This is the field where we had all the strawberries in 2010. When we ordered the strawberries for the 2011 season they actually sent us more than we ordered. We weren't planning on planting any in this field. We wanted to do crop rotations so that the soil wouldn't get depleted as quickly. But we had no choice when they bought all the extra plants. It only took up one small corner of the field. So we have been trying so different things with this few plants to see if we can find better techniques.
We will be using part of the field for early spring plantings that will run their lifespan by the time the heat of the summer reaches us. This way Jeff can plant a cover crop that he can plow under just before the strawberries are to be planted in the fall. Hopefully between the cover crop and all the peas we have planned on putting in there the ground will be in great shape for the 2012 strawberries.
This is the view from between the 2 fields. Last year the view on the left would have been filled with trees and brush. We had this cleared last summer so we could get it ready for the strawberries. This is the center between the two fields. I had once upon a time wanted to plant the cut flowers along the hill side but that just work into the plan like I had hoped. We do however have 4 apple trees planted that we might be able to get apples from in about 15 years (haha).
On this hill, Mica and I are planning on trying to grow 3 HUGE pumpkins. We needed an area where the tractor could get to them along with the irrigation. We are going to try 3 different varieties with 3 different methods to see what works and what doesn't work. We are both really excited about it.
This is the area that we had cleared and planted this years berries in. It was full of roots and a real pain to get cleaned up. The large pine tree is a favorite of mine and I refused to let them cut it down. We hoping to fix a seating area under the low limb to the right. Last year we had several people that would come with grandmothers and they would sit with me under the tent. So we thought we would fix an area in the shade for them to sit so they could watch the grandkids picking berries.
This is the view from the left side of the market. Jeff fixed a little pathway that he lined with blueberry bushes. He also planted 4 of the fig trees there. Closer to the red gate the pathway branches off to the right where the big pine tree is. All the irrigation pipes will be gone in the spring. Jeff will re-route those. He is wanting to line the pathway with concrete curbing and maybe some small pebble type gravel. I love this new field because I can look out my kitchen window and see the people in the field.
These are 2 of the beds I laid out for cut flowers. These can be expensive to start and we are not really sure if there is a market in our area for them. So I thought I would start small. All year Mica and I were putting the empty pea shells, corn husks and silks and any other degradable veggie part that we had that didn't have seeds in it. We have a small tiller that I am going to till everything in with and we also have some organice compost at the house that I am going to mix in with the soil before I plant the bulbs and flowers.
The 2 yellow flags are on either side of a Rose of Sharon Bush. I have one at each end and one in the middle. They actually had one bloom each on them this past year.
This is the market as it looks finished. I took these pics after we had closed for the winter. There are normally rocking chairs on the porch but we put those inside the market.
The big silver looking thing behind the building is our walk in cooler which will be a lifesaver this year!
I hoping that Jeffrey will get the shutters made and put on the building before we open in the spring.
We have the customers park facing the building. I am thinking that I might need to get Jeff to make some concrete parking slabs to keep customers from running into the retaining wall. I have alredy done it once this past year and am quite sure I will probably do it several more times in the futre. I don't want my wall torn down or anyone damaging their vehicle.
The view of the front. I am standing on the handicap parking spot. In the bottom right corner there is a concrete pad that has a picnic table on it. This past fall we used in to put the pumpkins on and they lasted alot longer than the ones that were on the ground. Usually I have hanging baskets between the posts and rocking chairs under the windows.
I am thinking that we need some kind of sign over the top of the door. From the highway and even in the yard of the farm it is so cute that it just looks like someone's house. When driving up the driveway the emptiness above the door is really obvious. It just seems like it needs to be filled in with something. So I am hoping that my aunt can make a coutry looking sign with our name on it that will fix that problem.
The market from the other side. In this one you can see the picnic table I mentioned. There are many days that I have lunch out there. We still haven't gotten the stairs built to the attic access but I am in no hurry to do it. I don't plan on climbing all those steps (haha).
And all the brown is really pretty grass in the spring and summer. I will have to remember to take some pictures when everything is green and in bloom. It's gorgeous!
Tomorrow we will be heading to Rockingham to a local food meeting. I am excited about this. I hope to learn a lot of valuable tricks and make some really good connections. So tomorrow night I will probably blog about all that I learned. ;)
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