The Depot Farm

  We have been busy planting our early crops as well as starting seeds in the green house for successive plantings. Another week when the weather is more predictable, we plan to begin to begin warm weather plantings in the ground of squash, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and celery. Compost has been worked into the soil as well as other amendments as needed. We plan to place row covers over our seedlings to protect against insects and well as lessen transplant shock for a few weeks. Later in the year we will add straw mulch to conserve water and lessen weed growth.

  The farmers markets opened last week (Alden and Holland) with fairly steady crowds for the first markets of the year. We were the first farm selling leaf lettuce, asparagus, radishes, spinach and kale. It was also the first week of our CSA pickups. It was good to see old friends and new ones; everyone was glad to get the first farm fresh produce of the year.