Trials, tribulations and redemption

But first, an ode to filling beds with soil:

shovel, shovel, shovel
wheeeeeelllllbarrow
DUMP
shovel, shovel, shovel
wheeeeeelllllbarrow
DUMP
shovel, shovel, shovel
wheeeeeelllllbarrow
DUMP
huff, puff
shovel, shovel, shovel
wheeeeeelllllbarrow
DUMP
rake
listen
breathe
phew.

The rest of the soil came yesterday and I filled three beds before I realized that I was tired and I should probably go home. That was at about 6pm. By 8pm I was out on the couch. And that's how farming should be.

there are crocuses from some other time and some other's garden. but I get to enjoy them

sticky sap oozing out of the cut pine

In between the rain drops and brisk breezes I have fit the work of getting in a garden. The seedlings get potted up in the basement, the soggy brush gets tossed in the truck, I'll build a cold frame in the two hours it does not rain tomorrow morning. My brain is screaming, "get it done, get it done!" But the cold weather says, "relax, I'm not finished yet." I don't know whom to believe, but I do know this happens every year, so I should be used to it. When it is July and everything is growing like crazy, I will wish the ball would stop rolling, forgetting all the while how hard I pushed it in the first place.

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Something must have happened during the week of 3/14 (or maybe the week after?). Everything I sowed that week has just struggled for some reason. Even the same varieties that I had sown two weeks earlier look healthier. Maybe it was the cold and breezy weather? Maybe it got too hot in the greenhouse? Maybe a bad batch of soil? I have found that I needed to resow just about everything from that week and I am not too happy about it because the beds are scheduled so tightly. C'est la vie I guess. I've written it here for posterity and in my seeding scheduler for record keeping. Everybody, cross your fingers for this week's seeding.

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On a happier note, some of the other seedlings are doing quite well, like the herbs. I mostly potted up herbs today and I have quite a bit of parsley, thyme and sorrel leftover if anyone is interested in them. Perhaps I will pot them up and give them to volunteers for this weekend's work party. The artichokes are also looking pretty good. Two more days outside and in the fridge and we should be set.

goodnight plants, goodnight dogs

Vernalization

Remember those seedlings I photographed coming up a few weeks ago? Here they are! The artichokes have to go through a vernalization process (i.e. cold weather to fake winter so that the plant thinks it is spring. In this case so that the artichoke thinks it is in its second year) before they will produce the tasty buds we know and love. Actually, this variety Tavor has to go through only 8-10 days with nights below 50 degrees, so I am contemplating taking them back to Phillies Bridge until they are a wee bit bigger and I can maybe install a cold frame at the farm.

Peas, Spinach and more after the cut.