Spring Updates
Greetings!
Springtime really came in quickly this year, and we’ve been busy as can be. Plants are finally growing as a rapid clip in the high tunnels and fields, and last week brought about the season’s first tulip harvest. We’ve pruned our pawpaw trees, divided dahlias, and planted the year’s first field crops. Next week our crew returns to the farm and we’ll be delivering our first florist orders of the season. After months of sitting behind computer screens planning for the season ahead, we’re happy to be spending more time in the fields in the sunshine.
Plant Sale Updates
It’s hard to believe that we’ll be sending out our seedlings to their new homes in a month! The greenhouse is filling up, and we still have tons of great plants available in the online shop.
Spending time outdoors with my hands in the soil has always been one of the best ways for me to calm my mind and find some peace in the midst of chaotic times. Despite being a full-time farmer, which adds some demands to the task of gardening, I still find this to be true. The act of planting a seed and caring for it until it reaches maturity is embedded with hope. The special feeling that comes with seeing a plant mature and nourish the soil, pollinators, or our stomachs never disappears. I’m looking forward to cultivating my personal garden this year, and I encourage everyone reading this to do the same.
If you’re a first-time gardener looking for plants that are easy and rewarding to grow, we’ve got you covered. Here are our favorite beginner-friendly crops.
Flowers: Zinnias, Marigolds (we offer three varieties!), Celosia
Fruits and veggies: Sungold cherry tomatoes, Lunchbox peppers, Kale
Herbs: Basil, Rosemary, Parsley
USDA Frozen Funds
As we wrote in our last newsletter, we have a USDA REAP grant that was frozen as part of the USDA funding freeze. If you’ve not year heard about this, you can read our last newsletter, linked here. Elisa has been hard at work communicating with journalists, politicians, and the general public about this funding freeze and its affect on farmers. The farm is now part of a lawsuit filed by Earthjustice on behalf of eight farms and non-profits with funds frozen. On March 26th, the USDA requested that farms with frozen funds revise their grant applications in alignment with the Trump’s “Unleashing American Energy” executive order in order to receive funding. It is unclear what will come next, but we are fighting to see our funds released in accordance with the contract Elisa signed last year. We’re thankful for all of the support from our customers and followers, we know you’ve been calling your representatives and we appreciate it immensely!
Early tulip harvest.
2025 Markets
We picked the most beautiful days to prune our pawpaws this year, and the trees look great!
We’re looking forward to returning to the Baltimore Farmers’ Market on April 13th. As always, we’ll be at the market every Sunday through our growing season, generally until late October or mid-November, depending on weather.
Additionally, we’ve got Spring pop-up markets on the horizon.
In May, you’ll be able to find us in Baltimore at both Flower Mart and Cylburn Market Day. We bring as many seedlings as we possibly can to these markets, along with fresh flowers galore.
Flower Mart runs May 2nd-3rd from 11:00 am-8:00 pm.
Cylburn Market Day is May 10th from 8:00 am-2:00 pm.
We can’t wait to see you out and about in the real world!
Thanks for reading, and, as always, we appreciate your steadfast support.
Wishing you all the best,
Amelia, Elisa, and the Two Boots Crew
Katherine Hodgkin Iris, the season’s first bloom. She’s too small to cut so we admire her in the garden.