Farm School Fall Series Week Ten

Blustery was the word of the day at Farm School this week.
With a cold front moving through,
we had cooler temperatures and overcast skies.

Perfect conditions to complete our tasks.

The overview of the garden showed that the new expansion area is filling up fast.
Lynn recently added 1,000 square feet to this side of the garden.

Two types of kale are grown here.
You can see Red Russian up front and
the Dinosaur variety further back.
This is one of the crops that does best in cooler temperatures.

The Romas are looking promising.
Each plant has a multitude of clustered gems on the vine.

We've tried to grow these previously without much success.
These are just weeks away from harvest.

This little beauty came home with me.
Not to worry,

there are more on their way.

The lettuce is getting close to being ready to pick.
Three types grow here, including (from front to back) Simpson Elite, Romaine and Buttercrunch.

The broccoli is starting to show its stuff.
Here's a newbie popping out of the center of the plant.

While this cutie is a little farther along.
When the central head is harvested,
shoots grow out all over the plant
and are harvested as a bonus crop.
This plant just keeps on giving.

kohlrabi

These New Zealand Spinach plants will most likely be brought to the farmer's market
for those who want to start their own patch.

Radishes germinate within days of planting and are harvested in a matter of weeks.

We checked on "Peaville" to see how the  plants are doing since being fertilized.
Seems they responded well and are looking healthier.
We sampled a few peas on the older plants and were pleased with their flavor.

 Some are unable to contain themselves within the growing area.

This new batch was planted just days ago.
You won't hear me complaining about too many peas.

We'll need to reseed where some didn't come up.
This is hands-down my favorite task at the farm.

The okra is still putting out a smattering of veg.
We managed to harvest a handful to fill an order.

 Some fell short of the preferred size,
but as they are diminishing in production, we'll take what we can get.
These will be pickled .

We worked on sowing more lettuce seeds today.

These tiny seeds are best planted by using these handy-dandy tweezers.

One seed per cell is sown in these six-packs.
Twelve packs fit on a tray,
and we planted three trays worth of lettuce,
each a different variety.
 That's over 200 plants comin' our way!
Get the ranch dressing ready!

After the seeds are sown, the cell pack is gently patted,
to settle the seeds and close up the planting holes.
This knife gingerly pressed on top ensures that they are snug as a bug.

After being misted, the tops of the trays are put in place,
and they are monitored carefully for light, moisture and air circulation.

Lynn calls this "Seed Central".
He's got his own way of organizing the many varieties he uses.

Lynn decided to start some cucumbers in this area next to the fenceline.
They will be grown vertically.
He calls it "Cucumber Alley".

Two varieties were sown,
"Burpless Beauty" and "Salad Slicer"

 We scratched up the dirt and planted away.
The packages say the last planting date for our area is in September,
but Lynn enjoys pushing the boundaries whenever he can.

Lynn's garden log

This garden is amazing.
And what it does for my peace of mind is even more incredible.
I always leave feeling centered, fulfilled and renewed.
Ready to face the challenges of the week ahead.

Hope you have something that feeds your spirit.

Peruse the humble beginnings of Farm School here.