What crazy weather it has been this winter. From -20 three weeks ago to close to 60 all this week, little dapplings of snow here
and there but never a big dump that sat around. I am curious how the plants are holding up, I am sure they are as confused as the rest of us here at the ashram. Because of all this early warmth, we really needed to get on to pruning our fruit trees before they decided to break bud before we got to them. So, up the ladder we go trying to encourage as much fruit spurring as possible, attempting to get to those far up branches in the hopes of trees laden with big juicy fruits come summer and fall. Clip, clip, snip, snip. Please let this be a good fruit year, we would love to see the pantry full of yummy jams and chutneys and the cellar lined with boxes of fruit to offer Maharaji and Hanuman all fall.
As spring starts to show with a few crocus and mini iris’ giving a little bright show around the sunroom walls, Shivaratri is when the first bulbs start to appear, I too am poking around more and more. Looking to see what might go where in the big vegetable plot, watering the new orchard and testing the springiness of their branches and swelling of buds for signs of winter survival and tiptoeing around the cutting garden for hints of the early tulips and daffodils. Mostly all is still a bit brown and gray but soon soon the green will appear more and more and the farm will be in full swing before we know it!
After a few months of neglect in the greenhouse, I peeked under the row cover a few days ago to find the chard sitting happily in
some state of dormancy. I quickly turned on the water to give them a good drink and am excited to harvest for a month or so before turning them back under to make room for more basil, peppers and flowers for summer. It always amazes me the tenacity of such plants, just sitting there waiting to get more water and some warmth to start growing again. At times they seem so fragile and thin and yet, I surely wouldnt have made it through the winter with such a thin cover!
Nine trays of tomatoes have been started. Yum! Most of them have been potted up and will be sold as starts at the farmer’s market but many will find there way into our greenhouse once it warms up a bit. Cherokee Purple, Roma and Ropreco Pastes, a French Heirloom and a beefstake hybrid especially for the greenhouse will be making our tongues sing come July. There are also a couple of different sweet peppers I am trying, an orange and a large, sweet red heirloom. Big hopes of lots of roasting and freezing and canning and fresh eating going to those currently teeny little leaves!
My favorite thing happening at the moment on the farm is the construction, or retro fitting of a small, 12X12 greenhouse, which
was donated a few years ago. This little but potentially spacious greenhouse will house all the early starts from now on. With a little help from an electric heater I intend to retire the sunroom windows spring duties and harness a lot of sun and vertical space towards the raising up of all our flowers, herbs and many veggies. I also hope to put a potting bench in and store most of the black plastic, trying to contain and organize more and more. Its the little things in life...
So, the anticipation of spring grows as the sun shines for longer and longer each day. We have had lots of interest for volunteers this summer and all though my hands are a little more full this year with a new baby, the interest in helping from both local satsang and inquiries from abroad provides a lot of energy, inspiration and hope for an awesomely lush and productive season, come join us!!!
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