The Rain Gauge
Okay, well, it's a little wet and sloppy out there. A mere 7 and 3/4 inches of rain thus far and I only lost my boot once! I thought I would have to cancel pick up this week, but after walking around a bit, things look better than I had anticipated--whew. I think the worst of it is over and it is quite surprising how quickly it all drains away as the intensity of the storm lessens. A few little plants are wading in water, but all in all I am hopeful.
The rain gauge is a helpful tool so I can determine if I need to irrigate crops or not. Sometimes when it rains, it feels like loads has fallen but in truth it will only be a quarter of an inch. Many crops, trees and fruits prefer to get an inch of rain every week...so with 8 inches I am all set for the next 2 months right : )
Last week was a rush of work. With the weather being much nicer than this weekend, I was able to get loads done in the fields. We planted lots of tomatoes, most of the peppers, hand seeded cucumbers, winter squash and even some corn. I was just about to put the pumpkin seeds in but realized the soil temps were still a little too cool and wet. (Hopefully the corn doesn't notice.) Almost everything is covered in blankets of Remy and Simon ran across only one of them so far. The ducks have taken a liking to them as well since the slugs make it a highway when it gets wet. They don't make holes in it and I probably wouldn't even notice that they had been there, except their muddy foot prints give them away : )
Most crops won't mind this deluge of water and they are looking green and growing. This week will be another fine week of mixed greens and some asparagus. There may be a few stray carrots left in the winter storage but really now we are into seasonal eating and must wait for things to grow. Lots of greens until July then we will bust into peas, baby carrots and baby beets. Oh, but this week you get a sweet taste of summer turnips and turnips greens!!!
This week's harvest: lettuce mix, mustard mix, arugula, head lettuce, chives, sorrel, radish, baby turnips and turnip greens, rhubarb and asparagus
Recipes:
Be sure to visit this great site about greens. I don't grow all of them, but many you will see throughout the season: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/seasonalcooking/farmtotable/visualguidecookinggreens
Mustard mix: This mix is nice in salads when it is small and tender. If you find the leaves too spicy or rough, try brazing them. http://www.care2.com/greenliving/simple-braised-greens-garlic.html
Hakurei Turnips: This guys are crisp and sweet just just a hint of spice. They are super raw or lightly cooked.
