Farm News – June 24, 2019

Hello Folks! So, it was a wet spring and the final week of the season was even wetter. It’s been a challenge to get our planting done and now all the moisture is starting to affect the crops a bit. We lost hundreds of heads of lettuce to rot before it was even close to maturity. The spinach is turning yellow. Anywhere there is a low spot in the field where the water collects the crop is stunted or has died.

A large planting of winter squash that I planted just ahead of the heavy rain has not come up yet. I am a bit worried about it because when it rains that much, it compacts the soil, and when it dries forms a hard crust that seed sprouts have difficulty breaking through. Nevertheless, most of our planting continue to thrive.

The Napa cabbage is ready to cut and the broccoli is beginning to head up. We may not have enough broccoli for all groups this week so some of you will receive the Napa and get broccoli next week. We will be trying to harvest spinach but it’s uncertain how much will be of good enough quality. On top of everything the deer were beginning to graze it (not normal) and we had to fence it in.

The cilantro and dill have bolted so we will be moving into some other herbs-savory, marjoram, mint and parsley. We are sending some dandelion greens as an extra this time around, so if you like these, watch for them. As promised, we will be shipping beets this week. Carrots are coming next week and cauliflower soon.

The share for this week will be: Lettuce, beets, peas, broccoli or Napa cabbage, garlic scapes, choice of an herb, summer squash, choice of kale or Swiss chard. Premium members will receive choice of escarole or frisée and a second head of lettuce.

Enjoy! Farmer John