Here is a brief month-to-month breakdown of what to expect over the course of the season at Full Sun Farm:
April
- greenhouse seeding, thinning, pricking out, watering
- field work: mowing, discing, and turning under winter cover crops spreading soil amendments, spading and bed making on fields needed for May plantings
- direct seeding and transplanting of main spring crops (brassicas and onions) and early squash and cukes (covered), cultivating with G, hand weeding, thinning direct seeded crops
- planting greenhouse tomatoes in high tunnel, cover with hoops and remay
- 1st Saturday market April 18, Fridays become harvest days
May
- greenhouse seeding of sunflower and lettuce successions, thinning and watering continue
- field work: mow, disc and turn under winter cover crop, spread soil amendments, spading and bed making on fields for June plantings
- direct seeding of carrot, beets, lettuce mix, bean successions and transplanting mania of main summer vegetables: peppers, tomatoes, basil, more squash and cukes, eggplant, flowers, corn
- thinning, cultivation with G and hand weeding as necessary
- irrigate as necessary
- begin to tie up and sucker tomatoes in greenhouse
- 1st Wednesday market May 2, Tues and Wed mornings become harvest days
- CSA boxes start mid- May
- Strawberry harvest begins early to mid May
- Harvest: mostly greens, green onions and STRAWBERRIES
- Last frost day May 15
June
- greenhouse seeding of fall crops (broc, cab, kales etc), more lettuce and sunflowers
- field work: preparation of fields for fall crops(mowing, discing, spading)
- laying landscape fabric for winter squash and melons,
- direct seeding of beets, carrots, lettuce mix, beans, winter squash, pumpkins
- thinning, cultivation with G and hand weeding as necessary
- transplant melons, lettuce, corn, cukes, last summer squash
- continue to tie up and sucker tomatoes in greenhouse
- greenhouse tomato harvest starts end of June,
- stake and tie up peppers and tomatoes in field
- harvest garlic and over wintering onions, end of June
- harvest days get busy, beets, summer squash, peas, greens, broc etc etc
- Summer Solstice: turn under most of the spring beds and sow to summer cover crop/buckwheat
- blueberries begin to get ripe
- Solstice party for CSA members
July
- greenhouse seeding of lettuce, sunflowers, over wintering flowers, hoop house cukes
- direct seeding of last beet and carrot beds, lettuce mix, beans,
- cultivating with G, hand weeding and thinning
- transplant fall crops, mid july
- harvest spring planted onions, start digging potatoes
- apprentice week vacations during this month or next
August
- greenhouse seeding of last lettuces and sunflowers, over wintering onions
- direct seeding of turnips, daikon, spinach
- harvest melons
- cultivating with G, hand weeding and thinning
- pepper harvest begins, summer squash harvesting ends!
- Alex and Vanessa week vacation, apprentices run the farm
September
- last sowings made in field, arugula, radishes, turnips, lettuce mix
- last transplants made lettuce, sunflowers, broc raab etc.
- plant strawberries and overwintering flowers for next spring
- Sept 15 sow all empty fields to winter cover crop
- harvest winter squash
- cultivating with G, hand weeding and thinning of direct sown crops
October
- first frost date Oct 15
- frost protection for some crops
- plant garlic, overwintering onions, potatoes
- CSA ends last week of Oct
- Wednesday market ends last week of Oct