It has been a joyfully busy spring.  While spring is always a busy time in the world of landscapers, adding an acre of organic vegetable production has brought on a healthy dose of  fatherly guilt. When I found myself encouraging my 7-year old daughter to train our dog to play tag, I realized the tomatoes can  wait for a little while.  Childhood  memories are forever, tomatoes come and go, especially when the horn worm is  around. 

I prefer chasing birds

Welcome to the 1st season of our market garden adventure, introduced to our community this March as Mark and Mary's City Farm.  After eight years, my wife and I are excited to officially offer CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) memberships.  Nationwide, there are numerous versions of CSAs.  City Farm will be a simple farm-to-family concept, with no sweat equity required on the part of our members.  

We invite you to follow our farming adventure here at City Farm Journal.  If you happen to be a gardening or fresh food enthusiast, or if you are just a little curious why 2 thirty-somethings with young children are excited about farming, then we invite you to visit City Farm Journal, and check out our progress.

By mid February, the hot house was loaded and I was forced to turn my attention to cultivation.   In the early winter, we spread a large amount of uncomposted manure and rice hull mixture to act as a mulch over the lush stand of rye grass cover crop.   It seems to have partially killed off the perennial weeds that pay us a visit each year.  By March 1, the plot was turned and the rows built.  March 7th was our first out-planting day.  It was exciting and daunting at the same time.  That day, I learned an important rule: Don't Look Up.  Not even for a rain drop.

Although, today, March 27th, we finally had our first rain drop just after installing our irrigation system.    I looked up and saw an acre fully planted!  Now, bring on the bugs, heat, humidity, weeds, disease, and oh yeah, loads of fresh veggies!  Happy Gardening!

Don"t Look Up

My enthusiasm was lifted when our fist of 32 loads of horse manure was delivered in October.  I was quite eager to start seeding trays and "Don't start too early" was a phrase I wanted to challenge.  By January, our humble 20x50 hot house had new little seedlings poking through.  If wisdom is gained through failures, then by February, I was a bit wiser. A large batch of tomatoes and basil were the victims of my experiment.  Point taken, "don't start too early."  But the survivors are flourishing, so I can't make any promises for next winter.

Piles and Piles