SPRING THOUGHTS

Spring has sprung. The cold weather is mostly behind us, although we have cold mornings frequently. The frost threat looms still so we dare not plant our tomato family crops yet. But the cold climate crops (cabbages, beets, chards, garlics) are experiencing their fastest rate of growth until fall when it cools off again. Some are close to their harvest time, some are still tiny seedlings. We have Concord grapes in their 3 year coming in strong with beautiful fuchsia leaves unfurling. The Quince also display a fine assortment of red and green color as their leaves pop. Apple and pear trees are awakening from their winter slumber in cozy beds of oak mulch. The nut trees (Hickory, Chestnut and Hazelnut) are the youngest seedlings and also the slowest to leaf out in spring. A rolling harvest date from early may until late October is the normal cycle for farmsteads like this one, without seasonal extension technology like greenhouses and cold frames with additional heating pads and or lights to start warm weather crops early. We enjoy exploring the options of low tech farming. Plants grown in their own natural season planted directly into the soil seem to be more vibrant and healthy, with less problems, and we like plants like that. Robust, hardy and flavorful, without the extra materials and effort needed to produce crops early or out of season. We grow crops that store well over winters without refrigeration and grow a wide variety of crops in a shorter season that we extend through diversity of harvest times. We integrate newer smart phones with old tractors and make do with tools that are ubiquitous and used in creative ways to achieve tangible results. We may not produce as much, but our low overhead stemming from lack of expensive newer equipment and labor costs means we can bring food to the table at competitive prices without sacrificing quality. We bring good foods to the sturdy tables we build.