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

The Eating O' The Green

We have been growing soybeans in our gardens for several years and saving seed to plant for the next year's crop. We sowed the seeds in late May, watching as they flowered and grew pods - and striving to keep the hungry deer away! When the pods were turning yellow, beginning to dry and the beans inside were plump, we picked and shelled them and allowed the beans to dry with the intention of using them as a protein source (dried beans).
Somewhere along the line we learned of edamame. Edamame are green soybeans, harvested just as the pods begin to fill. There are many ways to serve them (some of which I've written about before) and they can be shelled, blanched and frozen for later use.
Some of those frozen shelled edamame from the summer of 2012 have made their way into this delicious concoction. Isn't it a pretty green for St. Patrick's Day?

It's on its way to tonight's meeting of the Potter County Farmers' Market growers/producers.
Though I've published a similar recipe before, here it is in the latest version. (If you didn't preserve edamame, you can purchase them in the freezer section at Genesee Natural Foods or in larger grocery stores – I haven't seen them in the Coudersport grocery stores.)
Edamame Hummus
2 cups frozen shelled edamame (thawed and lightly steamed, then cooled to room temperature)
1/4 cup sesame paste (tahini)
Juice of one large lemon
3 cloves of garlic
Put these ingredients in a food processor, pulse a couple of times to lightly blend and then add a stream of olive oil while processing to desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste. Some may enjoy the kick of adding a little cayenne pepper or hot sauce. Serve with pita bread, pita crisps, whole grain tortilla chips or crackers.
We'll be growing soybeans (edamame) again this year from our own saved seed so look for them at the Potter County Farmers' Market probably in August.

This post linked to FarmGirl Friday Blog Fest: http://www.thismindbeinyou.com/2013/03/farm-girl-blog-fest-24.html

New Home For Chickens

The "new chickens" (not to be confused with the old lady hens and the teenage hens) have moved from their corner of the old chicken coop into this new coop, lovingly constructed by Arthur from "found materials." I remember when those brown doors that provide access to the nesting boxes (and the cute little eggs) were closet doors in the old downstairs bedroom in our house. The siding came from a garage that stood next to my parents' home. Roofing shingles were left over from our house project and the windows were samples that were scavenged from a building supply store.

Much of the snow has melted since these pictures were taken last week. I love hearing the chickens clucking back and forth and the rooster's proud crowing as I make my way down to tend the greenhouse plants.