Beekeeping
Bees, I've been dying to raise them for the last couple of years but I couldn't get myself into the beekeeping class through Essex County Beekeepers' Association's lottery system. I tried the last two years without any luck! One benefit of the Covid-19 crisis was that ECBA was prompted to bring their traditionally in-person course to an online format. So this year I got in! And last Friday I went to Crystal Bee Supply and purchased everything I need to get started as a new beekeeper! I cannot tell you how excited I am to raise bees and [...]
Farm Planning 2021
It is 40ish degrees outside today, there is snow all over the ground and I am still dreaming of spring. One of the things we gardeners/farmers can do in the winter in New England is PLAN. We are hoping to expand our little farm this year and will be adding on at least another 2,000 square feet. We will also be trying to keep bees! Wahoo! In order to wrap my head around the expansion I decided to take an online tool (www.growveg.com) for a spin and so far, I am loving it! I mapped out our existing [...]
Pineapple Squash
These squash are definitely part of my decision to pick produce items that were unique and might look fun on a plate at Shea's Riverside Restaurant & Bar. Apparently these beauties do double duty as both a summer and winter squash. As a summer squash you are supposed to pick them when they are about the size of your palm (excluding the "fingers" that protrude from the fruit) and you can eat the skin and seeds. As a winter squash they get big ... not sure how big yet ... and then you can treat them like any other winter [...]
The First Sunrise Bumble Bee Tomato
Sunrise Bumble Bee Tomatoes may be my favorites of the 6 varieties we are growing right now. There is something so stunning about their coloring and they are quite tasty. This little tomato has been 3.5 months in the growing. I think about how much time it takes to grow one single tomato and I realize that so much of what makes me itchy and antsy in life is that things seem to take too much time. That incremental growth is really only visible in hindsight. I gave this little guy 3.5 months, my people [...]