Indoor Activities

Since I wrote a week ago we endured our first seriously cold night this fall. Compared to past seasons it really wasn't that extreme, probably only bottoming out at 23 degrees, though temperatures did stay below freezing for most of that night. Prior to the cold we set up hoops in most of the tunnels and blanketed the crops with our thickest row cover. Everything appears to have made it through just fine.

Inside at the farm we just about wrapped up the 2021 seed and plant order. We'll double check the hundreds of varieties and quantities requested before we submit it as well as add blackberries, potatoes, and another flower variety or two. Next up is ordering the organic potting soil as well as greenhouse and general farm supplies. One tractor was serviced last week and the other will see the doctor sometime this winter. Fertilizers were ordered and soil samples taken and mailed. Depending on those results additional amendments may be needed but we anticipate optimum soil health results.

Normally I wait until February to update and finalize our crop plan (seeding, transplanting, rotation) but December seems wide open so I may try to tackle that now while my body still recovers from this growing season. By February we'll have departed the Persephone Period - daylight will be greater than 10hrs/day and increasing rapidly - and I'll probably be ready to resume outside physical farm activities on a more consistent basis. Crops won't be growing quite yet but there'll be plenty of barn clean up and organizing as well as fence-line and woodland maintenance. January is set aside as an off month, hopefully off the farm.

Happy Thanksgiving!