We are making terrific strides in the areas of planting and crop care due to the wonderful weather we have been experiencing. All of the field corn planting has been completed and with good luck and no equipment malfunctions, the soybeans will be done also. Our peppers and tomatillos are in and have been watered and seem to be holding their own with the strong surface winds we have had in the field lately. The high tunnels are nearly full, and the growth rates are phenomenal due to the daylight hours present at this point of the growing season. Some of the newly planted tomatoes are growing so rapidly that they have begun to flower over two weeks early, which means we had to move up our bumble bee delivery dates.
 
This coming week we plan to begin planting our watermelon and muskmelon transplants. This time frame is nearly 7-10 days earlier than normal. We wonder if our harvest dates will be earlier also which would allow us to add a couple of weeks to our harvest season. A very interesting question.
 
The Minneapolis Farmers Market has really come alive with the spectacular weather and beautiful flowers offered by the plethora of talented and skilled growers selling there. Try to get down there, stop in and say hi, enjoy the sights and smells of spring at the market.
 
On the wildlife side, the hummingbirds continue to migrate through our area, replenishing their needed nutrients with nectors from our flowers in the greenhouses. They especially enjoy the Lantana and the Fuschias. Paul said on Tuesday he saw more than 100 of these little energy balls feeding on our flower blossoms in our Montrose greenhouses. The Baltimore Orioles are also especially abundant this season with my wife Susan feeding over a bottle a day of grape jelly to our hungry friends. It is not uncommon to have 12-15 orioles on our deck at one time.
 
As always, we welcome your inputs and question. Please enjoy the season and we look forwards to your visits at the market.

Sincerely,

Jerry Untiedt