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By admin, April 28, 2010 9:54 pm

It’s an exciting time of year here at Kirby’s Farm Market!

I must confess, I say that a lot. It’s hard not to – after Spring comes Summer, and then Fall and Winter… how can I restrain my excitement with an endless parade of seasons, each more delicious then the last? Asparagus, strawberries, peas, then peaches, tomatoes, peppers, and sweet corn, apples, squash… oh my! Hungry yet? And that’s just the beginning. I’m sure you all know how I feel. We saw the signs when we posted about the arrival of our first annuals on Facebook, back in April. Even though there were weeks and weeks to wait, we know you’re just as excited as we are.

May 1st. May 1st is a phrase that’s heard frequently, December through April. Everyone wants to know when the market will be open, when will they get that first peak in the greenhouse? Or that first taste of fresh Kirbygrown asparagus? Even as we close our doors in December, “May 1st” is spoken about a hundred times to customers wanting to know when it will all start up again. A new year, a new season, a new array of challenges, accomplishments and miracles.

As I write this post, May 1st is just a few days away. And let me assure you, there’s quite a hustle going on right now! So many things to pack into this last week. So many displays to make just right. One thing that was finished right on schedule, ready for opening day, are the renovations to the front of the market. Maybe you noticed a little bit of construction going on at the market if you’ve driven down Ridge Road lately. Our usual displays of garden tools, country gifts and Spring décor will look especially nice with new windows and doors as a back drop.

The greenhouse is so gorgeous this time of year, full from wall to wall with perfectly beautiful plants. It’s hard to resist filling your garden with color right away, but we all know the danger of frost in this area. Don’t worry, you can visit the greenhouse whenever you want to, until it’s safe to plant! If you must buy now, you can join the group of determined gardeners that move their plants in and out of garages until the time is right. There are a few annuals that tolerate cooler temperatures – check back for a post on the subject in the near future!

Meanwhile, on the farm: it was only about three weeks ago that the warm weather had asparagus shoots beginning to poke out of the ground. Last week some of the stalks were amazingly tall, as tall as I’ve ever seen it! There will definitely be plenty of asparagus to start us off this year. As asparagus season goes into full swing, we’ll be keeping a lookout for recipes. Do you have any favorites you would like to share?

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By admin, April 13, 2010 8:30 pm

So, what have you been doing during the long cold WNY winter?

Dreaming of Spring and sun?

Imagining the flavor of a fresh strawberry?

Vacations on the farm are short, and for us they always happen in January. February is pretty nice too, but before it’s over the books come out and we start to organize for the coming season. One of the first signs of Spring happens somewhere around the last week of February, when Mr. Kirby sits down with seed catalogues and puts together his plan for the year. Broccolini or broccoli rabe? Golden beets or sugar beets? Will there be time to plant spinach and swiss chard? So many questions are answered at the kitchen table as seed orders are placed while snow still covers the ground.

Soon that same table is the meeting ground for brain storms and idea sessions. This year has been particularly exciting for us. Between my sister Jaime Brennan and myself, we’ve hatched some pretty revolutionary plans. First a facebook page, then a website and blog, soon to be followed by twitter and youtube! I know, I know. It’s not exactly cutting edge, but things happen slowly when you work in one of the oldest fields known to humanity. It will probably be a while before we have things running as smoothly as we’d like, but I can’t even tell you how much I’m looking forward to posting a video of my Dad, Tim Kirby (known to some as Farmer Tim) on Youtube. He wasn’t too thrilled about the idea at first, but I think he’s warming up to it. Maybe if we can get a few questions from our readers, he’ll be even more enthusiastic. How about it?

Do you have any ideas for a farm planting it’s first seeds online? Anything you’d like to know about farming in WNY, or how your favorite fruit or vegetable is grown? Send us an email or post comments here and we’ll be sure to answer as many as possible. We’re excited to hear your suggestions and questions!

Happy Spring!

Stacey Kirby