Winter Farm Update

Winter Farm Update

2023 CSA open for new and returning members

Registration is now open for our 2023 CSA share!  Members receive a weekly box of fresh, seasonal, Certified Naturally Grown produce from our farm in Ashland, MS.  Home delivery and pick-up locations are available, including two new pick up locations..  You can sign up for the full 29 week season from mid-April to mid-November, or individually purchase memberships for Spring, Summer and/or Fall seasons.

Here is all the info on our 2023 CSA.

Fixing, building, planning and resting

Mastermind in New Orleans
Mastermind in New Orleans

Mid Winter is time for fixing, building, planning, and resting. As for fixing, a new pump was just installed in the farm well yesterday.  It was damaged in the cold snap the week of Christmas.  We got down to around -2 degrees.  We learned some things about how our crops handled the weather.   So I made sure to take good notes.  Now we will be better prepared for cold weather in the future.  With water flowing again, I’ve started a variety of greens and roots in the high tunnel.  I will start greenhouse seeding next week!

I like to do as much of the year’s thinking as I can in January.  That means having every single planting written down: when to plant, how much, and what varieties.  We have nearly 40 different fruit and vegetable crops and 100 different varieties.  I definitely need to have a detailed plan in hand!  This way I will have few planting decisions to make on the fly.   And I’ll have more brain space for all the other decisions that I can’t anticipate.

I just got back from a three day trip to New Orleans.  I met with a group of farmers that have been in touch virtually for the past two years, facilitated by farm consultant Ellen Polishuk.  Even more important that getting lots of new ideas, events like this always leave me more excited for the coming year.  And it was just plain fun, too.