A Spring Blur

Life has seemed like an agricultural jig-saw puzzle that involves 12 year-olds, 6 temperamental Barred Rock chicks, and an intimidated amount of acreage. None the less, the homestead is going full steam.

This past weekend the two front beds have been sown with radishes to serve as a timer for the first frost. When they mature in 25-30 days, I will know it will be good to go ahead with my more sensitive crops. In the front bed I reinstalled the drip irrigation line and cleaned the collection system. For the front I have also ordered 50 strawberry plants and 5 blackberry plants to be split between here and the school garden.

In the back raised bed I have hilled 5 lbs of Kennebec and Red Pontiac potatoes in a staggered pattern. In the diagonal between the hills I have planted white and yellow onion sets. Hopefully this weekend I will be able to plant the other 5 lbs in the 2nd half of the raised bed.

The chickens are cruising along and might be featured on the cover of LEO weekly. This past weekend, Christian Walsh from LEO weekly came by to visit the homestead for an article focused on the 15,000 Farmer movement in Louisville. We had some good conversations and ate some extremely local eggs. The chickens showed off like usual, hopping up to greet Christian and coo.

One thing I am worried about is not starting any plants yet. I have not had the time or consistent schedule to feel comfortable starting plants. Plus I am heading to PA for Easter which I think would be the kiss of death for young seedlings. It will turn out.

A question I have been thinking about a lot is the concept of being a "purist." By "purist" I mean not using any synthetic or chemical fertilizers or pesticides. The reason this question is forefront in my mind is that one of my friends and mentors has decided to use a chemical fertilizer on his tomato starts. I asked him why his was making this decision, and he answered demonstrating that he had thought this over for a good while. He rationalized that since they were young, the chemical fertilizers would not taint the fruits while providing a boost to the early growth of the plant. He also seemed to question why he should hold to the "purist" standard if he was not trying to market and sell the produce. I can see his point of view and am still trying to distill my true feelings on the matter. My initial response is this though. Once you start using, where and when do you say no. If the chemical fertilizer makes the tomato plants grow faster, why not try to try it on other plants in that family? The other reaction was the question mark of what the chemical fertilizers actually do to the pant. Research has shown that chemical fertilizers and pesticides decrease the amount of polyphenols the plant produces which protects them and add to the unmeasured nutritional value of the food. How would these fertilizers effect the life and health of the plant? Maybe a "purist" perspective would be denying some of the major advances in science that have been developed in agriculture? Is there a healthy balance? I am not sure but I do know I love burying my hand in a warm pile of compost and a jug of blue liquid comes with a warning label.