We thought Spring had sprung. The grass was green, the maple buds swelled. Daily highs were in the 70's. We transplanted the onions, adjusted the winter mulch around the garlics, started all manner of tomato, pepper, beet, basil and several flowers indoors. The seed potatos were inspected. No rot, no wilt, no nematode larvae and only just a few had sprouted beyond the desired eyes. Hundreds of purple majesty, all blue, all red, yukon gold, white Finn and a few Russett were cut, dried, planted and the rows were well heaped. Alfalfa was planted in the 2010 field where tomatoes, okra, sweet potatos, and potatos were planted last year. This will be a cover crop to improve soil organic levels, add some nitrogen and improve the environment for the parasitic insects, which attack and kill or eat the unwanted insects. Cover crops will be crimped and killed, incorporated into the seedbed and support the lettuces, greens and mixed vegetables that will take their place. Buckwheat and rye will also be planted as cover crops soon.
We transplanted the curly willow, fanned pussy willow and regular pussy willow. We will be the local source for floral buds, sticks and twigs for some florists.
This coming week, we will plant new evergreens (concolor fir, white fir and spruce) in the established windbreaks where the pines and cedars are at their life spans. That is, if we do not have frozen soil. Yes, it's going to be one of those years.
The 2011 field contains the potatos, will receive the beans, melons and squash. It triples our total garden space, allowing better crop rotations in future years. New this year are litlle islands in the field that either attract pollenators or harbor and over-winter predatory insects. Also new this year are two beetle berms. Think of them as company towns for our workers, the beetles and spiders, who do the necessary work of eating eggs, larvae, pupae of insects we really need to control. You will see the usual marigold and mustard borders around the 2010 and 2011 fields, as well as around the main garden.
When you visit, there will be red and crimson clover in the vineyard and under the apple trees. Pollenators love these clovers and they are obstacles to the larvae of the moths we would just as soon not have. You'll see the mini zinnias more prominently in the three gardens and near the soon to be planted highbush cranberries.
Sunday, we will try to plant more hazelnut seed, hoping to get 200 bushes to transplant next year. We are starting rooting of Traminette, a wine grape, several red and one green seedless table grape variety. These, like the blueberries, hazelnuts and our juvenile fruit trees, are long term investments, which will not bear fruit for 3 to 5 years.
Get ready for the Farmer's Markets. We will open at the site of Harlan Farmer's Market in May. Look for the sign at the intersection of 59 and 44. The rest of the vendors will join us in June. You may purchase our jams, jellies, bread, sweetbreads, salad greens, rhubarb, kohlrabi, kale, asparagus, radishes, raspberries and plants for your garden spots.
Look for our asparagus, rhubarb, radishes, salad greens, herbs and jams at Tomato-Tomato, the fresh market in Omaha at 156th and West Center. Great things are happening there and we are proud vendors.
