CSA Pickup #7

Well, at least we haven't been completely flooded out, but the fields have never been so muddy in July. I'm sure I don't need to tell you how crazy this weather has been, but it certainly has kept us on our toes. Thus far there hasn't been any all out crop failures, although our onions appear to have blight and are slightly stunted. Miraculously, everything else is holding out and producing well. This may be due to our intensive organic practices and meticulous management, and luck.

In other news we harvested our entire garlic crop this morning in the rain. I am really happy we got them all out in time, they are big and beautiful and not rotted from the rain!
In your share tomorrow will be:lettuce mixchardpac coicabbagebeetsonionscucumberssummer squashgarlicherbs
jo!

CSA Pickup #6

Well, it seems as though the farm has been transformed in the past week. I think it is in the best shape it has ever been this time of year. Amazingly we have stayed on top of all the weeds, which is a rare occurrence, especially in the middle of July when everything begins to grow widely out of control. The superb field management is thanks in no small part to our two secret weapons: amazing workshares and mulch. This year, inspired by Ruth Stout's "The No Work Garden Book" we have decided to mulch a much bigger portion of the farm than we normally do and to lay down a thicker layer of mulch at that. In the past we have always mulched our tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. This year we have also mulched all our alliums (onions, leeks, etc.) and a few other crops. Mulch is wonderful because it keeps the weeds at bay, and it provides a protective layer to the soil, which helps it retain moisture and regulate temperature. Though spreading mulch on as much as a half acre or more is a lot of work, in the end it saves time and nurtures the soil.
Today with our workshares and CSA member volunteers we mulched all of our sweet peppers and the third succession of tomatoes. We also hoed half the farm, and weeded our perennial herb bed and our latest picking of lettuce.
Also!! To my great joy and utter amazement much of our melon crop has recovered, thanks to the warmer weather and most likely all the compost we fed them. While I still suspect that we won't have as many melons as last year and they may not be quite as unbelievably tasty, it appears that we will in fact have melons and they will of course be delicious. Phew.
For tomorrow..........leeksgarlicpotatoescucumberssummer squashbeets cabbagechardpac choisalad mixherbs: cilantro, dill, basil
thanks,

jo!

no more shares

The word is official. No more summer shares are available.

From Katie.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone 3GS]

CSA Pickup #5

Hi all...We are planning a workday for next Sunday, between 2 and 6. We will hold one about every month from now on, so if you can't make this one, you will have plenty more opportunities. We're excited to be able to show you what we do out there. I don't yet know what we will be doing, but likely there will be some weeding involved, some picking, and maybe some mulching, so if any of this sounds fun to you, come out! If the weather is bad, it will be canceled.
We had another great work day today, with a cameo from one of last years workshares and 3 CSA members, thank you so much! We all fared a little better in the sun this week, after having some time to acclimate. It really feels like summer (ok, almost). The weather, of course, is a mixed blessing, it seems like most things are about a week behind where they were last year, due to the rain and lack of sun, but I think that they are just behind, and that they will still produce as much as last year, no permanent stunting, except with the melons. Of course, some things have done much better this year than last, like the beets and fennel which love the rain. For us though, it has been pretty great, as working in 70 degree weather is much more pleasant than when its in the 90s.
In your shares this week:head lettuce- red leaf, romaine, royal oakleaf, green butterheadgreen garlic- this is uncured garlic, fresh from the ground, it has wonderful flavor, but doesn't store the way cured garlic willpotatoes- variety Salem, an all purpose potatobeetsfennel (just a little bit, don't worry, by the way, its great sliced thinly in salad, and you can put it in kim chee, grill it, roast it with onions, etc.)onions or scallionsherbssome zucchini
Love and sunshine,Katie
(and from Michael, remember to check out the recipes page, and send me anything great you've got that you want to share!)

CSA pickup #4

So we all got a little loopy by the end of the workday. None of us are used to working in full sun after the recent five week rain spat. Although there were multiple sun burns, mild dehydration and a little sun craziness, it is well worth it to have that thing shining again. The plants and I are psyched. We were finally able to get a lot of hoeing done (by we I mean our workshare Dave who did all the hoeing today), which is pointless in the rain. You really have to wait for a good sunny day if you want all the weeds you knock out to actually die. We also planted our third and last succession of tomatoes, and of course, picked all the food for our bellies tomorrow.
You'll have:

scallions
salad mix
peas (this is it for the spring peas, so saviour them and pray that our fall pea crop does better than last year's--I think it will)
summer squash (a tiny amount, just for the full shares this week, but don't worry half shares, next week there will surely be plenty more for all)
herbs: chives, parsley, mint, anise, lemon balm, oregano, basil, sage, thyme
beets
fennel


there's a possibility I've forgotten something, we'll see tomorrow, and see you then...to another sunny day!

--
jo!

(and from Michael: check out the recipes on the scratch farm website, AND let all your friends who are jealous of your weekly share of fresh veggies that scratch has more shares available, and info is on the website)

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone 3GS]