Treating Pest Damage & Turning Over the North Farm

Village Farm Team,

The transformation continued this week on our black plastic beds. Not only were we able to add to the ever-growing variety of greens by planting Swiss chard and Asian leafy greens, but we were able to begin removing the posts from our tomato trellises as well as weeds and old pepper plants. Some of the greens planted early on were beginning to show signs of pest damage so we treated them with Bt, an organic pesticide derived from a naturally occurring bacteria. The Bt allows us to address the pest damage without significantly damaging beneficial bacteria and insects in our environment. We’re hoping to provide less greens for the pests and more greens for you!

We were able to get a big enough break in between periods of rain to turn over the field adjacent to the black plastic beds on our North Farm. Next comes the process of bed-shaping. Some of our beds will be covered in black plastic while some will remain bare with vegetated furrows. The bare beds will work best with crops that like to grow low to the ground as these will help to naturally choke out weeds. Once we get beds shaped we will be direct-seeding a variety of root veggies.

Our older flock members are continuing their molting process due to a combination of cooler temperatures and less daylight hours. It is also common for egg production to decrease during this time. We’re currently only collecting 5 or 6 eggs per day versus the typical 10 to 12. In order to help our ladies build enough nutrients to replace their feathers, they been receiving supplemental protein in their diet. Lately their favorite form of protein has been dried meal worms.

We’re only a week away from the Grand Opening of our Farmers Market! Come by on Saturday, December 8th from 8am-12pm (and every Saturday thereafter) to discover a bounty of fresh, sustainable, locally-grown fruits and veggies alongside fresh eggs, meats, and cheese from ethical handlers. You'll also find other products such as honey, preserved foods, flowers, plants and gifts — all locally sourced! Everything sold in the market will either be grown by or made by the seller in order to meet our high standards for quality, purity and locality.