In my previous post I mentioned that I am excited to help the program grow. Well, we are now full! All beds in the Raised Bed Gardening program are rented for the 2023 season. Not only that, we are expanding the program by 2 new beds. 

The chicken manure, potash, and compost we applied to the beds in the fall served Jen’s garlic well, it’s just where it should be in early May.

Two weeks ago was Earth Day and our RBG talk was led by Deborah Winicki, owner and primary grower of Mon Soleil market garden in Stafford and Union, on how to choose good seedlings to transplant into our gardens. We learned about what can stress a seedling, and that we don’t necessarily want to opt for the largest plant available, especially if it is in a small pot. By growing food ourselves that doesn’t have to be transported from other parts of the country, we are cutting down on energy use

I had also mentioned that we learned about fertilizing our beds, but what I didn’t mention is that back in March I took samples of the soil in my bed and had it tested by the folks up at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in Windsor. And I’m glad I did! It turns out that even though we added plenty of chicken manure last fall, my bed is very low in nitrogen. When Mentor Vicki Deleo, a Master Gardener intern, gave a talk on fertilizers (including how to read a fertilizer package) she mentioned that nitrogen doesn’t usually last very long in soil, so it makes sense that the beds are going to be low in nitrogen again in the spring. Vicki also said that blood meal is a good way to add nitrogen to our beds, so I did just that with one of SFF’s new gardeners. 

Strawberry plants in a returning gardener’s bed have overwintered and started to spread.

Along with Vicki we had Mentor Karl Hasel, experienced gardener and friend of the farm. He helped field questions, especially from the beginner gardeners who want a lot of guidance and aren’t sure where to start. We really are lucky to have a great balance of different backgrounds in our mentors, and personally, I’m pretty excited for it. 

At our most recent meeting this past weekend (May 6th) we learned about soil temperatures from Master Gardener Dan Gallagher. While we mostly think about air temps in our daily lives, they aren’t the only ones that are important to plants. The soil temps are even more important to seed germination. Dan also showed us an easy way to start squash and cucumber seeds using toilet paper rolls. 

For our next meeting Dan will be back and we’ll learn about composting. And if the weather forecast looks warm enough we may even get some of our warm weather crops planted. 

~Erika

When you visit, or even just drive by, the Strong Family Farm you probably notice a few things: the lovely white farmhouse, the big yellow barn, the chicken coop, and the raised garden beds. What grows in those beds? Who tends them? Is the produce for the farm store? Great questions! I’m Erika Phillips, the Garden Leader (more on that later), and I am pleased to introduce the Raised Bed Gardening programs’ new blog!

One of our returning gardeners has perennial herbs coming back from their winter dormancy, having fed on the fertilizers that she put down in the fall.

There are some exciting changes to the Raised Bed Gardening program at the farm this year. For starters, Master Gardener Dan Gallagher, who has been mentoring the gardeners since the program began in 2019, is stepping back a little so he can focus on other projects now that our program is well-established. It’s a good feeling to know that Dan believes we are well-established enough that he can step back (though not away, we won’t let him go that easily!) Dan is still a Mentor to our program, and we have added three additional Mentors. 

As for me, this is my fourth year gardening at the Strong Family Farm and I have stepped into the newly created role of Garden Leader, meaning I coordinate the schedule, lead the meetings, and help everything run smoothly. Having become a better gardener because of the mentoring that I’ve received from the RBG program, I’m excited to be involved in growing the program.

For the 2023 season we decided to start the Raised Bed Gardening program a little earlier than we have before, with the option of starting April 1 or May 1. Starting in the spring gives us a little more time to get into the swing of things and start our garden plans, so that come mid-May we can have our plans set and plants established. So far we have had three RBG meetings, and eight gardeners (including SFF Executive Director Jen Smith, who is one of our gardeners) attend our sessions. 

A returning gardener has decided to try out the square foot gardening method this year, and has already planted carrots, snap peas, lettuce, and mini corn. 

Additionally, some gardeners took home seeds that SFF provided to start them indoors before transplanting them in May when the weather, and the soil, is warmer. 

So far in our April meetings we have learned about what basics to consider when planning our beds for the season, the basics of what to do and not do to maintain the bed, what seeds can be planted in our beds now, and what to start inside to plant out in May, and how to fertilize our beds and when. 

Thanks for taking the time to read about the Raised Bed Gardening program’s start to the 2023 season here at the Strong Family Farm. We’ll post new blog entries throughout the season to share updates on what we are up to, including what we learn from our Mentors and how our beds are growing (and yes, even to brag a little when our plants thrive and produce well). So do come back and check in on us! 

And of course, if you have any questions about the Raised Bed Gardening program you can reach out to us at info@strongfarm.org.