All bundled up to plant in the cold! Photo by Scott David Gordon

I know it's only March, but this is already turning out to be a most unusual year.  What makes it unusual is how far off we've been on our planting.  For example, we just finished planting our potatoes this week; during a typical year, we would have had this done no later than Valentine's Day.  This year has been different due to the rain - we've just had so much of it in a relatively short period of time.  Now, given that I am a farmer in Texas, I am not going to complain about the rain, but the timing of it has presented us with challenges.

It's cold out there with that wind! Photo by Scott David Gordon

The main hurtle we've had to clear is how to prepare our beds.  We've worked hard to figure out how to best prepare the ground for planting, but the rain has thrown a wrench into this.  When the soil is wet, it is difficult to work with.  I have learned, though, not to wait for things to be perfect; in farming, they never are.  Instead, we have to deal with what is.  In this case, that means getting our transplants in the ground now so we have crops come Spring.

Plants get in the ground despite the cold and wet conditions. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Another consequence of rain on a farm is mud!  You would not believe how muddy our office has been. In fact, the mud got so deep in there that we had to start taking it out with a shovel!  Seriously.  Now, we have "mud teams" set up to clear it out everyday so it doesn't get so bad.  And, yesterday, we had four truckloads of gravel delivered to help cut down on this problem.

I have to take a moment to thank our incredible field crew for working through the cold and wet conditions that we've had this year.  Believe me, it can be miserable out there when the air is damp and cold and the wind is blowing.  It is also much harder to transplant when faced with 30 mph winds!  Our crew tackles the tasks like the professionals they are - my thanks to all of them for consistently working hard regardless of the conditions.

Listening to Kate Payne inside the (relative) warmth of the greenhouse. Photo by Scott David Gordon

My thanks to all of you, too, who headed out to Kate Payne's Pickling Class this weekend despite the cold and wet weather.  Luckily, we were able to find some relief inside of our greenhouse with the heated floor!  Kate was amazing as always, and I hope everyone enjoyed giving pickling a try.  Be sure to scroll down to see the great photos that Scott David Gordon captured of the event.

Come see our greenhouses and pick out transplants for your garden! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Annual Spring Organic Transplant Sale

Last Saturday was also the first day of our Spring Organic Transplant Sale, and I was really glad that so many of you came to that, too.  I love knowing that those transplants are going to end up in backyard gardens all around Austin.  If you've never gardened before, I highly encourage you to give it a try - you'll be amazed by your ability to grow your own food!  I know I was!  Here are the details on the transplant sale:

Dates: Saturday March 7, March 14th, and March 21st

Where: JBG, 4008 River Road, Cedar Creek, TX 78612  (10 miles East of ABIA off of 71)

Time: 9am to 2pm

What: Our selection includes lots of Tomatoes (heirlooms, cherries, traditional red slicers, San Marzano romas, and tomatillos), sweet & hot peppers, basil, eggplant, squash, zucchini, watermelons, swiss chard, onions, seed potatoes, lettuces, kale, broccoli, cabbage, okra, cauliflower and spinach

Our greenhouse is full of certified organic transplants for your garden! Photo by Scott David Gordon

I hope to see you out there!  If you do come to the transplant sale, you will also be able to see all of the progress we've made out at River Road.  This past weekend, two of our former employees, Sam Thorp and Lindsey Reimnitz, were out there, and they couldn't believe how much it has changed.  I can say we have really been working hard out there, and I am proud of all the improvements we've made.  On April 4th, I hope you will join us for the Spring Hoedown and 1st Annual 5k Garden Gallop and Fun Run (click here for more info)!  I know I am looking forward to it - I'm getting my costume ready for the race!  Mark your calendars as you don't want to miss this Spring Hoedown!

What Kind of Future Events Would You Like Us to Host at JBG?

The truth is, I love hosting events at the farm - so much so that we are laying the groundwork to do more of this at River Road.   For example, we've been hard at work building the stage for the bands that will play at the Spring Hoedown and future events.   What I want to know from you is what kind of events would you like to see more of at JBG?  Do you want more classes like the ones we've had with Kate Payne and Jesse Griffiths?  Would you like more you-pick events?  More farm tours?  Potlucks and picnics?  Other ideas?  Please let me know!  You can either respond at the end of this post or send me an email at brenton@jbgorganic.com.  I can't wait to hear what you come up with!