The First of the Year.

And the winner is...

Rossa di Milano Onions. These babies were the first to stand up and be counted. This is a mid-size red italian storage onion with medium hot flavor. I grew it last year and was really pleased with it's performance. It grew consistantly even after being rescued from agressive and out-of control weeds in late June. I will plant these out in April depending on how fast we melt out in the field.

I set up the seed nursery in my dining room where the light is best and the space is greatest. Of course this means that we will gradually lose access to the room for "dining" as it becomes chock full of seedlings. We hope to remedy this in the next few years with a three season green house to get our plants off and running. We grow all our vegetables from seed here at Side Track Farm.

Come May I'll rotate the starts out to the front porch during the mildest days. All the in and out hardens off the plants gradually. It's a great day on the farm when the dining room is empty and the porch is spilling over with the next set of transplants.

But I get ahead of myself.

Something to wet your whistle...

Spring WILL come again. We have to believe that the sun will return once more and grant us the warmth necessary to jump start the gardens. Here's to another spin around the block!

It's about that time...

Time to make the donuts? A matter of time? Wasting time? Daylight savings time? Which cycle am I speaking of? Why, time to get down to business with the new growing season, of course.

I've mapped my garden, planning out rotation. Saved seeds are sorted. I've researched my new varieties. Orders are in the mail. We use locals when possible. I order from Solstice Seeds, High Mowing, Johnny's, and FEDCO for the most part. There are a few others I use, though somewhat less frequently.

I've received some of the seeds and made sense of the seeds I have saved. I compile them by planting time and location. Then I start the early indoor process of germination which is generally some sort of allium. This year it is an assortment of red and yellow storage onions, bunching onions and leeks. I also have a few egyptian walking onions potted up for sale or transplant as the season progresses.

There's an abundance of paperwork and literature to compile still. I am finishing my latest draft of our brochure to send out to potential CSA members. Next up: Complete applications for the three farmers' markets we intend to vend at this year: Hanover, Hartland and Windsor.

There is much to do. I will endeavor to keep you posted!