Farmers' Market Opens Tomorrow

It was the first warm March Sunday when we ventured into the high tunnel to plant a few crops for the opening weeks of the Farmers' Market. I remember that we trudged through snow to get out to the high tunnel and were greeted with welcomed warmth inside those plastic-covered hoops.
On that day we sowed an assortment of potatoes, three varieties of carrots, three varieties of beets, Swiss chard, leaf lettuce and radishes.
In the greenhouse, I had started seedings of leafy head lettuce, spinach, parsley, cilantro and two kinds of basil. Those went into the high tunnel beginning in mid April.
We've been tending these plantings – covering and uncovering, opening and closing the high tunnel, watering, weeding, thinning and picking off bugs.
Tomorrow we'll be among the vendors at the opening day of the Potter County Farmers' Market.
Stop by in downtown Coudersport from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. to pick up some lettuce, beet greens, Swiss chard, parsley, sage, cilantro and rhubarb.
Coming very soon ... carrots, beets, basil, radishes and new baby potatoes. Coming later ... peas, peppers (hot and sweet), lots of varieties of heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, beans, squash, eggplant... the list goes on and on.

Parsley • Sage • Cilantro

Leafy head lettuce – green and red varieties

Potatoes growing in the high tunnel - already blossoming!

I've had little time to blog recently but things are progressing here on the farm as we continue in high gear to get plants and seeds in the ground.
Here are a few photos of things to come ....

Peas planted and trellised by Joe and Jen

Bird Egg Beans soaked overnight and ready to go in the ground. We save seed from year to year.

Rouge De Grenoblouse

This is Rouge  De Grenoblouse. From my years of high school French (thanks to Randall Halter), I know rouge is red but Grenoblouse? Perhaps it's a location?

I planted a half flat of this beautiful lettuce in early March in the greenhouse and then transplanted it into the high tunnel in early April in anticipation of having it ready for the opening of the Farmers' Market in late May. Well, it's ready – and delicious – now!

From the Seeds Of Change catalog: This full-flavored heirloom lettuce has beautiful, thick, puckered green leaves with purplish-red edges that make sweet and succulent salads. Tolerant to both summer heat and heavy fall frosts, it is an outstanding variety for the home garden from spring to fall.

If you're interested in buying some now, call or send me a comment, and I'll pick some for you. We also have a green leafy head lettuce that's ready but it's not quite as photogenic as this beauty.

Morning Has Broken

The morning chores take a lot longer these days. The plant starts in the greenhouse (350+ tomatoes and peppers as yet uncounted along with assorted other vegetables and a lone apple tree) need to be watered, moved from light source to light source and looked after. The high tunnel needs attention too -- should we unzip the ends or raise them? How cold did it get in there last night? Should we uncover the raised beds? The chickens need to be watered and let out.
But there's something about working through the morning chores that pleases me. It's a combination of the glorious light, the rejuvenation of my body from a night's sleep, the smell of the damp earth, the coolness of the air (too cold, sometimes!) and the thought that the whole day is spread out before me.

Sometimes you just need to sing "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning" with Grandpa! (May 2012)

Growing Season

Growing season is well underway on Crandall Hill. In the high tunnel, heads of lettuce, rows of spinach and radishes are growing in preparation for the opening of the Farmers' Market on Friday, May 24. I'm also hoping to have some Swiss chard too.

Swiss Chard overwintered in the high tunnel

Lettuce planted in preparation for May 24 Farmers' Market opening

The rhubarb patch is looking promising too but the roller-coaster weather makes it difficult! The carrots, beets and potatoes planted in late March in the high tunnel are starting to take off though I don't think they'll be ready until mid-June.
In the heated greenhouse space, I have completed the re-potting of the tomatoes and some of the peppers. We have selected a number of new varieties of heirloom tomatoes for the market this summer. Of course, we won't see ripe tomatoes until mid-summer!

Tomatoes in greenhouse on April 11

Tomatoes in greenhouse one week later – April 18

I also have started a beautiful crop of basil, parsley and cilantro. There are eggplants, cabbages and broccoli starts coming along too.
It's a busy time on the farm but the Potter County Farmers' Market growers are taking time out to work together for enhancements to our local market. We're meeting again Sunday. We all appreciate your support as we work to provide wholesome, nutritious, high quality local produce.

More Light For The Greenhouse

Last year's plant starts were terrific but became quite "leggy" as we simply cannot depend on enough natural sunlight – even in the greenhouse. We have had a few "official" grow lights and moved the plants in and out of that artificial light but it still wasn't enough.
I did some research on artificial light and came up with a plan to add light to our growing carts with less expense than an investment in "official" grow lights and stands.

Arthur attaching the lights to the plant carts

We used 48" shop lights with T8 or T12 fluorescent tubes and selected (after much deliberating) natural sunlight tubes. The lights are on chains so they can be easily moved up and down to accommodate the growing plants.

Seedlings waiting to get under the new lights

These carts have been extremely helpful for the greenhouse. They were created from a couple of old broken library carts that had been put in the dumpster at the school where Arthur taught. He modified them to accommodate cell flats and plant trays. We've even used the carts to display potatoes in baskets at the Potter County Farmers' Market!

Grow Lights on Greenhouse Carts

The plants you see in the window behind the cart are headed to the high tunnel this afternoon. It's the first planting of lettuce and spinach.
Speaking of the high tunnel, here's a photo of the carrot/beet/potato planting with its extra layer of protection. I hope to see some of those little seedlings peeking up through the earth before the end of the weekend! The seed-grown shallots deemed too small to harvest last fall are also pictured here. It will be interesting to see what happens with them this spring.
At the other end of the high tunnel, the wintered-over Swiss chard and lettuce have awakened from  winter dormancy and are growing again along with some radishes recently planted.

And lest all this conversation about green things leads you to believe it's really spring here in northcentral Pennsylvania, I leave you with this photo to show that as we make out way back and forth to the greenhouse and high tunnel, we do so in barn boots, crunching along in the snow pack!

This post linked to the Farm Girl Friday Blog Fest:

http://theadventurebite.com/farm-girl-blog-fest-26/

Monsanto Protection Act?

It looks like Monsanto has scored another victory in the U.S. Congress as a last-minute addition to the Agricultural Appropriations Bill for 2013 includes a provision protecting genetically modified seeds from litigation in the face of health risks.
Opposing the inclusion of the rider was Sen. John Tester (D-Mont.), who is quoted as saying the deal worked out with Monsanto was simply bad policy. “These provisions are giveaways, pure and simple, and will be a boon worth millions of dollars to a handful of the biggest corporations in this country."
Read more about it here:

http://rt.com/usa/monsanto-congress-silently-slips-830/

Here's a place to find more information about GMO.

http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/gmo-myths-and-truths/

Spring In The Greenhouse

Two Kinds Of Basil

Lettuce Destined For Farmers' Market

Spinach For Farmers' Market

Yesterday as I watched the ever-present snow flurries and observed the thermometer at 21 degrees, a bit of discouragement crept in. Instead of focusing on the pepper seeds languishing in their cells, or the seeds planted in the high tunnel waiting for light and warmth to germinate, I turned my attention to the green-ness in the greenhouse.
What do you think? Some of these plantings I had hoped to replant in the high tunnel this week. Unfortunately, they'll have to wait until I can be confident that temperatures will be a bit warmer than forecast for the next 10 days.
We have lots of other seeds in their cells in the greenhouse – tomatoes, peppers, more lettuce, herbs – all at various stages of development. When I step inside the greenhouse with its own earthy smell, I can almost believe it's spring – if I don't look outside at the snow drifts.

Linked to: Farm Girl Friday Blog Fest; The Home Acre Hop