Atlas Farm Newsletter
Field production season is now underway: the farm crew is out transplanting greens and lettuces into the warming ground. With few April showers in sight, we irrigated in preparation for planting. It's unusual to irrigate so early in the season, but not unheard of — and with our low-lying fields and easy access to the Connecticut River, in a Goldilocks scenario we'll always opt for "too dry" over "too wet." The greens we're planting now will be ready for harvest in late May; in the meantime, we're waiting on a final greenhouse succession to size up. You can look forward to kale from the greenhouse in the next week or so.
Some of you have been asking about asparagus, but it will be 3-4 weeks before this quintessential spring crop arrives. Please check back in around the end of the month. Yesterday, farmer Gideon cleared the asparagus fields with a controlled burn — the best method to remove last season's dry debris without disturbing the soil or damaging the crop's dormant root crowns. We'll let you know when the first fresh spears emerge!
As other springtime milestone, we have welcomed the first three members of our seasonal farm crew back to Massachusetts! Crew leaders Everald Forbes and Delroy May, as well as tractor operator Warren Simpson, flew in from Jamaica last night. After spending the winter months with their families (and in some cases attending to their own farms and homesteads) they'll hit the ground running as Atlas Farm field production kicks off. The arrival of the seasonal crew in April and May lends an energetic boost to every aspect of the farm's operations. As always, if you see members of the farm crew passing through the Farm Store, please thank them for their hard work — these are the folks who get up at dawn to provide you with delicious organic veggies!
With nothing but warm weather in the 10-day forecast, it's time to break ground out in the garden. The Farm Store is stocked up with certified organic vegetable starts, all $4.25 per 6-pack (or any two packs for $7.50). Come shop in person or order online for curbside pickup. Here's what's available this week:
Red Leaf Lettuce
Green Leaf Lettuce
Arugula
Spinach
Salad Mix
Broccoli (coming Tues.)
Collards
Red Kale
Green Kale
Lacinato Kale
Swiss Chard
Cauliflower
Brussels' Sprouts
Green Cabbage
Red Cabbage
Beets
Red Onion
Yellow Onion
Spanish Onion
Leeks
Parsley
Cilantro
Plant deliveries come in from the Atlas Farm greenhouse on Tuesdays and Fridays, so if we're short on any varieties they'll likely be restocked within a few days. (We make sure all our starts are sized up and hardened off before offering them for sale, so there are occasional gaps in retail availability.) If you'd like to check what's in stock before coming in, please give the Farm Store a call at (413) 397-3587. Happy growing, everyone!
See you soon,
Rosemary