I'm a MOFGA Journeyperson

Now official, I'm a MOFGA's Journeyperson!  This is a great program run by the Maine Organic Farm and Garden Association that helps aspiring farmers get access to resources needed to make their farm enterprise a success.  MOFGA hosts excellent workshops and seminars on a million different aspects of growing food organically, is active in farming and food policies, generates publications, and is chock full of plant and soil experts.  Oh, they also host the Commonground Fair.  (Is there anything they can't do?)  For Journeypersons, they facilitate a mentorship between some experienced farmers, and me, the newbie.  My mentors this year are Austin and Mary Ellen Chadd of Green Spark Farm!  I call up these guys and bug them with questions like: "When do you plant your peppers?" or "Where can I get dolomitic limestone by the ton?" or "How many pickled peppers are in a peck?"  It's absolutely vital for me to be able to chat with folks that really knows how to grow lots of excellent organic produce.
  
If you're not a member of my CSA, you can instead get great veggies from Green Spark at the Wednesday and Saturday Portland Farmers Market, and at their farmstand at 316 Fowler Rd in Cape Elizabeth starting at the end of May.  Hopefully I'll have some eggs at the Fowler Rd. farmstand too!

So, big big thanks to MOFGA and Green Spark for making this season happen!

Mary Ellen, Austin and Dave

Mary Ellen: "It's that crazy guy Dave again.
Austin: Mmm hmm, the answer is 42.
Dave: Got it, 24 pickled peppers.

So, after consulting with the aforementioned experts, I got some lime for my field.  For the geology/chem nerds out there, limestone is mostly Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3).  It's a sedimentary rock formed by the accumulation of millions of  years of marine life.  (think, lots of clam shells, and coral)  When limestone is pulverized and spread on a farm field, it helps raise the pH of acidic soil.  

My soil is acidic (on the left side of this diagram).  If I can raise the pH of my soil, more nutrients will become available to the plants I'm growing.  More nutrients = happy plants = tasty food.

 How do you get 2000lbs of lime on an acre of soil?

-You can spend days shoveling it out of bags and throwing it across the beds.
or
-You hire a big truck to do it in 15 min.

Until it gets stuck...

We got the truck out alright, and the lime is doing it's job on the field.  A soil test later in the season will hopefully confirm that my pH is up.

Nope, that's not snow, it's a hefty dose of lime.

Meanwhile, I've been clearing up space in the hoophouse by moving some flats of seedlings outside.  The metal hoops support the blankets I pull over them at night to keep the frost off.

After the lime got spread, Austin tilled up the field for me, and we got a nice row of peas seeded!

Whew!  Busy week.