Contemplating the new 2020 season!

I cleaned off my greenhouse desk today and went through old seeds. Set up Ben's chair, where he likes to sit beside me as we plan out what to plant and when.  Or have a cold drink while we bask in the sun (coming soon - a bit cold in there right now!). It's an exciting time of year where we reflect on the previous season and shake things up and always try new things! I will have a lot of time to concentrate on the fields and our own farm this spring - as I am not growing wholesale plants for Evergreen Garden Market this year.  Not that I didn't love doing it - it's just not profitable enough when I have to hire extra hands while I'm raising small babes.  Whole other story when you can do most everything yourself.  So until my kids are older, we won't have our plants there.  As soon as we are able - we WILL bring plants to the farmers markets!! Retail sales are always best for small farms like ours anyways.

Another year or two yet for this glass beast until we are forced to upgrade to a new house that is way more efficient.  As much as I love this ol' gal, it's lived its life and then some.  The 3 houses we have were recycled houses from way up north of our farm in Brampton Ontario. Back in the 1970's Ben's dad (and my grandfather too!) camped up there and took them down and brought them back home to resurrect and use here in Norfolk County. So, yeah, they are pushing 50....on this farm -  nevermind the wear and tear from their prior use up north! So I don't even know how old they are! They have served us well, but we are both so so tired of repairing glass.  It's. nuts. And they burn oil like pigs, regardless of the fact we poly them up inside to trap as much heat as possible. Removing glass, putting poly roofs... yeah, not for us. The side walls are pretty much shot too. There are crazy dips and dives all over as the concrete fronts crack and heave all over now. Like Ben likes to say (about his dad and his friends putting them together in the 1970's cementing posts into the ground) "It's deep enough, have another whiskey". In other words - they kinda did a shitty job. Whoops. Lololol. So when you have a crack in the wall big enough for a small dog to go through - and straw bails are just not cutting it to trap the heat, you make plans to tear down and start fresh. A plan that's been in the works for about 5 years now. It's coming.  Until then I will enjoy every last minute I have in these old beasts!

Our grow chamber in the barn is going nicely.  An insulated box that traps heat is just perfect for the very early starts until we fire up beasty here. We have it vented brilliant so humidity can be controlled and all we use it a little space heater and shut the grow lights off at night.  This small space can accommodate a few dozen trays which is just perfect for what I need very early for this season! Almost makes me want to think microgreens! We may get into that one day. I grow them for the family to eat and it makes me grin how FAST they are ready and how EASY they are to grow! Kinda inspired here....

Anyhow, go throw a snowball.  Spring is totally fast approaching. ;)

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