Friday April 30 We just attended the Frelinghuysen Arboretum Plant Sale Preview Party. Our farm had a selection of the plants we grow included in the sale as we have for a few years now.
It was great to see that our organic tomato transplants were such a hit, with many patrons leaving with a boxfull to plant and share with friends. The preview party is an annual event through which access is gained by being a member and purchasing tickets lived up to expectations. With a very nice brown bag snack, beverages, door prizes, a raffle the plants ! The new tent was the place to be for a great selection of annauals perennials, herbs, natives and tender tropicals.
At Poplar Wood Farm we have been getting ready for your visit planting,tagging, and attending to our growing charges.
It is getting close to prime time to work in the garden , we have a great selection of our organic tomato transplants with over 43 varieties available now. Quantities are limited. Our chick hatch went well with 24 chicks hatched. It will be fun to see the hybeids created from the breeding of our pure strains of chickens.

Earth Day, new chicks and tractors

April 25,2010
I enjoyed doing my Organic Gardening presentation for The Sierra Club last week. I felt that I was doing my part by sharing some of the information that I have been lucky to have gathered over the years.
It is unfortunate that we are facing another environmental disaster from the exploded oil platform off the coast of Louisiana. This happening on the heels of our celebration of the earth. I recently read that the oil from one automobile oil change if dumped rather than recycled can contaminate one million gallons of water. What are the 42,000 gallons of oil that are leaking each day going to do the ocean and its inhabitants? We need to support clean alternative sources of energy every day.
Our chicks began hatching late Saturday night and the hatch has continued right through today. It has been successful with 24 out of 32 chicks hatched and doing well in the brooder and what looks to be 3 or 4 more to come. These will be crossbreds of the varieties currently in our coop. It will be fun to see what they look like and with most of the varieties being eggers the offspring should carry this trait.
We are looking for an inexpensive used tractor that would be capable of plowinng up to 10 acres using a single bottom plow,also discing, seeding, and harrowing. We will use this to continue to improve the soilin our field through cover cropping. If you know of one that might work for us please let us know.
Until next week, remember that we can all contribute to positive change and that your efforts at this no matter how small do have signifigance. Peace and a smile.
Al

April 16 Stopping for a moment to look at the past week. Noticing that the warm weather has pushed many flowering plants ahead by a week or two. It's nice that it cooled down so the flowers last. We will be at the Earth Day Celebration at Centenary College in Hackettstown tomorrow from 11 am until 4 it looks to be a fun day, the weather will be ok and our earth sure is one of the best reasons to get together and share the joy!
Sierra Club talk on Wednesday. Poplar Wood open farm day #1 Saturday April 24.
Eggs in the incubator showing signs of life.

First post. I plan to post organic gardening information, news and observations on a weekly basis.