Full Spectrum White

Greetings from the farm!

(Scroll down to make sure you see all the highlights & announcements…)

Believe it or not spring is right around the corner. The sun, especially on a clear morning after one of the frequent snowstorms, is strong and we can feel it burning off the cold!  We love being outside and just soaking it up.

Unlike last year, the past few months of cold and snow will help our season with fewer pests and diseases to contend with. All this snow seems to be having an effect on the local predators as well. Earlier this week I walked away from the dinner table to investigate a piercing wail coming from the front of the farmhouse. The sun was down at this point so I grabbed a flashlight and headed towards the sound coming from under the old maple trees in the driveway. The light caught a pair of green close-set eyes and as I got nearer I could see that a dark brown fisher cat was on the move, crossing the road in strange graceful bounds. I walked inside to tell the family my story, still shaken by the cat’s unearthly call, and almost tripped over Nell, the sheepdog, still sleeping on the rug. Two nights later I sat up from a deep sleep at 1:00 am to the sound of a coyote howling very near. My first thought was the lambs in the barn and I got downstairs quickly with Nell (I woke her up this time) and she bolted out the front door and around the back of the house, barking at full volume (she doesn’t always realize she’s a little 35 pound dog). Not knowing how many coyotes might be about I quickly called her  back and we checked that all the barns were secure. While we live on a farm, having contact with large predators is not common, especially two in one week.  Is the deeper and later snow pushing them further afield for prey? 

Winter Working

Its been a great winter and we have been productive amongst a bit of rest. Here’s a few of the things we have been working on…

  • As of writing we have 79 lambs in the barn and we are winding down, expecting somewhere close to 90 total.
  • In between snow events we put new plastic on our transplant production greenhouse – just in time to start sowing seeds next week. If you are interested in helping out with these first seedings send me an email.  It’s good fun and the greenhouse is always warm!
  • We’ve interviewed many interesting young people who are looking to work on farms in Maine this season.  We almost have a full team.
  • Snow plowing
  • Seth has been learning the art of the backyard skating rink, which translates into many a late cold night spraying the hose.  Our kids & their friends are lucky dogs – but of course they had to have something to do when the sledding hill was lacking snow.
  • Winter also provides Seth the chance to spread the good words about our work.  From his talk on cover crop rotations at professional farmer conferences to fun festive”Colors Week” at the Brunswick schools – and a few groups in between…it keeps the inspiration brewing for the coming season.
  • Dreaming the dreams.  This is why we have yet to start winter production.  Need time to dream the dreams.
  • Farm camp dates are posted and sign up has begun!  See link below for registration or hit our farm camp page on our website.  Kids ages 4 and up.  As always we’d love to have your teenagers join us for some leadership experience and fun on the farm as junior counselor volunteers.

Looking for another reason to eat fresh food?

Read this scary article in the NYTimes magazine about foods engineered to take advantage of our love for fat, salt and sugar.

 

CSA Memberships

Thanks to all of you who have signed up for a share already.  Your commitment to spend the summer with us helps us spend more of our winter days planning for the season instead of marketing the CSA.  This is an extraordinary benefit and we are so grateful.  If you haven’t signed up and plan to please don’t wait, you can still take advantage of the payment plans.

New Lambs Open House

New Lamb day for CSA members and friends of the farm will be Sunday March 17 from 1-3 pm. Come see our new arrivals – friends and family welcome to join you!

Crystal Spring Farm Camp Sign-ups Open

Farm camp sign up now underway!  Junior counselors too!  See our farm camp page on our website for more information.

New Member Orientation!

If you are new to the CSA this year, please join us for a CSA orientation Sunday June 2nd at 10am or 2pm. This is a great time to meet the farmers, get the lay of the land, and learn how CSA pickup and the Upic Field works.

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