Today Everest and I found a very cool moth in one of our polyhouses. Its’s a snowberry clearwing (Hemaris diffinis), one of the hummingbird-type of moths. Native to BC but not often seen – probably because it is often mistaken for a bumblebee. I had seen one feeding on our lilac a few days earlier. It was cool to be able to see one so close up.

Spent the day up at Karl’s farm installing our new automated irrigation system. It’s pretty cool. It relies on a battery-powered controller that activates a series valves via DC latching solenoids. These solenoids require only a minor pulse of electricity to open or close a valve. Regular controllers use regular solenoids and require a continual power source (and therefore more energy) to keep a valve or series of valves open. This battery-powered system apparently can be powered by a solar panel.

Generally it was a good day – until I attempted to hookup last year’s drip tape (as evidenced by the huge TTape tangle yours truly created – which took 2 days to untangle…).

Who new that potatoes close up like a flower at night. I was installing irrigation late at Karl’s farm – one moment that potatoes were all open – apparently basking in the late afternoon sun. As soon as the sun set the potato plants pulled up their leaves – giving the appearance of a field of romaine lettuce. Cool!

It’s been just over 2 1/2 weeks since they were planted and they are now emerging from the soily depths.

Our latest and last lambs of the season.

Barry, parting with his hard earned shekels in order to buy some real eggs!

Ange and Anna potting up hundreds of tomato plants. Note the new upper-level shelving to accommodate all of the new plants!

Tree frog on wasabi leaf in the propagation house.

Life is everywhere right now. It was a wonderful surprise to have company this afternoon as Quinn and I planted more seeds – new life!

Local soil scientist, Bob Maxwell (with the clipboard), explaining the profile of a soil pit on a friend’s property in Victoria. It is incredibly helpful to get a good understanding of the foundation of your farm – the soils – before determining where and what you are going to grow.

Ange packing share boxes.

Today was the official start of our box program – week 1 of a 25 week journey. I wasn’t as prepared as I had planned – what’s new – fortunately Ange happened by for a tour a visit and was happily put to work prepping produce and packing boxes. Thank you Ange, you saved the day!

Spent the afternoon/evening at a friend’s farm on Salt Spring Island. They are constantly pushing the limits. Case in point was the greenhouse full of freshly planted tomato plants. In the photo they’re hidden under the protective remay “blanket”.

Everyday on the farm involves nature. If you are open and a wee bit lucky you often come face to face with some of her wonders – like this female Rufus hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) who found herself trapped in one of our polyhouses.

One of the reasons I farm and garden is because it requires direct participation and contact with the natural world. As a young gardener and aspiring naturalist, I was thrilled and inspired by this direct involvement and by the daily discoveries I made. Now as I farm, I am once again filled with wonder and inspiration. More importantly, so are my children.

Spent a good part of the day yesterday getting these lovely tubers into the ground. Today I hope to finish he job. It’s been about 13 years since I tried growing potatoes – basically the time we have been back living on the coast. The effects of the wretched wireworm have kept us from growing this wonderful crop (wireworms love potatoes and riddle them with small holes). The market garden we are maintaining at Waitara Farm appears to be virtually wireworm free. So we’re going all out and planting a handful of tasty varieties including: Russian banana, Russian Blue, Red Chieftain (misspelled in the picture), Bintje, Sieglinde, German Butterball, French fingerling, and Linzer delicates.

As I straddled the rows and planted I felt like I was literally returning to my roots or, more accurately, tubers (both Michelle and I are Dutch).

It’s that time of year! Plant, plant, plant – to ensure a steady supply of tasty veggies.

This morning we were treated to a welcome sight – the first two live lambs of the season. Badger a.k.a. Layla gave birth to two ewe lambs – without fuss or fanfare. No surprise to Michelle who remarked that, “she could give birth to them sideways without any problems.” We were still greatly relieved and thankful. On Saturday the actual two first lambs of the season were born dead to our black ewe Bonnie.

It’s that time of year again when we relieve the sheeps of their winter woolies. North Saanich shearer, Pieter de mooy, was on island today making the rounds.