lettuce headerLetter head  Weather means more when you have a garden. There is nothing like listening to a shower and thinking how it soaking in around your greenbeans. ~Marcelene Cox  
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April 23, 2012
In our case, it's the sweet peas! 
We are busy as bees Eyrie feeding newbornpreparing beds, sowing seeds, and transplanting in preparation for your spring harvest.  We have also had the joy of new baby lambs!  This one was one of triplets, whose mom needed a little support, which the kids are delighted to do! Today, it is raining steadily and I am enjoying the sound as I take the time to update you on the garden, while all those seeds are being watered in the rain, by the mercy of our generous Creator.
The Basil's View
Basil looking out seed shed window
We have spent the last couple weeks transplanting the last of the tomato, eggplant, pepper, and basil plants in to larger containers so they can continue to grow and be ready for the move outdoors in May.  You can see the view from the seed shed window the plants have to soak up the sun.  Sana Akhter, is staying with us as an intern for a few weeks, to experience a connection with farming, and take a break from city life in Chicago.  We are grateful as she, along with our local employee Trish, have so gently transplanted all of these young plants into a new homes with room for them to expand. 
 
 The seed shed is still a very welcome and helpful addition to the CSA this year, and provides a great enviroment for the plants and us as we still have days when the cold touches us.  
From the Field
The sweet peas are up!  Sixteen, fifty foot rows of healthy composted soil are now graced with lovely leaves and spiraling tendrils of the sweet pea.  We pray they will continure to grow into maturity and grace your early spring shares.  So far, so good!  Young lettuces, beets, sweet white turnips, kale, and cabbages are coming up in the field so well.   We are having to watch them, as they are still vulnerable against these colder days that are still appearing.  We did loose a few rows of cabbages and broccoli, that went out a little too early.  We will replace them with more starts now hardening off from the seed shed.  It was a good lesson in patience!

Many, many beds are still being prepped and given layers of compost to nourish new seedlings.  In the picture above, Ben is broadforking new beds.  Broad forking loosen the soil for roots and rain to work their way through, while preserving natural soil diversity, that  over tilling can destroy.  It also ensures that Jesse and Ben get plenty of exercise!

We
Melon Harvest have many varieties of squash, cucumbers, and melons to direct seed next month.  The sugar baby watermelons that we so enjoyed last year, are among them! 
High School Helpers
HIgh School Helpers
We would like to thank the local students at Fulton County High School that came to spend the day at the Farm.  We invited a group of 25 students to the farm who were interested in learning about environmental careers.   They went on a farm tour, including the straw bale constructed retreat center, the orchard and, of course, the CSA gardens.  We set up stations for the students to help with farm chores.  They were amazing!  There youthful energy planted 100's of onion sets, mulched the orchard, dug holes for new trees, and got to experience using the broadfork and wheel hoe.  We are excited to invite a younger school group out next month from Frederick.  Please let us know if you would like to visit, we love sharing the beauty and joy the farm brings to us with others!
We are still accepting new members for the 2012 season!
Deliveries begin May 26th, every Saturday afternoon to Frederick, MD; Takoma Park, MD; Washington DC, NW; and Falls Church, VA. 
You can reserve your share at 
www.farmofpeace.com.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions about the program! 

Peace and Blessings,
 
Halima Willett
Farm of Peace CSA
www.farmofpeace.com