Season Update: April

Seasons are cycles and so as we anticipate the start of the summer share season, it's interesting to note other cycles in the life of the farm. Most of the winter is spent planning field rotations, crop placement, calculating yields, analyzing the previous year's production successes and failures. The possibility of spring brings equipment repairs and maintenance. Despite having semi-heated shop space, it's still pretty cold to be working on metal equipment and crawling around on the floor. Such tasks are better left for early spring. Concurrently, greenhouse equipment is prepared, supplies are ordered, seeds are cataloged. The planting schedule is established: each vegetable or other crop is planted according to a strict schedule with strict soil and water requirements. Shipments of fertilizers for the fields arrive in bulk. Compost and manure piles appear. The noise levels (birds, engines, voices) increase.

Weather plays a big role, as you'd expect. Plowing fields, heating greenhouses, transplanting seedlings all depend on the weather.

On April 27, the first seedlings were planted in the fields. Kale, chard and cabbage were moved from warm greenhouses to freshly plowed fields and covered for protection. Peas were scheduled to go in the ground. Hoop houses were being prepared for tomato transplants.

With the beginning of May looming, activity levels increase around the farm. The time will fly by quickly and colorful fruits of the labor will be appearing soon.

This is April at ICF.