An afternoon at Laughing Stalk Farmstead

Ross Peterson and Emily Scifers hold trays of gypsy broccoli, left, and red Russian kale as their dog Gusto relaxes in the background ,Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Cape Girardeau. The couple owns Laughing Stalk Farmstead, a local organic farm. (Laura Simon)

Gusto, a half Great Pyrenees and half Newfoundland dog, keeps watch over the young gypsy broccoli plants at Laughing Stalk Farmstead, Wednesday, April 2, 2014. (Laura Simon)

Young red Russian kale seen Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Laughing Stalk Farmstead, a local organic farm. (Laura Simon)

Ross Peterson takes a temperature reading of the soil, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Laughing Stalk Farmstead. (Laura Simon)

Ross Peterson, left, and Emily Scifers look over a variety of vegetable plants they hope to get in the ground Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Cape Girardeau. The couple owns Laughing Stalk Farmstead, a local organic farm. (Laura Simon)

Emily Scifers fills a cell-pack with soil, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, inside the greenhouse at Laughing Stalk Farmstead. (Laura Simon)

Ross Peterson watches as Emily Scifers transplants pepper seedlings, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, inside the greenhouse at Laughing Stalk Farmstead. (Laura Simon)

Ross Peterson discs soil to prepare it for planting vegetables, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Laughing Stalk Farmstead. (Laura Simon)

Ross Peterson discs soil to prepare it for planting vegetables, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Laughing Stalk Farmstead. (Laura Simon)

Gusto, a half Great Pyrenees and half Newfoundland dog, keeps watch over the farming action at Laughing Stalk Farmstead, Wednesday, April 2, 2014. (Laura Simon)

Gusto the dog looks on as Ross Peterson and Emily Scifers test the tilth of the soil to see if it is suitable for planting crops, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Cape Girardeau. The couple owns Laughing Stalk Farmstead, a local organic farm. (Laura Simon)

Ross Peterson and Emily Scifers test the tilth of the soil to see if it is suitable for planting crops, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Cape Girardeau. The couple owns Laughing Stalk Farmstead, a local organic farm. (Laura Simon)

Ross Peterson and Gusto look out over the Laughing Stalk Farmstead, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Ross Peterson and Emily Scifers test the tilth of the soil to see if it is suitable for planting crops, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Cape Girardeau. The couple owns Laughing Stalk Farmstead, a local organic farm. (Laura Simon)

Gusto, a half Great Pyrenees and half Newfoundland dog, keeps watch over the farming action at Laughing Stalk Farmstead, Wednesday, April 2, 2014. (Laura Simon)

Emily Scifers, left, and Ross Peterson plant rows of gypsy broccoli, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Cape Girardeau. The couple, who owns Laughing Stalk Farmstead, planted between 800 and 1,000 broccoli plants Wednesday. (Laura Simon)

Ross Peterson plants gypsy broccoli, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Laughing Stalk Farmstead in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Emily Scifers, left, and Ross Peterson plant rows of gypsy broccoli, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Cape Girardeau. The couple, who owns Laughing Stalk Farmstead, planted between 800 and 1,000 broccoli plants Wednesday. (Laura Simon)

Emily Scifers, left, and Ross Peterson plant rows of gypsy broccoli, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Cape Girardeau. The couple, who owns Laughing Stalk Farmstead, planted between 800 and 1,000 broccoli plants Wednesday. (Laura Simon)

Emily Scifers, left, and Ross Peterson plant rows of gypsy broccoli, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Cape Girardeau. The couple, who owns Laughing Stalk Farmstead, planted between 800 and 1,000 broccoli plants Wednesday. (Laura Simon)

A freshly planted gypsy broccoli plant peaks out of the ground at Laughing Stalk Farmstead, Wednesday, April 2, 2014. (Laura Simon)

Ross Peterson checks the tilth of the soil by hand, Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Laughing Stalk Farmstead. (Laura Simon)