couple years break.  I'm glad I did, I think they are a great crop, despite having to fillet the bulbs and spend way too much time cleaning off all the dirt from their foliage.  The scent is so lovely.  A customer brought us a handful of Daphne stems last week and I am smitten with that one as well.  Wow, the fragrance on that one is just intoxicating in a divine way.  The ranunculus are finally coming on, anemones are blooming a little more heavily with some slightly warmer night temps, and the hoophouse and field tulips are starting to bud up.  Our 7 week flower share is 4 weeks in; I hope they are all satisfied!

 We've had a gorgeous round of veggies from our big hoophouse.  Broccoli raab headed up perfectly, lettuce heads so big we were able to charge 3.50/head, radishes and turnips so sweet, and the beets and radicchio are just about ready to harvest.  I've been wanting to cook so much lately despite not really having the time to do it.  It was Stuart's 35th birthday Thursday, so I made my first carrot cake---a definite success.  I also experimented with a first batch of granola that made the cut as well.  So easy and so good!

for Kate and Laura

Love of the week

Been waiting on these beauties for several months.  Well worth the wait.  Hyacinth, four shades of tulips, icelandic poppies, and anemones this weekend!  Finally, some flowers for the masses.  (Not to mention the most beautiful green butterhead we have ever grown.)  The ranunculus have decided to hold tight for a bit, but with a 71F day in the forecast, not sure they will hold on too much longer. 

 I've gotten hold of some amazing catalogs of late.  I can go the direction of design and variety, or keep plugging away at what will make market best for us.  Kind of a tough crossroad with some tough decisions to face.  Feels like I've hit a permanent state of limbo and some clarity would be nice.  If anyone wants to send some my way I will graciously welcome it.