With the kids away for Thanksgiving break, experimentation is afoot. Caroline, our Education Program Manager, is experimenting with Hydro-priming her seeds in the education gardens while she takes a break from teaching visiting students. Hydro-priming is a technique where a farmer soaks their seeds in water to make the germination process go faster, improve seed establishment in the soil, and has been shown to enhance plant growth. Basically, this technique jump starts the germination process for the seed. If Caroline’s experiments in her education garden go well the farmers may integrate the hydro-priming technique for crops with lower seed germination rates such as beets, chard, parsley, and fennel.
Seeds soaking in water for Hydro-Priming
With the holiday breaks coming up we need more hands in the fields! If you have some extra time off of work or school, we’d love to see you at the farm for field volunteering. Our mantra these days is seeding, planting, weeding, harvesting, washing, repeat! For information on volunteering please go to our Volunteer FAQs page or email Michi at volunteer@sweetwater-organic.org
We are thankful for our community that supports our small farm and wish you all a safe and happy week.