Hi everyone-
In the vegetable fields, the fall greens are looking amazing and growing fast in the gorgeous early autumn heat. Look for a return of kale, escarole, baby Bok Choi, arugula, spicy salad and some radishes in the last month of CSA. We are preparing for frost literally any day now. We had a tiny hit a week ago but it just nipped the tops of the new beans and took out the basil. As the veggies come to an end in the fields, we usually work on putting fields to bed and getting fertility and cover crops in. We are a little behind because our main piece of field equipment, a 12 foot disc harrow, fell apart two months ago and we are still awaiting its replacement which should arrive this week.
Once it arrives we will begin mowing down old crops, pulling plastic up, applying fertility and compost and then ‘discing’ it all into the top few inches of the soil. This adds the fertility and organic matter where we need it most. Then we will seed a combination of grains, peas, vetch and clovers into the fields to grow through the winter. These cover crops hold the soil in place to prevent erosion by wind or water, provide more vital organic matter and also add nutrients to the soil. Some of them die off by the end of winter and some of them grow all winter long and we incorporate them in the spring.
Certain crops, like kales, carrots and lettuces, which we will still be harvesting for Winter CSA shares in December, are called standing crop. We still cover crop these fields as well—usually by either running cover crop seeds in rows along with the crops or by broadcasting the seed over the tops.
We are also prepping our high tunnel! This is the unheated greenhouse in the field where we will be overwintering carrots, leeks, and onions as well as growing some crops for December harvest such as greens and lettuces that need a little more protection from the elements. The high tunnel has lain idle all summer after early spring harvest- we fertilized and tarped the inside to kill the weeds by solarizing. It worked great and we are so excited by the lovely soft soil that is now ready for fall planting!!!
-Farmer Des
| In the Share This Week: Peppers, green Eggplant Bok Choi, baby Onions Napa–Tokyo Bekana (lettuce leaf style) Arugula Celeriac Carnival/acorn squash Chard Coming up: Kale Chard Radishes |
| Pick Your Own Cherry tomatoes are still going, but winding down and looking a little sad Green Beans – new planting is READY, but the old planting has good beans for the picking if you are willing to look Herbs – Parsley and other herbs still looking good Tomatillos take a quart |
Notes from the Field
We had a busy week last week. Lots of moving livestock around as we separated our breeding flerd into two groups—one for each herdsire either Bruin (of the glorious Golden beard) or Carbon (Tall, dark and handsome).
We also found our ewes a new ram…he’s built like a brick and we will have some black-headed lambs in the spring if they look like their father! He’s a fullblood Dorper ram. Lambs will start arriving this year around 2/19/2020 and goat kids around 2/22/2020!
Farm Stand Offerings
We are stocked up again on Jaju Pierogi! 3 different flavors including Sweet potato and caramelized onion, Spinach and feta, Cabbage and Mushroom. They’ve upped their game on the packaging and added 3 more pierogi to their new bags for the same price! They make the perfect side to flesh out a quick weeknight meal!
New item this week is organic Greek extra virgin olive oil from Mana-Gea. This is a gorgeous, full flavored, unfiltered olive oil (this means it’s even got bits of olives)- perfect for dipping, drizzling, dressing or pesto/tapenade sauces. We love having it on the table with chunks of crusty bread for dipping! It’s only $16/bottle—a great price for a delicious oil.
