I love this time of year and the ever changing weather, one minute you're working outside in a t-shirt and the next the wind is howling and snowflakes are falling. Yea Colorado! We can feel the suspense building for the upcoming growing season as we're seeding more starts each week, beginning to prep the fields, finishing projects (and adding more to the list). It's all coming together and before we know it the days will be long and filled with planting, irrigating, pruning, trellising, cultivating, harvesting, etc... I'm ready for the mornings where I can walk outside with coffee in hand, as the sun comes up, in a pair of shorts and sandals. Those mornings are my favorite and so special around here.
The first CSA Harvest is only 10 weeks away, which sounds like a lot but I have a feeling those 10 weeks are going to fly by! We are more excited than ever about the upcoming season and are looking forward to sharing it with YOU! Thank you to our new and returning CSA Members who have already signed up, you are awesome! And, if you haven't signed up already, please go to CSA Sign-Up Page and do so today! We are offering two Telluride CSA options in 2017, and you can read about all the details here: Mountain Roots Produce Summer CSA and Mountain Roots Produce Fall CSA. Please do not hesitate to contact us directly if you have any questions and keep spreading the word about our farm and CSA and help the Community get their hands on locally grown produce!
We completed the propagation house this week! We were racing to get it finished and plastic attached before the colder weather and moisture arrived on Thursday. Our friends came over on Tuesday evening and the wind was not cooperating so we hung out for a little while and sure enough, 30 minutes before the sun went down the wind calmed and we attached the plastic quickly, worried that a gust could come at any moment. It went so smoothly, our friends are the BEST and we couldn't do this without them. Thanks guys and gals!
So, now we're building tables and filling the prop house up with the many plant starts that will make their way to the fields in May and feed us and YOU all year long. We have a round of early greens started that are destined for the future moveable tunnels... which looking at the calendar I need to get a move on and build those tunnels ASAP. This afternoon we will be seeding the first round of brassicas (cabbages, kale, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, bok choy, etc), basil and lettuces. Yes!
The tomatoes, peppers and eggplant are all growing fast. They have true leaves and the tomatoes are starting to smell amazing and are filling out the small cells that we seeded them in. In a week or two they'll be ready for a repotting, which is one of my favorite things to do a a stormy spring day. I'm curious to see what Spring brings weather wise... I'm guessing we'll have some warm and cold swings, a fair amount of wind and several more storms before May?
The onion starts in the high tunnel are looking GREAT! I spent some time weeding these beds this week and the onions are beginning to bulk up and it's almost time for their next 'haircut'. They have another month in their current location before we dig them up and transplant in the field, grow beauties grow!
We seeded the snow peas, snap peas and fava beans in the field this week as well as onion and rutabaga seed stock. We're excited to be collaborating with Laura Parker at High Desert Seed and Gardens and saving a few seed crops this season. First up, we planted a beautiful onion variety, Bronze D'amposta, that Laura grew out in 2016 and Joan rutabagas that we grew here at the farm. Both of these crops are biennials and produce seed in their second year of growth. We went through the seed stock that stored well and selected for the traits we want to see in future generations and replanted those in the field to produce seed. Wish them luck! It all starts with high quality seed and Laura is working to preserve genetic diversity and create regionally adapted seed for our high desert regions, which is incredibly important work. We'll be working on a few other seed crops this season, and planning to document them along the way, stay tuned!
OK, I'm off to make breakfast and open the high tunnel. Have a beautiful day!
