Our new plots

The Before Photo - our plot is the land just above the wooden post and below the line of small rocks. The domed red roof in the background is also visible from our deck. We've cut a path through the woods behind the houses to the community garden, and we've been there to check out the action in everyone's plots at least once a day this week.

We marked out wide beds that are each 42" by 25' to maximize growing space and minimize paths. This way all the work we do each year on the soil will have maximum benefit with as little compaction as possible. The paths are pretty narrow but we're keeping an eye on craigslist for some pretty pavers or red bricks to finish them.
The soil was too wet to turn (much) but we scooped the black gold from the paths into the beds to reduce compaction. The bed just beyond in the corner is our additional little plot. Almost adjoining real estate.
The sun lit everything and the grass is starting to turn green. This is the additional bed. Great soil and its almost 40 feet long by 4 feet wide. There are some raspberries in it now but we'll either consolidate or move them.

A tour of the community garden

The temperature dropped and the ground froze overnight, but we worked in the community garden for an hour before breakfast this morning. A few photos from other plots, roots are sprouting back to life. Can you guess what each is?

Community Garden Plot Arial

The plots in this garden are enormous. Our allotment is 12' by 20', one of the more medium sized ones. It is outlined in purple in the photo. It appears that the previous gardeners grew some cole crops so we'll avoid planting them there for the next few years, and lots of tomatillo vines are scattered over the plot. Its exciting to have somewhere with full sun and a good supply of compost, things that we lack at our home garden. I can't wait to get the soil turned and some onions and spinach in the ground!

Digging

Planting onions, parnsip, peas and radishes

First load of compost

Seeding tray

Sowing spring seeds and the bean teepee


Conscripted Labor

We invited our friend Fran for a hike on Friday. We ended up digging the four holes for the apple trees and turning the soil in the strawberry bed. Fran is officially our first farm worker. Willing worker on an organic farm?

Sustenance

The terrace is taking shape

Cherokee purple and Rutgers tomatoes

Winter Peach Pie

I took a short break from revamping my computer to enjoy an hour outside today. I finished transplanting all available soil square inches in the two cold frames. The Batavian endive didn't germinate as well as expected so we've got only six. I transplanted Parcel cutting celery into a deeper flat and pricked out Rainbow Lacinato kale, the rest of the broccoli and the rest of the broccoli raab into straight into the ground in the coldframe. As usual, we have too many seedlings and I can't bear to let them die (although I did feed a few to the chooks and they pecked with delight).

I went to work this morning but didn't realize until I was there that I hadn't re-installed all my programs - so no work. On my way home I stopped at Wholefoods to ask if they had any empty 5 gallon buckets - scored one - but also noticed they were throwing away quite a few decent plums and peaches. I intended them for the chooks but when I took a better look, they weren't so bad. Only two had rough spots, the rest were just soft or wrinkled. I gave half to the chooks but made this with the rest:

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) package pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

1 egg, beaten

5 cups sliced peeled peaches

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts. Brush with some of the beaten egg to keep the dough from becoming soggy later.

Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix gently. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour over the peaches, and mix gently. Pour into the pie crust, and dot with butter. Cover with the other pie crust, and fold the edges under. Flute the edges to seal or press the edges with the tines of a fork dipped in egg. Brush the remaining egg over the top crust. Cut several slits in the top crust to vent steam.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is brown and the juice begins to bubble through the vents. If the edges brown to fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking. Cool before serving. This tastes better warm than hot.

First Planting of the Season

After the week of nice weather, the soil was dry and ready for planting. We transplanted lettuces, kale, batavian endive, and broccoli raab into the coldframe and a short trial of peas along the fence in the ground. It is still very early and we anticipate more cold weather, but we'll continue to succession plant peas along the fence and hope for a successful early crop. The coldframes increase our seedling space and push up by at least a month our production of greens. We planted arugula, spinach and pac choy straight into the coldframe. The other coldframe now houses the onions and celery which are in need of a transplant. The brush and vines in the photo are all that remain of the rotted fence and acacia tree which had grown together over the years and which we cut down before prepping the coldframe.

The view from above on a gorgeous sunny afternoon midweek (its pouring now) showing the garden beds. The pool was located here previously and the soil under the layer of manure is pretty sandy so we'll try to plant root crops for the first few years while we amend the soil.

We caught a break in the rain while we were at Cape Cod and took advantage of the sunshine to visit this cedar swamp in the Marconi Station, part of the National Seashore. It was quiet and still except for the birds and we meandered our way along the boardwalks.

Spring! (almost)

Hey all, we have had the most amazing weather the past few days, coinciding most conveniently with our spring break, so we have done heaps of fun things around the hill. The big news is that the chooks have moved down into their big home in the coop. We gave them a day out in the sun (inside a coldframe) and then moved them into the high box part of the coop.

Enjoying a little fresh air...

First moments in their new home...

Settling in nicely...

We also did a lot of landscaping and garden work, building tipis for the cucumbers and green beans, starting on a pallet-compost, moving some shrubs, fixing the terrace garden walls and adding a new garden bed!

S is for strawberries! Meet our new strawberry patch...