It’s incredible to realize that we are already halfway through March—the summer months of tending delicious vegetables in the field will be here before we know it, but before then, we have much to prepare.
Our resident Project Manager, Willy Kelley, has been hard at work making all the lists and plans that will help us get from point A (we want to plant our first official market garden and build our aquaponics system this year) to point B (a fully built system and a field ready for planting.) As an engineer and seasoned project manager, Willy is well versed in the language of labor estimates, and his hard work has helped to keep all of us here at Further Up on track and prepared for the exciting Spring ahead. These are the long days—as all of us are also still working other “day jobs” as we move towards this incredible dream of ours.
In the last couple months we have built our cold room (used for storing our tender vegetables and keeping them fresh between our harvesting and your purchasing), torn out some existing structures and prepared the space in the barn for the aquaponics system, and made decisions about seed starting and compost for our market garden field this year—among a plethora of other things.
Perhaps most excitingly, our first seeds have gone in this past month! We have started celery, onions, and peppers so far—with a busy planting schedule in the weeks ahead. Meanwhile, I (Grace Kelley) have been hard at work on website details, marketing plans, and connecting with other local businesses and retailers who may partner with us in helping get these lovely vegetables to you. Our Farmers Market applications are in as well, and once those details are finalized, we will be sure to let you know where you can expect to find us in just a few short months.
It’s easy to get bogged down by the minutiae that come with nearly any dream—and farming is no different. Though the simplicity of the dirt and seeds brings a sense of calm, the decisions around the business can be overwhelming. Did you know you could spend hours researching what sorts of bins you want to store your produce in? Neither did I!
But through it all, we persevere, because bringing this farm’s goodness to your table is worth it. And thanks to the wonderful gifts and differences of each and everyone of our team members, when spring arrives, we will be ready.