The peas and corn are being planted as I write! I really hope the worst weather is behind us and that we can look forward to green shoots poking up in the rows soon. The greenhouse tomatoes are planted… tonight I will have visions of red, tasty tomatoes dancing ’round my head. Oh yes, and the strawberries will be ready before the first greenhouse tomato. How I long for them.
“I can’t say I recall the taste of fresh strawberries.” ~Frodo


The crocus are full of honey bees! Golden Rule Apiary keeps several hives our here – chemically free too!


Tomato transplants


Even Apollo loves his greens!
Markets will begin soon. We are starting a new market in West Roxbury on Sundays. City Hall market has moved to in front on the future Boston Public Market building and will begin mid-May, along with JP and then Copley.

The greenhouses are filling up with lots of tomatoes, greens, herbs, beautiful flowers, hanging baskets… now we just need some decent weather so we can get the fields and yard ready for them. How about you?
Our plastic has been delivered and the hardy greens are readying themselves for the field. Getting the plastic ordered and delivered is always a milestone here at the farm. I can’t imagine functioning without it, AND, it is integral to our ability to cultivate row crops without herbicides. Plastic also cuts down on soil-borne contaminants splashing up on the plant and possibly spreading disease. This is only one of the many tools we utilize to conscientiously grow the fruits and vegetables.

Please remember to shop locally for whatever you can. Not only do local businesses employ local people, but their tax dollars stay in the state too. Local produce is fresher and plants less likely to bring premature disease. Keep the money local!!! Independent growers are less likely to buy GMO seed too.
The greenhouses are open!

 

Yes, we’ve been filling them for months now…and heating them too! If you have never been to the greenhouses in Lunenburg before, it’s worth the trip. Not only do we have the most amazing collection of vegetable and tomato plants, but gorgeous hanging baskets, unusual mixed containers, Proven Winners, All American Selection Winners, every cool plant you’ve wanted to create your own mixed container, herbs, perennials…. If you love to garden, you owe it to yourself to make the trip to the Lunenburg Greenhouses…even if it is a bit of a hike.

It’s also a clean and friendly place to visit. IT’S WICKED AWESOME! 

CSA

Sign UP Today!

I ordered new reusable bags this week. Members will have a new dark green bag to add to their Stillman’s Bag collection 😉 I’ll post a picture on facebook when they arrive. Don’t know what I am talking about? Well, we give all our members a shopping bag to use for their extra goodies at pickup time – another perk of Stillman’s CSA! Get the best fresh produce and a fetching bag 🙂
Last year at this time we were listed as one of   Boston Area’s Best CSA’s For Farm-Fresh Foodpublished by CBSWoo Hoo! So now “all y’all” can tell folks you are members of or shop from one of the best CSA’s for farm fresh food!
OK folks, if you’ve held off signing up for any reason, now’s the time to go for it. We’ll try to work with you if the lump sum is a financial burden…believe me, we understand the nuance of cash flow. If you are simply a procrastinator, we get that too… but we don’t want you to procrastinate about feeding yourself fresh, healthy food all summer. We did slightly increase our prices, due to inflation (like the plastic) BUT, I notice we are still less than our friends 🙂 If you were on the fence about signing up for some other reason, give me a call or email me. I’d be happy to help you make the decision 😉

 Small box in August

Haven’t Signed Up Yet?

The signup is very simple, just follow the prompts and at the end you can opt for a CC payment or a check. Please contact me if you would like to pay by installments. Thank you so much if you have already signed up for the summer CSA. If you are renewing, the new farmigo system should recognize you when you login. If you are new to the system, it is very simple, it will prompt you through the process, and you can log back in anytime to update your info, switch pickup dates, make payment…. Sign UP Today!

Wildlife

 In spite of it being a cold, windy spring so far, our amphibian friends are out and about doing their thing. The kids and I went out last week and looked for salamanders…found several, as well as a couple Peepers.
 
The Wood Ducks and Mallards are busy pond hopping. We are loaded with Blackbirds and their sound is deafening most of the day. I think the kids are getting sick of them existing over the trampoline 😉 Loads of turkeys in strut, pheasants, bobcats, deer and more, giving us a show every morning when we drive down the road.

Spring Peepers fill the evenings and nights with their loud peeping vocalizations… they have to compete with the Wood Frogs for loudness 🙂