Monday, July 27, 2020

July 28th and 31st

So So HOT

This photo was taken Saturday night just after 8pm.....in the pea patch, not along a river as my beer may suggest.  This time of year you can often find me late night harvesting peas or raspberries or just wondering the farm talking to my plants.  It's a lovely way to spend a summer evening.  TODAY however, I am inside the AC writing this Blog and catching up on emails.  If one's pores get cleansed by sweating, then mine are squeaky clean after this afternoon.  HOLY MOLY WAS IT HOT!  We persevered and weeded 200' of near lawn and harvested over 170lbs of green beans.  Yes you read right, beans!  (tomatoes are coming soon, but not quite : )


And this picture... I just had to add it again.  I have never had such an amazing crop of raspberries.  There are millions of them and this heat makes them ripen ever so quickly -- please please come when you can!  come multiple times! 

Lot of new crops to harvest, we are keeping up as best we can with all that needs tending.   We are nearly done with transplanting for the year, so now it is the final weeding and harvest harvest harvest. There are many many planting I am very pleased with, so beautiful and plentiful. Hope you are enjoying every bite!! 


This Week's Bounty: lettuce, hakurei turnip, sugar snap peas, broccoli, cukes, zukes, summer squash, green beans, kale, chard, baby carrots, basil, parsley and scapes

The Farmer's Table:
I am sure you need another kitchen gadget, right?!
We LOVE our spiralizer.  We mostly use it on zucchini.  We either steam the spirals or lightly saute them, then use them just like pasta with red sauce or olive oil and other veggies.  
In the morning, we cook them up with eggs -- so so so good
No need to be afraid of a large zucchini ever again!

Broccoli and Beer Cheese -- we do not use the bread on top and it is still magnificent : )

Monday, July 20, 2020

July 21st and 24th

Oxygen


A few weeks ago I asked for a "smidge" of rain and someone commented that we need way more than a smidge.  And indeed, we did, but I am farmer enough to know to be careful what you wish for ... "1 smidge" is > or = 3 inches (we got 9) and a "bit of heat" is > or = to 85 .... we have been at a Heat Advisory for the last 3 days : )  Oh my it has been hot!  Sent the crew home early today.  I just went out to start the tractor to do a little evening cultivating.  Yowza!  I think I will wait another couple hours!  The pigs have a nice moat and they have been lounging like hippos in the mud.



We went from dust dry to drowning pretty quickly and it has been nice to have a bit of a break from daily rain.  Of course we all know as humans we need Oxygen to breathe, but did you know our cells metabolize that oxygen tp give us energy?  Plants need oxygen for the same reason.  Root respiration is very important in organic production because the root zone is full of natural microorganisms responsible for converting organic nutrients into usable ions (think plant food). These microorganisms require oxygen since they work and respire too.  When the soil becomes saturated there is no room for oxygen and the plants cannot respire, therefore cannot take up nutrients and therefore cannot grow.  These few drying days have allowed most of our plants to recover for a breath but a few, in the wettest spots, need a little assistance and so I will add additional fertilizer to get them jump started again.  It's mostly the cucumbers and zucchini ... the cabbages and broccoli look amazing and the onions are bulbing up nicely!!


stir fry delight!  hope you are having fun eating your veggies.  be sure to share your favorite recipes!


This Week's bounty: lettuce, cabbage, mini red onion (pictured above), radish (i think, maybe), tat soi, pac choi, broccoli, zukes, summer squash, cucumbers (!), beets with greens, sugar snap peas, basil, scapes

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

July 14th and 17th

The Power of Plants

This growing season has been a pretty crazy weather year so far.  The beans pictured above I thought had died in a late frost but then miraculously came back, they shriveled in a drought, were nearly suffocated by weeds (not really weather related but it makes the story even more dramatic because directly after we weeded we finally got rain and they flattened in the heavy downpour) and then they were swarmed with leaf hoppers (a tiny pest that is blown up on the south wind).  But I went to check on them last night and, behold!, they were standing upright out of the rain hammered soil, free of leaf hoppers donning a happy shade of green and look -- tiny little beans and loads of flowers!! 


This winter squash plant was transplanted in the middle of June, on a dry dry dry day of 92 degrees. We had the drip irrigation running as we planted, but the next day, several plants and turned to a crisp and all that was left was a 2" sad stem.  From that sadness came little leaves and now 10" diameter lush plants.  It's pretty amazing really.  However, I do not know why I am surprised.  I see it happen in the gardens all the time, but this year I think I needed reminding.  A year that has been wonky in so many ways; weather, COVID, fear, hate; a year full of uncertainty and sadness in dealing with social issues we thought we had overcome.  There is an energy of hope in plants.  The tiniest little leaf (almost hidden to the naked eye), is a powerful hope that brings it life and flowers and fruit.  It feeds the pollinators, it feeds us with beauty and nourishment.  They are not biased on who views them or lands on them or who eats them, they share what they have with all and continue to grow no matter the uncertain weather.  A beautiful reminder that we too have hidden leaves of power and hope inside of us.


The PYO flower garden has begun to shine and is open for picking!  Bring home some happy plant energy!


AND!! the PYO raspberries are open for shareholders!  A happy bright globe for your mouth :) 


This Week's bounty: lettuce, kale, tat soi, chinese cabbage, zucchini/summer squash, snap peas. broccoli, scallions, garlic scapes, cilantro, parsley

The Farmer's Table:

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

July 7th and 10th

Happy 4th!

Wow I cannot believe it is JULY!  The weather has been all over the place it is hard to keep track of the time of year.  The rain (6"!) was maybe a bit much but yesterday's drier air made the farm glow bright.  We have a very small window right now to do a load of weeding before summer's harvest really kicks in (zucchini and summer squash are nearly ready!)  If anyone has the hankering to get outside and pull some weeds voluntarily, let me know!


Meet Chuck, the Chukar (pronounced choo-kar).  Many of you have seen him around the pick up barn.  He is in the pheasant family and naturally lives out west in small groups.  However, it is common for folks to release them here for bird hunting.  He is cute little fellow, lonely but shy.  We have invited him to hang out here and possibly hang with the turkeys, although he has not met them yet.  Unfortunately he likes to walk along the road and someone almost hit him yesterday.  When she stopped, she knew what it was as she had had one in her yard and put it in with her chickens.  Anyone's chickens looking for a friend?  They eat grass and grass seeds so they won't cost too much in grain : )


The turkeys are silly as ever and are growing quickly.  They are ready for some adventure; running circles in their pen and jumping as high as they can.  They are quite the entertainment...the pigs now have competition! Hope you have some silliness in your life and are enjoying your veg as you chuckle. New items are coming on every week, it's fun to walk around the farm!  Feel free to poke around and get some fresh air.


This Week's Bounty: lettuce, beets with greens, snap peas, parsnips, broccoli, kohl rabi, hakurei, cilantro, parsley, garlic scapes, green onion