It's mid-March and that means plants are growing in the greenhouse! We started our seedlings in the smaller greenhouse attached to the farm stand because it is more efficient and cheaper to heat. Unfortunately this spring it's been a bit too "efficient" - two Sundays in a row we have walked into the greenhouse only to find that the heater was blowing cold air! Other than our early experimental tomato seedlings, most of our plants appear to have survived the two unheated (and below-freezing!) nights mostly unscathed. After those minor hiccups, we now have all of our seedlings transferred into our larger NEW greenhouse, and it is working like a dream! The onions, shallots, leeks, cabbage and microgreens currently have some tractors for roommates, but as the snow melts, we'll move the machines outside to make way for more seedlings.
With plants beginning to pop up, farm responsibilities will soon become more than just a 2 person operation! Fortunately, beginning in mid April we'll have some of our 2017 farm crew to help us out. We have several awesome returning part-time field hands, as well as two new Assistant Growers starting up this spring. One of our new Assistant Growers is in the market for a studio or in-law apartment closer to the farm (he currently lives 12 miles away). He is looking to lease April through October, and is interested in a work trade in exchange for reduced rent. If you have a place that fits this description, or you know someone who does, email Lise (lise@barrettsmillfarm.com) and we will pass it along!