County AG Report: Greenhouse Updates

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) - Spring is in the air. While snow is still on the ground outside, greenhouses are already warm enough on their own to support cold weather seedlings. When Rob Koenig visited Treystar farms about a month ago, the first seeds were just going into the ground and trays. This week, Rob checked on the progress of the seedlings and has an update in this week’s County Ag Report.

Taylor Putnam: “you can tell, they’re looking leggy”

Koenig: Taylor Putnam of Treystar Farms has been busy this spring getting seedlings in the ground and maintaining his greenhouse for the upcoming season. Last time we were here, Putnam’s daughter Ainsley showed us the planting process for yellow sweet Spanish onions. While it has been on the colder side since our last visit, Putnam says the seedlings have been able to stay warm thanks to the greenhouse and trays that the seeds were planted in.

Taylor Putnam: “we do have the tops on them, and the more layers of plastic, yes, they do stay warmer, but also with the sun coming in it also blocks that. So, they tend to get a little bit more leggy, but we didn’t have a choice as far as a cold season crop, these are one of the one’s we like to start really early if we can.”

Koenig: in the coming weeks, these onions will be transplanted outside where they’ll be able to grow to full size. Putnam says this is a lengthy process but said having Ainsley there to help with the transplanting has been useful. Ainsley enjoys helping her dad on the farm and has been able to find some fun in the transplanting process.

Ainsley Putnam: “probably being able to, dig, and not just having to stand in the hot sun all day.”

Koenig: the onions weren’t the only thing that was planted the last time I was here, Putnam also showed how both the peas, and the carrots have sprouted.

Taylor Putnam: “it has been a little bit colder than usual in here this year. Where we don’t heat, we just rely on the sun, it stays pretty darn warm in here. But we always, like before, we start with the colder crops first, then move up to the warmer ones when we’re more apt to have the temperature stay up. But where we’ve really been lacking this year is sunlight.”

Koenig: while the sunlight has been lacking the past few weeks, that hasn’t deterred any of the progress being made this growing season. Putnam said the next time I return to the farm, he hopes the entire greenhouse will be filled with green. Rob Koenig, NewsSource 8.

Seedlings aren’t the only new additions to the farm, next week rob talks about the lambs the farm just had, and how Putnam uses them to manage his cover crop.

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