Projects, WP Migration

Our Greenhouses look GREAT!

Posted on by Farmer
So many things have happened since my last blog post and I do know that when I get a little lax about updating our journal I will look back over the entries and not have a sense of accomplishment.
Here are a few of the things that we have done since my last entry…
George Thomas has been a CSA member for probably around 10 years, and he has been teaching horticulture realated classes at Haywood Community College for even longer. For the past several years he has been integrating Organic Horticulture/Farming courses into his curriculum. He brought his class out for a tour of the farm April 25th and we shared with the class our farming practices here at Mountain Harvest Organics. We had some great wood fired pizza with smoked peppers, kale, onions, sausage, olives, eggs, and I am probably missing a few ingredients but most toppings were from the farm!
I am disappointed that the budget cuts for education have severely impacted his horticulture program at Haywood Community College (HCC). HCC was offering a 2 year certificate for horticulture and I know of quite a few individuals who have obtained a certificate from that program, after which going on to operating nursery and landscape businesses, gardening services, and for many this education served them in re-inventing their family farm that has been operating for generations. HCC has cut his program back to 1 year, and knowing what I know about trying to grow food, 1 year just isn’t enough time in the classroom for a foundation in today’s agriculture and horticulture fields.
I would rather that our country stop sending troops abroad or cut back in road maintenance for a couple years rather than cut educational programs. It seems to me that the DOT is paving roads whenever there is a small scratch on the road so why not let those scratches stay for a few years until the economy recovers. In addition, I think our country would be better served in raising taxes rather than cutting education so that our country can continue improving technologies in the area of alternative energy, mass transportation, and organic food production. Just my two cents worth…
Our accomplishments the rest of the week after Haywood Community Colleges Visit…
We spent the remainder of the week potting up tomatoes for plant sales, hoeing our spring greens growing in the field (broccoli, kale, swiss chard, mustard greens, etc), weeding our tomato greenhouse and trellising the tomatoes, weeding our sugar snap and cucumber greenhouse and finally transplanting random basil and tomatillo plants into empty spaces in our greenhouse. Our motto with our greenhouses is – No greenhouse space will be left unplanted – so definitely these plants will not produce enough basil and tomatillos for CSA or market customers – but at least the farm crew will be enjoying them!
Last Week We Did…
We transplanted another succession of greens, red cabbage, green cabbage and cauliflower. We also put row cover on these crops to prevent them from being eaten by the flea beetles. Putting on row cover requires us to gather a gazillion rocks to hold down the fabric. I would like to know how many pounds of rocks I have carried around the field in my short farming career but couldn’t begin to even estimate that figure! We once again hoed the first succession of broccoli/kales and the second succession of direct seeded crops. We shouldn’t have to hoe these again if they grow fast enough to shade out the weeds. (Big If.) Our germination rate for spinach looks good but the beets are very sporadic. Do we till the beets under? In addition, we tagged a few thousand plants that we sold at The Whole Bloomin’ Thing festival in Waynesville. THANKS WAYNESVILLE FOR SUPPORTING OUR FARM!
Crimson Clover is a GORGEOUS cover crop!
Crimson Clover is a GORGEOUS cover crop!
Looking across the field and seeing specs of crimson is BEAUTIFUL!
Looking across the field and seeing specs of crimson is BEAUTIFUL!
We weeded and trellised the tomato greenhouse. We also transplanted random plants of basil and tomatillos in empty spaces. We put down paper mulch, and by all means this isn’t an ideal use of it, but if it keeps the fescue and weeds from continually overtaking the greenhouse we will be happy farmers.
We weeded and trellised the tomato greenhouse. We also transplanted random plants of basil and tomatillos in empty spaces. We put down paper mulch, and by all means this isn’t an ideal use of it, but if it keeps the fescue and weeds from continually overtaking the greenhouse we will be happy farmers.
We took down mesh that was used to keep deer out of our pea and cucumber greenhouse when the sides are rolled down, mostly because it was just to hard to keep down the fescue and weeds along the sides of our greenhouse with the mesh, and it seems the weeds keep wanting to overtake the greenhouse. The mesh also cut down our airflow. We have been spraying with a deer repellent spray and are hoping it works for the entire season.
We took down mesh that was used to keep deer out of our pea and cucumber greenhouse when the sides are rolled down, mostly because it was just to hard to keep down the fescue and weeds along the sides of our greenhouse with the mesh, and it seems the weeds keep wanting to overtake the greenhouse. The mesh also cut down our airflow. We have been spraying with a deer repellent spray and are hoping it works for the entire season.
Townes and Danielle put up stakes and trellised the pepper greenhouse. This house looks great! We haven’t yet put down paper mulch along the sides and as you can see the fescue is still trying to take over the greenhouse. On our ‘To Do’ list is to put down paper mulch in this greenhouse.
Townes and Danielle put up stakes and trellised the pepper greenhouse. This house looks great! We haven’t yet put down paper mulch along the sides and as you can see the fescue is still trying to take over the greenhouse. On our ‘To Do’ list is to put down paper mulch in this greenhouse.
Farmer

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