From the Fields: May 11th
We hope everyone had a great Mother’s Day weekend. After a run of cooler spring days, it was nice to finally get some sunshine.
The market was busy all weekend with people stopping in for flowers. Rambo and Fabion had the greenhouse full again, and the hanging baskets looked incredible. It’s always nice to see them head out the door and know they’ll be part of someone’s porch, garden, or Mother’s Day visit.
If you brought flowers home, we’d love to see where they ended up. Tag us @leeandmarias so we can take a look.
If you didn’t make it in over the weekend, we still have flowers available. You can shop them in the market, order through our website, or add them to your subscription box.
Out in the fields, things are moving a little slower than usual. The rain and the threat of frost have delayed planting slightly. We’re ready to get going, but the fields need a bit more time before we can move ahead. That’s spring farming. Some weeks are about planting, and some weeks are about waiting.
The good news is the soil is in good shape and will be ready when the weather cooperates. In the meantime, the greenhouse has kept us busy. We’ve been setting up pots for eggplants and flat beans, and the kale seedlings have really taken off over the past week.
We’ve also been making the daily walk to the back of the farm to harvest rhubarb. It’s about 10 to 15 minutes each way, so it’s a bit of a hike, but it’s one of those jobs that marks this time of year.
Rhubarb is a perennial, which means it comes back on its own each year with very little maintenance. Ours has been growing strong for more than 14 seasons and is still one of Lee’s favourite crops. It’s usually one of the first true signs of spring on the farm, and this year’s harvest has started well. Last year, we picked more than 30 pounds, and we may be on track for another good season.
Rhubarb season is short, but it freezes well. Wash it, chop it, and freeze it in a sealed bag so you have it ready later for pies, jams, crumbles, or sauces.
With the season picking up, we’re now open seven days a week. Visit us Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
