Wagner Farm Community Garden: State of the Garden... and a little black cow

Sunday, March 30, 2014

State of the Garden... and a little black cow

What a lovely day! And what mud at the farm. Returning gardeners know the state of the garden can often be determined by what's going on at the front gate. Today: deep, deep mud. And check out the puddles elsewhere on the farm.

Luckily, our little cow Cayla enjoys mud. I happened to be at the farm when she got to enter the big pasture with all of the other cows. Quite a moment for our little girl, who was born here at Wagner Farm last August.

This is Cayla, our milking cow Lily's youngest daughter (the white Daisy is her other daughter).

And that black cow on the left is little Cayla getting chased by our Jersey cow, Buttercup. There was quite a bit of pushing around and nuzzling and chasing in the pasture today as the ladies re-established their cow hierarchy. Cayla, of course, is at the bottom, but as she ran around the huge pasture, kicking up her heels and climbing up the manure pile, I'm not sure she cared.

1 comment:

RebeccaMarch 31, 2014 at 8:06 AM
We were just at the farm and we were wondering about the new black cow. Thanks for the update!
Rebecca
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What's This?

FieldWatch is a nonprofit organization that is intended to help pesticide applicators and specialty crop growers communicate more effectively. The site registers certified organic gardens and their beehives. This information is provided to crop dusting (pesticide) applicators to let them know the location of organic gardens. They use this information to plan their routes accordingly. Our sign alerts them to keep pesticides away! The Wagner Farm Community Garden and our Wagner beehives are registered as organic sites through FieldWatch.

Q&A

Q: Are cocoa shells allowed as mulch in the community garden?

A: YES! Cocoa shell mulch (also called cocoa bean mulch) is great for gardens. These shells have a sweet smell and look very neat in your garden bed. When cocoa beans are roasted, their shells separate. Roasting the beans sterilizes the shells. Therefore, the shells are weed free and organic. If you are interested in using them in your plot, ask for them at your favorite garden center.

Negatives-When cocoa mulch gets too wet and does not have time to dry between waterings or rainfalls, it can attract pests. Also, in hot, humid weather, the cocoa shells can develop a harmless mold. You can use a mixture of 25% water and 75% vinegar as a spray to get rid of the mold.

*CAUTION- Do not use cocoa bean mulch at home if you have dogs. This sweet mulch can be toxic to dogs if eaten.

Biggest Gardening Mistakes:

Biggest Gardening Mistakes:

1. Planting too soon-The weather forecast shows nighttime temperatures below 50º through next weekend. You are taking a risk if you plant your warm weather crops such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, basil, zucchini, etc.

2. Not hardening off your plants-Plants that have been grown in your house or in a greenhouse need to be “hardened off”. This means they need to gradually get use to the outdoor temperature, sun, and wind before being planted outside. Ask if your plants have been hardened off at your favorite garden store. Check online to see how to harden off your plants.

3. Improper Spacing-Your seedlings look so small and cute right now, but they will be huge! Read plant tags and seed packages for recommendations on plant spacing. Proper spacing will ensure better air circulation which leads to healthier plants and better production. Planting things too close together will make your plants more susceptible to disease. It will also make it difficult to harvest your veggies.

4. Not staking plants-It is important to stake your plants. This will promote proper air circulation and will help prevent disease. Staking is especially important because we have overhead sprinklers.

5. Not weeding-Weeds compete with your veggies for valuable nutrients and space. Some weeds even send out growth inhibitors that stunt the growth of your plants. You will get a weed warning in the Community Garden if you decide not to weed.