October 28, 2018
A Great Week, Appreciation of Good Weather
By Derek McGeehan

It's a wonderful feeling to be satisfied after a very productive and enjoyable week of farm work. So much was accomplished last week including the planting of 12,000 garlic cloves and subsequent mulching of the entire patch with the help of two workshifts on Friday. We couldn't have finished that without the help from our amazing CSA members. We also wrapped up the water management project for this calendar year (more to come in 2019). Dry conditions during the construction of the waterway in Field 1 made the work much easier and faster to complete. After earth moving was finished and approved we seeded and mulched the 700'x40' area before Saturday's rain event. We also transplanted 3,000 lettuce mix and spinach seedlings into the hoop tunnel as well as cultivated the high tunnel greens. The dry ground also allowed me to spread compost for around 8 hours over multiple fields.

Perhaps the best part of last week was being able to look around and appreciate our farmscape once again. Most of this season we've spent wallowing in mud and feeling negative from the effects of sustained poor weather. The past two weeks were a real treat, a big change, as the ground was at its driest in months and our remaining crops seemed to respond well to the sun and wind. Leaves on trees are changing in color and much has been kissed by a few frosts rendering darkened hues as well as sweeter flavors. We lucked out with the frost; it wasn't too heavy here and even our peppers pulled through fine. With November arriving this week and the threat of frost and freeze temporarily suspended we're looking forward to enhanced growth of many of the greens we're coaxing along. Here's to sunshine and not too much rain.