As I am writing, this Spring 2021 has officially arrived, and I believe many of you are ready to get your hands dirty.  For those who choose to garden in pots to make life a little easier and safeguard against the critters that terrorize us eating anything we grow that is green, please be careful with your soil choices.  When buying your soil for these pots, remember it is no different than reading a food label in the store.  Read the label on the soil and make sure it is full of nutrition for your plants, just like you do when reading the label to feed yourself.  Many of the soils at the big box stores are more of a mulch with very little nutrition for your plant.  You can use these big inexpensive bales as a “start.”  Then go to your local hydroponics store or small hardware store that carries brands such as Fox Farms Ocean Forest, Happy Frog, and other soils that are stocked full of bat guano, fish emulsion, crab meal, chicken manure, oyster shell, and earthworm castings.  Blend these with the other bales, or even better, just plant in these soils.  All these great ingredients included in these soil blends contain the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and minerals required for a healthy plant and success in your gardens. 

Here at Moonstruck Farms, we are transplanting tomatoes and peppers, starting basil, and preparing snow peas and sugar peas six-packs for sale.  In addition, we have started the nasturtiums for beautiful hanging baskets and patio pots with more flowers to come.  The anemones and daffodils are blooming, and we are watching the tulips break through the soil, and the snapdragons, peonies, and carnations are slowly coming to life with the lengthening warmer days.  At the same time, we are giving the house a face lift so that it matches the many new projects being completed to beautify the farm and provide teaching moments for future tours.  The things-to-do list is long, but in the end, it will all be worth it. 

The Phelan Certified Farmers Market is moving back to the Phelan Community Park this month.  The market is open from 2pm to 6pm; and will remain in the park until the late Fall.  As I am writing this, we are in the Red Tier.  Hopefully, we will continue to progress through the tiers opening the market to offer more activities in the park, especially for the children this summer, so stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram pages.   The Wrightwood Certified Farmers Market will be shifting its hours later in April to 3:30 to 6pm each Friday.