Sunday, May 24, 2009

May 25-30 (Day to Day)


Monday: Today was officially the first harvest of the season! We harvested lettuce, chive, oregano, rhubarb and pac choi (more will be harvested on wednesday morning). After harvesting, I picked up the 5320 tractor and worked on tilling several passes in Field A and tilled the Children's Garden in preparation for the tomatoes, eggplant and chard that will be planted this week. After lunch, I switched out the rotovator for the water wheel transplanter and we planted a bed of lettuce and beets.
Tuesday: Rain is in the forecast for the next couple days, so this morning was crunch time to get all the soil work done. I worked on tilling down the wheat cover crop in the hoop house. I also used the riding mower to mow down an old perennial bed in the Main Garden and mowed the weeds in Spin 3. After moving Spin 3, I used the roto-tiller again and began prepping beds for the next two plantings of Arugula. This afternoon, Mara and I went to our weekly cooperative instructor Bob at Ela Orchard. While at Ela Orchard we filled up the hay wagon with hay and mulched underneath some of the younger honeycrisp apples. I also was able to bottle feed the new lambs some formula which is always fun.
Wednesday: We finished up the harvest this morning, in the pouring rain(but it always worth it for fresh vegetables). We harvested mustard greens, arugula, asparagus, chard, more lettuce and hakurei turnips (definitely up there with my all time favorite vegetables!). After the harvest it was up to the greenhouse to start planting the second succession of summer squash, head lettuce, and start more pea shoots. After lunch we worked on setting up for the first CSA pickup, which was a great success. 
Thursday: Today was still too wet to work in the soil, so I broke out the weed whacker and cleaned up the edges of the hoop house. Shawn and I also put the zippers on the end walls of the hoop house(now we finally have doors to get inside). Next, I got out of the rain and went to the greenhouse to plant the next succession of chard and transplanted the tomatillos into a larger plug tray. After lunch I cut stinging nettle and comfrey to make "tea" out of that we will use as foliar spray's throughout the season. After that Janet and I noticed that the local Canada's Geese population had decided to go to town on our lettuce. To try to salvage what was left of the lettuce we put up a fence around the fields and we'll see if that works. I also set up a huge rat trap that will hopefully catch the gopher or whatever is eating the other lettuce beds.
Friday: We finally finished the hoop house this morning and put the plastic on. The rest of the day I worked on weeding(with the scuffle hoe) the spinach. salad mix and mustard green beds. Shawn, Kirsten and I also mulched the aisles between the zucchini and summer squash with straw. At the end of the day other interns involved with CRAFT, Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training, arrived for the orientation weekend here at Michael Fields. 
Saturday:

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