Well friends it was a pretty quiet week on the farm. Our focus this week switched to virtual school work since the kids are back home due to rising Covid cases. The bitter cold single digits also caused us to stay inside and bundled up, even Roman (the kitten). Based on the single digits, I was anxiously awaiting to see how the transplants would hold up. Nolan and I secured the walls of the low tunnels prior to the weather change. We placed an extra layer of cover directly on the plants, in the tunnels, for added protection.
Today I was able to check and all survived! Oh Snap! The larkspur continue to look a little iffy but I’m going to treat them soon to fish emulsion and fingers crossed they pull through. By the way, if you have never smelt or worked with fish emulsion it’s repulsive. Definitely wear gloves when using it or you will smell for days. The smell of fish emulsion ranks next to being sprayed by a skunk. Not that I know that feeling but I think it’s pretty dang close.
Lavender
What are your thoughts on lavender? I love it. I recently spoke with a farmer in Oregon about their lavender fields and fell in love with the concept. So, I may have planted over 500 seeds this week to see what takes off. It is a perennial that will survive the winters and bloom the following year in our frost zone. We should have germination in the next 21-28 days. I’ll keep you posted.
Divided Dahlias
We divided all the dahlia tubers! I had dug these a couple months back and put them in crates and left them in our climate controlled garage. For those not familiar with Dahlias, they are the divas of all flowers. Dahlias can’t get wet or they rot, have to be stored at a certain temperature, humidity, have to be divided a certain way, dug up annually. They are divas.
Good lookin’ Ranunculus
The ranunculus continue to look great considering they were transplanted just days before the cold snap. However, I would have preferred to have had them better established in the ground but you never know with mother nature but you do what you can do! Next year I will grow way more of this series.
Hopeful…
I continue to keep going back to the word “hopeful”. This farmer is just very hopeful for this year. It’s difficult to describe the feeling. Have you ever you had that feeling that somethings changing or in the works? You know that feeling where you can’t quite put your finger on it but you know it is starting to look up. That is where I am. Currently at peace with the unknown and sitting in it with a hopeful heart in this season. Accepting that it doesn’t have to be perfect. I choose the pace and it’s okay if something fails or if you need a minute. It’s just a matter of getting back up. Focused and feel this season is going to be different in a positive way. Hopeful!
-XO
Mal