Spring has Sprung…In the Greenhouse

From Josh Mueller, Farm Manager:

Today I will split my time between two seasons: white winter on the farm and green spring in the greenhouse. There may not be much growth in the greenhouse during this cold overcast day, but the seedlings are sitting under a blanket of warm air ready to take off as soon as the sun returns.  Sharing this blanket so far are cabbage, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, Swiss chard, lettuce, fennel, scallion, leek, parsley, Malabar spinach, pepper, and eggplant seedlings.  Yesterday, with the help of three apprentices (Melissa, Chris, and Jesus) we transplanted our peppers from open flats to larger cells, a proud moment after an early season scare.  Drawn by the warmth of the heat mat and concentration of hundreds of seeds in a flat, mice found the peppers and turned the flats into a sandbox.  Since then, we have either caught them or kept them satisfied with the peanut butter they steal from the traps, and no further damage has occurred.

Out in the field, it is a waiting game.  With sun and warmth forecasted to follow this latest blanket of snow, we are waiting for the fields to dry out enough to work the soil without compacting lower layers.  Next week begins our first work shifts for the new class of apprentices and hopefully the opportunity to put our first seed in the ground.  Spring is just around the corner.  Right now you just have to close your eyes to see it!