Back to The Farm Life

Being back at Moosehill Farm for a second summer has helped to remind me of all the joys and discomforts of working on a farm. The hot summer days, the cold rainy days, and the endless weeding which was once a distant memory is now a reality again. But, so is the excitement you get from harvesting a new crop, the enjoyment of eating a strawberry that you picked moments earlier, and the satisfaction you feel after a hard day’s work.  

On the farm, Mother Nature is in control. This year we have just begun to harvest strawberries whereas last year they were in full swing in the beginning of June. So many factors affect how things grow here on the farm. The weather, sunlight, timing, technique, pests, and disease have a major effect on plants. For example, last year where we had an abundance of radishes, this year our crop has been infested with maggots which has affected our yield this year.

So far we have been harvesting numerous types of greens including; arugula, spinach, romaine lettuce, curly lettuce, kale, swiss chard and mixed greens. We have also recently begun harvesting strawberries, spring onions, radishes, and peas! On top of a busy harvest schedule, we have been investing numerous hours in weeding carrots in the hopes of having a good yield this year. We even recruited about 60 middle schools students for the job. However, I fear there were more casualties in the carrots than there were saved.