Although Napa is poised to receive another 3-5 inches of rain this week and possibly more this weekend, signs of spring are popping up everywhere around the farm. The rain has nurtured the soil life and spurred a dramatic increase of earthworms underneath out feet. I'm talking DRAMATIC, it seems anywhere you dig a hole, you'll be able to find our wiggly friends hard at work. Never early never late, Spring is always on time. Many of our apple and stone fruit trees have began to wake up from their winter dormancy and their buds have started to swell. This early budding apple variety in our courtyard is already showing off her spring colors and gentle fragrance. While the students were enjoying their February break last week, the sunny weather was perfect to tackle a few large projects on the farm. The last of the celeriac, winter leeks, cabbage, brussel sprouts, and swiss chard were all harvested to make way for clearing, compost laying, and bed preparation. These Intergo cabbages and Takrima leeks have shown great ability to stay out in the field without splitting after they've matured. Chef Janet will surely include them into the farm lunches this week and next. With a handful of beds prepped and ready for spring plantings, we managed to get fennel, lettuces, cabbages, and kale seedlings into the ground before the storms hit. Standing in the greenhouse observing all the seedlings waiting to be planted has us longing for warmer, sunnier days. But from the looks of it, spring's right around the corner..
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January and February has been a stormy one in California. Snow packs and reservoirs are near or above 100% of yearly averages. Only 11% of the state remains in a severe drought (still need to be water-wise though!) Needless to say, we've welcomed the water and weather with open arms here on the farm. Well...most of the weather. There have been a handful of frigid nights and mornings that have even produced snow up in the foothills. Our winter crops are all frost hardy which makes them perfect candidates for this weather, even becoming sweeter due to those early morning ice blankets. There was an exceptionally beautiful morning in early February that transformed our farm into a winter wonderland Although we desperately need rain here in the Golden State, at Stone Bridge we are ready for warmer, sunnier weather. February is always a transition month on the farm- harvesting the last of the winter crops, laying compost on beds, and starting seeds for spring and summer plantings. Since it's been so wet and stormy, many of the classes are just now returning to the farm to put in some much needed work. The 1st graders have begun preparing and cultivating a new flower bed that will be a front focal piece to the farm. 2nd grade spent an entire class pulling out weeds larger than their heads, clearing nearly 2 entire rows. 3rd grade rolled up their sleeves and did the dirty work (as always) of cleaning out the chicken coop after a wet winter... I was invited to join 4th grade for their weekly eurythmy class which was a much needed break from the mud. 5th grade went 'dock hunting' by digging up and pulling out as many perennial dock weeds as possible, clean borders makes a happy farm!
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