Musings
Anything is possible with March weather. Since there’s much unpredictability with springtime, our growing philosophy is a mix of “pushing,” some early plantings in case the weather proves favorable, while reserving the majority of sowing until the soil wams a bit more. In a 7-day period we had 66 degrees, 2+ inches of rain and this recent snow.
The results just came back from a batch of soil samples we sent in for analysis. This included our established fields Dutchess and Front Range, as well as the new fields behind our house (Rambler and Far East). The good news is that the organic matter and nutrient levels were clearly higher in the beds that we have been cultivating for years, so we have in fact been improving them. The new fields will require some TLC: we’ll improve those soils with a multi-pronged approach including cover cropping, compost, seaweed-based fertilizer and mulching.
If you haven’t reserved your 2021 share yet, the sign-up form is here. To review share details, the write up is here. It’s going to be so exciting to see most of you starting next month! Also, as a note, once the shares actually begin in May, we will remove all the emails of folks that didn’t sign up this year.
Photo Essay of Farm Happenings
The other companion in the greenhouse, are our newly seeded flats. While many plants are wee right now, these little cells represent much future bounty!
Cover cropping. Bob is planting this field to oats and field peas. We will turn in that organic matter in a couple months and then transplant the tomatoes and other nightshades here. The green cover crop adds organic matter, nitrogen and other goodies back into soil. The goal is to build healthy soil that in turn supports vigorous natural plant growth (as opposed to the alternative of directly feeding the plants chemical fertilizers). Stay tuned to see swaths all over the farm transform into a blanket of green.
Around last Halloween, 7,000 garlic and a couple thousand shallots were planted (by many of you!). They are one of the first outdoor signs of life in the fields. It’s satisfying to see them emerge from the mulch in their orderly rows, reminding us the makings of good meals has already begun.
Last weekend we harvested! Parsnips that have overwintered convert starches to sugar which results in a sweet spring treat. We distributed the 75 pound harvest to the Homestead shares who have already signed up for 2021.
Storage varieties of onions last for months through the winter but eventually they begin to sprout from the center. All is not lost! Instead of throwing them in the compost, we slice them up, toss with oil, salt and pepper, and roast the whole batch. You can store them in the fridge, ready for any dish, or freeze meal size amounts to use for later meals. It’s a painless way to reduce waste and jump start several future meals
Spinach in Greenhouse
A gem of the springtime! Spinach is one of the hardiest annual crops. In our passively heated in-ground greenhouse, 
We sow spinach seeds in the fall. They germinate and survive, but don’t put on real growth until the lengthening days of late February or March. Now we have a spring treat! Last week, we emailed all shareholders who have signed up for a 2021 share with an invitation to harvest this short-lived specialty. See end of this note for another opportunity to harvest.
There’s still spinach available for a limited time in the greenhouse. Anyone who has signed up for a 2021 share is welcome to come harvest. The wash stand area is not yet set up, so it’s a spinach specific situation! Watch this a 1-minute video with sound to see the harvest process.
How to enjoy:
- Stop by one time any daylight hours.
- Park in driveway, at the edge, being sure not to block the inner circle so vehicles can pull through.
- Bring your own bowl/container.
- Wear a mask in the greenhouse.
- Harvest the largest leaves only by pinching by hand or cutting with scissors. Do not cut the full plants.
- You can harvest up to a gallon container or bag loosely packed per share.
This is a fun spring treat and we still don’t know how long it will last. We will send an email to entire group when it’s no longer available and then there will be a lull until the greens in May.