This Friday, March 18th, we'll have a potluck from 6 to 7 PM at the house of Tom Heather and Heather Brumm, at 2218 Donald St. From 7 to 8, Shari Reilly will facilitate a discussion about Benedictine spirituality and ethics, and how they relate to the environment.
Come to share good food, thoughts, and community!

The day after that, Saturday, March 19, we'll have a workday from 1 to 5 PM on the farm. We'll be preparing beds for the coming season, cleaning up our greenhouse, propagating elderberry, and more!

Finally, we're still looking for some people to buy CSA shares. Please talk to your friends and neighbors about getting a great deal on fresh veggies while helping feed people at Food at First, the Emergency Residence Project, Beyond Welfare and the many other places we donate our food. Contact Alice, 515-460-1467 or Shari, shari@staparish.net or 515-509-6851 with suggestions for new share members.

Read below for some updates on seed starting!

Because our normal method of starting seeds involves renting space from SOFa in the ISU horticulture greenhouse, and that greenhouse is currently under construction, seedling starting is a bit more complicated this year. Alice and Nate have been starting some seeds inside their house, then the move them out to the greenhouse when it's warm and bring them back inside when it's going to be cold overnight. Soon it will be warm enough that the hardier things (kale, broccoli, cabbage) will be able to survive the night cold, though, so it won't be as much work. Soon after that, it will be warm enough to start planting things outside, and we'll be getting ready for our first harvest!
Below: seedlings we've started of onions, cilantro, lavender, and various brassicas (kale, kohlrabi, broccoli, I'm not sure what else)