Spring peepers are peeping, buds are swelling on the trees, and new growth is starting to appear on perennials growing outside. Thanks to the regular rain that we’ve had this spring, most of our fields are still too wet to plow, but we’ve been able to start planting outside anyway as a result of beginning to transition towards no-till growing. In the short time that we’ve been farming this land in Wilbraham (this is year 8!), we’ve seen both extreme drought and record-setting rainfalls, both of which were devastating to many of our crops. No-till farming practices can help to build a more resilient soil structure that absorbs water during rainstorms, is more resistant to erosion, and retains more water during dry periods. Instead of plowing each field at the beginning of the season, we are establishing permanent beds that are heavily amended with compost. Whatever weather 2022 throws at us, we are hopeful that the changes we are making will help!
This week we’ve planted spinach, sugar snap peas, carrots, salad turnips, and radishes outside, and other spring crops are progressing nicely inside the high tunnels. The ranunculus are juuuust starting to bloom (not enough to make a bouquet yet, but they sure are beautiful!), and we’re even seeing a few buds on the tulips, so spring flowers are not far off. Our propagation greenhouse is getting into full swing, filling up with seedlings for our fields and for our plant sale, which will start at the end of the month.
This week at the farm stand we’ll have: spinach, curly kale (small leaves, but mature kale texture), Swiss chard, baby bok choy, cilantro & flat-leaf parsley, purple & green daikon radishes