Farm Journal - April 2010

by
MaryAnne McMillan, HTR

For the past month we have been busy putting together a list of the plants we will grow this summer in our garden. We have been making new community connections in Mercer County and held our first Business Advisory Council meeting. It’s amazing how many people can become involved in a project such as this.

We have been working with a student from Rutgers University who is taking a grant writing class. She has earmarked several potential sites to find a grant that would fund the deer fencing we will need. Who would have thought deer fencing for a one acre parcel of farm land could cost anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000 installed? We keep our fingers crossed that one of the grant foundations will come through with funding for this part of the project.

The college has generously let us use a hoop frame greenhouse in the back of their Horticulture building. Our residents have been busy helping us pot up the vegetable, herb and plant plugs that were donated for our farm.

Our plants grow bigger in the warmth of the sun. We fertilize with an organic fertilizer and now they are ready for their final home in the soil.

Our Allies Farm, a Community Supported Agriculture project, is an exciting opportunity for our residents to learn about farming and the employment skills needed. We are now accepting shareholders for the CSA and our residents have begun work. Each share will contain anywhere from 5-10 vegetables, flowers and herbs. The Share period will run for 20 weeks starting in June.