Preparing for Spring
January 13th, 2021
We’ve been planting up a storm over the past couple of weeks in preparation for spring. Lettuces like Iceberg, Butterhead, and Little Gem were transplanted this week along with celery. We also sowed English pea and snap pea seeds directly in place in our beds in advance of the spring season. We’re looking forward to a drier weather pattern over the next week that will allow us to prepare more of our beds for spring crops!
If you’ve happened by the farm, you might have noticed our high tunnel structure that resides on the back portion of our field. A high tunnel, also referred to as a hoop house, operates in a similar manner to a greenhouse. The interior of the high tunnel heats up because the solar radiation from the sun warms the plants and soil inside the tunnel faster than the heat can escape. The warm air is then retained by the walls of the tunnel. This allows us to extend the season of some of our crops as it creates more of a temperature-controlled environment. The high tunnel is currently planted with crops that prefer temperatures in the 70s and 80s such as celery, cilantro, and turnips.
Farming always comes with its fair share of potential pests. We’ve been noticing that something loves to munch on our leafy greens in the field. After doing a bit of investigating, we’ve narrowed it down to rabbits! While we are flattered that they love our lettuces, we decided to employ a method that will safely deter them from our crops. We’ve been covering rows of our lettuces and other tender greens with insect netting. The netting allows for adequate sunlight and airflow to get to our crops while simultaneously keeping the rabbits out.
