Two Feet in the Dirt

It’s definitely feeling like fall today, with a cool, drizzly day outside. Lots of things on the farm are pointing towards the latter part of the season. I seeded the first rye/vetch cover crop yesterday, which will cover many of the beds for the entire winter, helping to reduce compaction, loosen the soil, and add nutrients when incorporated into the soil in the spring. This morning, I seeded the second-to-last round of transplants for the entire season! I start seeding transplants in mid-January each year. These baby plants are started in trays and then planted out into the field after 4-8 weeks. From mixing the media in which they are grown, to putting the seeds in each tray by hand, to daily watering and monitoring, these little guys require lots of care in their early stage. The benefits of transplanting vs. seeding directly into the soil are countless. Putting the plants out into the field when they are bigger gives them an edge on pest and weed pressure and helps us get plants more quickly to a harvestable size. Plants like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, which take a long time to grow before producing and which cannot be planted out before temperatures warm, would never make it to a truly productive state if they were planted in the field by seed rather than being started in trays.

Every year, bok choi is the last transplant and I always feel a bit of a sense of relief after eight months of planting and tending seedlings! We’re also continuing our move towards more and more fall crops. This week, we’re hoping to get the first harvest of fall lettuce and beets. Scallions, radishes, and turnips shouldn’t be far behind! See below for our full harvest list. The online store will be open Thursday from noon until midnight.

Farmers Katie & Mike

• Harvest List:

• Lettuce salad mix
• Arugula
• Kale
• Collard greens
• Onions
• Rainbow Chard
• Carrots
• Beets
• Zucchini/Summer squash
• Basil
• Garlic
• Potatoes
• Eggplant
• Okra
• Tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Peppers
• Lettuce