Here is hoping you are all having a good start of 2023! Here at Shilofarm the nice false Spring is a great relief, so thus far 2023 is awesome. Well, it is in regards to trying to grow things and work on preparations for the season.
Preparation has three big tasks – getting seed stock, Setting up the rotation of plant/set out/harvest, and soil preparation. Seed stock has a couple of critical times – first is to ensure that the really slow plant seeds get started. One of the new herbs, for example, is a slow developer and needs to be started here in January. On the other hand, summer planted Fall crops – well, obviously can wait.
At this point in time there are also carry-over plants some of which will be put out for the Winter season members – root crops are great until they start to regrow. There are plenty of carrots and parsnips snuggled down and ready, and oddly enough Celery has a nice root ball and the Celery in the greenhouse is ‘good to go.’
The very earliest seed starts are almost all going into the beds in the greenhouse. The picture above is of Winter Density, one of three lettuce varieties that are started. There are also new starts of Cabbage, Bok Choi, and Spinach. Planted directly into the heated and lit beds are radishes (three types), a Japanese salad turnip, and two types of beets. Everything there is from the first round of seed starts in December.
The second round of seed starts include a curly mustard, chard, broccoli, cauliflower, Kale and snap peas. The only challenge thus far as been the mice have gone after the snap peas. That is just part of gardening. Mice, Voles, various insects, rabbits, and birds – they all want some of what is growing.
Meanwhile flower farmer has a rather large number of Geraniums growing in the house propagation shelves – they look great.
She (flower farmer) is also filling an order for a full year of tea towels, twelve months and four seasonal, all embroidery that is very attractive.
Time schedule for the CSA and costs are all worked out now. Winter Season starts soon, please (if you haven’t already) drop a note (reply to this email, face book message, phone call, messenger pigeon) if you want to be in – it is farm call only, Saturdays. It looks like this:
You can find out more about joining at https://www.shilofarm.com/joining-and-other-faqs/
Here are the dates for the seasons this year (Farm Monday is a Wednesday…)
If you have any questions that aren’t answered – reply. There will be a ‘welcome to the season’ email that contains a poll of your likes and dislikes that helps with planning.
