Around and About the Farm: Feb 26
We've been mighty busy here at FoxDog. There is so much to do in preparation for the coming season. We are working on rejuvenating the herb garden and flower beds. We will have the field to plough, amend and disc shortly. There are all kinds of things that will need planting in the month of March, including onions and peas.
We have started planting in the greenhouse for the coming season. Very exciting. This planting is peppers and all kinds of flowers and herbs. In another month or so we'll be starting the tomatoes in the greenhouse.
Early this morning (c. 3 am) I went out into the greenhouse to check the temperature of the heat mat and the seed trays. The mat provides a steady heating, but if the air is cold (and it was 31 F then), the actual heat of the seed trays can drop. They had, so I upped the heat on the mat a bit. I futzed around some more, looking for the first sign of green from the seedlings. Mind you, they'd only been planted for about 3 days, so there will not be any seedlings yet, but I can't help but look. Anyway, I glanced up at the glass ceiling and... it's SNOWING. Good grief. Looked outside and sure enough, the grass is getting a white coating and the leaves are already white.
Here's a pic after the sun came up, such as it were:
The trays all have little covers on them, to keep the heat from the heat mat in. We have to watch the covers very carefully, because the seeds can really overheat under there if any kind of sun is shining. In the right hand corner are the onion seedlings. They are tough and don't need the bottom heat.
We are also working on the herb garden, getting that back into pristine condition. It's a hard slog, as everything has to be double dug, and the paths need a good weeding and digging out as well. However, it's starting to look really nice, and I'm getting very excited by it, imagining all the great stuff that'll grow there.
Here's the herb garden under today's snow. See, there's a wheelbarrow out there and the crabapple tree is pruned! We are working there :).
Finally, just to remind ourselves, this is what the farm normally looks like in February. In fact, Randy had to mow the lawn last week...
On the right hand side, about halfway up the picture, is the field where we grow the vegetables. Beyond is open ground (for future vegetable growing) and future cattle pen area. The house and the herb garden as also visible.
We have shares in our 2009 CSA open. Please consider joining us for what is going to be a great spring and summer of fantastic food!
We have started planting in the greenhouse for the coming season. Very exciting. This planting is peppers and all kinds of flowers and herbs. In another month or so we'll be starting the tomatoes in the greenhouse.
Early this morning (c. 3 am) I went out into the greenhouse to check the temperature of the heat mat and the seed trays. The mat provides a steady heating, but if the air is cold (and it was 31 F then), the actual heat of the seed trays can drop. They had, so I upped the heat on the mat a bit. I futzed around some more, looking for the first sign of green from the seedlings. Mind you, they'd only been planted for about 3 days, so there will not be any seedlings yet, but I can't help but look. Anyway, I glanced up at the glass ceiling and... it's SNOWING. Good grief. Looked outside and sure enough, the grass is getting a white coating and the leaves are already white.
Here's a pic after the sun came up, such as it were:
The trays all have little covers on them, to keep the heat from the heat mat in. We have to watch the covers very carefully, because the seeds can really overheat under there if any kind of sun is shining. In the right hand corner are the onion seedlings. They are tough and don't need the bottom heat.
We are also working on the herb garden, getting that back into pristine condition. It's a hard slog, as everything has to be double dug, and the paths need a good weeding and digging out as well. However, it's starting to look really nice, and I'm getting very excited by it, imagining all the great stuff that'll grow there.
Here's the herb garden under today's snow. See, there's a wheelbarrow out there and the crabapple tree is pruned! We are working there :).
Finally, just to remind ourselves, this is what the farm normally looks like in February. In fact, Randy had to mow the lawn last week...
On the right hand side, about halfway up the picture, is the field where we grow the vegetables. Beyond is open ground (for future vegetable growing) and future cattle pen area. The house and the herb garden as also visible.
We have shares in our 2009 CSA open. Please consider joining us for what is going to be a great spring and summer of fantastic food!