In an effort to get students working on the farm, Dan spread the word about an emergency planting session.  It was a success!  More than twenty LACSers showed up to plant flowers for the U-pick, many with friends and family in tow.  We planted two rows of zinnias, snapdragons, chrysanthemums, and more, and a half row of tomatoes.

Yesterday was a very important day for the farm.  A work day was organized, and we had excellent turnout: community members associated with both LACS and Southside were there, as well as a couple LACS students, alumni, and even parents.  We accomplished many very important tasks in the span of the morning:

1)  Dismantling old electric fences around the farm perimeter.  Collecting electric twin from all around the field was tedious, but important.  Now that the old fence is down, we will be putting up new fencing ASAP so that planting can begin deer-free.
 

2)  Plowing and turning the fields.  Jeff and Ann took care of this part.

3)  Laying the foundation for the hoop house and building the hoop house doors.  LACS alums Max and Joseph built the hoop house doors while others drove PVC pipes into the ground to establish where the hoops will be.  The hoop house isn't fully assembled yet, but the skeleton is there.

4)  Covering the rows with plastic and setting up irrigation - another very important job.  We had a machine to lay down plastic and drip tape simultaneously.  All the workers had to do was follow behind the tractor with shovels and make sure the edges of the plastic were buried so the plastic won't blow away.  The plastic we used is biodegradable, imported from Italy.

A small group of LACSers saw the farm for the first time yesterday!  Led by Katie Church, LACS teacher Dan Flerlage and three seniors organized the barn and conducted a tool inventory.

The tools we were investigating were the ones Three Swallows farmer Jeff is lending us.  Full Plate will supply the rest of the equipment we need.

LACS students have been planting trays during Localvore committee meetings (and sometimes during class).  Here's what we've planted so far:
 
Wed. 4/28:
     - 550 seeds of Big Jim chilies

Fri. 4/30:
     - 200 Revolution Peppers
     - 150 Cosmonaut Volkov Tomatoes
     - 150 Mariana Paste Tomatoes
     - 400 Brussel Sprouts
     - 100 Prickly Cucumbers
     - 50 Regalia Cucumbers
     - 50 Yellow Crookneck Squash
     - 50 seeds from a mystery summer squash mix (the "surprise squash")

Mon. 5/3:
     - 144 Broccoli
     - 150 Watermelons
     - 50 more Regalia Cucumbers
     - 72 Green Cabbage
     - 100 Amish Paste Tomatoes
 
Fri. 5/7:
     - 72 Red Cabbage
     - 72 Collards
     - 72 Kale
     - 144 Lettuce