Archive for the ‘Farming’ Category

by Camille Cody

For owners Linda Davis and Jim Rueff, it is the things people everywhere share and all depend upon (mainly food!) that inspired their creation of Solstice Farm Bed and Breakfast.  Food is the common denominator that can bring many diverse groups with differing opinions, agendas and ideas together.  We all eat, and finding that common ground can build bridges of community both in the neighborhood and from far away.

By Camille Cody

It’s not breaking news that we had lots of rain last spring and early summer, but we’re now seeing its sad effect at Finnriver Farm. This is the time Finnriver is normally flush with delicious plump blueberries, blueberries being one of Finnriver’s biggest cash crops. But as Finnriver watched and waited all summer for evidence of a fruitful crop, most of what they have held out for is shriveling up and falling to the ground,

by Camille Cody

“Know Your Farmer” and “Food From Here” are hot phrases and bumper stickers right now.  The movement advocates a much-needed return to family-run business and community building.  When we ask ourselves how we can support the farmers in our area, most of answer it from a consumer standpoint.  We need to buy more local goods so that local farmers can make a decent living.

by Camille Cody

Picking, harvesting, gathering, foraging; July is the time for busy hands and full bellies.  Most fruiting vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, zucchini – anything that isn’t a leaf or stem) continue to produce more fruit the more the fruit is harvested.  The thing is, the plant wants to create its seed for next year’s growth, seeds are contained in the fruit, if the fruit is picked the plant will try again to produce seed thus bearing more fruit.  This literally translates into picking zucchini and summer squash every day to every-other day, and picking peppers and tomatoes at least twice a week.

By Camille Cody

Did you know that it’s been an unusually wet spring? Of course you did. But did you know that we’re nearly half-way through 2011 and many livestock farmers have only just now been able to get their animals out on pasture?  Each little nook and valley here on the peninsula has its own unique microclimate based on how deep the ground water sits and whether it’s situated in the threatening flood zone near a river, not to mention

by Camille Cody

It’s not news to anyone that this spring has been a cold one, late to warm up and late to dry out.  But it may be news to some that this has been the coldest spring on record since the 1950′s!  Normally our temperatures are hovering in the mid-50′s by this time of year, with a possible last frost threatening to squeeze itself in until sometime in the middle of May.  

by Camille Cody

The trees are showing new buds and little buttons of color are popping up on the hillsides and along walkways — Spring has come. This also means the days are getting longer and the soil is warming up ever so gently (though getting it to hurry up and dry out is another matter, entirely.)  All of these factors contribute to being able to spend more time in the garden, planting and working the soil as well as getting stir-crazy animals back out on pasture again.

by Camille Cody

March in the garden is actually mostly OUT of the garden – it is in flats, seed trays, greenhouses, over heating mats and under grow lights.  March is the time of year when most farmers have ordered their seeds (or pulled out their saved seeds from last season) and are sowing them in the greenhouse to transplant later when the seedlings are big enough.