Farm Stand Opening and First Market!
Struggles with tech and getting by
To say I have been too busy to write is an understatement. Busy isn’t the problem. I forget how stressful this time of year is. Growing tender plants through cold nights to bring early crops to market and defying nature is intense.
In these early spring days, our farm is dependent on technology. A heater, for example, has been working intermittently for about a month now. The final straw came when it finally died, exposing a tomato crop to a night at 32 degrees. The row cover kept the plants alive, but after a couple weeks of stress they have some recovering to do.
I called a local HVAC company to take a look. After $90 for a site visit and some recommendations to buy parts I was left with a broken heater. In the search for parts I ended up on the phone with a plumber in Boston who has 50 years of experience. I started explaining the problem and he spent the next two hours on the phone with me going over the wiring diagram.
“You must live in a parallel universe!”, he kept saying as we worked through the issues eventually figuring out it was a simple fix (initially I had the heater setup to run the fan independently of heat, but with the new thermostat that wasn’t an option. We installed a jumper between the fan and call for heat terminals for those wondering). Problem solved.
Automation has been an incredible tool for our greenhouse production. Computers and constant monitoring grow better crops and pay for themselves in no time. Yet, robots aren’t perfect. Issues will happen. Sides will roll up wrong, parts will break, sensors will fail. The grower still needs to be vigilant to keep everything running smoothly and have backup solutions for emergencies.
So, by the skin of our teeth, we have made it through the early season and are ready to start on regular play!
The Farm Stand is opening on Wednesday the 30th and is stocked up with so many plants. We have a whole line up of native and drought tolerant perennials, cool season veggies, flowers, hardy tomatoes, peppers, cucurbits, and strawberry hanging baskets! As far as produce we have some greens (micro and macro) available with plenty more to come.
Hours moving forward are:
Wednesday-Friday: 10am-6pm
Saturday, Sunday: 10am-4pm
This Sunday is also our first market in Lafayette! We are very excited to meet some new Folks and engage in a regional community. I haven’t worked a market in Boulder County since 2015 under the Full Circle Farms tent, 10 years ago!
May 10th is gearing up to be a big day with our annual Mother’s Day Plant Sale. It is a great excuse to visit the farm, treat your mom, and get her ready for her best gardening season yet! Full vendor lineup coming soon as we finalize the details.