Today I am sitting in the greenhouse typing this and all around me are the plants that will go into the fields in a couple of weeks. Hundreds of cucumber, squash and tomato plants and that doesn’t include the kale, onions or others. The quarter acre that was cleared of corn stocks is coming along; the first peas are making progress and we hope to see the fruits of that labour in early June. It’s amazing what a little rain can do – they seem to have doubled in size overnight. Beside them are the early transplants, leaf lettuce, broccoli and swiss chard.
The coming weeks will be busy, getting things ready for the big transplant day May 25th. For those who are planning to come out and help please e-mail me back with the number of people coming. I am trying to plan dinner and looking into renting a porta-potty – (Note: if you are planning to come on the 25th or anytime for a visit we currently don’t have a toilet). Market prep, signs and containers need to be made and purchased. Figuring out a temporay stand on the farm for sales, and putting together a seeding/planting plan for things like lettuce and radish all have to happen.
(first draft of a sign)
And of course preparing to make those first deliveries to everyone in the Food Share = Farm Share program.
The business part aside, it is amazing how connected I am feeling to the land and the plants. I spend time every day walking in the fields or the small stand of trees, listening to the birds and other little creatures. I am always amazed at the things that come up. Each time I find something new I take a picture and send it to my friend Sean James (he runs Fernridge Landscaping in Milton); he is amazing at telling me what each plant is and is very patient when I ask “Oh, can I eat it?” 80% of the time it’s no, at least for the moment. Oh well the flowers are pretty and if it brings the bees….
It really is amazing that I spent the last 20 years going 100 miles/hour never having enough hours in a day and wondering where the time was going. Now there’s lots to do but my perception and attitude are different. The plants come and when they come my job is to take care of them and their home – the soil they live in. It’s peaceful, it’s quiet and I don’t miss all the tech that I thought I couldn’t live without.
For the first time in a long time minutes seem like minutes.
For me it’s just about breathing and remembering I am now a steward of the land…not for a day or a year but hopefully for a lifetime.
Chris Marcucci
Farmer – Sommelier
Seed and Seasons 