Planting Begins

It is really starting to look like spring here at Small Wheel Farm.  Hardy vegetables have been planted out--with kale, bok choi, onions and spinach all looking happy and unfazed by the change in setting.  Seeds for our mustard greens mix and turnips have sprouted as well, and if all goes according to plan, we will have a good mix of vegetables for our first market on July 1.

Peter picked out some blueberry and honeyberry plants for the farm and planted them this past week with the help of his dad and stepmom who were here visiting.  On Saturday, he endured rain and wind to get several apple trees and some cherry and apricot trees planted in the beginning orchard.  I stayed inside making chili and getting the place ready for friends who were coming over to celebrate the occasion.  

Projects have been chugging along at the farm.  We have set up the irrigation line and run it once after setting out transplants.  The fence is up with nice big homemade gates for access.  Up next is building caterpillar tunnels for the fields and setting up processing facilities and a cold storage room for the summer.

If there is any struggle at this moment it is understanding the contour of our land and why water collects where it does.  We have a few wet spots that we did not anticipate and are watching the land carefully and strategizing how we might do some land shaping to help mitigate the situation and allow for earlier field access on certain parts of the farm.  Hopefully, once the weather really starts getting warm much of the moisture will go away, but for now it is a frustration and an area we are realizing we need to learn more about.  We are excited, like other aspects of farming to tackle this and continue improving our land and its productivity.