We’re still glowing from yesterday’s news that we are going to receive a grant from New York State for construction of our new pole barn. We’re one of 19 farms across the state to win funding (one of three great farms in the North Country). We can now move full-tilt into construction mode, fitting the work in around cows, vegetables and hay making, of course. Plans are to construct the bents over the course of the summer and have a big, old-fashioned barn raising in August. We’ll let you know the date when we’ve got one.
Equally exciting, and a little more instantly gratifying, is the news that we have our first leafy greens to harvest this week. The arugula is small still, but beautiful, deliciously spicy and green. So we’re going for it. The spinach, peas and leaf lettuce are up and coming along slowly. Head lettuce which was transplanted with an early start from the greenhouse is sizing up nicely and the chinese cabbage is big, but not quite heading up yet. We are swimming in asparagus though, plan to eat a lot this week. Lots more good things to come soon (including sweet and juicy strawberries).
We had family volunteers in town last week, working on projects all over the farm (why work on one building when you can split your time between three after all). Most notably from the road, with help from the tractor and a big come-a-long, we pulled the granary back up straight. It was leaning about a foot out of plumb towards the river. Hopefully this will buy us a little more time till we can focus some real attention on the building—shoring up the foundation, pouring a concrete flour and replacing the swiss cheese siding. But, that is all for another year. I’m most excited that we can now build shelves on the plumb walls and organize the inside much more efficiently.
In the Farm Shares
In the veggie share: arugula!, asparagus, ramps, beets, white and fingerling potatoes, dried red chilies, wheat berries, whole wheat regular and pastry flour, and corn meal. Coming soon: strawberries and rhubarb before too much longer.
In the meat share: Pork, broilers and stew birds in the freezer. Stock and organ meats from beef and chickens, lard and leaf lard.
Related articles
- Full and By Farm: Mud Brings Changes (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Full and By Farm: Some Dry Days (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Full and By Farm: Sloggin’ Through Snow Drifts (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Full and By Farm: Lists of Work (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
