Getting ready...

Well- We have had an interesting winter.
-The seeding greenhouse has been up and functional since December.
Translation: The wind didnt blow it over, the mice have left the building and plant starts can freeze and thaw almost daily and still live.
-The low tunnels are working out well
Translation: Sandbags are the best invention ever.
-The hoophouse is in the garden
Translation: No matter how many times one person tries to erect a hoophouse by himself it will alway fall over (everytime) So its still laying there.
-Hawks,dogs and foxes like chickens
Translation: We have no more chickens
-I love growing vegetables
Translation: I hate talking the politics of organic vegetables
One makes sense, one doesn't
-It has rained alot this year
Translation: I don't have to tell you if you live in Ga.

Enough waxing poetic.On to the situation at hand...

Lets start growing some food!
We have sold out of pac choi. The broccoli rabe is ready to harvest. Limited spinach is available. Carrots are growing well.

The seeding house is about to fill up. Close to 12,000 starts.
45 days to the first market opening.

Success!

Well the low tunnel experiment has been well worth the mud trudging!I even had some help when the tractor had a flat tire.



I took Broccoli Raab and Pac Choi that had been planted at the same time. Seen above
I transplanted one group into 4" pots and left them in the greenhouse
The rest I planted in the low tunnels...

The tunnel plants were twice as big at the end of two weeks.
And Voila!

Even the tunnel where i seeded carrots,lettuce,chard and spinach germinated twice as fast as in the greenhouse.
If only the rain would stop long enough cause I got all this left to get in the ground.Not complaining but...

Beets,carrots,cauliflower,leeks,kale,lettuce and broccoli are all ready to go in as soon as I can build the next house.

Winter Confusion-What to do now?

Well, after a month with no produce invention and curiosity have set in.This usually causes me to get in trouble but I have learned to channel in a posistive way. As a result I bought Eliot Coleman's -Winter Harvest Handbook. (and actually read it) Apparently I am several months behind on implementing that approach but am set for next Fall though.

I started seeding December10th Broccoli,Raab,Cauliflower,Arugala,Leeks,Sorrel,Mache,kale,pac choi and spinach.

Everything survived the frigid end of year weather.

The Raab,Arugala and Pac Choi have grown well enough to now be able to transplant.

So-The Low Tunnel Experiment begins. These mini greenhouses have warmed the soil during the day an average of 20 degrees. So in the pac choi,arugala and raab go. At the same time I moved the remaining plants up to 4'' pots in the real greenhouse to compare the growth. We'll see...

I continue to seed every two weeks. I have the feeling everything will grow and catch up with one another...but at least they are still alive.

The good news is we are still alive and getting dirty.We have even made some new friends

To those who supported us this past season THANK YOU. We have been very busy(pictures to come)and for those who we havent seen in a while I look forward to seeing all of you soon...food in hand. Tate