by milecreekfarm

Spring on the Farm

Spring comes every year at the same time but is still always such a surprise! The switch from our low key winter pace to the hustle of jam-packed days is swift but definitely welcome! We have been prepping beds for planting in the near term, including our onion, potato, and brassica (cabbage, kale, broccoli, etc) fields. We have been discing down fields that will planted a little later such as our sweet potato, tomato and sweet corn fields.

I harvested a handful of crops that overwintered for ourselves and the crew before the tractor disced them under. These winter survivors are never enough to harvest for profit but they are are a real treat for us!
These beds were pre-hilled in the fall so all we have to do in the spring is a shallow till and they are ready to plant.
Loading up the transplanter with flats of spinach
Red and Golden beets soaking up the sun

We have been treated with such a dry end of March and early April that we have done an entire wish list of field prep tractor work in addition to the bed prep. Ben took out the subsoiler one afternoon and ran it down particularly troublesome fields. This deep penetration of the soil helps to aerate the fields and is a great way to deal with our heavy soils.

Ben ran down this field with a subsoiler. It is currently in a cover crop of winter rye which will be disced under and reincorporated. If we all goes as planned a quick summer cover crop of buckwheat will hold the field over until late summer when we will plant it to fall brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc)

In addition to field work we have also been seeding in the greenhouse, potting up for our plant sale, and tending to our hoop house full of sugar snap peas. We hope that the second half of April brings as much success as the first half. From here on out we are wanting to plant at least once a week and continue to seed more and more! In addition to what’s been on our plate the last few weeks, we will now have more plants to keep weed free and watered (if the sky doesn’t do it for us). I will also start having to plan for the CSA in earnest getting everyones schedules set and mapping out our delivery routes. And finally we have a plant sale to get ready for!

Garlic after several weeding passes and a gentle rain shower
Half of these plants are now outside hardening off before planting later in the week
Sugar snap peas should be in the first couple CSA boxes

If you are wanting any organic garden starts this spring, keep Mother’s Day weekend open. We will have vegetables, flowers and herb plants available. I will post/send details about the sale later but the basics are that we will have the online store available again this year for preordering with pick up either at 2nd Street Market on Saturday or at the farm on Sunday. Additionally, day of sales will be possible at 2nd Street Market. The sale will run for 2 weekends this way starting May 8th.

Creeping Thyme for the plant sale

All in all, the farm is humming along and after a refreshing winter break we are ready to roll! Can’t wait to get food into your hands!

Hurray for spring!