Springing into CSA Season!
Can you believe it’s Spring! We have emerged from a mild winter here in Southern Arizona. With the renewal of life, of energies, of the complex relationships between insects, microbes, plants, animals, and people, we have an opportunity to give thanks for all that occurred since this day of last years new blossoming. We know that our Creator has reached down to assist us in our efforts, as we reach towards Him.
This winter was not an idle one, to say the least. We kept busy digging out the comfrey and nettles to transplant in our northern garden. We weeded, dug out, and mulched our fruit tree wells and many wintercrops. Many hours were spent doing and thorough seed inventory and update. The annual winter seed ordering took place, looking through catalogs and discussing what we’d try. We’ve nearly got our larger greenhouse completed in the lower garden, that we’re grateful to have been partially donated. That’s been a good project. Happily, in our climate here we were able to continue to grow beets, lettuce, spinach, kohlrabi, carrots, kale, daikon, radish, swiss chard, parsley, cilantro, collards, onions and broccoli over these quieter months. Our winter squash is still holding out for our meals.
Quite a pleasing sight it is for those garlic-lovers amongst us to see our long rows of green tops stretching out. We should have our biggest harvest yet coming up by the end of May, thanks to many hands sticking each little clove in. Amongst these helpers were different visitors, including WWOOFER’s, which we’re always grateful for.
Thousands of seedlings have been sprouting up lately, looking towards a new and exciting CSA season ahead of us. Months back we started the brassicas going in the smaller propagation greenhouse, and now they’re getting settled in out in the field. Getting them out provided room for the more tender tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, basil, fennel, and celery. Many weeks were spent preparing a new area for the tomatoes, and thanks to a good neighbor lending us his auger the holes took a fraction of the time it’s taken us by hand in past years.
Another new project is transforming a large pasture field, which Kamon designed, and many people assisted with preparing the soil, fencing, and so forth. If all goes well we will have growing in abundance native winter squashes, growing besides various indigenous corn and Hopi lima beans. In addition the native sunflower root (Jerusalem Artichokes), mangel and sugar beets will provide lots of feed for our animals.
Connecting with more people has been a pleasure, through our outreaches at fairs, and festivals, giving talks, holding events in town and at the ranch.
Our eco-village is a thriving agrarian community of dedicated souls from all over the world. Come volunteer and/or visit us soon in this very rewarding work of finding solutions in a world crisis.
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