I know the equinox happened yesterday about 0915 our time.  But today is the day I had a little time to update the process.

So much has been happening to shore up the foundation of the farm, but not much planting.  The new greenhouse has yet to be electrified so the temp swings in there are extreme, sometimes 34 degrees to 103 degrees.  I'm not willing to put seedlings in there yet.  However, I am going to start some today inside the house.  Last year I made way too many starts for a home garden so I know I can at least begin a farm appropriate amount until the greenhouse is more usable.

I did the final measuring of the tillable land at my folks place.  I have 1.8 acres to work with over the coming years.  I also found out that I'm responsible for liming and putting in the cover crop of about 1.5 acres of open land that Dan cleared this year of Christmas trees.  So I've been scrambling to get that organized and secured a gentleman to lime it next week.  

I've been in conversation with NRCS and they are working on the conservation plan for the farm after their last site visit a couple weeks ago.  They've also been a great resource to help me decide the cover crop mix and rates to take on this new project.  I'm seeing a field of sunflowers with an under story of buckwheat, field peas and maybe crimson clover.  Should be beautiful.

The remodel continues to go well.  I'll get some pictures and post them soon.  I've been doing research on how to build a walk-in cooler for the greens.  I'll do a complete post outlining the plan once we make it.

I found a great resource for bulk compost in SE Portland, Dean Innovations.  I've purchased 11 yards of "White Lightning" for garden start-up this year.  White Lightning contains worm castings, mycorrhizal fungi, mineral dust, topsoil, fruit and veggie compost, dairy manure compost, mushroom compost, river sand and horticultural pumice.  I was super excited when I did the compost test (a quart jar 1/2 full of water, a handful of compost into the water, shake) and all the material settled to the bottom.  That compost is ready to give back now!  No non-decomposed material floating on the top to become a nutrient robber in the planting bed.  I'll be making my own compost soon enough but this will be helpful now.

Ok, time to head to the greenhouse and FINALLY put some seeds in soil!