The Inauguration and Beyond!

Hello Farm Friends!

A huge thank-you is in order to everyone who came out for the Big Hill Farm Inauguration.  None of us are math majors, but we'd estimate over 100 people - students, staff, family, friends, alumns and community members - were able to attend.  We hope everyone enjoyed the live music, Cedar Summit ice cream, the farm and the company!  We think this event was a HUGE success and cannot wait until the Harvest Festival this fall.  There was also a short rain shower in the middle followed by a rainbow - a blessing perhaps?

Above: We're working hard to improve the quality of the soil so we can grow healthy plants.  Thus far we have tilled it up (with the help of our new friends at Grandma's Little Acre) and added compost and manure.   More on this later...

Above: Oh hey Jordan!  The rain during the Inauguration altered our creative process for the Big Hill sign-painting (on the shed) - but no hard feelings.

Above: Candles and marigolds at the Inauguration

Above:  We've been busy these last couple weeks!  Thus far we have worked on the fence and planted strawberries, radishes, onions, potatoes, raspberries, blueberries and corn.

Above:  Here's me! (Eliza) working on the onion beds.  Finally some beautiful weather after a freezing weekend and a 97 degree 500 mph windy spell of days. 

Big Hill Farm Inauguration this Saturday!

Hello!  YOU are invited to Big Hill Farm's Inauguration, Sat., May 9th, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Come for FREE cedar summit ice cream, music, art, and an abundance of overalls!

Hope to see you there!

It's all happenin.

Here's the scoop:

The seeds are germinating!! The tray of roma's has almost completely germinated and they look strong and healthy. The peppers are close behind as they just started germinating a couple days ago and look wonderful! We have been watering them religiously and keepin' a close eye.

We officially have farm interns: Lucas Neher, Jordan Walker, Steve Palmer, Sarah Jabar. Yayyy.

We took a trip to Menards yesterday and had our first tool buying adventure. We bought shovels, rakes, pitchforks, hand trowels, fencing material, etc. and we assembled a wheelbarrow!
And thennnn we used the newly purchased tools to move the compost and put chicken wire around it. We layered it with straw and when the rain falls, wonderful decomposition will happen. The bottom layer of the food scrap pile was already decomposing and leaching wonderful nutrients into the soil! We are very excited about the compost progress. & we want to Thank the dining services for all the food scraps they have been giving to us!!!

Also, there is now a beautiful layer of compost and giant shed on the plot!! Thanks to the Gustavus Physical Plant!

Well, that's all for now... There's no tillin' what's going to happen next :)

growing

let there be tomatoes...

Greetings from San Pedro! Team Big Hill started a potentially ridiculous number of tomatoes and peppers in the Nobel Hall Greenhouse ~two weeks ago (thanks Bob!) to a soundtrack of MGMT, Neutral Milk Hotel, Fleet Foxes, Yonder Mountain and more... we want our produce to have good taste! (haha! ha... hmmm.)

We officially know who our farmers are this summer! But I'm not going to tell you yet. ;) Soon. Very soon we will be tillin' up da dirt, which will include a ground breaking ceremony!

Spring!
bhsf

Organic gardening goes vogue

Breaking news from the White House lawn: Michelle Obama will be planting an organic garden this summer, with the help of some local elementary school kids.  Heck-yes!!!  This will be the first vegetable garden since Eleanor Roosevelt's victory garden.  Michelle is starting the garden in hopes it will connect kids with healthy, locally grown food.  

Back on the home front, Big Hill is now in the possession of seeeds, many of which we will be starting  the week after spring break.  Must of us will not look nearly as classy as Mrs. Obama while we do it, however...

Gosh, I hope J. Crew makes overalls.

spring fever

During the last few weeks we have begun to experience fleeting sneak previews of the promising spring and summer to come.  Suddenly people are getting excited about things like digging, planting, sun-bathing, and other wonderful growing-season activities.  

The new farm crew took a first stroll to the land today, where we thought nice thoughts about the possibilities of what that land could look like in another couple months.

(Above is a picture of some the the farm team, rockin'.)