It’s been a gorgeous week as we get busier out at the farm. We have finished our second round of transplanting lettuce, beets, and napa cabbage and have gone back through the strawberry plants for weeding. The old farm market pun “lettuce turnip the beet,” comes to mind as I sense eyes roll.
Blackberry Plants
Just as we pat ourselves on the back for feeling ahead of the game we receive our surprise delivery of an acre of blackberry plants, which we had kind of forgotten about. Now we find ourselves scrambling to plow and prepare the soil so we can plant on Monday. The variety we grow is called, “Natchez”. They’re thornless, upright with particularly large and sweet berries.
New Equipment
This week we also acquired a couple of new pieces of equipment. As I write this blog I watch my brother on our new zero-turn mower, a Gravely 672, which mows six-foot rows in one turn and is perfect for going down the tractor aisles, going along the driveway, and covering the event area. I’m hoping this will contribute to my goal of hosting more events on the farm. Now everyone is looking for grass that needs to be cut so they can get a turn on the mower.
We also purchased a Kawasaki Mule, to save steps and haul things around the farm. It will be perfect for scouting crops, setting up irrigation, staking tomatoes, fertilizing, harvesting, and more. It will also be a great vehicle for giving small groups a tour of the farm and bringing supplies up to my glamping tent.
Peak Season CSA & Roadside Markets
We are excited to launch our peak season CSA and roadside markets beginning the weekend of April 29. The warm weather has brought an abundance of local produce earlier than usual. We plan on opening with local strawberries and asparagus from the eastern shore. We will source high-tunnel tomatoes, radishes, spring onions, lettuce, rhubarb, spinach, and mushrooms from Pennsylvania and Virginia’s northern neck. From our farmer-to-farmer network, we may even have North Carolina blueberries by the opening weekend (fingers crossed).
What’s Next On The Farm?
Very soon we will find zucchinis, green beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, chard, spring garlic, fennel, bok choy, garlic scapes, and turnips. These are our harbingers of summer. Carrots and kohlrabi will make their appearance shortly after that. Lettuce and kale will be the first crops from Norman’s farm which we expect in early May.