Schoolhouse Farms Learning and growing

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

The seed are in the rain has come and CSA season begins Friday. Grow seeds to be big strong tasty and bountiful

Monday, May 20, 2013

Potato planting from hole to row!

The potato as humble as it gets in the vegetable family but as popular and versatile as any. Consequently we are big fans of these tubers and after years of trials and experimenting with numerous varieties we finally settled on what works best for us and is delicious regardless how it is prepared.

300 pounds of seed potatoes arrived yesterday, well actually 250 pounds was delivered with an additional 50 floating around on a delivery truck. In years past the farmer picked up her handy shovel and proceeded to dig a hole every 2 feet. Up to 500 holes! This Mother’s Day tradition was slow painful and deserving of revision for sure.

Wing plow opening up the rows

During one particularly dry spring the ground simply would not yield to the shovel and the tiller bounced more then it dug in. Scratching our heads and feeling more then a little defeated we set about to find a remedy. Not being a large enough operation to invest in the full on potato planter we needed to find some economical as well as functional solution.

The results of our determination was the purchase of a small wing blade plow that hooked on to the rear of our tiller to open up a trough that we could drop the seed potatoes in. It was a simple effective, labor saving and when timed properly an end to the Mother’s Day tradition.

Dropping seed potatoes in the rows

All 300 pounds (about 2500 holes) were planted by 2 adults in under 4 hours...the last 50 pounds were delivered right on cue as we had just finished planting the 250 pounds. When we ventured down for a cool drink of water the delivery had been made. Nine 250 foot rows of potatoes. Learning, Sowing and Growing!

The still laborious method of covering, in definite need of an overhaul

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Hand Digging holes for Potatoes

Starting in 2007 we planted potatoes this way 1 hole at a time 500 holes or more. It was a Mother's Day ritual ...yes Mom and the kids did the digging! It made dinner all the tastier. For 2013 we have modified our methods so stay tuned.....not sure the Mother's Day tradition will survive, but who knows!

Thursday, April 11, 2013

CSA season is just around the corner

We will be offering a limited number of shares again for 2013! For more information stay tuned to our blog. Community supported agriculture it doesn't get anymore fresh or local.
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/M15378

Friday, November 2, 2012

And with a little rain things really grow.....

Purple Kale

Bok Choy

Mustard Green

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Late but worth it.....

Late but not forgotten.....heirloom saucer shaped beauties....fall bounty...so worth the multiple plantings

Now about that Forecast

That perfect stretch of weather we enjoyed during the middle of April 2009 should have really made us pause and take note. The Finger Lakes region just doesn’t escape paying the piper for perfect sunny days that allow access to the dirt early. And so it goes with the conclusion of June and the start of July. Rain, lots of it, buckets of it, fields full of it. Days filled with unrelenting clouds insisting on unburdening themselves several times a day and preventing the Schoolhouse farmers from completing the task of planting.

Fortunately the majority of the 2009 crop had been planted, and some of it seems to be growing well. However some that have been inundated by the overly generous rainfall seem to be in a state of suspended animation not growing nor dying, just sort of being. They all appear a little jaundice due to the loss of nutrients from the soil. We hope the sun will revive them and things will begin anew. Come on beans kick in! We’ve got loyal fans waiting for you!

We remember the 2008 season when the cracked dry earth of June had us all concerned that a drought was imminent, but then gave way to the soaking weeks of July which nearly drowned the heirloom tomatoes and caused equal concern.

At Schoolhouse Farms we believe we have had enough heavy precipitation and the weather needs to transition to the dry side, although we know if that happens it will prompt the whispers of we could use just a little more. Farmers we are just never satisfied.

Playing in the Dirt, or Soil-Borne Wellness

In The News: Playing in the Dirt, or Soil-Borne Wellness
Psychology Today magazine has an article about gardenings physical and psycholocial health benefits, but with a new component. Apparently researchers found that gardening exposes people to soil-borne microbes called Mycobacterium vaccae that can stimulate their immune systems. The same microbes also boost the levels serotonin in mice, much like prozac and other antidepressants. Some researchers think that depriving children from playing in the dirt may have led to the recent rise in immune disorders, including asthma. Daniel Marano writes for Psychology Today that "As science digs deeper into understanding the effects of bacteria on human health, and especially on the immune system, it looks increasingly like ingesting components of the soil itself might be as critical to human health as the very finest fruits and veggies grown in it.
In 2007, University of Colorado neuroscientist Christopher Lowry, thenworking at Bristol University in England, made a startling discovery. Hefound that certain strains of soil-borne mycobacteria sharply stimulated thehuman immune system. The very same bacteria also boosted serotonin levels inthe brains of mice."

Winter on the Farm….or life of the Shovel

Winter on the Farm….or life of the Shovel

Richard Malcolm

Equipment is a necessary component for any farm operation regardless the size. The ability to be self reliant when it comes to keeping things in greased grooves is equally important when it comes to maintenance and repair. Alternatively you can abandon technology and revert to low tech. This would be applauded as the greenest approach by many and nostalgic by some.

In the fall of 2007 the snow descended early, the ancient but up to that point incredibly reliable 3rd hand John Deere snow-blower failed to kick over and to this day remains parked as garden art. At the peak of the 2008 harvest the small garden tractor we have relied on for years to do far more then mow grass developed some serious issues. As quickly as one issue would be addressed another one would arise until the issues quickly out weighted the speed of repair and the financial feasibility so consequently the unit was retired to join the John Deere. We have been forced by circumstance to revert to manual methods for not just the winter months but for the fore seeable future.

The art of shoveling ones driveway is an exercise in patience as well as the laws of physics. It is an incredibly peaceful event and offers liberal cardio vascular benefit. If you have a driveway of sufficient size the event can be expanded to include all members of the family. We purchased a half dozen snow-shovels last season and when the snow fall is copious we distribute them to the clan to make short work of the horseshoe shaped drive. We are always amused by the look of disbelief on the faces of passersby, and grateful to the plow drivers who lift their blades at the driveways edge so not to rebury what we have painstakingly removed.

Exercise and family bonding opportunities are limited in much of the winter primarily to indoor activities, and often this closeness can lead to controversy if it happens to frequently, thus the outdoor options presents a welcome change. A little fresh air, a little stimulating physical activity combined with ample room for conversation culminating with a hot cup of tea when the task is complete make it a great family activity.

The up side to February

I love February!

Richard Malcolm

Most people really begin to get sick of winter about this time of year and generally for good reason. We have been barraged for the last 3 months with an entire season’s amount of snow and cold air. The blue sky days that a vital to quell the advancement of winter depression are in very short supply and the dry continuous heat indoors is wreaking havoc on the skin. However I find a silver lining in February I can’t help but getting excited about.

What on earth could get anybody excited about February? Firstly if you are a passionate skier generally the conditions are very favorable during February. If you enjoy Ice fishing the lakes are usually frozen thickly enough to set up camp and if you cross country ski, snow shoe or participate in any other outdoor winter activity this is when it peaks. However as passionate as I might be about any and or all these pursuits this is not what really gets me excited about the month.

The biggest bonus is what is happening every morning and every evening. The days are getting longer and longer! I realize that we actually begin to gain time as winter begins, but it flattens out in the early stages and it is not until February that you begin to notice the difference. Suddenly during the first week of the month you realize while driving home that it is practically 6:00 PM and it’s not really dark yet. The effect of extended day light hours has a tremendous impact on people’s moods and begins to waken the hibernating spirit trapped within. Time to start puttering a little later getting prepared for the upcoming longer days of sunlight that lay ahead in the months of March April May and June!

Year of the Potato

Year of the Potato

Perhaps this–the glory of the potato–is what caused the UN to declare 2008 “The International Year of the Potato.” Some people might argue for 1845 being the year of the potato (that’s the Irish potato famine, for those non-history buffs out there), but that was about lack, and we’ll hope that this one’s about bounty.
Slow Food USA has three potato varieties on its Ark of Taste:
The Green Mountain Potato, very popular in the latter half of the 19th century
Ivis White Cream Sweet Potato, an extremely endangered and unique variety and
The earthy, nutty, pacific northwest fingerling variety called the Ozette.

Schoolhouse Farms Learning and growing

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

The seed are in the rain has come and CSA season begins Friday. Grow seeds to be big strong tasty and bountiful

Monday, May 20, 2013

Potato planting from hole to row!

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Thursday, April 11, 2013

CSA season is just around the corner

Friday, November 2, 2012

And with a little rain things really grow.....

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Late but worth it.....

Three little Togo's

“Fabas indulcet fames”

Heirloom Tomatoes for a October Snack

Rose Gold

Water is key

A single Cherished Heirloom Tomato for 2009! Seasons like the past two will test a farms endurance

Bee Balm

Hosta in Bloom

Inspiration

The benefit of moisture

Skaneateles from the Lake

The Heart Spud

Black Currants

Borodino Market