Why is the spring my favorite time to work on the farm?

I’m not going to deny my love towards the spring and summer seasons, because it’s impossible to avoid. Especially after one of the most brutal winters I’ve experienced on campus where frostbite seemed very likely during my regular hike out to care for animals. In my previous three years, I taunted the winter with how weak it is in comparison to my Massachusetts winters. Needless to say, winter on the farm was rough.

Winter seedlings will soon make themselves known to our annual garden and slowly we will begin to see the green lush invade our farm. Big players such as all of our favorites – thistle and hops – may make their guest appearance once again. We may even see the mystery cat that wanders through the farm. Our real favorite, potatoes, will sprout up in large numbers accompanied by the orange and black potato bugs that farm staff spend hours squishing between the fingers of our seasoned farm gloves. Something else to expect in large numbers — ASPARAGUS. Fun fact: you should not be harvesting asparagus until the crop is fully established, which requires preferably three years of patiently waiting. Well, the wait is over! Spring 2019 will be the first year we will be able to heavily harvest our asparagus patches.

Throughout my year on the farm, I’ve staffed and hosted Tuesday Farm Volunteer Hours. Our participation follows the seasons, in the spring a fresh crop of volunteers poke their heads up from the ground! My spring volunteer farm shift makes me nostalgic for corny farm puns and calming warm sunsets spent in community.

I joined the farm staff spring of 2018 and I’m ecstatic to complete a full circle of farm seasons. From watching veggies get harvested then get pulled out and watching the beds receive consistent layers of snow to later nurture little plant-starts. I’m ready to get more hours outside and inevitably develop weird tans as a farm family.