Farm and Garden Update: A New Friend Next Stall
After a lovely mild and bountiful summer the medicinal garden continues to grow medicinal herbs and flowers, which will be transformed into various products in the weeks to come. Year to date the students have harvested marigolds, applemint, spearmint, lemon balm, stinging nettle, and chamomile for medicinal teas and healing balms - coreopsis and cosmos for dyes. Lovage, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, chives and nasturtiums have been harvested for culinary herbs and teas. The medicinal garden also produced colorful flowers, which have decorated the H&H, have been used by FC members to celebrate birthdays and honour some who have passed. Currently, the garden has been getting put to sleep by the students as they learn the importance of cover crop and its use as erosion prevention and springtime soil fertility improvement. They have been busy spreading compost and planting oats, peas and daikon radishes.
Meadow Wood greenhouse has been slowly filling with seedlings that will soon fill our greenhouses at the farm, which will grow produce throughout the winter and into next spring, helping supply the FC kitchen as well as being sold to the Threefold Cafe. Spinach, lettuce, and beets have been seeded in trays for transplants. Beds are being prepared by 5th, 7th, 8th graders and high schoolers for baby leaf Arugula, Red Russian Kale, Chard, and Mustard greens.
In more exciting farm news, in late September, OSS welcomed Breeze to the farm! She has quickly become friends at the hip with Otis and they are happily enjoying the last warm rays of sun together before winter. After school lessons have begun and all of the available slots filled up very quickly with eager riders from Otto Specht and the Threefold Community. Otto Specht will offer lessons until the ground is too frozen, then we will take a winter break, and resume in the spring. Currently, students are riding on Wednesdays and Fridays. If you would like to know more about riding lessons or be placed on our waiting list, please email me at: jromerobosch@ottospecht.org.