What’s Happening at COPE Farms

Growing Now

Thu, 22 May 2008 21:09:24 -0400

The sweet sugar snap peas are almost thru. The heat of the days is getting to the plants as they start to die back slowly. But I am still picking them everyday and still rewarded with wonderfully sweet, crisp sugar snaps.
The tomato plants are getting taller and wider and have a few tomatoes on them already so looking forward to when they turn red and are ready to eat.
Onions and carrots are still producing and will be all year long here.
String beans and bush beans may not make it as they got hit from a later frost earlier in the year. I may pull the plants and start over from scratch as I still have time.
Okra and bell pepper plants are getting bigger and looking better every day.
Corn has grown from a much needed rain. Things just seem to grow better from rain than from the sprinkler.
Asparagus ferns are looking nicely and growing taller everyday. Some of last years have already put on flowers and seed.
Thanks C.O.P.E. Farms Farm Manager
Caretakers Of Planet Earth
Michael Rutherford

Chicken Video

Thu, 15 May 2008 19:56:49 -0400

Those who know me, know I just recently got a new computer and am trying out some of the software on it. I finally bought a cheap camcorder to use and uploaded a little video of my chickens for all to see. Hope you like.

Building the Chicken Coop

Mon, 12 May 2008 21:06:12 -0400

The first picture here is the main from of the coop. I started building the main frame on the driveway, luckily I moved it to its permanent home as it got heavy quick.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Raised Garden Beds

Mon, 12 May 2008 20:53:07 -0400

We use cement blocks to create raised garden beds for growing in. There are many reasons one may want to use a raised bed to garden in.
. *Better drainage 
. *Better Soil 
. *Heats up faster in the spring 
. *Don’t have to lean over or squat as far 
Where we decided to grow, our soil was like concrete so it would have taken years to get the soil right for growing healthy plants. By building on top of that and filling the raised beds in with good top soil and compost we were able to create a much better growing medium for the plants in much faster time.
Most of the beds are stacked two blocks high. We didn't use any mortar they are just sitting one on top of another. This way its not permanent and they can be moved at a later date if need be. Also having the blocks two high gives deeper rooted plants like carrots something to grow into. It also is about the perfect height for sitting on the edge of the blocks to do the weeding and picking and planting.

We started by putting down newspaper and cardboard to keep the weeds down. We then laid our blocks out on top of this. After all the blocks were in place we came in with topsoil and compost layered one on top of the other until we filled the blocks to the top. After a good watering we filled in more compost and topsoil as after wetting it it tends to settle.
We had to fence all of our area in as we live in the woods surrounded by woods and deer and rabbit are very prevalent in our area.

The pvc pipe is cut to fit and stuck in the holes of the concrete blocks. This pipe acts as the framework for the floating row covers that we put on the beds during the summer and winter.
Floating row covers are a thin lightweight material that allows rain and light to go thru. It provides frost protection in the winter and insect protection during the summer.

Heres one of the beds during the winter with the row cover on. I was able to grow salad greens, carrots, and broccoli during the middle of winter with frost and snow on the ground and it was protected inside the cover. It acts somewhat as a mini greenhouse.

This is looking down one of the beds. The red plastic is a mulch that reflects the red light up into the tomatoes and bell peppers. It is said that it increases the yield up to 25% by using the red mulch. Any help is much appreciated.

This is the last of the Romaine Lettuce from this winter. You can cut the side leaves and the head will keep producing thru the season.

These are some of the beans coming up on April 4th 2008.
We have both bush and pole beans planted. Bush are out in the middle while the pole beans are up against the fence where they can climb.

Thats just a small look at some of our raised beds. As more produce is grown and starts producing I will add updates and more pictures.

New Website

Mon, 12 May 2008 20:41:31 -0400

As you can see we have a much improved website with more content being added as we can. Right now we are in the full swing of things as it is growing season and a website is a big undertaking all its own. Things are growing sprouting, and producing as we speak. And we are plowing, planting, and picking crops already at this time of year. We will try and go back and slowly add the old content back to the new site with some revisions. More and better content and a more professional look are what we are striving for.
Not only do we want to grow and sell some of the finest organically grown produce around. But we also want to educate our consumers. Because an educated consumer appreciates the time and work we put into growing healthy safe food for them and their children.
While we are not Certified Organic under the USDA rules we do follow the Organic Standards they have set. Actually we go beyond the organic standards since even organic farms are allowed some pesticide use under USDA standards. We use NONE absolutely 100% zero chemicals, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or GMO seed.
We are proud members of Georgia Organics a non profit organization that teaches to educate both farmers and consumers. Georgia Organics does a lot to help small farmers like ourselves and to educate us on proper practices and regulations of on farm self sustainability.
I hope you enjoy the new website as much as we do and I hope that even if you don’t live close by and you cant support us by buying our wonderful foods. Please become a Caretaker Of Planet Earth supporter where ever you may be.
Thank you and God Bless,
COPE Farms Manager Michael Rutherford