It’s been a long and cold winter up here on the mountain, with many plantings and preparations for the growing season being delayed by cold snaps and snow. Now we can look forward to warmer weather, and a growing season delayed by the continuous warm and gentle rains which are characteristic of the temperate rainforest microclimate on the northern slope of Pine Mountain. On the positive side, the particularly cold weather we experienced over the winter should significantly reduce our biological pressures this year, namely our insect pests and diseases.
We had hoped to put together a seed swap this spring in time for the growing season, but unfortunately the harsh winter which has delayed our planting also delayed the planting of the fellow growers we hoped would help us host the event. Pine Mountain Settlement School now plans to host a seed swap in Fall, after the Grow Appalachia workshop for seed saving.
Our next Workshop will be Thursday, April 10th. It will cover the basics of Organic Gardening including the topics of cover cropping, crop rotation, fertilizer use, and organic pest controls. We hope to explain how these practices can be most effectively and economically integrated to optimize the overall production of our gardeners.
Hi Joshua. I am over on Pine Mt. too, in Letcher Co. It has taken me 4 yrs. to get the hang of growing vegetables here. I grew them down on the flats as a kid, but the mountain is different. I am finally learning what the old timers knew, to “make hay while the sun shines.” I planted a lot of stuff when it was warm in middle of March. I watered everything. Then it snowed. Nothing came up. Then April 1, everything popped up in the sun….peas and greens and onions. Gotta be on your toes to catch the good days!!!!!!!