Harvest Update

As we harvest out the last of our spring lettuces, other crops are ready to take their place! From onions and leeks (nearly 8,000 in all—wow!), to baby potatoes (French Fingerling and Russian Banana), Gonzales cabbages and Gypsy broccoli, the Local Food Project garden is full of good things to eat. Airlie Center’s chefs always seem eager to see what’s coming next! And they’re waiting patiently as we prepare for our first tomatoes in just a few weeks. View more photos.

We’re Fenced In!

The Local Food Project crew wrapped up constructions of a new fence last week—protecting all of our favorite veggies from deer that seem to love them even more than we do! The freshly harvested cedar logs we installed for the corner posts give the garden a fun fortress-like feel. Black plastic mesh fencing, ten feet high and zip-tied to metal poles, ensures that deer won’t jump over the top. And swaths of tall bamboo woven into the gates create an airy invitation to guests wandering over to visit.

Celebrating Our Food Independence

Our July 2 workshop and food independence celebration was a fun and inspiring gathering of farmers and foodies alike. After performing a new skit about a crazy farmer’s market, the LFP crew showed visitors our small space growing areas—the favorite Parking Space Garden, the new Feed a Family Garden, and the emerging Urban Box Garden. We also demonstrated how to double dig a garden bed (using a spade and fork) and how to use a broadfork to work up soil without damaging its structure. As the sun set over the garden we enjoyed great conversation with friends, toasting our food independence and looking forward to our next chance to visit. See more pictures in our online photo album.

Tomato Trellising Twist

The way our Sun Gold tomatoes are growing lately, they’ll soon reach the ceiling of the hoophouse! With warmer temperatures and lots of sunshine lately, the Sun Golds are loving their protected home inside the tunnel. To keep up with the plants’ growth spurt, we pounded in eight foot T-posts every eight feet on both sides of the four foot bed. Then we strung twine around the posts and criss-crossed between every set of four. We’ll add additional levels of twine as the tomatoes grow and begin to crank out our favorite little cherries.

The Next Generation of Local Food Leaders

The Local Food Project at Airlie summer internship program helps prepare young growers to become the next generation of local food leaders. Not only do interns gain practical experience in sustainable agriculture, they also learn communication, decision-making, teamwork, and strategic planning skills that they can apply to future activities at school, in their careers, and around the community. Each intern designs and carries out a summer-long project, then presents it in a creative way at the end of their time with the LFP. You’ll also hear from them occasionally on this blog! View photos from the intern experience in our online photo album.