After a short but essential Christmas break in Italy, I’m back! As always, I spent some beautiful moments with my family, and I took a couple of days to enjoy the snow in the mountains with friends. It was exactly the recharge I needed to face the months ahead.
While winter might seem like a slower period for those, like me, who run a small family farm, it’s actually a crucial time for preparing for the busiest season of all: spring.
The heavy rain that’s been hitting all of California, though much needed and welcome, has slowed down my work schedule a bit.
Fortunately, the garage has proven to be the perfect spot for tackling some of these tasks.
One of the projects that has kept me busy has been fixing up a section of the barn on the property.
It needed some modifications, a good cleaning, and the fence around it also required repairs, especially in the older sections.
You’re probably wondering why I’ve been working on the barn... Well, I can’t reveal too much just yet! Stay tuned for my next post to find out why!
Another project I’ve been focusing on during these winter months is creating a new protected area where I’ll be growing strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
I had to install a protective net to prevent deer, birds, and squirrels from feasting on the fruit. It’s wonderful living in a place surrounded by wildlife, but when it comes to farming, protecting your crops is essential.
I can’t wait for spring to finally arrive so I can plant my blueberry bushes and strawberries.
The blueberries won’t have to wait much longer—I’ll be transplanting them into the ground in just a few weeks, and the strawberries will follow shortly after.
For the first two years, the blueberry harvest won’t be abundant, but once the plants mature, I’ll be able to get about 2 pounds (1 kg) of blueberries per year from each bush.
I’ve created space for around 12 blueberry plants and 50 strawberry plants.
The hardest part of the work was installing the poles to support the net, but thankfully, my husband offered to help after work, and within a few days, the structure was complete.
Now, all that’s left is to wait for spring—just one month to go!
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