Griesemer Beekeeping LLC

🍅 W**d or Not? — Volunteer Tomato Edition 🍅

The volunteer tomatoes are really showing up this year in the high tunnel! 🌱

While cleaning and preparing beds for our 2026 seed production season, we found tomato seedlings popping up everywhere from last year’s crop. One surprise was especially interesting — an entire cluster of seedlings still attached to the rotten tomato they sprouted from! Nature really knows how to keep things growing.

As neat as these volunteers are, they have to be removed this season so they don’t cross with our Big Momma tomatoes that we’re growing specifically for seed production. Seed saving means being extra careful about keeping varieties true.

Still, it’s always fascinating to see just how resilient tomato plants can be! 🍅🌿

🚜🌱 Getting Ready for the Next Project! 🌱🚜

No rest for the farm crew! While the high tunnel is filling up with growing plants, we’re already preparing for our next planting project.

We’ve installed the irrigation lines and laid down the w**d barrier, creating a clean and efficient growing space that’s ready for planting. The irrigation will help deliver water right where it’s needed, while the w**d barrier helps reduce competition from w**ds and keeps maintenance manageable throughout the season.

Now comes the exciting part—getting the next crop in the ground! Stay tuned to see what will be growing in this prepared space.

What do you think we’re planting next? Drop your guesses in the comments! 👇

**dBarrier 🌱☀️🚜

🌿✨ Seed Blocking Success Story! ✨🌿

We transplanted our basil from this year’s seed blocking experiment, and we were amazed by the root development! 🙌

The soil blocks held together beautifully, and the basil had healthy, vigorous roots ready to take off in their new home. Seeing such strong root systems makes all the work of trying a new growing method worth it.

So far, our seed blocking experiment continues to impress us with:
🌱 Less plastic use
🌱 Strong root growth
🌱 Easy transplanting
🌱 Healthy seedlings

We’re excited to see how these basil plants perform throughout the season!

Have you tried seed blocking? We’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments. 👇

🌿💚

🌱 W**d or Not? 🌱

One person’s w**d can be another plant worth keeping! As we work through the High Tunnel 2026 season, we’re seeing plenty of volunteers popping up from last year’s crops.

This year, any volunteer tomato seedlings are considered w**ds for us because we don’t want them cross pollinating with our Big Momma tomatoes that we’re growing for seed production. Maintaining clean genetics is important when saving seed! 🍅

But not every volunteer gets removed. This beautiful borage decided to come back on its own — and it’s definitely welcome here! 💙🐝 The pollinators love it, and so do we.

Sometimes the hardest part is deciding what stays and what goes. 🌿

**dOrNot

🌱 High Tunnel Update! 🌱

All of the rows in our high tunnel are officially planted for the 2026 season! 🎉

Now comes the waiting game as we keep an eye on a few crops that are still working on germinating. Every day brings new surprises, and it’s always exciting to see those first seedlings emerge.

With planting wrapped up, our attention is shifting to the next big jobs on the list: w**ding and trellising. The warm weather and healthy soil have everything growing fast—some plants seem to be putting on an inch or more of growth every day! 🌿

It’s amazing how quickly the tunnel transforms from freshly planted rows to a jungle of green. We can’t wait to see what the next few weeks bring.

What crop do you think grows the fastest in the garden? Let us know in the comments! 👇

🌱☀️

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🦋 High Tunnel 2026 Season Update 🦋

Our Blue Butterfly Peas (Clitoria ternatea) are coming along nicely! Because nighttime temperatures have still been too cold for direct planting, we decided to give them a head start indoors this year.

These seeds took a little extra preparation before planting:
🌱 First, the seeds were stratified
💧 Then soaked for 24 hours to help improve germination

Now the seedlings are growing well indoors, and we’re hoping to get them transplanted into the high tunnel soon once temperatures cooperate! 🌱

It’s always rewarding to watch these unique plants begin their journey. We can’t wait to see the beautiful blue blooms later this season.

🌱 High Tunnel 2026 Season Update 🌱

Our 2026 seed production season is officially underway in the high tunnel! This year we are growing a unique lineup focused on saving and producing quality seed for future seasons:

🫘 Phaseolus vulgaris — Fatman Pole Beans
🦋 Clitoria ternatea — Blue Butterfly Pea
🍈 Cucumis melo — North Carolina Giant Melon
🍅 Solanum lycopersicum — Big Momma Tomato

The Fatman pole beans have already sprouted and are off to a strong start, while the Big Momma tomatoes have been transplanted into the tunnel and are settling in well. With the warm weather and rapid growth, both crops are already demanding trellis support!

Now comes the race to keep up with them as they climb and stretch toward the season ahead. 🌿

We’re excited to share updates throughout the growing season as these plants mature for seed production. Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes looks inside the high tunnel!

Apparently 2026 is the year of the bumblebee around here 🐝🫐

While transplanting some blueberry plants that we started ourselves a few years ago, we discovered another unexpected tenant. Tucked into an old mouse nest was a very active, very protective bumblebee colony buzzing back at us.

Bumblebees commonly use abandoned mouse nests for their homes since the soft material and underground protection make an ideal nesting spot. Since these pollinators are hard at work this time of year, we decided the blueberries can stay right where they are until fall when the colony has likely finished its cycle and moved on.

Sometimes farming plans change a little when nature speaks up.

These native pollinators play an important role in pollinating blueberries and many other crops. Bumblebees are especially effective because they use “buzz pollination,” vibrating flowers to release pollen more efficiently than many other insects.

For now, the blueberries and bumblebees will just have to be neighbors.