We often get asked what we do in the winter and the answer is quite a lot actually! Last season our tractor was giving us some problems and Ben was able to do weekly fixes to get us through. But by late fall we new the tractor was going to have to be overhauled. So this winter Ben has taken apart the tractor’s engine, with the help of a friend and fellow grower. Each part gets cleaned and looked over for any damages. Some of the parts go to a maintenance shop, but for the most part Ben is doing this on his own. Once our kids go to bed his idea of relaxing is watching youtube videos of tractor engines being rebuilt. Did I mention he has no background in mechanics prior to starting this farm? Thank goodness for the Internet! Ben is currently rewiring the factor while we wait for parts from the machine shop to come back. We have high hopes that our tractor will be good as new by the end of tis project! At least one thing is certain– Ben knows this machine inside and out!

While I wish I could say otherwise, I am of no use to this project and pretty much stay away from the farm machinery. So I have been busy making potting mix. Since we are certified organic we can’t use any old growing mix. It has to be OMRI listed, or approved for organic production. We have tried purchased mixes while trialing our own mixes. Last year we finally settled on a mix recipe that we are really happy with. We go through thousands of pounds of potting mix, so the more we can make in the slower winter months the better off we are during the busy months. We have been seeding in the greenhouse for almost a month and have already gone through 15 bags so it is time to replenish the supply. Good thing we got this load of compost delivered from Fresh Aire Farm last week! This compost is of amazing quality and is a key ingredient to our growing mix.