Sweet Potatoes For Days

Another guest blog by VIP Volunteer Cayla.

With the sunshine finally returning after a rainy week and with the help of awesome volunteers, we planted 800 feet of sweet potato slips!

Volunteers, including a group from the Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation, are to thank for this huge gardening success on May 24. The volunteers helped prepare the soil, dig holes, transfer the plants and set up the watering system. The great day was topped off with a delicious cookout for the workers and volunteers. We are so proud of the Palooza and cannot wait for the harvest!

What else is going on at the farm?

As always, the chickens have been keeping themselves busy. Besides squawking for treats, chickens play an important part on the farm. Because they are free range, they roam around the farm eating pesky insects and creating fertilizer. The chickens’ playfulness and curiosity are definitely the highlight of many volunteer visits!

The peak week for strawberries has come and gone, leaving our baskets overflowing with delicious fruit! We are very excited about the big harvest, but are sad to see the fruit’s season come to a close. Earli-Glo far outperformed the Jewel variety, which was plagued by rot from all the rain.

Nothing tastes better than a strawberry straight from the vine. So why not grow some right at home?

The best season for planting strawberries is in the spring or fall. These plants love the sun and need at least eights hours of direct sunlight a day. Plant them about 12-18 inches apart allowing a lot of room for their runners to grow. Make sure to set the roots deep, but don’t bury the crown. Keeping the area mulched will reduce the need for water and reduce the likelihood of invasive weeds.

No space for a garden? Strawberries are able to grow in jars or pots!