Transplanting

This week was the first big transplanting day!  We've been preparing for the last several weeks. Spreading compost, trying to kill rye cover crops, forming beds, more removing rye, spreading organic fertilizer....and finally planting.  The new transplanter took some learning to get it right.  But once we were running 5 us could spend 3 minutes planting a space that used to take more like 1.5 hours!

It was almost too big and heavy for the tractor, I had to drive slowly and carefully! 

And the planter does a better job!  The rows are straight and parallel so later weeding will be a snap.  Also the waterwheel part automatically adds water and fish emulsion to each baby.  This will give them a great boost.  In the past we had to rush around to get our drip irrigation running as quick as we could so the newly planted small plants wouldn't wilt to nothing in the afternoon sun (its a big change for them to go from greenhouse to field-even when we try to toughen them up by putting the trays outside and watering less).

Red Cabbage

Awesome crew!