farm babies
Oh, you were expecting something doe-eyed and fuzzy? I'm sorry. Those are ladybug babies!
We've harvested the last of the cool-season crops out of the big greenhouse. I went out there this morning to clean up the remaining plant residue, turn things over, and get ready to replant it with summer crops. And found that I suddenly have quite the ladybug hatchery in the greenhouse. Thousands of newly hatched ladybugs. We do not use insecticides on this farm, which means either trapping and squishing a lot of pest insects, or encouraging those insects' natural predators to do it for me. (I vastly prefer the latter option). Ladybugs are one of our most important predator bugs, that at any stage of their life cycle consume endless pest insects, and even act as helpful pollinators in their adult phase. So today's plans to switch seasons in the greenhouse are on hold for a bit, while I play momma to a bunch of baby bugs. This may sound slightly insane to some of you, but makes me very happy!
We're finally moving on to harvesting the spring crops that were planting outdoors...quite late. A bit thin in the fresh veggie selections this week, but we're getting oh-so-close to harvesting much more. Lettuce and chard for sure next week, maybe some early spring kohlrabi, and the spring scallions are fattening up by the hour. I spent most of my day today (when not mesmerized by crowds of baby ladybugs) thinning endless rows of big healthy-looking beet seedlings.
Thank you Midtown Farmers Market fans for a fabulous opening day last weekend! I sold through almost all of the garden plants that I managed to squeeze on the truck in record time last Saturday. We'll be loading up an extra vehicle with many more for next Saturday, and be sure to get some of every variety on board. I know it's been hard to find dry time lately to get a garden (or a farm) worked up into shape, but the middle of this week looks sublime to be outdoors. Go get dirty; now is the perfect time to plant a summer garden full of tomatoes and cucumbers, squash and peppers! Look here for specific varieties: we have 20 different types of tomatoes, 10 varieties of peppers, 4 varieties of summer squash, and 3 different kinds of cucumbers!
We've harvested the last of the cool-season crops out of the big greenhouse. I went out there this morning to clean up the remaining plant residue, turn things over, and get ready to replant it with summer crops. And found that I suddenly have quite the ladybug hatchery in the greenhouse. Thousands of newly hatched ladybugs. We do not use insecticides on this farm, which means either trapping and squishing a lot of pest insects, or encouraging those insects' natural predators to do it for me. (I vastly prefer the latter option). Ladybugs are one of our most important predator bugs, that at any stage of their life cycle consume endless pest insects, and even act as helpful pollinators in their adult phase. So today's plans to switch seasons in the greenhouse are on hold for a bit, while I play momma to a bunch of baby bugs. This may sound slightly insane to some of you, but makes me very happy!
We're finally moving on to harvesting the spring crops that were planting outdoors...quite late. A bit thin in the fresh veggie selections this week, but we're getting oh-so-close to harvesting much more. Lettuce and chard for sure next week, maybe some early spring kohlrabi, and the spring scallions are fattening up by the hour. I spent most of my day today (when not mesmerized by crowds of baby ladybugs) thinning endless rows of big healthy-looking beet seedlings.
Thank you Midtown Farmers Market fans for a fabulous opening day last weekend! I sold through almost all of the garden plants that I managed to squeeze on the truck in record time last Saturday. We'll be loading up an extra vehicle with many more for next Saturday, and be sure to get some of every variety on board. I know it's been hard to find dry time lately to get a garden (or a farm) worked up into shape, but the middle of this week looks sublime to be outdoors. Go get dirty; now is the perfect time to plant a summer garden full of tomatoes and cucumbers, squash and peppers! Look here for specific varieties: we have 20 different types of tomatoes, 10 varieties of peppers, 4 varieties of summer squash, and 3 different kinds of cucumbers!
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