Spring 2013 Store Opening

The farm is opening Thursday, March 28, 2013, 9:00 am- 5:00 pm. There will be an Easter Egg hunt Friday & Sat. 11:00- 3:00 pm. We will be closed on Sunday for Easter, re-opening Monday at 9:00 am and regular hours from then on. Hope to see you soon!

March 2013

Another winter storm is howling outside as I write this but daylight savings time begins this weekend so the end of winter is in sight. Since you probably have a severe case of the winter blahs, why not cheer yourself up by visiting us at the Boston Flower Show this March 13 thru 17? By now you’ve hopefully got your flower or veggie garden planned and are itching to get dirty. Before you get started however you need to consider several things. First is indoor seed starting and how long it takes for seeds to germinate. You don’t want to start plants too early, which makes for difficulties transplanting into the garden, nor do you want to be so late that you don’t even have a crop before the first fall frost! Timing is also important for the first outdoor planting. You need to keep in mind soil temperatures, moisture and nutrient levels (including pH) and spring frosts. Soil testing is available via the UMass Extension service and pH meters can be found at your local hardware or garden center. Be sure to keep an eye on the weather report for frost warnings once your plants are outside. We may be a bit premature in talking about outdoor planting since the ground is hardly even thawed in some places but March is the time to get outside and prune your fruit trees and blueberry bushes! Instructional videos are available on the UMass extension website as well as in numerous books and online writeups. There are numerous methods and theories on pruning and depending on the type of tree some methods work better than others. It is best to do as much research as you can since over- pruning or incorrect pruning can, in extreme cases, weaken the tree/bush and lead to its premature decline. We carry a selection of fruit trees ready for home planting should you wish to start your own orchard. Keep in mind you need two different varieties of apple trees (and most other fruits) in order for pollination to work and produce a crop! Happy Spring and hope to see you soon. ~Smith