May 2018

In the week leading up to the first meeting Lily, Seth, and I (Caroline Ray) began to weed our assigned beds and rows to prepare them for planting. At the end of May we began by transplanting the basil, peppers, and the tomatoes.
​
At the same time we also set up the watering system and set up the timer. So far it has worked well, except for a few leaks which we have had to fix. One time an end piece popped off, and sprayed water which aided in the flooding of one of the pathways. We fixed the cap to stop the water and we have laid down hay to soak up some of the moisture.
The next week we planted all of our seeds; watermelon, cantaloupe, beans, basil, and cucumbers. While doing this we saw some cute cats.

​The basil had grown enough that it was ready to pick, so we plucked the tops off and sold ½ lb to a para-educator. While I was picking it the whole high-tunnel smelt like basil, and it was wonderful. If the basil crop continues to grow at this rate we will be ready to sell to businesses by July. We also made calls to businesses, and our first one was a success; we sold all of our bean crop to Spirit Creek Farm. Next we called a bunch of restaurants most of which nobody answered, so we left some messages. We are hoping to sell most of our tomatoes to Dalou’s Bistro and The Fat Radish. A few places did answer and appeared interested, and we have received a few call backs. The future looks hopeful. It has been surprisingly fun to speak and work with businesses. I’ve also enjoyed negotiating prices, planning the high-tunnel, and recording data. I thought that I wouldn’t like the entrepreneur side of Agripreneurs so, it’s exciting to see that I love it!  - Caroline Ray