Another little new-farm-new-field memorable moment: the first direct seeded crops, Sugar Ann snap (edible pod) peas are poking up. They were seeded just over a week ago, I’ve been watching them germinate, and today I first noticed them actually pushing … Read the rest
Direct seeding is going ahead at a careful pace. There’s a fair amount of broken up sod in the mix, and it would be nice for it to have more time to settle in and decompose, also for any bits … Read the rest
Seed potatoes arrived today, all the way from tiny PEI (Canada’s potato province!). It’s still difficult to find certified organic potato stock, especially in more-than-home-garden-less-than-big-farm quantities, so it’s back to Veseys for another 300 super-expensive pounds, from 1,000 miles (1,600 … Read the rest
Besides the older seedlings, clamoring to get out, we’ve been starting new guys as well, for later planting. Here, a few days after emerging, a baby Cairo (hybrid) red cabbage, for crowded growing (12″ spacing), to produce “baby,” “gourmet” cabbages—basically, … Read the rest
Tomatoes that appeared in their 200-cell trays only a couple of weeks ago are already competing hard (using the old let-my-leaves-overlap-yours tactic) with their neighbors, fighting for a place under the fluorescent sun. A month ago, every seedling looked like … Read the rest
The first direct-seeded crop went in today: Sugar Ann snap peas. As usual, the peas were inoculated with Rhizobium bacteria: dampen the seed with a little water, sprinkle with inoculant powder, and shake.
Rhizobium bacteria enter legume roots and form … Read the rest
Seedlings seem to expand in spurts, like these Vittoria eggplant, growing quietly for two weeks or so since they first appeared, then suddenly reaching out to touch their neighbors practically overnight. Even the tomatoes, a week old in 200-cell trays, … Read the rest