“Never anticipate. Never expect. Never know that the next season is going to be [like] the [previous year’s] season because it won’t be, it isn’t. It’s something you’ve never known. Something none of us have ever known… It’s all utterly, utterly new. Our whole approach to life must be this.”
- Alan Chadwick

This quotation is a timely reminder that although the time period from March 20th to June 21st each year is called “Spring,” the similarity ends there. Fluctuating seasonal weather is just one of the many variables that affect the farm, and even the most seemingly-consistent components waver. I remember last year finding the first dozen trays in the greenhouse carpeted with weeds. Fearing a bad batch of potting soil, I called my supplier who suggested that mice had overwintered in the cushy bale of potting soil, and stashed weed seeds in the top of the bale for winter sustenance. He was right, thankfully, and very few weeds showed up in subsequent trays that year, and it’s never been a problem since.

Take this spring – I’ve successfully overwintered strawberries for the past 8 years, but noticed a couple weeks ago that leaves weren’t emerging from the crowns. “Everything’s a little slow this year” I thought to myself and continued on. Last week, however, it became apparent that something more serious was occurring, and upon further inquiry, I discovered that field mice had tunneled underneath our strawberry cover and had feasted on the plants all winter. Don’t take these strawberries for granted, the field mice proclaim. Though this painful reminder may mean a lack of early strawberries, rest assured that our July-September strawberry crop we planted in late April looks healthy and promising!

While it’s been a cold, bumpy Spring, I’m happy to announce that farm-fresh vegetables are ready for harvest! This Saturday at the Hingham Farmers’ Market from 9am-1pm (new hours) at Hingham Bathing Beach we’ll have:
            - Baby Salad Greens! Lettuce mix, baby spinach, arugula, and African spinach
            - Head Lettuce and Radishes! Our beautiful baby butterheads and French breakfast radishes
            - Herbs! Cilantro and dill anyone?

We hope you’ll be undeterred by Saturday’s forecast - I promise the salads will be worth it!

            Best,
            Adam

CSA UPDATE
The Spring CSA begins on May 19th and 22nd. Members, stay tuned for a separate email with more details on the first pick-up. While our Spring CSA is sold out for this year, we do still have some shares available for our Summer CSA – 20 weeks of unparalleled, delicious produce!