Spring Progress Report
A cool rainy day and finally a few minutes to sit down and reflect. These are busy days at Coyote Song Farm & Forest. We have lots of infrastructure to build, baby plants to tend to, seeds to get in the ground and into trays to start indoors.
Liz got some spring onion and radish seeds into the ground just before the rains so we should see them popping up shortly. We have some transplants ready to go out into the field once the rain stops and the earth dries up enough to be worked. Kohlrabi, cabbages, baby broccoli, kale, parsley, leeks, lettuces soon to be leaving their little cel packs and settled into the ground. Seed potatoes will be going in shortly too. Have you ever tried a really fresh potato? Truly a delight that is unexpected if you are accustomed to the potatoes we usually get from the grocery store. We have stacks of other seed packets waiting to go and will be picking flower and herb plugs in a couple of weeks to go out once the danger of frost is passed. In about four weeks we should have our first produce available: garlic scapes, peas, lettuce and radishes followed shortly by spring onions.
Our little temporary greenhouse is giving the more hardy seedlings a taste of sunlight and the benefits of fresh outdoor air. The tomatoes and peppers and basil are still living inside as they don’t much like it cool. The little ones take quite a bit of attention but I love checking on them multiple times a day. Each time I look there is something a little different. More seeds germinating, cotyledons (the wonderful word for the first two leaves when a seed first sprouts) opening up, the first true leaves forming. They make me smile every time. We received delivery of the big greenhouse pieces, are working on building the foundation and can’t wait to get it up and operating. This high tunnel will be home to many tomatoes and peppers, eggplants and cucumbers this summer. It will also allow for us to extend our growing season into the fall and get up and running earlier next year. Extra space for seedlings should allow us to produce extra baby plants next spring for those of you who like to grow some fresh food in your backyards too!
Glamping infrastructure is all planned out and building will be starting this weekend or next week, depending on the rain. Lumber prices have gone through the roof just as we gear up to build, more thanks to Covid. We put out a call to friends and neighbours for extra bits and pieces of building materials and have been very fortunate to pick up quite a bit of material left over from fence and deck building jobs and other miscellaneous construction projects. So many have been really happy to have us cart away the wood they have had stashed in garages and backyards while we are thrilled to acquire materials to start building with. Thanks to our community for helping to lessen the sting of the high price of wood. Paul has been cutting standing dead pine all winter and has been building wood sheds that look just beautiful. We will be incorporating elements of their design into the outhouse, outdoor kitchen and lounge area.
We have received a number of inquiries into booking glamping and though we would love to take reservations right away we want to get the building complete and know that we will be permitted to operate with loosened pandemic restrictions before taking bookings. Such uncertainty makes it hard for everyone to plan and is frustrating. We promise to let you know as soon as we are able to start taking reservations.
So, lots to look forward to and lots of work between now and then. All the better to keep us busy and distracted from pandemic fears! Stay tuned for more farm progress reports. Follow us on Instagram @coyotochorus and Facebook Coyote Song Farm & Forest for pictures and news as it unfolds.