May 9, 2024
Spring has sprung and work on the farm is in overdrive as we welcome another season. This past week our some of our crews also went into overdrive getting all 8 of our Garden Centers stocked with beautiful flowers and open for the season, while others have been busy transplanting things like cucumbers, peppers, melons, and zucchini plants into the ground in our high tunnels.
Speaking of the high tunnels, wow! It sure was a challenge to get them covered this spring. The wind we have experienced is much greater than in years past, making it much more difficult to get the plastic coverings over the steel frames.
It took us a few extra weeks to get the tunnels covered, as we can only cover at times when the wind is blowing at less than 10 mph. Shockingly, that has been rare over the past month and a half. But now that all of the high tunnels are covered and the ground has been worked, we are busy getting the crops planted.
In Full Bloom
The apple orchard is in full bloom right now, offering the most beautiful sights and smells. This is also the time of year when we place honeybees in the orchard to help with pollination and to make our honey. Did you know that in the United States, approximately 90% of apple crops are pollinated by bees alone? Well, now you do!
Over the past 6 weeks, our apple crew has been pruning the older branches off of the trees in order to encourage new branches to grow. Pruning also helps to develop good limb structure for the tree, which is important so that it can support the fruit production as the apples grow throughout the season. In addition to pruning, a few new trees were added to the orchard including varieties like Kindercrisp as well as a few unique older heirloom varieties that we are excited to introduce to you all.
The Countdown for Homegrown Veggies
In addition to planting in the high tunnels, we are also busy planting in the fields. The field work is a bit behind due to the rainfall we have had this spring, but we are confident things will catch up. Fields are starting to dry out, which means we can back get into them again with the tractors, work the ground, and resume planting. The first few plantings of sweet corn and green beans are already in the ground, so the countdown is on for homegrown veggies.
The Asparagus Harvest Has Begun
You don’t have to wait long for the first homegrown produce of the season though, because our asparagus will hit our Garden Centers THIS WEEKEND! The highly anticipated asparagus harvest has begun and we expect it to continue for at least the next 3-4 weeks.
This harvest is truly dependent on the weather, so if it gets too hot the season is shorter, but if it stays cooler, the season can be extended a bit longer. Asparagus harvest is a labor of love as each stalk is cut by hand and then bunched. No machine is going through the field chopping those spears, so enjoy this delightful treat while you can.
Full Swing!
As you can see, the farm is in full swing right now. There’s always something to do and always something new being added to the to-do list and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We hope to see you at one of our Garden Centers this weekend!
