Friday, March 25, 2011

Wishful Thinking

 I swear I can smell the garlic growing again!  Probably too soon for that, but I'm allowed my olfactory hallucinations, right?  It looks like a really nice stand this year.
Can you believe that a year ago yesterday we were in the field planting our first salad mix?  Spring came so early last year - it was warm enough and dry enough to work in the dirt.  This year - mud.  Soul & shoe sucking muck.
Onions got their first "haircuts" today - that is another favorite smell:  fresh chopped green onion in the best break/lunchroom ever, our greenhouse.


 We're nervously waiting for our final H2A visa approval and have been talking to the guys in Mexico updating them with interview, travel and start dates.  We're hoping to split them into two groups this year with staggered start dates.  It's overwhelming to have a sudden influx of 30 crew members, all on one day.
Baby baby Napa Cabbage on the right, Kohlrabi on the left


Broccoli on the left, fennel on the right

Red Rib Dandelion

Kohlrabi

Bottom to top of pic: Leeks!  Shallots!  Onions!
 Remember to click on the photos to get a bigger and/or closer look at the lovely green growing things.
Bottom to top: Dandelion then shallots!

Willow to transplant into hedgerows for beneficial habitat
 Remember how time and labor intensive celeriac is?  It is one of the first seeds planted in the nursery greenhouse, in one of these mass trays. 
Celeriac, part 1
After their true leaves start to develop, after the cotyledon  phase, the seedlings are replanted into trays with individual cells.  This is, of course, done by hand - a delicate one at that.  Once the weather warms a bit more and the seedlings get taller and stronger, they'll spend some time in the great out of doors in the cold frames.  Then, finally, they are planted in the field and we won't even think about harvesting them until late August.  They are so worth the wait though.  One of my favorite all time veggies.  Seriously.
Celeriac, part 2

We're still accepting CSA members in both the Twin Cities and in Madison, so tell your friends or sign up yourself, if you haven't already! 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

These photos are a sight for sore eyes. The mud may seem soul-sucking, but at least your snow is gone!
-Carrie, Mpls.

crloeb said...

Thanks for the great update, Terri. Love seeing the veggies get a start.

Renee said...

I can hardly wait for all the delicious veggies!