Tuesday, May 12, 2009

the markets roll on

What a difference a little sunshine can do! We just completed our second day vending @ the Bryan Park Market. Last week was a total flood with flowing water to mid foot. This week was just sunshine and bliss. If you haven't been yet, the market is very similar in lay out to the South of the James Market, though about half the size. It is located near the azalea gardens and soccer fields of Bryan Park. There is a great mix of growers, producers, and crafters. We were offering our early season wares of tomato plants and dried bhuts. We look forward to being able to offer greens, and some herbs next week.
We will be at the Lakeside Market tomorrow and look forward to seeing many smiling faces. Lakeside is a much smaller and less eclectic mix, but the consistency of the growers makes it a perfect dinner pick up market. Come on out and see us.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

First Day @ Market




We successfully completed our first day @ the South of the James Market. The market has extended it's hours this year and will be open till 1pm all season. The location is convenient to our CSA members and the majority prefer to pick up here. We were able to offer both Black Plum And Yellow Pear tomato plants to our retail customers, as well as dried Bhut Jolokia peppers. The response to the Bhuts was surprising, with one customer rather giddy that we were able to grow the famous pepper locally. We look forward to first days at Bryan Park and Lakeside this week as well as a long and bountiful season interacting with our community.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Growing Pains

We continue to press forth in our westward expansion. This is our first year growing on our permanent farm, and are having normal first year difficulties. Our lovely Virginia clay that people have been complaining about since at least our founding fathers, is slowly turning into the more organic mix we prefer. It will, however, take more then a season or two for it to produce on the levels we were expecting, but it is turning around slowly. We have been adding composted saw dust slowly in with each bed and look forward to adding more as well as a short term cover crop once the greens are out and before the winter squash goes in.

The irrigation situation is moving at a similar pace. Our Greenhouse is fully automated now and is moving forward near schedule. We are currently redesigning the irrigation plans for the majority of the exposed fields. Since our operation is currently off grid we are working with gravity fed water pressure and that has presented some difficulties. Plans are in the works for small scale water towers and we look forward to higher gpm with in the week.

Other then a minor raccoon invasion, things are moving along well, and we are looking forward to a more bountiful second third of the growing season.