New Things to Look Forward to at the Farm

March arrived feeling more like early summer, with temperatures climbing into the high 80s. It’s hard not to run out into the garden and start planting tomatoes and cucumbers, and I admit I did just that. But April often brings frost, so be prepared to cover those tender plants if you did what I did and planted a bit early.

The farm is green and lush right now. The weeds and flowers are all growing together in a kind of wild tumble. It’s a beautiful time of year, and I feel a little sad that we are closed. I wish everyone could see how pretty it is.

Today was a lovely Sunday. Our children came to visit, and afterwards I thought, I’m not doing any more chores. Instead, I sat down to write to you all and share some of the current news from the farm.

First, the farmstand will reopen on Saturday, May 2, from 9 to 5. After that, we will be open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9 to 5 through December. We are looking forward to opening the doors again and filling the stand with flowers, local organic produce from neighboring farms, jams, honey, olive oil, and fresh bread. And I haven’t forgotten how much you all love the Dolly Farm handpies. They will be back.

I’m very excited to share that the Chicken Guide Handbook is finished.

This has been months in the making. With the help of my daughter Emma and her talent for formatting and design, I think we’ve created something that will be truly helpful for anyone raising backyard chickens or thinking about starting. This guidebook covers everything from day old chicks to laying hens and everything in between.

It brings together what I’ve learned from more than 25 years of raising chickens, both on pasture and through running a poultry business. It’s filled with 46 pages of practical information, field notes, videos, and the kind of hands-on experience that only comes from doing this work day after day.

The guide is now available on our website and this link is live Soul Food Farm Guide to Raising Backyard Chickens

And last but not least, Rose and I have finally finished the new lavender field, a joint project with Morning Sun Herb Farm. The young lavender plants went into the ground in November, and just last week we were able to install the irrigation.

This meant renting a trencher, laying hundreds of feet of two-inch PVC, building upright pipes for water flow, and installing a line of sprinklers to help protect the field in case of fire. Plus running back to the store countless times for all the little bits and pieces we needed. It’s been all hands on deck as we worked to finish up before the end of March. Special thanks to our partners Dan and Eric. We do ask alot of them!

We turned on the water, no leaks, and the lavender received its first drink a few days ago. With such a dry winter, the timing felt just right, especially with these warm temperatures.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading our most recent news. Now that we’re heading into April, I just want to say I’m looking forward to seeing everyone back at the farm when we reopen in May and spending more time staying in touch with Substack.

Warmly

Alexis