Update from TJ McDaniel

CFTT is right on schedule with our greenhouse planting and field preparation. We are having a great start on transplants in the greenhouse. In addition to broccoli and cabbage, I am upping our winter squash numbers and we are going to attempt transplanting squash in significant numbers for the first time. I have staggered the plantings in the greenhouse and I am hoping that will translate into the harvest season. Our first round of transplanting in the greenhouse is complete and our second round is taking place this week.

I have completed most of the field preparation and am planting cover crops. With volunteer help, the irrigation pipes were put back out into the field this week. I am coordinating water flow with neighboring property owners who share our ditch to maximize our water during this drought. Transplanting into the field will start around the first of June and we hope to have all of our main crops in the field by mid-June. We’ll be posting shifts soon. Kim Anderson will take over Laurie Kari’s work on scheduling volunteers as our volunteer coordinator. Thank you for all your help, volunteers!

I want to acknowledge a special thanks we owe to Laurie for her help over the last few years. She was responsible for fundraising for the cultivating tractor that has been a real game-changer, organized our first real fundraising event, and made our organization much more visible in our community than we were previously. She is definitely leaving CFTT better than she found it and I am grateful for all of her help.