Farm News – October 19, 2020

Hi Folks! The weather continues to be reasonably good for the crops. We had almost two inches of rain and another ¾ inch on Friday. We had a light frost Sunday morning. We continue to cover the beans and a few other more delicate crops to protect them from cold nights. We are getting a good harvest from the beans now, so our efforts have paid off.

We are still in a complicated rotation with the brassicas and will be adding kohlrabi and the exotic cauliflowers (green, purple, Romanesco) to the mix. We have a lot of lettuce planted but it is growing slowly, so we will take a week off and allow it to size up. The winter squash of the week is carnival – a colorful one that is similar to acorn and can be prepared in the same way. They make nice decorations until you are ready to consume them. We are doubling up on the root vegetables with parsnips and radishes this week. Carrots are coming next time around. We will also begin to have an abundance of spinach by next week.

Thanks to all the volunteers who came out these past two Sundays. It was a big help to us. I and my workers are grateful for the support. It was also nice to meet some of the members. I believe that most enjoyed the visit and that likely all gained a better appreciation for the hard work it takes to grow and harvest their food. We have one more opportunity scheduled for next Sunday and may add a few more before the end of the season.

The share for this week will be: Carnival squash, arugula or tatsoi, kale, string beans, parsnips, radishes, sweet potatoes, broccoli raab or Swiss chard, a brassica (broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi or green cabbage), and an herb (cilantro, dill or parsley). Premium shares will also receive a pie pumpkin and either sweet corn or some Vermont cranbury shell beans.

The fruit share for this week will be: Gold supreme apples and D’anjou pears.

Enjoy! Farmer John