Starting the Farm (Sept 7 - 13)

 

We spent our first week getting a lot of our planting done. Here we can see four out of a total of five gardening beds that we will be growing our delicious crops and beautiful flowers in. These beds include a trellis bed with weed fabric, a bed covered with plastic, two bare soil beds, and one no-till bed (not pictured). 

In our trellis bed, we have planted three different crops in an alternating pattern: tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. As our cucumbers and tomatoes grow, we will ensure they are properly supported by the trellis. We have also planted marigolds near the edge of the bed to take advantage of its natural insect-repelling properties. Basil will be planted in between the marigolds for additional protection.

Here we can see Eve planting pac choi in a bed with kale and sweet alyssum. We decided on these plants together due to their mature size and harvesting times. Both the kale and pac choi can be harvested as they continue to grow and produce. The sweet alyssum will attract pollinators and act as weed control.

             

The photo on the left shows sunflowers and zinnias planted in one of our bare soil beds, and then covered with hay for moisture retention and protection. The photo on the right shows Natalie planting the sunflowers and zinnias. They will attract a lot of much needed pollinators!

Here Navin is seen applying compost to our bare soil beds. This compost was made on site at the teaching farm, and the compost was used on both bare soil beds, as well as in our trellis bed. Our plants will appreciate the added nutrients the compost provides!

                

BONUS! Shown on the left are our watermelons (plants are marked by the pink flags) in our no-till bed. Sunn hemp had been growing in this bed improving the soil properties and recycling soil nutrients. Shown on the right is a seed tray with Genovese Basil seeds waiting to sprout. We are eagerly awaiting the growth of both our watermelons and basil!