let the growing season begin

exciting things happened on the farm wednesday and thursday of this week. wednesday i looked at the seed starting schedule and realized it was time to start planting seeds inside! a flat (72 plants) and a half were planted - 1 flat of broccoli raab and half a flat of artichokes. we set up the front room with tables, lights and heat mats. as i was starting the seeds, i realized we needed more supplies by next week to start more seeds. so i gathered together the planting supply list and off to the store we went. we got more flats for seed starting and the watering trays they sit in. we got 4" pots for some seed starting (cucumbers and summer squash grow quickly and need larger pots to start with) and for plant sales in may, and trays for the pots. we got seed starting 'soil' and a lot of it - 3.6 cubic feet per bale x 16 bales... we got rolls of black plastic for laying in the field and the drip tape to go along with that. (we lay black plastic in the field and plant on it to help with weed control. the black also helps warm up the soil in the spring and keeps it warm in the fall. drip tape is for irrigation on the crops planted on plastic. it is buried in the center of a plastic row as the plastic is being laid. a hose is hooked up to the drip tape whenever watering and nutrient delivery needs to occur. hard to explain without seeing it, but that should give you an idea.) we also got little white tags to label what plants are what and little plastic clips to help with a new form of trellising tomatoes we are going to try. that is all...from that one supply place, anyway...

we also stopped to get more seeds. we get some seeds locally to help with shipping costs. lots of corn, beans, potato and onion seeds come from a local store because adding up shipping on all that would be crazy. we ordered our potato seed and picked up corn and bean seed.

shopping is almost done. most seeds have been received, just a few things on backorder. potato seeds and onion plants come in once freezing in transport is no longer an issue. most supplies are stocked. the planting schedule is finished and the fields laid out (just need to go over things with the bosses).

despite the snow and ice out there, i feel like it is time to make things happen.