We had our first sip of spring this week, and it was glorious!
Friday brought the Spring Equinox, and it showed up with clear skies and warm sun. After school, we went to Surf Beach and ended up fully in the water with our clothes on. We followed it up with open mic night at Eye on I (after a shower), where the kids demolished a full salad for dinner. The evening closed with a killer night of warm evening stargazing back at the farm. Amazing days like this set the energy for the season. It carried into the weekend with trail runs and more time with our extended family.
Back on the farm, it’s war to make sure we have beautiful foods for the farm box. The weeds are not taking a day off! Right behind them, the gophers are repopulating exactly the way you’d expect them to in spring. Preston has been busy managing the gophers—nine so far! It’s certainly a battle, and it feels a bit like a game of Plants vs. Zombies, but with a bonus of mystical sunsets instead of golden plant coins.
We’re still working to get everything in the ground. Peppers, zucchini, yellow crookneck, and patty pan squash have all sprouted and are growing quickly with our hot weather. Next to go in are tomatoes, more peppers, and eggplant, which are all being hardened off right now. We’re waiting for plastic row covers from Johnny’s to arrive to help warm the soil before planting since these crops prefer warmer weather. In our canyon, things tend to stay a bit cooler since the sun goes down early and comes up late. Once those starts go in, it’s time for pounding in stakes with the pole driver to twine up the vining tomato plants.
We’re excited to do something a little different this week. On Friday, March 27, we’re collaborating with the Lompoc Library for a bilingual “Books and Bubbles” workshop at Ryon Park. This series is focused on local helpers—this week, farmers. We’ll be bringing eggs, chicks, and chickens to share what we do and answer questions. It starts at 10:30 am, and we hope to see you there!
