March 13, 2025
Seasonal whiplash is upon us. Last week we were dealing with a snowstorm, and this week we welcomed 65 degrees and sunshine.
We aren’t complaining in the least, because we welcome the moisture from the snow, but the sunshine and warmer temperatures are a welcome feeling as well. As we settle into the middle of March, we’re back into the groove of planting and watching things grow.
Just Add Peppers and Tomatoes
Speaking of things that are growing, the onions that we planted back in the middle of February are coming along quite nicely. They have germinated well and when you look across the greenhouse, it looks like a field of grass, but in reality it’s onions ... and it definitely smells like onions.
Along with the onions, we have seeded some peppers and tomatoes, both of which are just starting to pop through the soil. All of these plants will stay in the greenhouse until we are ready to transplant them in our high tunnels.
You Can't Outsmart Mother Nature
It is still a bit risky to begin covering our high tunnels due to the risk of snow, so as much as we want to get ahead of things when it’s 60 and sunny outside, we know we must wait. Hopefully in about 3-4 weeks we can begin covering the tunnels. The chance for snow continues to lessen the closer we creep towards meteorological Spring.
We’ve tried to outsmart Mother Nature before and cover the tunnels too early, and it didn’t end in our favor. Let’s just say we’d rather not be out in the tunnels on rotating shifts keeping snow off the tops so they don’t collapse.
Riding the Weather Rollercoaster
If you had asked us three weeks ago whether we would be in as good shape as we actually are now, we would have said absolutely not. Our greenhouses continue to fill with beautiful flowers through all the ups and downs of Minnesota's recent weather.
That weather rollercoaster has extended across the country and has wreaked havoc on shipping schedules. Plants have been delayed by not just days, but by weeks. In addition to dealing with delays, we have also had to take delivery of frozen plants, which is never a fun experience.
In times of challenge, however, our creative minds begin to shine, and we learn to play the hands we are dealt. Often we come up with new solutions that are better than years past. We couldn’t have made it through these challenges without our employees, who were incredibly flexible and able to shift their work schedules to accommodate all the planting changes over the last few weeks.
Riding the Economic Rollercoaster
As economic conditions continue to fluctuate daily as well, we see that in our supply chain and plant availability. For example, consider those frozen plants. We’ve experienced a lot of plant loss this season due to extreme weather conditions during shipment.
In years past, it was easy to contact our suppliers and get replacements because everyone produced extras. There was elasticity in just about every one of our supplier's production models, but that has drastically changed due to input costs over the last three years.
This year, when we’ve needed to order replacement plugs (small plants), there just aren’t any available. Growers aren’t producing in excess because the costs are just too high. If they can’t guarantee a sale, they aren’t taking the risk.
Eyes and Ears on Washington
We stay acutely aware of policy changes being proposed in Washington D.C., as they have significant impact on the agricultural industry, often in areas people do not know about. For example, the majority of the potting soil used in flower production comes from Canada, along with the vast majority of a common agricultural fertilizer called potash. In addition, all of the corrugated cardboard that we use for produce packaging is made from pulp that comes from Canada.
So, while we continue to focus on our own local production, we have our eyes and ears open to what’s happening across the country. Any change could have major impacts on the agricultural industry as a whole.
Counting the Weeks
We’ll continue to keep doing our part in growing for you this year. The growing season is well underway and it won’t be long until we’re open again and welcoming you all back for another year of shopping at our retail and farmers' market locations. Until then, stay tuned to our social media pages for regular updates and snapshots of happenings on the farm.
