Mini Farm

Anna Derby of Mutual 5 continues to find moments of joy even in the midst of a pandemic. Right now, one of the most delightful joys for her comes from working in her Mini Farm plot, which she says allows her to forget the and uncertainty of this time. Being able to plant her own veggies and watch them grow every day makes her appreciate the food on her table even more.

Derby decided to plant spinach since she likes to have it as part of her regular diet. The seed package said it would do well from March to October, but her Mini Farm had been fallow since November when she harvested the summer vegetables.Instead of leaving the plot bare until in spring, she decided to take a chance and plant the spinach early. “If it survives, it is great; if it doesn’t, I won’t make the same mistake next time,” Derby said.

A few weeks after planting, Derby noticed the spinach growing nicely, with healthy green leaves that are gratifying. She says she might need to wait one more month so the spinach will be big enough for a meal. “There’s nothing like eating right out of the farm, and it has been pleasure to have a plot,” Derby said.

Derby is looking forward to growing zucchini, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes and Korean Yul Mu in her Mini Farm this summer.

Anna Derby's spinach, grown on her Mini Farm plot.