Learning Tulips

There’s something really special about farming in the way we can watch the seasons meet one another. When one thing ends, another begins! And, even when things don’t go according to plan, things still seem to fall into place. A lot in thanks to the adaptability and hard work of our crew, alongside flexibility built into our systems.

Right now is a bittersweet time of year when our tulip field starts to dwindle. Each variety ripens in its own time, and we are getting down to the last few varieties still waiting to be harvested. It’s been a joy this year to learn all-things-tulip from Karyn. Spending so much time with one crop (especially when it’s a gorgeous flower) is a special experience. The tulips really have become my teacher! I suppose we shouldn’t pick favorites but, if I had to, the frilly, lavender-colored “Great Barrier Reef” variety stole my heart this year. Looking forward to next tulip season already.

You’ve all seen the big and glorious tulips. The past couple of weeks, we have been spending extra time gathering the smaller tulips endearingly referred to as “babies.” They may be small, and I may be biased, but when you gather them into a bunch, they are divine.

So, all that to say, our tulip harvests are slowly coming to an end. As are our storage crops from the winter. We’ve enjoyed every last bit of potatoes, carrots, and other roots we’ve stored away. It’s a blessing to have this nourishment when the fields are bare-bones over the winter.

And just in time: Our greenhouse crops are thriving!! Green onions, lettuces, radishes, bok choi. Walking through the greenhouses is such a joy right now. I’ve been looking forward to green onions since the final harvest last year. I must say, the CSA share this week is set to be a darling of spring abundance!

~Nat