And we’re off! On Tuesday, we got the season’s first seeds tucked in to the greenhouse. So far, we’ve seeded leeks, scallions, eggplant, and celeriac, soon to be followed by lettuce, kale, peppers, and cabbages! Until we can get onto the fields, the next few weeks will be spent seeding, making many small adjustments to our greenhouse conditions, hoping for reasonable spring weather, and ordering necessary supplies. Our most recent field walk confirmed that yes, we do still live in Maine, and that yes, we still have snow in March here. But these recent milder temperatures are a sure sign of what is to come, and while seeding, we heard an even surer sign that spring is arriving– the call of a red-winged blackbird!

Once we can get out onto the fields, onions, greens, and beets will be the first plants to be put in the ground. Blanketed with a layer of row cover– a thin fabric that provides some frost protection– these hardy plants can start growing even in the rollercoaster conditions that spring can provide. Other spring to-dos include adding lime to our fields to adjust soil pH, prepping beds, putting up our hoop houses for “hot crops” like tomatoes and peppers, and getting our irrigation set up for the warmer months ahead.

We’re so excited to have officially started 2019’s growing season and can’t wait to provide all of our members with vegetables in just three short months. If you haven’t yet signed up and want more information, please feel free to reach out to us by email.

Happy Spring!