Farm News – August 1, 2013

Hi Folks, We’ve been enjoying wonderful weather this past week and have gotten about 2 ½ inches of rain during that time. The rain was much appreciated as we were a bit on the dry side. I’ve been on a tear lately (figuratively and literally) plowing up large sections of field in preparation for our fall planting push. We were able to get some cauliflower and broccoli plants set out ahead of Sunday’s rain which will be a great benefit in helping them take root.

We are seeding kohlrabi, cabbages, kale, and lettuce and even more broccoli in the greenhouse for transplanting in a few weeks. This week I will be trying to direct seed many crops – from arugula to zucchini, including broccoli raab, spinach, radishes, turnips, and one last planting of beans. Adequate soil moisture and moderate temperatures mean we should be back into heavy greens production by early September.

In the meantime we will need another week to allow the kale and chard to recover and regrow.

Tomatoes are beginning to ripen more rapidly; if you did not get them last week you will certainly enjoy them this week. By next week I expect an abundant supply.

Ground cherries too have begun to fall from the plants. These cousins of the tomatoes are very sweet and have a nutty and tropical fruit flavor. Slip them from their paper husk (they are also known as husk tomatoes) and pop them in your mouth. They are good in salads or make a sauce or a salsa with them. We will send them as a choice with cherry tomatoes.

Beans are still not abundant but the 2nd planting is starting to flower and we should have an adequate supply soon.

The share for this week will be: Fingerling potatoes, white onions, cukes, peppers, summer squash, eggplant, tomatoes, melons, red cabbage, rainbow carrots, daikon, cherry tomatoes or ground cherries. Maybe beans. For extras there will be dandelion greens and tomatillos.

Enjoy! Farmer John