Full Moon, Sugar Season, and Farm Dog Training!

This week on the farm was awesome, largely because over half the days were SO DARN NICE. Even us grumpy old farmers can’t help but be happy when the sun is blasting down and all the birds are coming back home singing! We kicked off the last week enjoying beautiful moonrises reflecting off the windmills. (Though the full moon felt significantly less friendly when it starts shining through the cracks in the blinds at 3 am!)

We’ve been working steadily through our farm-to-do list from the past two winters, since last March wasn’t as cooperative on the weather front (do you remember the ridiculous amount of snow we had—we couldn’t see out of our windows this time last year!). Sadly, we had to say goodbye to a few of the yard trees that were sick or dead, which involved some interesting chainsaw work. This one (below) is Beulah’s nap tree, so we left the base for her reclining pleasure (and because of the cool fungi).

Speaking of dog naps, we’re in the midst of training work with Beulah (over at Mystic Chateau Acres in Munnsville) to get her better receptive to our directions, less reactive to strange dog visitors, and to hopefully take less strolls around the neighborhood. It’s been a good but exhausting winter project, and she can still be a petulant teenager at times but is doing well if cheese is involved (but who doesn’t do their best when cheese is involved?). She is working very hard to keep the geese out of the yard, and is diversifying into running off crows as well.

Matt has a big birthday looming, so we snuck up to New Hampshire for a couple days to have a little party with friends there. It was satisfying to go someplace still colder and snowier than us, and we enjoyed helping boil sap outside for two glorious days. Locally, Maple Sugar Weekends are happening in NY these next few weeks—you can catch Matt helping out down at Critz Farms!

The big push now continues in the greenhouse. It’s my favorite time of year with seedlings bursting up through the fresh soil (and it smells delicious and alive in there). We had great neighbors help us water last weekend, but greenhouse season is significantly easier and gentler on our piece of mind this year with the new fans and vents that automatically regulate the temperature. We also got one of those creepy cameras that lets us look in and monitor the temperature (I know, we are getting all high tech around here!).

So what’s growing in the greenhouse? This week we started the first beets (both gold and yellow) going outside, the first outdoor rainbow chard round, and the next round of flowers and herbs. Some of those herbs are for the CSA shares that first week (small shares each get one plant, and large shares two plants), I’m excited that we will have a few more fun choices for folks this year, including catnip (Beulah didn’t approve, but we outvoted her)!.

Can you see these seeds? No? Well I couldn’t either… good thing we only grow a half acre of flowers, or I’d have to get some stronger glasses!

That’s it for last week—we hope you enjoyed the sun, and check back next week for all the exciting farm news (and yes, it includes some in-ground planting in the high tunnel, hooray!).

It’s also not too late to order a CSA share for the summer (thank you all who have already joined us, we are looking forward to bringing you veggies in a couple short months!). You can sign up on the website (www.hartwoodfarm.com) and shoot us an email at info (at) hartwood farm dot com if you have any questions! Thanks and happy spring!