Hoop House 05/07/2012
The hoop house is really rocking this year. Since building it in the fall of 2010, and growing in it for one season, I think I'm finally feeling comfortable knowing what the heck I'm doing in it. The spinach is growing like crazy and will be featured on the Swasey Elementary menu this week. The head lettuce is growing great and will be ready to harvest in the next week or so. In the mean time, I've planted the Lola tomatoes amongst the lettuce and the Shintokiwa cucumbers are transplanted. The first of the trellis lines are hung, and waiting for the plants to grow up them. Next up, the Charantais Melons will be transplanted (they've grown a bit slow during the overcast days in the greenhouse), and the ginger, peppers and eggplants will be planted once the spinach is done doing it's thing. And I have to thank my work shares for helping get it all up and running. Thank you! 
Add Comment Ginger! 04/10/2012
 Fed Ex'ed Ginger The Ginger arrived last week, all the way from Hawaii! It's much too cold for it here in New Hampshire still, so I'm keeping in trays, by my wood stove inside, until the soil warms up enough in the hoop house. I feel a bit like I'm cheating Mother Nature by growing this. We'll see if she doesn't get mad at me, and it thrives. 
2012 Early Spring Farm Update 03/20/2012
 Spinach for Swasey Elementary Last night I was invited to attend the Food and Health Forum at the Blue Moon Evolution. Pete Johnson from Pete's Greens in Vermont was speaking. His topic was on collaboration in the community for building a stronger local economy. While I was there I met my mailman and his wife, who was celebrating her birthday for a 2nd time. Last week, he stopped by my door to deliver a package to my home and asked about Pickpocket Farm. When he left, he was signed up for my farm stand e-mail list. It was awesome running into him again at the Blue Moon. I'd say we accomplished collaborating for the community's well being together. Other things that Pickpocket Farm is busy doing this spring, is growing spinach, lettuce, mixed greens and scallions for Swasey Elementary school, where my kids attend. It won't be much to offer for such a large school, but it's a start, the kids will get to know where there food comes from. This week and especially starting the first week of April, broccoli, kale, cabbage and all the rest of the heat loving plants like tomatoes and eggplant will be seeded. The greenhouse will be a busy place! Pickpocket Farm will also be selling transplants again for the home garden. Please let me know, if you have anything special you are looking for. I can make sure to grow it! Keep looking for more updates. They will be coming more frequently now that the growing season is really getting under way. 
Back field in March
First trays of the season in the greenhouse
Picture was taken in late February, 60 degrees inside, 30 plus outside the hoop house
Mixed greens coming up in the hoop house
Garlic is up!
2012 Growing Season 01/16/2012
There is nothing like getting the season started by attending the NE Fruit and Vegetable Conference and reading The Dirty Life by Kristen Kimball. The conference boasts many many choices of workshops for three days, surrounded by friends and farmers. It's a great time to connect, reconnect, get inspired, and dream of a weedless farm in the summer, overflowing with ripe vegetables. The Dirty Life is about a woman who leaves her urban lifestyle behind for love and a dairy farm/CSA that sells everything. I can't wait to dive into the work for PIckpocket Farm now. The farm will be getting some piglets this spring, that will be put to work. They will be living on the back part of the veggie field to work the soil and put some more life into it. We will accept any compost to feed the little piggies, named Bacon and Sausage. Share members will have first dibs to put orders in for organic pastured raised pork in the fall. This summer the hoop house will grow Lola tomatoes, Asian Cucumbers, Chrarentais melons, Eggplants, and GINGER. Right now the field is growing 667 cloves of 4 different varieties of garlic, which will be ready in July. And I want to try growing some dried beans this coming season, especially since the shares will go further into October this year. Life is Sweet will again offer bread shares to go along with your vegetables. You will be able to enjoy granola, loaf and artisan bread, and cookies. To learn more, Pickpocket Farm's informational meeting will be on January 21st at 10am. Please join us to meet other fellow share members and catch up. Harvest Festival - SAVE THE DATE 08/01/2011
 Saturday October 8th is the date of Pickpocket Farm's Harvest Festival. Save the date!! We will have another great potluck, maybe some homemade brew, a bonfire, and live music. Don't miss it! The Farm in Early June 06/16/2011
 Portuguese Kale Here are pictures from the farm taken this very morning. Some pictures show the fields a bit weedy, but that's because I have been focusing so much on getting everything planted. I am so close to having all the plants and seeds in now. Another tray of okra, and seeds/transplants in for winter squash/pumpkins and the field will be full. Then I get to focus on starting the crops for fall!! On the left is actually an open headed cabbage plant with it's GORGEOUS leaves.  Onion patch I have a good feeling about these onions this year. The onions have loved this wet spring and they show it. I have spent a good bit of time with them too, to make sure the insects are leaving them alone. They seem to finally be old/big enough to take care of themselves, except for weeding.  Hoop House, Cukes and Tomatoes  Lola Hoop House Tomatoes Lola Tomatoes that like greenhouses are planted and growing happily, as are the Shintokowa and Green Finger Cucumbers. These are extra long cukes that like to be trellised. The Charentais melons are next to plant and waiting patiently for me.  Four 100 foot rows of tomatoes  Fennel, Cauliflower, and Brussel Sprouts I found a swallowtail butterfly caterpillar devouring the fennel yesterday. It now has a nice new home in a glass jar, being cared for by a 6 year old girl. It is well fed on some of Pickpocket Farm's parsley.  100 feet of broccoli on left, Savoy and Red Cabbage on the right  Excited about these carrots!!!  Potatoes are up  Green and Yellow Beans, Peas on left  Parsnips germinated, Yay!! (for next spring)  Mmmmm. Arugula.  Garlic Scapes on the Garlic  Beets are coming right along Farm Update 06/09/2011
 View of field with low tunnel containing broccoli This update is a bit behind. I have been working all out to catch up from all of the rain we got in the month of May. These pictures were taken the last week of May, and the farm looks completely different now 2 weeks later. I am hoping to also add updated pictures this week.  The whole onion patch  Chippolini Onions  Beans, Shell and Sugar Snap Peas Spring 2001 Farm Update 05/15/2011
 Heads of lettuce in hoop house The veggies are growing! The CSA's first pick is on May 16th and 19th. Transplants for your own garden will go on sale this week. The cooler weather crops are ready to be put in the ground, and the weather we've been having is perfect for them. I keep delaying the farm stand e-mail, because I just want to make sure I have enough veggies to start off the CSA. There should be plenty to go around for everyone soon!! I am thoroughly enjoying farming this year, since the stress of all the 1st year set up is over. I love taking pictures of the farm and everything that is growing. I think they speak much better than words to tell you how everything is going. Enjoy!  Kitchen garden in foreground, back field and hoop house  Leeks, Shallots and Onions, Oh My!  A Loaded Greenhouse  Colorful baby lettuce trays  Annoyingly slow growing tomatoes  Plants for sale soon  My pride and joy celery, fingers crossed it works!  Spicy Greens in a steamy hoop house  Arugula in a steamy hoop house  Look close, there are onions there  Baby spinach  Baby Pirat lettuce  Broccoli staying warm in a low tunnel  Over-wintered scallions  French Breakfast Radishes  Asparagus in the back field  Everyones' favorite: Kale  My birthday Avocado tree, only 3 years to wait for avocados Bread CSA Share 05/01/2011
 We have had the pleasure of being contacted by Martha Bogart, the owner of Life is Sweet. She is offering a bread share on top of the vegetable shares that are picked up every week. Feel free to check out her website for more information! Spring Hoop House Update 05/01/2011
 From this....  To this! I was able to harvest some spinach and mixed greens from a winter planting very early this spring. Now, we have crops of arugula, spicy greens and heads of romaine lettuce taking advantage of the extra warmth in the hoop house. Once these are harvesting for the first CSA share pick ups, then the tomatoes, cucumbers and Charantais melons will take a turn.  Temporary Irrigation This above picture cracks me up. It only reminds me of our first year in our home on Pickpocket Road and all of the Insanely creative electrical connections we discovered. These hoses are a temporary fix for now and it works great, so... They also made me realize how easy irrigation really is to set up. We made the decision to forgo the help of NRCS for irrigation because of all of the extra hoops to jump through when we already know our well is more than sufficient, and I really just need a simple system of a few drip lines. And I feel very good knowing that because my soil is so healthy, it retains water well, which reduces the amount I need in the first place. | AuthorAudrey Gerkin, is a gardener gone wild, after teaching in special education and raising 3 beautiful girls, ages 5 - 10, she has found a new calling in farming. ArchivesMay 2012 CategoriesAll |
RSS Feed
