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Birds are singing, buttercups are blooming, baby animals are being born; spring has officially arrived! For us farmers, the turning of the calendar from February to March signifies a change of pace. We go from relatively quiet workdays, to fast pace, never stopping, sunup to sundown workdays! We don't mind though, because along with the change of pace comes the thrill of laying the groundwork (literally) for the success of the year.
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One of the first spring tasks is to get the greenhouse up and running. In the winter we spent time planning and ordering the varieties and quantities of the seeds we will need for the coming season. Last week our market manager, Elyse, planted the pepper seeds into trays of soil in the greenhouse. They need to stay in a moist, warm, well-lit environment to germinate. Once they have sprouted, they will be carefully transplanted into individual plugs so that they can establish a good root system.
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Lance is spreading manure on the fields,
adding nutrients to the soil - a natural fertilizer!
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As soon as there is no more chance of frost, the vegetables will be transplanted into the fields where they will hopefully flourish and produce a plentiful crop. Most of our field crops, including peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, onions, and eggplant are planted this way. Crops like corn, peas, beans and pumpkins are grown by sowing the seed directly into the fields outside.
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The planting of fruit trees is another large job that takes place in the spring. Each fall, some old trees are removed to make room for new orchard. Because it takes up to four years to harvest the first crop, this takes foresight and careful planning. Trees are best planted in April, when they are still dormant but the ground is warm and damp. This spring we have around 11,000 trees to plant. Producing food for a living is no small task; there is always more than enough work to be done, and for that we are thankful. After all, work makes life sweet!
Rachel,
For the Davison Family
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Enjoy fresh scones at home with our new Farmhouse Scone Mix!
Join Megan as she shares how to bake them in our latest recipe video!
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