More Snow and Spring Fundraiser Update:
I’m having a recurrent dream of checking my soil thermometer and doing a little happy dance that it has reached 40 degrees …only to wake up to more snow. Soil temp is 34 degrees today- still too cold to seed the cover crop. I’m wishing we had another hoop house!
That said the sun is gathering its strength and we have to be diligent about venting the tunnels and cold frames on those days when it comes out, as temps can quickly climb to 90 in those protected areas. The Lisianthus, Bells of Ireland, Bluplerum, Ranunculus and Anemones are all coming along beautifully in the hoop house. We are finished seeding the cool season annuals and will start planting out plugs this coming week. The sweet peas are all in and already clamoring to get their tunnel cover off so they can start their climb to the stars.
In the upper field the tulips are poking through the snow and the narcissi are just about to pop through their leaf mulch. I am scurrying to get the roses and crab apples pruned before they break bud. Spring is pushing upward and the greenhouse is ready to burst.
I am bothered seeing so much bare soil in the portion of the lower field affected by the tree removal and wall construction, but there is nothing to be done yet except layer on leaf mulch, which has gratefully been arriving by the truck load now that the leaves are finally dehiscing. For a farmer whose goal is to keep roots in the soil as close to 365 days a year as possible it feels like being caught in one’s undies to have so much soil exposed. As soon as temps hit 40 we will get her clothed again in quick growing long rooted cover crops.
Jezebel and Pippa will be having baby goats any day now and piglets from Sean’s sow at Flashover Farm in lower valley will be arriving soon. But while I wait there is still snow in the mountains and I have ski patrol duty days yet to fulfill. The heat will be here soon enough. Everything in its own time!
Thank you to the many who have made donations to this year's growing season. The more we receive through fundraising the greater the percentage of what we grow can go directly into our donation program and the fewer events we need to sell at weekly. As we are currently only at 10% of our $100,000 goal you may be seeing us often at events starting in May!!
This program costs $185,000 a year in equipment, supplies and labor. As we build up our supplies, improve our germination rates and continue to find ways to make the farm more efficient my hope is that we will produce more with fewer resources in years to come. That said we are not there yet and are still bearing the start up costs that all new ventures incur. Our model allows us to use flower sales to help when fundraising falls short, but our ultimate goal is that everyone of these stems makes it to the many folks in our valley finding their way through end of life struggles or transitional traumas. I hope that in time we will be able to expand our program in ways that encompass an even greater cross section of our valley’s elders. There is so much darkness in need of a little light. Help be a part of this project in any way that feels right to you - volunteered time on the farm, in the studio, or at events are all as much appreciated as contributions of financial resources or professional expertise.
“We can do no great things. Only small things with great love.” - Mother Teresa