Busy month

post by Phil

Well it's been over a month since anything has been posted on our blog. Kate seems to have taken a break from posting and tells Becky and I we have to post something. This is a busy time and a lot has been going on. At the end of March I retired from my 'real job' at Penn State Beaver and am now a full time farmer.

It is hard work.Well it is not quite that easy.

We have removed all the plastic mulch and drip tape from last year's crop from the fields (over 2 miles of mulch)! Thanks Sue, Laurie, and Becky.

We've done more seeding and transplanting in the greenhouse.

The seeds sprouted in the germination chamber.

Then the plug trays (288 cells in a standard 11" X 22" flat) were moved to the benches

The tiny plants continue to grow in the "288s".

Once the plants get 'true leaves' they are transplanted into 48s (48 cells per flat).

So now the greenhouse is pretty full with pepper, tomato, cabbage, onion, eggplant, and lettuce plants.

The plants will continue to grow in the 48s until ready to be planted outside.

For those interested in our lettuces they are doing fine. The first harvest should be around the beginning of June!

Other tasks that have been done and are ongoing are:

Repaired the manure spreader

Hauled manure

Plowed and finished the first sweet corn ground.

And yesterday planted the first sweet corn of the year!!

I always try to plant sweet corn by April 26 (my mother's birthday) and the first is ready to pick by July 18 (Laurie's birthday) or sooner.

This past week the weather has even been good enough for me to get started on my tan!Farmer's tan that is!

Life is good when you're having fun!! Til next time see ya.

disclaimers: Not all pictures were taken this year but all pictures were taken on our farm. No farmers were harmed during this blog.