Not much is going on at the moment because of this:
That’s what we got Wednesday night. Highly unlikely that our area is under drought conditions any more!
Aside from a row of carrots and oodles of potatoes that we are over wintering, here is all that’s happening so far for our fall prep:
– not a ton of stuff, but tucked in under those covers are our garlic cloves and a row of lettuces, greens, and turnips.
Hopefully, we’ll have some drying of the soil and can resume raised bed construction.
Approximately FOUR HUNDRED and EIGHTY cloves later….we got our garlic planted,
Planting garlic cloves
Cloves “fed” and straw mulch coming
Cloves “put to bed”
Just back to the farm from being in town to find this:
2014 first snow
Row covers are flattened. Metal hoops are down or bent. Some fiberglass hoops have snapped, tearing the row covers.
After sweeping
It was a wet snow. Temp is now 39 degF. Melting has begun, but the weight of it all is too much for the simple row covers. I tried to sweep some off, but it was a bit much. It will just have to be as it is.
Snow isn’t a bad thing for a garden. It is actually insulating and protective to the growing plants. Provides good moisture.
Snow is NOT good for light season extension equipment. Time. Money. Effort. Bleh.
Oh well. Our minimalist try at season extension wasn’t ideal from the start. We’ll still have deliciousness we can dig out and enjoy, but our market season, for sure, is over.
I am so very grateful for an understanding boss and for friends and family who love and support our farming efforts!
It was a mad mad dash today. Winter arrives…….TONIGHT! The folks came out and pulled all the pepper plants, picking off all hot and bell peppers in order to save them from the impending arctic blast. I left work early to try and get the rest of the productive beds covered with row covers to help decrease chill injury. Ideally, I also would’ve mulched the heck out of all the beds with a comfy, thick layer of straw. Of course, as is typical with my part-time farming adventure, I am usually late enacting what I want to do. No one’s fault. It is just life and how it works out.
At least these beauties are tucked in and have a better shot of withstanding the rain, snow flurries, and blustery winds that are forecasted for tonight and tomorrow. (Wind chill in the 20s? Seriously? Oh boy).
Bok choi
Red choy
