Planting Season 2023 is (mostly) completed!
Spanning over two months, this has been our most extensive (and exhausting) planting season so far! Beginning in January, we took the 2,100 seedlings which we had potted last year and planted them in the ground. Planting is back-breaking work, requiring the use of a heavy and, at times, unruly, auger. Combine that with lots of good old-fashioned hard work hauling wheelbarrows of compost and getting down and dirty on the ground. Add in strong winds, rain, and sub-40 degree weather and you get a pretty good picture of what the experience is like. This is the part that the Hallmark movies about Christmas tree farms tend to leave out. Thankfully, we have some amazing friends who show up to help us come rain or shine. The past few weeks have been dedicated to potting seedlings to be planted next year. While potting is not quite so laborious, 2,000+ seedlings take a fair bit of time. As of today (March 31), we are done! But as is always the case on a farm, there is yet more work to be done. The next step in the process is to fertilize all of the pre-existing trees in the fields before bud break, and to finish mulching the newly-planted trees to prevent weed growth as we head into spring.
On the Homestead
With the busy season of Christmas tree farming coming to a close, we now have the opportunity to turn more of our attention to the homestead. We are currently brooding another batch of meat birds, which we plan to process here at home as we obtain all the necessary equipment — another step toward self-sufficiency in raising our own food! We also have more chicks that will join our egg-laying flock when they are fully grown. Our feathered friends have also gained three handsome Speckled Sussex roosters, lovingly named Bert, Ernie and Elmo, given to us by our good friends to help keep our ladies in order. Interested in buying farm fresh, pasture-raised eggs? We are selling them for $5/dozen. Send us a message via email or DM us on social media if you're interested. Local pick up at the farm only. We have big plans for the garden this year and are aiming to use more and more of the space we have available. Learning to cook according to what is being harvested and food preservation are new skills we are hoping to hone this year.
Here's to a delightful spring full of sunshine and daisies! (Who am I kidding? Realistically but joyfully, prepare for lots of rain and mowing.)
We're so thankful for this crazy, busy, windy, Christmas tree farm life we get to lead here on Whidbey. Thank you for your support along the way. Your friends at Good Boy Farms, Dave, Janet, Chris, Nicole, Josh & Kristi (plus the munchkins)
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