Rainy day doings

A few items worth noting:

1. We planted peppers and basil into the field house today! Since it was the only ‘plant-able’ ground (the rest is too wet to till), we figured now was as good enough time as any. Planting the basil was a truly summer-memory-inducing experience. It’s amazing how one little smell can bring back so many sensations of warmth. I always think that basil smells very ‘green,’ if there is such a scent.

2. Yesterday evening we put the final touches on our cooler as Casey very slowly ‘wiggled’ it into place with a crow bar. Inch by inch, he moved the 1000+ lbs building about fifteen feet, from where it was constructed in the open to a more protected place behind an outbuilding. Here are some pictures of the action and the final location (Casey was pretty excited at the end):

3. We have now eaten two dinners from the fields!!!!!!! Two nights ago we decided that the plants were big enough that we could begin gleaning the bug-eaten leaves for our own salads. So we’ve now tasted: mustard greens, spinach, chard, broccoli raab, salad turnips, and kale. And they have all been as sweet, tender and delicious as we could have ever hoped. We’re excited to share our bounty with others soon!

4. As the first full-sized harvest approaches (a week from tomorrow!), we’ve been preparing by sorting through our harvest bins, getting price signs made, making a banner for market, etc. We also put up some rain/sun protection over our outside wash station. So far it’s holding up well, even in the intense weather of the last few days. Here’s a pic:

That’s about all for now! Hope you all are staying dry and comfy during these spring storms. Although it’s been nice to get all the plantings irrigated at once, we’re getting anxious about some of the plants in our hot house that desperately want more space. I’m sure we’ll be transplanting them soon enough.