This season eveything is going to get done in the knick of time. I can feel it. Noting a moment before it is needed and certainly no laurel resting (not that I would ever do such a thing).
In the past two weeks we have gone from having no greenhouse and a pile of gravel for its place holder, to having completed the structure and figured out the general electric configuration (we have our wonderful neighbor to the North to thank for the electrical clarity). The build involved all manner of acrobatics, which I verily enjoyed. We have two "widow/widower makers" that other people would recognize as ladders, and neither of them are quite tall enough to reach the peak of the house. It was fun when there was no plastic on the frame and I could comfortably leap and dangle from one arch to the next. My discomfort grew with the addition of plastic. First the roof, but there was still the end wall framing to scramble around on, but then those too were encased. All that was left was a rickety ladder, a shear wall, and a half inch lip along the top of the end arch. At that point, ladder holder became an official job.
I am both looking forward to and dreading the storms headed in tonight, bringing potential damaging winds and hail. At least we don't have to wait to test our steel.
In the past two weeks we have gone from having no greenhouse and a pile of gravel for its place holder, to having completed the structure and figured out the general electric configuration (we have our wonderful neighbor to the North to thank for the electrical clarity). The build involved all manner of acrobatics, which I verily enjoyed. We have two "widow/widower makers" that other people would recognize as ladders, and neither of them are quite tall enough to reach the peak of the house. It was fun when there was no plastic on the frame and I could comfortably leap and dangle from one arch to the next. My discomfort grew with the addition of plastic. First the roof, but there was still the end wall framing to scramble around on, but then those too were encased. All that was left was a rickety ladder, a shear wall, and a half inch lip along the top of the end arch. At that point, ladder holder became an official job.
I am both looking forward to and dreading the storms headed in tonight, bringing potential damaging winds and hail. At least we don't have to wait to test our steel.
Jungle gyming (Jimming?) around getting the endwall framing installed was one of my favorite parts. Jim looks away to avoid getting flecks of metal in his eyes. Exie scavenges for bread treats that are continuously falling out of Helen's holey pocket.
Jim and Barbi (Jim's mother who is visiting for the week yay!) are standing in front of our completed greenhouse structure, The tie downs on the side walls reminiscent of a circus tent. Exie charges towards me beaming. We are all happy about this.
And, conforming to the theme of the year, the greenhouse was completed not a moment too soon! It is time to start flat after flat of onions! They are day length dependent meaning the hours of sun in one day tell them what to do. Some onions only bulb when the days are short, others only when the days are long. We grow long day onions which means we have to get them started ASAP in the spring so they have enough time to grow some nice juicy leaves to support their bulb production when the daylight hours pass the 12 hour mark. Luckily, we have enough random stuff laying around, along with the portable heater we used in our New Jersey greenhouse to fabricate a heated section in our new greenhouse. That should keep us moving forward until we can get the heater going.
In other news, we solidified our markets for the coming year! What a relief. WIth all the plans we have been making, I am glad to know where we will be bringing all the healthy good things we will be harvesting. We will be attending five markets a week! Listed alphabetically we will be attending Ann Arbor on Wednesday and Saturday, Dexter on Saturday, Howell on Sunday, and our home market Stockbridge on Fridays! Check out our website for the times and locations!
And now that we know what markets we will attend this this season, we would like to introduce our Market CSA. If you haven't heard of Community Supported Agriculture, here is a crash course. The idea is that the community supports the farmer purchasing a membership. Then throughout the season, members enjoy that farmer's produce. It is a great way to get in touch with the process of growing food, offer security to a local food producer, and develop a relationship to "your" farmer. Here is a link to a more in depth explaination.
Our CSA is a declining balance model. Members sign up and prepay at the beginning of the season, opening an account. We offer five different account sizes ranging from $200 to $400. Members receive a bonus for their commitment which gets added to their account. Then, throughout the season, members come to any of our markets, choose anything they want from our table, and we take it out of their account. More information on our CSA here! To join, email me for a sign up sheet or come see me at market tomorrow (or any other impending market). If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Other things going on:
Helen, Jim & Exie the dog!
In other news, we solidified our markets for the coming year! What a relief. WIth all the plans we have been making, I am glad to know where we will be bringing all the healthy good things we will be harvesting. We will be attending five markets a week! Listed alphabetically we will be attending Ann Arbor on Wednesday and Saturday, Dexter on Saturday, Howell on Sunday, and our home market Stockbridge on Fridays! Check out our website for the times and locations!
And now that we know what markets we will attend this this season, we would like to introduce our Market CSA. If you haven't heard of Community Supported Agriculture, here is a crash course. The idea is that the community supports the farmer purchasing a membership. Then throughout the season, members enjoy that farmer's produce. It is a great way to get in touch with the process of growing food, offer security to a local food producer, and develop a relationship to "your" farmer. Here is a link to a more in depth explaination.
Our CSA is a declining balance model. Members sign up and prepay at the beginning of the season, opening an account. We offer five different account sizes ranging from $200 to $400. Members receive a bonus for their commitment which gets added to their account. Then, throughout the season, members come to any of our markets, choose anything they want from our table, and we take it out of their account. More information on our CSA here! To join, email me for a sign up sheet or come see me at market tomorrow (or any other impending market). If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Other things going on:
- The Sandhill cranes and the Red Wing Blackbirds are back! I don't know if they were fooled by our faux spring or if this is their season, but I am so happy to see them!
- I met a bunch of farmers from our area at a CSA fair! We are not only growing vegetables this year, but relationships and there are so many good people in this area that I can't wait to get to know better. I met some folks from my cohort, starting their farms this year and and a few years prior, that I can't wait to commiserate and celebrate with. And I met others that have been in the trade for many years, that I will pester with questions.
- The garlic is looking healthy and growing rapidly.
- All the greens in the hoop house have loved the spring like weather and all the sunshine. Giant spinach leaves this week!
Helen, Jim & Exie the dog!
Here is the garlic putting on growth! We are growing six different types, all from our own saved seed. We are happy to be carrying the Whistling Wolf garlic line into the future of Lake Divide Farm. I hope it likes Michigan!
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