As I sit at my dining room table and watch the continuous snowfall, it’s hard to believe Carrie, her mom, Judy, and I were at the farm on Tuesday pruning our beneficial hedgerows.
Carrie had compiled a list of our plants and the appropriate time for pruning last fall. It was a great guide to take out with us into the fields. Some plants already have buds swelling and the pussywillows are coming out, too! This latest snow cover is actually good to protect those plants which are producing new growth at ground level. These roller coaster temperatures aren’t good for any of us and can cause plant stress and even plant death.
I want to share a couple of updates on G2G and what will be going on at the farm this season. First is that we are the pilot farm for the Merrymeeting Food Council’s Farm Skills Training Program. There will be up to 10 participants divided into two sessions–Wednesdays and Saturdays. Tons more info is posted on MFC’s website about this program. I just want to let our G2G volunteers and Gleaners know that we will be hosting this group. Our regular volunteering will be going on simultaneously. I know you will make them feel welcome and be great mentors to the newest members of our farm team!
In our desire to grow more culturally preferred foods for New Mainers, we will be adding African eggplant and shelling beans to our list and will be learning how to harvest the leaves from several vegetables you already see at the farm. We will continue to harvest sweet potato leaves, but we will add green bean, pumpkin, and amaranth leaves. I am eager to learn how to pick, cook, and enjoy some of these “new to me” foods.
Next time you come to the farm you will see our new building! It is a 20×12 covered shed that will contain an organized, easy to access, hand tool area. A dry space for working, gathering, and gleaning, as well as wall space for our white board of tasks and communications. Thanks to Tom’s of Maine, for their generous grant toward this new workspace. This will allow our current shed to house all our rechargeable batteries and electric tools, our record journals, books and seeds. Won’t it be great to have everything organized so something doesn’t fall on you while you are in there!
A couple of fun tasks on our spring to-do list will be digging up 25 donated high bush blueberries and transplanting them to the slope east of squash hill. We will be laying a smother tarp in that area as soon as possible to start the field prep. The blueberries will be transplanted to their new location on Earth Day. We will make a day of it with some interesting presentations and activities. Details will be coming.
Another fun project that Rebecca is heading up will be some kind of willow structure. We are generating plenty of slips from our willow hedge that we would like to plant and sculpt. Rebecca has shared some inspirational photos that have our creative juices flowing.
I hope to start to see volunteers back at the farm in mid March with indoor projects such as seed starting and organizing the seedling trailer. When the weather allows, we will start on outdoor projects like pruning the elderberries (with Abbie’s help), laying smother tarps, and moving wood chips. Most of you already know the drill!
I have enjoyed the downtime of Winter. I was able to re-group, re-energize, and be creative. Now, with these not so subtle hints of Spring, I am ready to be at the farm again. I have missed being together as a community. Hope to see all of you soon!
Sincerely,
Theda