For the last three weeks I’ve been working on a project up on Skyline.  I got the call on the same day that I realized I was just too late to get my own larger plantings in the ground this season and so my winter harvests would have to be replaced with spring harvests.  Convenient timing.  

    Spence was a cook by training, not a farmer.  I was impressed by his enthusiasm and knowledge of the uses of the vegetables.  I think he was a little overwhelmed by the complexities of running an intensive market garden though, not to mention the shear amount of labor involved.  I’m speculating here because I haven’t actually talked to him since he left.  

    Usually the planning for a farm is best done in the late fall and early winter when there’s less to do in the field.  That way, when the field work starts piling on in the spring, and grows to a crescendo in late summer things like irrigation supplies, seeds, and harvest tools are all in place and waiting to be used.  Spence may have had some of this planned out, but the plan didn’t get transfered when he left.

    It’s been an exciting three weeks.  The first two were spent setting up irrigation systems, inventorying seed and making a quick assessment of what wasn’t too late to seed, planting out the beautiful eggplants and peppers he had waiting in the greenhouse, and harvesting anything from the field that could be salvaged.

    New seedings of fall and winter crops are starting to come up and last week we pretty much finished plowing through the major weeds on the farm.  We’ll see what got in on time to size up before fall.  In the meantime planning for the long term future of the farm is starting and I’ll be sure to post some of the thoughts behind that planning as it starts to come together, as well as more photos of what we’re up to.