This Spring Didn’t Go Quite the Way We Planned
Warm weather. Late frosts. Irrigation issues. Weeds. Reseeding. And a whole lot of learning.
Every spring begins with optimism.
Seed trays begin filling in. Tiny green shoots push through the soil. The greenhouse warms in the afternoon sun, and suddenly the long winter feels far away.
Out in the field, beds are prepared, irrigation lines are laid, and the season ahead begins to feel real.
And while spring on a working farm is never perfectly predictable, that’s part of what makes this season so meaningful.
This spring kept everyone on their toes.
This year has brought warm stretches followed by frost warnings, heavy moisture, sudden temperature swings, and the kind of constantly changing conditions that keep farmers, gardeners, and plants all adjusting day by day here in Boise.
Some crops germinated beautifully. Others needed reseeding.
And after getting several direct-seeded vegetables planted in the ground, we discovered an irrigation timer issue that caused us to lose part of a newly planted section.
So we replanted.
That’s one of the beautiful things about farming — every challenge becomes an opportunity to slow down, observe more carefully, adapt, and keep growing.
The kids are learning all of it right alongside us.
One of our students has taken a special interest in irrigation this season and has become deeply involved in helping manage the system throughout the farm.
He’s been learning:
how watering schedules affect crops
how to install and repair drip lines
how irrigation systems function on a working farm
how plants respond to changing conditions
The students move naturally throughout the farm environment each day — popping in and out of the greenhouse, checking seedlings, observing the fields, watering plants, and noticing how crops respond to temperature, moisture, sunlight, and airflow.
We’re also deep in the season of weeds.
And learning that not every “weed” is something unwanted.
Our herb and medicinal garden is filling in beautifully with:
calendula
lavender
mint
thyme
chamomile
mullein
plantain
One favorite has been wild plantain, which grows naturally throughout parts of our field and market garden.
While many people pull it without a second thought, the children have been fascinated simply noticing it, identifying it, and beginning to recognize that not everything growing wild is necessarily useless or unwanted.
Despite all the unpredictability, excitement around the farm is building quickly.
The greenhouse is full.
Summer crops are steadily going into the ground.
Beds are filling in across the field.
And conversations have already turned toward:
CSA pickups
opening our market stand
handmade signs
harvest displays
welcoming our community back onto the farm
The kids have been especially excited planning how things will look this year and brainstorming ways to make pickups feel welcoming and interactive for CSA members and visitors alike.
What’s growing here isn’t just vegetables.
It’s confidence.
Responsibility.
Observation.
Patience.
Resilience.
Community.
CSA pickups are getting closer, our market stand is beginning to take shape, and we’re excited for another growing season on the farm.
Our year-round Farm School families have already been deeply part of everything happening this spring, and we’re also looking forward to welcoming many of our traditional school students back onto the farm this summer as the fields, gardens, and market stand fully come to life.
If you’d still like to be part of the season, CSA shares are still available, and we’d love to have you join us.
