The purple carrots didn’t make many big roots, but they did make pretty flowers!
THIS WEEK’S SUBSCRIBER MENU:
• Romano Beans
• Borlotti Shelling Beans
• Cucumbers
• Lettuce
• Another Lettuce or Greens
• Cabbage, Radicchio, or Fennel
• Basil, Thyme, or Cilantro
• Tomatoes!
Click on the links above for information and recipes about these crops.
COMING SOON: Cauliflower, a few more Tomatoes, Spinach
I’ve been trying to get this blog post done for two weeks. And here, on the eve of our Fall CSA season, I’m finally finishing it up. So much has happened in the last few weeks, it’s going to take a bit of remembering.
Our new intern, Jeff, has quickly settled in and is already a huge help. Here Cosmo is showing him how to use the transplanting machine to put in the last of the cabbage plants for winter.
Our new intern, Jeff, started a month ago. He jumped right in to work, stacking hay, greeting CSA families, and going to market with me. He is also a dedicated bean picker. We’re really enjoying having him here and we hope he’ll stay on for a while.
Speaking of beans, when we had the first big rainstorm a few weeks ago, we hit a “bean-anza”. Shelling beans, Romano beans, and green beans. It’s tapered off now, but it was crazy there for a few weeks.
The incredible summer heat and early season brought on a bumper tomato crop as well. Now that the weather has cooled down, the ripening has slowed, but the plants are still loaded with green fruits. There will be more.
Three weeks ago, we got up early to load the truck for market and discovered that a stray dog had slaughtered all of our young pullets, who would have started laying in September. She also killed all of our first batch of meat birds. It was a significant financial loss (we estimate $3,000 replacement value), but even bigger was the psychological loss. It was devastating. We called the sheriff so we could file a “theft” report, in case the dog’s owner could be found. But Animal Control wasn’t able to find a microchip. Who dumps a pregnant dog? There are some broken people out there.
Just a couple weeks to cauliflower harvest!
We continue, however. And we have so many new crops coming on. The new brassica patch is starting to produce, with broccoli ready to harvest now, and the first variety of cauliflower coming in another week or two. Brassicas really love fall weather—cool and rainy alternating with warm, sunny days make the plants grow big and fast.
At last, spinach has sprouted. We’ve been trying for weeks, but the soil was too hot and dry. Success.
The most exciting crop news, though, is that we finally have spinach on the way! We’ve been planting it for weeks with no success. It was just too hot and the soil too dry. But now that cooler nights have arrived, and moisture is sticking around it popped up quickly. Just a few weeks to harvest!
Our Fall Season starts Tuesday, September 1! If you want in, just let us know!
Whistling Train Farm 