Farming Never Leaves One Bored

Randy and I don’t have to worry about getting bored because there are always new challenges in farming and raising a three year old.  And new ways to learn and grow as a farmer.  Each year gives us the opportunity to adapt and change and be better.  But the wet weather this spring has me stumped.

Every spring for the past three years has been wetter than the last.  We have met this challenge by shaping all of our spring beds in the fall, since we know we wont be able to get the tractor in the field in early spring.  But now, this year, we haven’t been able to prepare our summer beds either.  We are now two weeks behind getting our first succession of tomatoes in the ground, and a week behind when the first squash, zucchini and cucumbers are planted.  And there is still no planting date in sight.  More rain tonight means putting off tractor work again.

Ten days ago we decided everything in the greenhouse needed to be put into larger pots so that it can keep growing while it waits in the greenhouse.  We don’t want the hundred and hundreds of plants in the greenhouse to get stunted and root bound.  So we ordered more soil mix and larger pots.  But the order still hasn’t shipped.  So our poor plants are still waiting.

There is nothing we can do now to make the field dry out any faster.  We just have to wait.  But what is really getting me is that I’m not sure what to do differently next year so that we don’t find ourselves in this situation again.  Grow more under plastic in high tunnels?  That is certainly the trend with small farms and market gardens these days.  Protected culture has many benefits, of which controlling soil moisture is just one.  But it is expensive and labor to install, not to mention our love/hate relationship with agricultural plastic.

The good news is that we have several months to meditate on this problem before we need to take action for next year.  As I said, there is really nothing we can do now except be ready to work our rears off when we do get enough of a dry spell to actually make beds.

Small Shares

• Cabbage (Wednesday)
• Napa Cabbage (Saturday)
• Hakurei Turnips
• Salanova Lettuce Mix
• Red Russian Kale
• Mustard Greens

Full Shares

• Bok Choy
• Radishes
• Hakurei Turnips
• Muir Lettuce
• Salanova Lettuce Mix
• Saute Mix Bunch
• Red Russian Kale
• Mustard Greens