Planting for the Summer Share

It is October - planting for summer harvest is in full swing. Here is a walk around the farm in photos from the greenhouse, to the cold frame, to the fields...the beginning glimpses of what we are planting for the summer share boxes-

Many of the varieties that we are growing are heirloom.  Heirloom plants are those that are openly pollinated.  Given their full life cycle, they will produce seed.  This is not the case with F1 hybrids and genetically altered seed, which have been hand pollinated and produce sterile seed.  Not only does growing heirloom varieties protect the biodiversity of seeds, on a global scale, but also fans of heirlooms will argue that many of the best tasting crops come from heirloom plants.  In many cases, hybridizers have chosen properties like disease resistance and heavy yields over flavour when they are making new varieities.

We have tilled in our autumn cover crops and are preparing the soil for planting.  Other crops that will be sown in the next few weeks are beans, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, melons, pumpkins, spinach, spring onions, and zucchini. We are excited about the soil warming up and the spring growth. The soil looks and smells wonderful, healthy and full of life. We are also excited about the response that we have had to the beginning of the CSA.