I meant to have this newsletter out just after the holidays – but – best laid plans of mice and men (and in our case goats) slid timelines sideways. I also wanted to see the results of the survey that so many of you were kind enough to send back in – 58 people took the time to let us know what kind of information they were looking for and we totally appreciate it!
Thank you to everyone who did take that precious time -we know just how tight time can be.
The biggest request was for a year-long look at the programing so that people can plan. So, we’ve spent the last week trying to map out an entire year’s worth of programing! Obviously, the later dates and topics may flex a bit, but only a bit – we hope!! I’ve included the next few topics below and will have the year-long calendar up on the website by the end of the month. If you have specific topics that aren’t on the final list and you want covered, please let the store know and we’ll see what can be done.
Here are the first few though in greater detail – as well as a new idea for a more structured series
January 18 - 10:00-11:30am Seed Catalog Coffee Klatch Lots of seed catalogs and conversation about varieties and the planting season. No charge for this one – it’s just a fun time around the back tables talking about all of the wonderful varieties of plants that are available. Bring your favorite seed catalogs and I’ll have all kinds available as well. Coffee and donuts will be available! Remember – this one is free!
January 25 – 1:00-2:30pm Basic Q&A for Houseplants – daylengths are finally noticeable and houseplants start responding. This early spring period is a great time to get new life and vigor going in your beloved houseplants. It’s too cold to bring yours in to the store, but I’ll have several plants at different stages that we’ll work through so you can feel different kinds of mixes, learn about the root systems, how to work with root system supports and other resources that might be helpful. The workshop includes a soil drench and slow-release fertilizer ($20.00/person – limit 10)
February 1 – 10:00-11:30am Getting Seeds Started Right Did you know that you plants have an external digestive system? Kind of like yours but on the outside of their roots instead of on the inside of a digestive tract. The sooner the plants roots can connect with the microbes they need for that digestion, the better for all. We’ll go over those details and much more! The workshop includes containers, seed inoculant, soil mix and a package of seed ($30/person – limit 10). Space is limited so be sure to register early!!
February 1 – 1:00-2:30pm Creating a Succulent Garden Everyone seems to love succulents and cacti! And we agree! We’ve had lots of requests for a succulent garden program so we thought a late winter pick-me-up would be a great idea. We’ll work through some different potting mixes so you can get a feel for their textures and then we’ll build a succulent garden for you to take home. The workshop includes the container, potting mix and 5 succulents. ($45/person – limit 10)
And we’re introducing a new concept – This will be a five-part series (you’ll have to sign up for the whole series since one session leads to the next) that will walk you through all of the facets of really planning your landscape for YOUR needs – and the needs of the local ecosystem.
Designing a Productive Home Landscape
2/27, 3/6, 3/13, 3/20, 3/27 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday evenings - after the store closes for the day
This is the place to come and start the process of understanding your yard, what you can do with it, and what you need to make your garden goals happen. It’s the jumping off point for a series of workshops that look at developing healthy soils, planting bare root trees, mixing minerals, making raised beds really work and homestead berries to name a few. The topics include basic design, trees and shrubs of all kinds, flowers of all kinds, lawns, vegetables, garden structure alternatives and basic soil development for different goals. It’s a pretty marvelous world once you know how to work with it! ($100/person – must register for the 5 programs – limit 10) Must be paid for in advance since the store (and cash registers) will be closed for sales at the time of the class.
Now that we’ve got the programming notes underway, I wanted to circle back to a couple of seasonal issues that might be bugging you.
First – cold and/or bored chickens
I know – sounds crazy right? But we’ve had more than a string of cold, very dry and windy days that have kept a lot of birds inside and problems can start to develop… We’ve had quite a few people coming through with a mix of problems… Most can be solved with a bale of hay, some scratch feed or some meal worms… Get a bale of hay and toss a pad/leaf of hay in with your birds, sprinkle the hay with scratch feed or meal worms – and stand back! They will have a field day with the hay and will provide better quality eggs if they’re still laying. Egg quality improves even more if you use quality hay (like green second cut). The left-over hay also provides some additional warmth in the bedding as it layers in to the shavings. If cold really becomes a problem, then straight, old fashioned straw is a boon to all wintering farm animals, not just chickens and ducks.
And then the cold, dry winds…
So far, our weather has been obnoxious, but not dangerously cold – although the wind can add huge stressors if the animals can’t escape the wind (and us – really miserable doing animal chores on these mornings!!!). And that cold, dry wind leads to the next seasonal challenge…the drought is still in effect in north central Mass… Check here for the latest updates - and you’ll see that most of us here in central Mass are still under severe drought. You can’t see it, but it’s real. If we get warm enough (45 degrees), get another (or first!) application of WiltPruf on to you rhodies, azaleas, Japanese maples and other cold/drought sensitive plants. As the sun angle lifts and the days get longer, the dehydration factor on those leaves and buds gets more intense – sudden full sun, warm days followed by sharp cold nights can do even more damage. Food for thought as we wind our way through the winter…
Well – that’s it for the first newsletter of 2025…We wish you all a healthy and productive year and will do our best to help keep your animals and gardens in good shape! Stop in and chat if you’ve a mind – it’s always good to see friends.
Belated Happy New Year!
The Good Earth
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