By Jenny Lawrence
The changing seasons are truly felt down at Kirkstall Valley Farm.
In the polytunnels, Instead of rows and rows of tomato plants, peppers and aubergines, there are now fresh green salad seedlings, and benches laden with pumpkin and squash of all shapes and sizes as they ripen and mature before going into the winter store.
The summer rush of plant, harvest and sow is now slowing down (slightly) as the cooler days and nights give the growing team a chance to start thinking about those catch up jobs for autumn and winter.
Jobs include digging out those couch roots which took hold around the beetroots, which is the job I was on with today with three other volunteers and Rhian, one of the growers. Couch grass is a bit of a pest as one single blade of grass can be hiding long horizontal roots, busily creeping through the soil and ready to throw up new shoots. It’s best to dig out as much root as you can.
Rhian was very satisfied to see the ‘green manure’ sown a few weeks ago, now carpeting the vacant growing areas in a green sward of rye grass and vetch.
Rhian explained how important a ‘green manure’ is over the winter time, as the plant roots improve the soil and hold nutrients in the green leaf, as well as creating a wonderful place for worms and beetles, which are a vital part of a healthy living soil.
Come the spring time this green manure will be cut and worked back into the soil to feed and nourish the ground. The perfect way to naturally feed and care for the soil without artificial fertilisers. Any gardener can use this technique on their own plot however small or big.
Thursday is a busy time at the farm as it is harvest day when the CSA members come and collect their veg. There are now 120 members who have a weekly veg box. We’ve still got a few more spaces – sign up here.
There is a small but dedicated team of volunteers who all help to get the veg ready, as some veg boxes are delivered to Ecotopia in Bramley for collection, and some to Zero Muda in Horsforth. A fair number of boxes need packing to be left in the veg shed to be collected on Friday or Saturday. Today the team packed 67 boxes altogether.
These veg boxes are ready to go down to the shed, for collecting later. The fresh greens are kept in a fridge to keep them fresh for members.
The leeks are ready, and are looking good!
Pauline is a volunteer who first started to come down to the farm in 2021 to help with the growing, but now enjoys helping with the veg box packing as a change from her gardening activities on her own allotment.
Pauline enjoys volunteering as she finds it a friendly place to be and feels there is a real community spirit that she loves. Pauline said: “I like being outdoors and learning new skills. I am interested in seeing the whole process from growing, to harvesting and boxing.”
There is always room for new volunteers, so if you are interested in volunteering or a weekly veg box of tasty home grown and super local veg contact kvf.admin@kvdt.org.uk.
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