Finally, Flowers!

This week the first organically grown flowers from the Simsbury site are being harvested out of the field. Soon to follow will be zinnia, grasses, dahlia and other assorted annuals.

The Willow Field in May

The willow field in May looks so different from the harvest months just a short time ago! At this stage growing stems are visible, but floral buds are months away! The cold nights just a week or so ago damaged a few of the cultivars; their soft growing tips felt a hard May frost in the Litchfield Hills! If the tips do not fully recover, they will have to be removed to encourage new healthy growth of side shoots.

Here a few shots of the field, before last week's planting of additional species. Also included are the growing stems of the beautiful black pussy willow just short shoots now.

Plastic mulch for annual crops!

At the Community Farm of Simsbury (CFS) site First Bloom Farm (FBF) has incubator farmer neighbors! Here are few shots from early this week of plastic laying with my neighbors and the farm director on site. My neighbors are organic veggie growers who have a few crops in the field. Everything is new here- new equipment, new field, new tractor driver- new experiences!

Soon FBF's Dahlias and annual seed crops will be in the field- where they belong!

What's new? More land! at the Community Farm of Simsbury

First Bloom Farm LLC will be taking on additional growing spacing at the Community Farm of Simsbury (CT). The site once the pasture area for a dairy farm, has now the dual purpose of farm-based education center and the incubator farmer project. FBF will be using the site for the production of annual crops (non-winter-hardy). More to come...!

Willow Sold Out for Spring 2010!

We are officially sold-out of all catkin producing "pussy willow" for this spring! Next year there will be an even bigger harvest with new varieties!

Now onto summer crops- flowers, foliage and grasses!

Litchfield Hills Farm-Fresh Market, Litchfield, CT

Thanks to all those who visited the First Bloom Farm Stand at the Litchfield Farmers' Market yesterday. Braving the rain and taking home willow must be a sure sign of Spring!

CitySeed Farmers' Market- New Haven, CT

Come and visit FBF tomorrow, Saturday 3/6/10, from 10-1 at the CitySeed Farmers' Market in Wooster Square, New Haven ,CT. The sun will be shining! For directions visit: www.cityseed.org