Sprout Farm newsletter         April 27, 2024       sproutfarm.net     open 9-5 daily

Hello Everyone,

We're almost there.  Any day now we'll enter into the 'change of closet' season. As soon as those frosty mornings are history we'll suck it up and dry clean the woolens before they retire for the summer and pull out the summer clothes to make sure they're as perfect now as they were last fall when they went into storage.  If you missed a stain or two last fall and they show up now, don't worry, you just add those tee shirts to your gardening wardrobe. 

    A message from Farmer Jay,  Just to let you know, we now have the first of the season green leaf lettuce.  (these were grown in the high tunnel so they are perfect)  The special this week, all Perennials 20% off, regular price $7.99- $29.99. Now that the cold weather is behind us (me-really?) "we hope '' the 6 pack annuals and the Proven Winners are coming out of the greenhouses.  We have to admit we lost some of our tomato plants to the cold of the last couple of nights. (me) Personally, I'm impressed that the frost blanket protected so many of the plants even in temperatures down into the 20's.  At this time of year there's never enough space in the greenhouse.

   The ospreys are putting on a show as they swoop down into the field in the back of the house looking for sticks and pieces of vines we had stacked up all winter waiting for the burning season.  It's been a week since we burned the pile and they're still checking out the field in hope of finding nesting material.  It's amazing to sit in the living room watching TV and suddenly you look out the window and see this beautiful bird swooping into your field of vision.  I guess this is one of the benefits of living so close to the river.  I realized that I could help them out by searching out some wild grapevines and other sticks that were left behind when we cleaned up the yard.  So this evening I walked around with the hand clippers and came up with some sticks and vines that I left in the field for the birds.  I had to tell Jay so he wouldn't wonder how those sticks got into his beautifully roto-tilled field.

  The kitten report:  Jay tells me that he sees movement in Wheezie's belly.  That means she's close to her due date.  If Scruffy cat is the dad, these kittens could come out any color.  We just have to wait. She still has some time to go. She's still hanging out at the farm stand hoping for treats and she isn't searching out those dark corners where cats feel safe giving birth.

   The road crews are still working on Orchard Rd.  There is one way traffic going from the farm to Orchard Rd to Rte 28.  If you're coming from the direction of  Hyannis, expect to go around the Mashpee Rotary to get to Quinaquisset Ave.  It's a short detour and you can admire the tulips I planted in one of the rotary entry ways.  Tulips look their best the first year they bloom.

That's all the news for now.  Welcome to all our new subscribers. 

Stop by and see us soon. 

Jay and Phyllis Sprout