Hello from the gardens at Nick’s Cove! Lots of folks have been asking me what we’ve been up to over the winter, and how the weather affects our daily work and the growing season. We’ve had a good amount of rain this year, with a couple of huge storms hitting us on the coast in the form of atmospheric rivers that bring tons of water all at once. After these big weather events, it’s generally too wet in the vegetable beds to work the soil, but we stay busy by turning our attention to other needs in and around the garden. Our crops grow slower in the shortened days of winter, and it gives us time to tend to the perennial ornamentals and herbs on the property. We also try to get any repairs and projects out of the way. Now that it’s Spring we’re ready to hit the ground running!

Winter was a time for reflection and planning. Notes and data from last year’s crop plan are distilled into useful information that will help up lay out the coming year. With this information, I will make adjustments in our timing and crop quantities. I also sat down with the chef to create a timeline of the seasonal changes that will be reflected on the menu. We went through a handful of seed catalogs together and will select new varieties and vegetables that will suit our menu concept and the Croft’s growing parameters.

In January, I got the opportunity to attend the 39th annual EcoFarm Conference in Pacific Grove. The event, put on by the Ecological Farming Association each year, is a three day gathering of farmers, educators, agricultural scientists, industry product and tech specialists, an environmental advocates and professionals. The conference consists of workshops, events, and keynote speeches. It provides information, tools, and resources to those who work to reduce the environmental impact of farming practices and provide an alternative to the destructive practices of industrial agriculture. It was a great way to connect with other farmers, and learn what practices are being successfully implemented elsewhere on a similar scale. I learned a ton about soil health and ecology, and it was a great way for Nick’s Cove to continue its commitment to a sustainable approach to sourcing our food.

I’m also excited to share that we’ve currently installed some growing tunnels in the Croft that will make our garden more productive then ever. The increased heat inside these tunnels will give us more fruit in the summer and allow us to grow longer into the winter. Be sure to visit our garden and follow us on Instagram @NicksCoveCroft throughout the year to check our progress!

Brendan