| As winter reluctantly releases its grip on the Northeast, with drifts of bold crocus and daffodil replacing the stubborn piles of gray snow and slush, we can detect a collective sigh of relief as every stratum and degree of life senses the renewing warmth of the sun. We all participate in this unanimous exhalation, reassured at the passing of the dead season, but apprehensive as we embark on another turn of the wheel. At Hutchins, before any outward sign of spring graces the landscape, the surest sign of the new season are thousands of germinating seeds, sown and tended with care in the protected sancta of our greenhouses. Each awakening seed is a tiny miracle, an expression of hope and faith, vulnerable to drying out, rotting, and predation by miniscule pests as well as more majuscule critters (often furry and unconscionably cute). Stewarding these small vegetable tenants through their formative weeks is both worrisome and rewarding—small slights can have devastating outcomes, constant vigilance and attention to detail are requisite but not always adequate. A certain measure of good luck and relentless optimism can pay dividends, but the first can be hard to get and the second hard to keep—so far, so good however. One significant change in our spring routine is that we have switched from using McEnroe potting mix in our greenhouse, and from selling their compost and potting mix on the porch to our gardening customers. The reasons for the switch are complicated, but increasing freight charges from New York State is one component. This year we are testing two different potting soils in our greenhouses (both of which we have used in the past): Coast of Maine and Vermont Compost. We will be offering bagged Coast of Maine potting mix and compost along with bagged Vermont Compost’s composted manure on the honor system self-serve porch to our gardening customers—please let us know how they perform for you! Prices are listed on our website under the “what’s at the stand” tab. We begin the season with a strong roster of veteran farmers: Ted Thompson, Matt Marolda, Huey-Harn Chen, Liz Norton, Abby Cramer, and Matt Starek are all returning in various roles. Last year saw the departure of long-term team members Kathy and Dave Rice—we have found a promising orchard manager trainee (welcome Matt McGovern back to Hutchins!) to try and fill Dave’s shoes, but so far the search is still on for Kathy’s replacement. Although the garlic is poking through the mulch, and peas and spinach have been sown in the cold soil, it’s still a long way until we’ll have any produce available for sale (look for rhubarb and asparagus around the beginning of May), but garden plants a-plenty should begin to appear by mid-April, and the updated catalog of our expected offerings is available for your perusal as a downloadable PDF at our website (under “Produce Information” tab at www.hutchinsfarm.com). Please check our website as we get closer – as always we will keep our “what’s at the stand” tab on our website as updated as we can with what’s available. Something to keep in mind as we are approaching true spring: we’re unsure to what degree the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Concord will affect access to the farm on Saturday, April 19th, so be warned if you’re hoping to stop by that weekend. We will keep our website and social channels updated with the latest on road access as that date approaches. So as the tree buds swell, and we hope for some April showers, we hope you find yourself dreaming of spring along with us – ready (or not) for whatever the next season throws our way -Brian Cramer, Liza Bemis, and the Hutchins Farm Crew |
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March 2025 Newsletter