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Hutten Family Farm Newsletter for Monday Mar 27, 2017

     We seeded one of the unheated coldframes today. Lots of hakurei turnips, arugula, baby pac choi, and some kale.  Most of the other coldframes are still producing the overwintered greens that you have been consuming over the past couple months. Once the days lengthen a bit more and we get a bit more heat these greens will bolt to seed and be finished. This is why I try to keep planting new crops when I have space in the cold frames.
     We now have one heated greenhouse full of transplants and have begun with the second greenhouse. Leeks, shallots, various onions, lettuces, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, celeriac, parsley, basils and a bunch of other crops are up and growing now. As we fill the greenhouses with transplants we have less space for things like micromix. It is always a bit of a juggling act to get plants seeded on time but to also have greenhouse and cold frame space to produce leafy greens to eat now. Root vegetables are ok but too many of them gets boring this time of year. We are also running out of things like some types of cabbage and some roots.
     Based on the weather predictions I think that we might be able to start planting the first crops outside by the end of next week.I might be a bit optimistic as it is snowing steady right now. It is common for me to plant outside in early April on sandy soil but the actual date is quite variable from year to year.
     This past winter (is it over?) has been a bit difficult for me. I have had several operations on my left eye to fix a detached retina. I am not finished with it yet but it is getting better. My latest retinal operation was just over a week ago and hopefully will be the last. I am unable to lift or do heavy work following these operations so a lot of the day to day work has been done by my employee Gordon. He has worked here for over twenty years. A motivated twenty year employee is pretty valuable. Especially this winter.
     Have a good week.
ted

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