Spring 2025

As I write this on one of the hottest days of the season on June 22nd we have already made the turn to Christmas on the farm.   The spring has been challenging with lack of winter snow cover, and minimal spring rain.   That combination reduced our asparagus yield by about 35% and reduced that harvest season by 2 weeks.   That is the first time in almost 10 years we experienced a spring like that.   Not be thwarted we moved forward with our organic growing practices and spread 24 tons of chicken manure on the asparagus fields and worked it into the ground.   The asparagus love it as the field is awash in a green asparagus fern jungle.   Later this summer we will drill winter rye into the field to choke out weeds and provide additional green manure next spring.  With these steps and additional mechanical tillage we have been able to eliminate pesticides.

Contrary to asparagus, the Christmas trees have done very well  We planted an additional 1700 trees between our Wild Rose and Harvard Farms this spring.  The trees received their normal spring nutrient, weed, and grass management.   We are early in the shearing season with the completion of scotch pine, white pine, black hills spruce and norway spruce.   After the July 4th holiday we turn our attention for the remainder of the summer on shearing our Fraser, Canaan, Balsam and Concolor Fir.   We have far nor Fir than the other species combined.  The trees will get their second fertilizer application at the end of July insuring beautiful green trees for Christmas.  It may come as a surprise but my wife starts making ribbons and bows and painting pine cones Mid July.  Hers is to a great summer and looking forward to seeing everyone at the end of the year.