The REAL beginning of Spring

Spring for us isn't necessarily the Equinox. We can wait around for weeks after the 'official' start of Spring just to get the tractors into the field. This last week was the true beginning of the season for us.



Mike and Patrick have been mowing, plowing, discing, and seeding all this week. Our bounty of transplants will go into the field next.

Helping hands from Local Schools

Kathy Jacobson brought another group of students out recently to cover bare roots, replant, and plant additional trees here at the farm. We were lucky to have a decent day, an excited and motivated group of students, and a healthy volume of apple cider. After carting wheelbarrow loads of soil down to the trees, and shoveling dirt around bare roots, everyone retired to the warm greenhouse to wash off the mud and eat some snacks.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to the farm!

Snow for April!

It's snowing. and not just the tiny rain/snow sprinkles that look sort of slushy. these big white flakes really mean it. they're already creating a dusting of white on the fields. the picture hardly does it justice.

Our hoops are temporarily coming down, to keep the high winds from destroying the plastic. Our fingers are crossed that the hoops themselves stay in place, and we'll be able to pull the plastic back over with little fanfare.

Daffodils...in February!

The warm Spring-like weather of the past week has hastened the growth of everything, including the daffodils.

Our daffodils were planted with the March CSA delivery in mind, but alas, weather is weather, and you never know what will happen next. it's one of the joys of working with Mother Nature--you are always reminded of how powerless you are in the face of the greater forces of the universe...










Natalina has loved cutting flowers with me this week, and insisted on carrying the bucket...until she found a giant mud puddle in the field. Then it was up to me to do all the heavy lifting.

Update on Beet Street Gardens

From Katie at Beet Street:

Do you remember your first garden? Beet Street is going to bring first gardens to four organizations working with marginalized communities--a shelter for homeless teen mothers, a domestic violence shelter, a harm reduction organization working with sex workers, and (if funding allows) a shelter working to end homelessness for people living with psychiatric disabilities. We are raising funds on Kickstarter and have raised our minimum goal of $5,500. Yay!! This goal was set when we were planning three gardens. Additional funding will help us bring a garden to this fourth organization and help to increase the capacity of all our gardens. Also, the more funding we receive, the more we will be able to pursue entrepreneurial activities to move people and the future of the organization toward self-sustainability!!

making food happen, all over the country

I know that there are great urban gardening projects all over Seattle and the Northwest(look at the success of the P-Patches!). I recently talked to my long-time friend Katie, who grew up with me in the Southwest and transplanted herself in the Other Washington: DC, that is. She's starting an urban garden project and is looking for pledges of support to help her receive additional funding.

Katie has devoted her life to amazing work. She is a harm reductionist, and has worked with various groups in DC for the last 6 years. She now turns her sights an urban garden project. She hopes to create a safe outdoor space for people to enjoy their community and grow real food.

Her goal is to raise $5,500 by March 5th, so that she can continue her urban garden project. More information is here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/365526305/beet-street-gardens-good-food-and-safe-space-d?ref=email

Even a $1 donation will help her site to be more visible.

the first of the Summer Vegetables, 2010

Don't get too excited...yet. But we started seeding this week. All our onions, shallots, and leeks, along with early greens and celery, are now snuggled up against the heated table top in our greenhouse.

Here's a glimpse of the foggy interior

It's a balmy 75 degrees inside the greenhouse when the sun shines on it. The seeds will be up in a matter of days. Just makes me want to do a little dance.