Earlier Farmers Markets and Zone 5

Our earliest farmers market starts on May 3. We're in USDA horticultural zone 5 or so. Our frost-free date isn't until late May/early June. How can we do it?

A lot of prayer!

That, and we are using our high tunnels more and more for extending our season. What's a high tunnel? It looks like a big greenhouse, but there's no heat in there usually, and the plants are planted straight into the soil. You can roll up the sides on sunny days to let cool air blow through. You can close it up at night to keep it warm.

Last year we picked exclusively out of the tunnel for our first two farmers markets. This year we'll have to pick out of the tunnel for the first three markets at least (depending on the weather). That means we'll have to plant more intensively. For instance, we plant peas down the middle of the row, with two rows of tomatoes on each side. By the time the peas are picked and done, the tomatoes are growing up and starting to fruit. They don't bother each other, and it allows us to plant things closer together.

The types of plants we plant in the tunnel are usually pole or indeterminate varieties, rather than short bush varieties. We stake or trellis up these tall plants so we use less floor/ground space in the tunnel, and grow more vertically. (Makes picking a little easier on the back as well!)

Here's hoping that the weather warms up a bit, we get rain right when we need it, and we're able to get everything planted on time. (We can dream the impossible dream, you know!)