FARM NEWS
The wet winter let the farm team build up a decent case of cabin fever, but that has worn off in a hurry. The tractors, implements and drivers that were sitting idle in the yard and shop due to wet fields, watching the mature fields of cover crops ready to be tilled into the ground, are now turning over cover crops and getting fields ready. There is a bustle of activity on the farm – spring vegetables were planted last week and are already getting irrigation from sprinklers due to the warm days (cool picture of it on my Instagram @farmerthaddeus - shown above). The tomato field is prepped and receiving its first little tomato plants, which are being tucked into the beautiful soil as I type; their drip tape already put into the ground and hooked up to the wells.Next to those fields are two fields that had beautiful cover crops grown on them, but now those plants are part of the soil. There is a comforting hum of our tractor’s diesel engines working at a steady clip, one tractor disking, another leveling the field, a third putting up beds. In the distance, I spy a transplanting rig planting more lettuce and a tractor pulling a trailer filled with aluminum pipe that is being laid down to give the new plants their first drink of water. Stuff is going on everywhere.
The hills are still green with lush grass. The oak trees have awoken from their slumber and have bright green leaves. There is talk of another storm coming in. The evening delivered a layer of clouds that created an array of blues, pinks and grays with the setting sun. The citrus trees are lush with new, green shoots. The apricot blossoms have come and gone and now have tiny fruit that will be ready in June. Near the farm house, there is my favorite white peach tree in full bloom with bright flowers so intensely pink that they are almost red (I put that photo on my Instagram too - shown above).
It really is a magical time on the farm. Life is springing into activity everywhere. As usual, whatever happened last season is forgotten, and we are expecting a good set of seasons in front of us. The canal opened yesterday, which is relatively early compared to the last four years, but a sign that our irrigation water reservoirs (Clear Lake and Indian Valley Reservoir) have plenty of water.
Enjoy your boxes, and thank you so much for participating in our local food system. Find us on Instagram (farmfreshtoyou) and (farmerthaddeus).
