Village Farm Update from Farm Educator Kathryn: Fall is Here!

Fall has officially started at the Harvest Green Village Farm. Read how the Agmenity crew are preparing the Village Farm for fall crops, including installing subsurface drip tape irrigation. Follow to the end for a link to a video explaining how planting beds are made and drip tape installed. Plus, sweet potatoes are reaching maturity!

From Farm Educator Kathryn: This week we found a narrow window where the soil was workable and we were able to get beds in. It is possible to farm without beds, but our soil texture is on the clay side, so growing in these beds allows for better drainage and gives roots a nice plush environment to thrive. We build our beds with what is called "subsurface drip tape." This irrigation method waters crops from inside beds through a slow trickle. It’s the most efficient and effective means of watering plants. We can also pump liquid organic fertilizers through these lines, which will add another boost to our recent fertility "makeover." In actuality, we don't have to irrigate daily in our climate due to the rainfall, but it can improve yields and acts as an insurance policy.  We certainly like to be prepared for the occasional six-week drought around August!

Given our productivity this week, we expect to be planting our fall crops in our target timeframe, and we are hoping our efforts will yield the best season the Village Farm has yet seen!

As to current crops, we are starting to see our sweet potatoes reach maturity, and will be harvesting them over the next few months as the different varieties mature. These we will cure at ambient temperature for 10 days out of the reach of rodents. The curing process converts starch into sugar and puts the “sweet” in the potato. After curing, we can then store them for several months at room temperature. 

Here is a short clip on how we make beds and install drip tape.