SPRING WEEK 3

BOUQUET INGREDIENTS

snapdragons, sweet william, poppy pods, bupleurum

So far this season we've been harvesting exclusively from our high tunnel, but this week we are finally starting to cut from our open field. Our first to bloom in the field is sweet william, which is a lovely long-lasting and fragrant bloom. You will find a few stems in your bouquets this week.

I try not to get too deep into farming details here, but I want to share a sustainable farming technique we are testing in our field this year. Managing the space between beds is a constant challenge—these areas need to be looked after, but because they don't produce anything, maintaining them can feel like a time sink. Most farmers either leave these areas bare—which means frequent cultivation to keep weeds from spreading—or they cover them with woven plastic landscape fabric. We’re really trying to cut down on plastic use, and the constant weeding and cultivating of bare ground isn’t great for the soil—or our time.

With this in mind, we decided to experiment with living pathways this season. We've planted our paths and the border of our allotment with annual ryegrass, which is a cover crop that prevents erosion, improves soil structure, adds organic matter, and suppresses weeds. One of the main reasons we’re excited about this is because it means the soil stays covered and living. Bare soil is vulnerable not just to weeds and erosion, but also to the loss of microbial life. When there are living roots in the ground, they release compounds (called root exudates) that feed soil microbes, which in turn help build a healthier, more resilient ecosystem underground. So even though these paths aren’t growing flowers, they’re still supporting the overall health of the field.

So far, the grass is helping to reduce the need for constant weeding by naturally suppressing weeds in the paths, allowing us to just mow occasionally instead of doing full-scale cultivation. We’re also hoping it’ll support more beneficial insects like spiders and ground beetles, who help keep pests in check, by providing habitat. Another bonus is that we've found it surprisingly pleasant to work in this lush grass—easy on the eyes and the knees.

I'll share photos of our field as the season progresses, but today I want to share some photos our friend Rebekah Stewart captured in our tunnel near peak production last week. I am in awe of her talent and grateful to have this beautiful documentation of our 2025 spring garden. You can find more of her work on her instagram.

Thank you for sticking around for this very long newsletter. Enjoy your bouquets this week!