PREPARING FOR THE HARVEST FEST

The adventure continues on the Village Farm this week!

We crafted the first product from our bee hive, a 100% beeswax candle. Our bees have been experiencing some troubles lately with fire ants robbing the hive of honey. We have placed pans of water at the feet of the hive to prevent them from getting back in. In addition, we have placed a simple syrup mixture out to feed the bees so they can quickly replace the honey that has been lost. This week consisted mostly of preparing the farm for the First Annual Harvest Festival! We spent time cleaning the surrounding areas, mowing, weeding, and cultivating furrows. This not only improves the appearance of the farm, but also reduces pests and improves growing conditions. We harvested lemongrass, sage, rosemary, oregano, baby beets, spinach, collards, and radishes to sell and sample at the farmers market.

The deep green hue of the crops at the South Farm is an indicator of healthy, fertile soil. The soil surveys completed before and after the application of compost, fertilizer, and compost tea showed an enormous spike in fertility, but these colors are a visible indication that our efforts have made an incredible impact. In sustainable, organic farming, this is what makes us proud to be doing what we do!

Inoculating the soil with beneficial nematodes and compost tea has not only improved the plant health, but will act as an organic insecticide. Lately, we have been experiencing some issues with cucumber beetles. Next year, the nematodes will eat the beetle larva as they begin to emerge, greatly reducing our pest problems!