Author: Bryan Housel

Hello Folks! So, we have come to the end of the line, for this season at least. Farming is never easy, but this year was a bit more challenging than most. It is the weather, of course, that primarily determines the extent and the nature of the challenges. This year, ten days straight of drizzle and overcast skies followed by a near 100-degree heat wave in June caused the premature demise of our pea crop. Fortunately, we did not have another scorcher of such intensity for the rest of the season. But we did have consistently dry conditions through the summer and into the fall, which kept us (and the well pumps) busy trying to keep the crops hydrated. The upside is that a dry season is better than an overly wet one. (more…)

Hi Folks! We have had a little bit of rain and a whole lot of wind. Tonight, the temperatures will drop into the mid-twenties- brrrr! It has been a mild fall thus far, but winter is coming! We gave up covering the peppers and picked what fruit remained on the plants. Now we are covering the hardier crops, which may still sustain some damage from a hard freeze. (more…)

Hi Folks! We received an inch and a quarter of rain from last Thursday’s storms – enough for the crops but not enough to make up for the deficit and recharge the aquifer. We have a few more tomatoes for you and we are including some generic mustard greens in the mix with the arugula – these can be spicy, not mild like the tatsoi. We still have some peppers but more green ones and turning color. We have a lot of cauliflower and are continuing the Napa cabbage broccoli rotation. We are sending some of the small sweet potatoes as an extra – they can be boiled and eaten with the skin or stir-fried. They also make great dog treats. Lettuce and carrots are back! (more…)