National CSA Day

Howdy Folks,

Today is National CSA Day! If you haven't already signed up for your 2017 CSA share today is a great day to do so. Follow the link below for CSA registration information.

https://secure3.convio.net/ttor/site/SPageServer?pagename=PowissetFarmCSA

We still have full and half shares available but they are going quickly. Don't miss out on your opportunity to share in the 2017 season.

News from the fields:

It's hard to believe we had multiple feet of snow on the ground just last week. It feels like spring outside today and it is downright hot in the greenhouse. As the snow melts away we are prepping the greenhouse and high tunnel for seeding. We are on the cusp of the 2017 growing! Next week we will start pressing thousands of tiny onion seeds into hundreds of potting trays.

With this blog post I am continuing my theme of "what a farmer does in the winter time". This morning Andrew and I headed to Ashland  to help some friends of mine skin their new greenhouse. "Skinning" just means installing the plastic sheet (or sheets) that cover greenhouses. These sheets are enormous. It takes a lot of planning, set up, and many hands to properly place a 100x40 sheet of plastic over the ribs of a greenhouse. With even the slightest breeze things can go south quickly. I've seen people lifted clear off the ground by an unexpected gust. Fortunately this morning we had ideal weather for the project.

Greenhouse skinning is reminiscent of a barn raising. A farmer puts the word out and folks come from far and wide to lend a hand. This morning we had a couple come from as far as southern Maine. We are really fortunate to have a strong and collaborative farming community in Eastern Massachusetts. People show up for one another in a way that I find refreshing and inspiring.

This winter we also have some major infrastructure upgrades we are working on at Powisset. Work will start soon to renovate our root cellar to replace the walls and framing damaged by the flood. We are also working with a well specialist to increase our well capacity and flow rate. I learned a lot last year about the limits of the existing infrastructure at Powisset Farm. We are taking those lessons and applying them to making smart investments in infrastructure and equipment to help improve and streamline our systems.

Until next time,

Farmer Z