One Month Until Market....

My how time flies and next thing you know a month has gone by! We were working in the greenhouse at the beginning of Febuary starting seeds for germination to get ready for transplanting. It's now March and the weather is hinting at spring. We should be transplanting our plants as soon as the ground is warm enough.  Fortunately our greenhouse is warm enough to house the babies along with a couple of hand made rows that have been seeded with Arugula and Radishes.  We did transplant some lettuce heads and spinach already and it is amazing how they took right away.

Seeding with block system

Ready for Transplanting



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The farmer's market season here in Wilmington, NC is from April until late November this year. We are set up at two of those markets; Poplar Grove on Wednesdays from 8AM to 1PM and Downtown Riverfront Market from 8AM to 1PM. We are very excited to start the season since it is our second year farming but this year we are a little more established and things on the farm are already looking more organized than last year.  Which is a funny statement considering all the things going on behind the scenes in these coming weeks to get set up. 

There are some major differences in last year's setup compared to this year. We were renting a couple acres last year from a gentleman in Rocky Point to grow vegetables.  This year we have our own land to work but we plan to continue using the rented land for a little while which houses our greenhouse and shiitake logs, along with a few rows of garlic and strawberries.  Matt has been toying with ideas on what to grow on the rest so we can dedicate most of our time at the new place. 

This time last year I was about 5 months pregnant so I was slowing down a little with what I could and couldn't do however, I would like to toot my horn and say I helped erect that 90 ft greenhouse with Matt.  While I was working full time at the herb shop that meant that Matt was pretty much on his own with all the work to do to start up the farm.  So on my days off I would help with whatever I could, seeding, transplanting, watering....  I want to stop here so I can give our appreciation to Matt's wonderful parents and friends for coming down to help.  If it weren't for them, this farm wouldn't function.  It's amazing what four extra hands can do.

 Matt always says that no one knows what farmers lives are like except other farmers. Now I know why. There is always something to be doing, fixing, seeding, planting, watering, cultivating, ordering, and I certainly cannot forget the hoeing.  At first cultivating the rows are not on my desired to do list but once you start it's a very meditative act.  You can lose yourself in thought and next thing you know an hour has gone by.  Not to mention your it gives your arms a good workout!

So, we are hard at work trying to settle in on the new land, work two vegetable farms, and raise three children.  We have many, many ideas that may just come to fruition so stay tuned.....