What do farmers do in the winter you ask? The land looks like its dead, the crops are gone and its just dirt, right? Does The Food Project shut down when the last root vegetables come up in late fall?

Quite the opposite actually. Just as the land needs a time of rest to rejuvenate under the blanket of regenerating cover crops so too does the staff, the Agricultural Staff in particular.

While the majority of the office staff regroups after a busy summer program season, runs the Academic Year Program, starts gearing up for the following summer programs, works to grow food system partnerships and legislation, produces books and materials for like minded organizations, works hard to raise the fund for the coming year and close up the ending one, the Ag staff gets some much needed rest.

As with most types of farming, our farmers work 6 days a week rain or shine throughout the season, holiday or not. The crops still need to be cared for regardless of what the calendar says. Their growing season begins with the planting of the earliest onion seedlings and progressively grows as the summer heat blooms. And it continues a lot later then one might suspect, ending in late October with root vegetables.

In the winter time, the farmers get some much needed rest and relaxation themselves, but not before they plant cover crops to put nutrients back into the soil and prevent loss of precious topsoil. And even then they continue to grow leafy greens in our greenhouses in Lincoln. But the Farm Staff does scale back to a three or four days a week, thus balancing out the number of days worked in a year, heavy in the summer light in the winter. And the quiet of the winter allows for wonderful long trips to sunny climes like New Zealand, Hawaii, and Minnesota. As with the land its all about conservation and renewal.

But even if they work a few days a week, what could a farmer possibly have to do in the winter when the ground is covered with snow? Well, the reality is a lot. Rotation of the crops around the land must be determined in a complex manner to prevent pests from finding them and to allow some of the land time off each summer. Which plants grew well, sold well, tasted especially good or bad must be evaluated, and why? Which ones will be reordered, or perhaps what new ones will be added? Plants per row and rows per crop must be calculated so nothing is wasted in the ordering of seeds or seedlings. And where each type of crop will be planted on the farm determined. CSA shares are sold and farmers come together in the calmer season to share ideas and wisdom, to provide training as the summer’s frantic pace doesn’t allow for it.

Much like the land, at a glance the Ag Staff seems to be inactive, but don’t let the calm fool you, the land, and the agricultural staff are already working hard towards yet another growing season.