By Juliet Garcia-Gonzales, Sembrando Semillas Project
The days are getting longer, and the weather warming up; a true sign that spring is upon us. We are participants of the NMAA Sembrando Semillas Project, and as we learn through conferences, workshops and networking each year, we are always excited about planting our seeds.
At an altitude of about 7,800 feet, we have always just planted what is traditional to us here in the sierra, like beans, potatoes, corn, peas, pumpkins, & the hardy root crops that are just more promising , because we will probably still get a freeze in June. But this year is different. This year we have a hoop house that was installed in May of 2011. What we learned last year, is that it is highly effective in extending the growing period, and this was demonstrated with tomatoes into late October.
Understanding the value, the youth have filled trays with soil, and already planted 5 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and red onions from seeds, 2 kinds of heirloom cucumbers, lettuce, chamomile, echinacea, feverfew, dill, valerian, and catnip.
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