The Burn Pile

Weeding my way through the morning, I came across several worms, spiders and grasshoppers just minding their own business.

Overwintered parsnips taste sweeter than they would if they were harvested during the previous fall. The same goes for other root plants like carrots, and also brassicas such as spinach and kale.

The parsnip bed was filled with vetch, an unassuming weed that looks no more than an inch tall at first glance. Digging further into the soil, however, unearths a network of branches that spans almost four feet in length.

Wood ash from the burn pile we lit up this afternoon will be spread along the flower bed as a fertilizer. The farm plans to include flowers in the summer CSA package as a "U-pick" incentive for members to come visit the farm.

To bring the busy day to a close, the apprentices at Broadturn Farm came over for dinner and brought along a six pack and a pot of delicious pig's feet stew.