This week the farm has undergone a full transformation and it feels we have emerged into another phase of the spring season. Ben (pictured above) and Jeff spent cumulative days on the tractor spreading the basis of our applied fertility- chicken manure in the form of dried pellets known as Nutririch. After spreading, we follow with another tractor pass, this time tilling the manure into the soil. Then, we form the beds with a final pass of the tractor.
Once the beds are ready, we get to plant! And plant we did this week. All by hand, or what feels like a many-human machine-type organism. Last week we transplanted out thousands of brassica seedlings. Broccoli, kale, cabbages, kohlrabi, and more were very happy to sink their roots into rich, friable soil. And we are happy not to water the flats anymore!
We are still very busy in the greenhouse seeding the next successions of plants, including soon getting into heat loving squashes and cucumbers. It all seems to be happening so fast this year. April is nearly another notch on our belts.
The promise of fair weather this week has us itching with ambition to weed the crops in the field and to transplant out the alliums- leeks, shallots and onions. Before we know it the fields will be dotted with green things striving to live out their lives in vegetable glory here at the farm.

Rupert Dandelion’s Farm

Camille Dorn has written a beautiful piece about Red Dog Farm on her blog Farm Imaginings. Follow the link below to see some sweet photos and her story about her visit to Red Dog.

http://www.farmimaginings.com/rural-farms/red-dog-farm/

Enjoy your share this week!
~ Karyn