Carrying On

On the farm, Kamal and I had designated tasks.  He liked concrete, fix-it-kind-of-things such as putting up and powering the electric fence, setting-up and testing the irrigation and any type of repair or working with machines. Weeding or planting and some times harvesting, he did not enjoy so much as they were more vague - especially if the directions came from me.

I guess that I learned some things from Kamal inadvertently - as I certainly did not try because I had no interest in those tasks.

My mother would be laughing now as I hated the infrequent times that I helped her with mowing her lawn.

Most of the big plantings have been done with grateful help from friends, family and the Brooks' community.  Getting the farm ready for planting takes a good deal of time, this task was eased by the tremendous help of 25 seniors for four hours!  With that they gave me a 100 hours that I did not have.

Here are some photos of what the farm looks like at the beginning of June 2015.

Getting the summer squash, melons, cucumbers and winter squash planted and later tacking down that landscape fabric to weed less.

In the background, all the heat-loving summer crops are planted such as peppers, tomatoes, tomatillos and eggplant.  While in the foreground, the kale, broccoli, collards are protected from the cabbage moth and the chard and beets are just transplanted.

New Beginnings

Thanks to the students at Brooks School, I did not lose all my hard work whilst I was grieving.  They and kind staff watered and tended to my starts.  Things look healthy and ready to plant.

Ready to go into the field

Also, today, I faced two of my fears and two tasks that I was hoping to leave for Kamal to do.  He was going to take care of the bees.  Well, with help from the Merrimac Valley Beekeepers and my brother-in-law, I installed a package of bees.

Here are my two hives.

Secondly, Kamal was going to drive the tractor and teach me along the way.  Now, it is full-on immersion with the tractor and implements finally arriving.  The cover crop was so tall that mowing was the first thing to do.  Later, the rye and vetch would be harrowed in.

This is me on the tractor mowing.

Because of the help of great teachers, I feel pretty comfortable on this tractor and look forward to doing more work tomorrow.

Working Hard to Get Your Veggies

Should have worn my snowshoes to get there. 

Part of farming and, in my case, growing vegetables is to maintain my infrastructure. Snow on the sides of the high tunnel can cause a collapse.  Lucky for me, I am farming at the Brooks School; wherein, I have some much-appreciated support.  Many thanks to Bill.

Here's what I had ahead of me until I was rescued!

Some gardeners call snow - nature's fertilizer.  As I was shoveling, I thought this might be enough for season.

The snow slid off the roof and down this south side.

Here's another action shot.

Putting the Farm to Bed 2014

We got some welcome rain today.  That will help my rye and vetch cover crop get established before the winter.  Next year, this mixture will suppress weeds and bring some nutrients and organic matter to the soil.

Looking south, clover aisles bisect the field with blocks of germinating winter rye and hairy vetch.

This time of year, it is a race to pull up the crops and sow the rye.

Kamal tilling where the sweet potatoes were.

Earlier in the week, I thought to try to sow into the spaces of the growing fall crops.  As I harvest the crops, I will leave the rye.  We'll see how it turns out. 

I spread the winter rye and cultivated it in between the lettuce.

We pulled out the stakes so there's less architectural dimensions in the field.

Looking over the former potato field with the only height of fading flowers giving some food for the birds and bees.

Still there are some bright surprises to be found.

A beet harvest... I was stunned to find these as they have been struggling and in the ground since May.

Giant Amaranth or Love Lies Bleeding

August 2014 Farm Update

Well, it should be abundant August on the farm.  Alas, not so much: it has been both disappointing and delightful.

For the disappointing, last Friday, I noticed what appears to be Late Blight on my cherry tomato plants and yesterday noticed it on the heirloom tomato plants.  I am awaiting confirmation from the lab; however, to prevent the spread of disease, I have pulled up the affected plants.  The following pictures document this.

Space where the plants were.

Then, there were just too many plants to bag.

Plants tightly enveloped in a tarp in the field.

Yesterday, instead of harvesting, I bagged up 40 heirloom tomato plants. Here's what they looked like with the disease.

Notice the brown leaves that within days spreads to the stem, fruit and eventually kills the plant. 

 

 

 

 

And, here's my van.

Bagged diseased plants going to the trash away from the farm.

Now for the delightful, I have sold some of my extra produce to the community at the school.  Here's what the farm stand looks like.

Last week, husk cherries, cherry tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, kale, eggplant, summer squash, cucumbers and flowers were on offer.

 Meanwhile, I am planning for the fall and for February 2015.

Fall vegetable starts for the CSA.

In February, I can start planting greens by peeling back the weed block fabric and tilling. Until then, I can reuse the space to cure or to store vegetables.

Curing shallots and acorn squash and storing Delicata squash for when folks are ready to eat winter squash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trying to Protect the First CSA Harvest of the Season

On Saturday, the woodchuck discovered the high tunnel.  Kamal put together the electric fence: the lowest wire for the woodchuck and the other two wires to deter the deer.   I knew the woodchuck would want to enter the field, but never thought it would enter by the front door into the high tunnel. 

Kamal pointing to the paw prints in the fresh compost.

Alas, it's humbling.  Notice the defoliated bean plant in the foreground?  Of course, I planted beans in the tunnel because everyone at the school warned me.  Another close-up below.

A better view of paw prints

I read somewhere that woodchucks monitor folks habits. This woodchuck comes out in the afternoon.  Anyhow, I spooked it when I went to turn off the water near its burrow.  It ran to hide in the closest place possible - my high tunnel.

Yesterday, when delivering woodchips with a bucket loader, my colleague saw the woodchuck jump over the side and into the high tunnel.  He cornered it (not before it sampled lettuce, radishes and more beans) and it ran out.  My colleague suggested chicken wire.

Before I could buy chicken wire, for the night I draped in row cover what was most tempting to the woodchuck.

Out in the field, most of the row cover is off, because it is too hot.  I can only use it at night.  Plus, the row cover blocks the plants access to pollinators. 

This evening's photo with chicken wire along the baseboard.

Hoping that all this (plus a cinder block and deflated volleyball at the door), keep the woodchuck away and our first harvest of 2014 safe.

Scenes from the farm this May 2014

As it is rainy and cool this morning, I have time to do this post.  Here are some scenes from the farm. 

Beds made by Kamal after the field had been tilled.

Now, I can start planting.

Getting the bed ready for planting broccoli with the high tunnel in the background.

Shade cloth on the high tunnel has protected (as in kept cooler) the peas and lettuce.

Broccoli is under cover and preparing the next bed for kale and collards.

As I take this picture, behind me are 11 beds of double rows of fingerling potatoes.  Two beds of biodegradable "plastic" hold the shallots, onions and leeks.  All this planting can take place because the electric deer/woodchuck fence is up. (Many thanks to Kamal.  Without his ingenuity, I would not have a fence nor would it be solar powered.)

Planted another 110 foot bed with cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

  The first potatoes planted have begun to sprout.

Both peas have begun to flower.  Thankfully, right on schedule.  Unfortunately, the spinach has flowered too - as that means it is done. Other crops growing in the high tunnel are the following: beans, carrots, scallions, onions, arugula, radish and lettuce.  Plus, all sorts of summer crops in trays awaiting planting.