Share # 7 - June 28, 2012 - Getting a little summery

Full Share - kale, mesclun, head lettuce, snow peas, snap peas, garlic scapes, kohlrabi, basil, eggplant, tomatoes

Snow peas

The first eggplants and tomatoes!

kale and snap peas

Snap peas

Mantilla lettuce

Genovese basil

Sunflowers from the hoophouse

Herbs

Yarrow, odds and ends of flowers

Sweet peas, one of my favorites

Extras/Swaps

The Half Shares got half the amount as the Full Share and no eggplant or tomatoes.  Minis got 2 items apiece, as requested, like chard and snap peas, mesclun and snap peas, etc.  Every mini share person wanted snap peas!  I guess they are a favorite.

FARM WEEK # 7 - June 28, 2012 - MINI SHARE # 4

June 25, 2012

Good morning fellow vegetable eaters,

(Computer is all fine now.  It just needed a new battery.  Hurray for Brown Computer Solutions!)

My news mostly is the same as usual, planting, weeding, transplanting, weeding, etc.

Except for baby chicks!  The chicks hatched out last Thursday and Friday and we now have 8 little Welsummers and Welsummer-Araucana cross chicks.  The mom is doing a great job of protecting them from chipmunks, hens on the other side of the fence and people bearing water and food.  Good work, momma bird!

Weeds are driving me nuts at the moment.  I can hardly walk around the yard because I keep stopping to pull "just a few".  Each place I work on looks so much happier and healthier and makes me want to do more.  My source for straw recently closed down, so I am on the lookout for mulch.

I spend much of my time saying "oh, no" and then "oh, wow" lately.  I'll look at a weedy area or some plant that looks kind of small and wonder how and when to help it out.  Then I look somewhere else and am amazed by the beauty and vigor of the plants.  I guess that's just the nature of a mixed crop garden with an emphasis on succession and variety.  Those tall green corn plants sure make me feel good.

The snap peas are in and hopefully I will have them supported for pick your own by the weekend, but in the mean time I plan on picking for the shares because they need to be picked and the fence they are on has sort of tilted to the side.  Get in touch if you want to come by and pick more on the weekend.  773-8325

The basil loved the hot weather and is now 3 times as big as last week.  Get set for pesto!

FARM PICNIC:  I am changing the date of the farm picnic.  I'll let you know the new date as soon as I figure it out.

MINI SHARES

Mini choices week #4 - Pick two or I will choose for you.

mesclun
garlic scapes - this is probably the last week for scapes
chard
kale
snap peas
Farmer's Choice (I give you 2 items from the garden, from this list or not, based on general preferences you have shared with me and based on the harvest.  Farmer's Choice may include items not on this list like snow peas, favas, kohlrabi or basil.)

PICK UP NOTES
Pick Up is 1:00 - 7:00 unless you arrange otherwise.  I'll send an email when the shares are ready.  I will be setting up on the porch this week as I plan on going out Thursday afternoon.

Please return egg cartons and clean, dry bags, esp. the big freezer bags.  Thanks!

THIS WEEK'S SHARE

garlic scapes

basil
fava beans? They may need another week.
mesclun
head lettuce
chard/kale - one or the other or both
kohlrabi
snow peas?
snap peas

parsley

sorrel
flowers

See you Thursday!
Laura

Laura Timmerman
910 Greenfield Rd
Leyden, MA 01337
413-773-8325
laurat-at-crocker.com

Lots more farm news and pictures at facebook:

Last week's share

Oops, I guess the heat wave really got to me.  I forgot to post what was in share # 6.  Probably you all figured it out by now.  Perhaps you've eaten it up as well.  In any case, here's the list:

Half Share:
garlic scapes 4 oz.
fava beans 1 #
mesclun 6 oz.
head lettuce (Mayan Jaguar and Mantilla) - 2 heads
chard 3/4 #
salad turnips 1 bunch
scallions 6 oz

Full Share:
Twice as much except for scapes and chard but they also got
snap peas 12 oz
kale 1 #

It REALLY was hot!  I am glad that is over.  I did not take a picture of the shares but I did take a picture of a belated birthday share that I sent down to my son Dan.

Share # 6 - June 21, 2012 - Mini Share # 3

Unreliable computer this week.  If you need me, give me a call.  I will try to send out the CSA email this morning but in case it doesn't happen, this is the list of expected foods: garlic scapes!, head lettuce, mesclun, chard and/or kale, radishes?, salad turnips? scallions, fava beans!  Mini Share choices: garlic scapes, chard, mesclun, scallions (plus for one or two people only: kale, kolrabi, head lettuce, favas?)
I'll do my best to get everything ready for 1:00 on Thursday.  Since it will be so hot, I may keep things in the house but I will be home to greet you and help you.

Hoping that now that I posted this, the emailing will be fine!


Laura Timmerman
910 Greenfield Rd
Leyden, MA 01337
413-773-8325
laurat-at-crocker.com
Lots more farm news and pictures on facebook:

Share # 5 - June 14, 2015

What was in today's share:

I was in a super rush this morning so I didn't weigh anything.  Or take pictures of the flowers.  If you farm share folks reading this care to send a picture of your bouquet or mini share, that would be awesome.  Or post pictures of your flowers, share or prepared food using your share at Sweet Morning Farm's facebook page.  More pictures here.

Half Share:

(pictures, except for the cauliflower & kale, are from a full share)

Kale - 1 bunch

Escarole - 2 heads

Head lettuce - 2-3 heads

Mayan Jaguar and Forellenschluss lettuce

Scallions - nice sized bunch

Fava beans - a sample (more next week)

Dill

Cilantro

Kohlrabi - 2

White turnips - largish bunch (these are slightly eaten, this may be the end until cool weather)

Radishes - a big bunch, more in the extras bin

Cauliflower - medium head for some shares

Rhubarb - about 7 stalks

Mesclun - 1/4 pound

Flowers - Sweet William, peonies, snapdragons, etc.

Full Share:

Twice as much except on the rhubarb

Full Share

Mini Share:

Two items, as chosen by the farm member.

FARM WEEK # 5 - June 14, 2012 - MINI SHARE # 2

June 11, 2012


Hello, farm members.

All is well on the farm and the first full pickup went fine.  You guys are great, and so thoughtful.  Thanks.

This week I will not be here for a large part of Thursday.  It's the monthly Council on Aging meeting so I will be hustling to get everything ready for you early (I'll send the usual email) and then will be out until mid afternoon, so good luck with pick up!  (By the way, you are welcome to come to the slide show about New Mexico.  It's at 10:30 at the Leyden church.  Paula Sayword and Karen Sims will be sharing stories, pictures and poems about the southwest.)

MINI SHARES

Mini choices week #2 - Pick two or I will choose for you.
mesclun
radishes
head lettuce
kale
1/2 dozen eggs
Farmer's Choice (I give you 2 items from the garden, from this list or not, based on general preferences you have shared with me and based on the harvest.  Farmer's Choice may include items not on this list.)

FARM NEWS

The planting continues!  I am creeping up on being done with the main planting.  I even started planting in the field recently.  The first cucumbers, summer and winter squash are in.  Beets and carrots need a replant. Progress.  I break up the planting with weeding.  The weeds are growing so fast this year.  I know what I'll be doing for the next few weeks.  Stop by if you want some weeding therapy/visiting time.

The fava beans in the hoophouse are beautiful.  I want to give them a little more time to fill out but you might want to review your fava recipes for next week.  This link can get you started:

Another tasty item that will be ready soon is garlic scapes!  Yay!  I discovered garlic scape pesto last year and I recommend it to you pesto fans.  (Basil is growing nicely as well, enough to add to the mesclun.)

I am giving the chard a week off to recover from picking, snails? and hail?

Baby chicks should start hatching June 22.  The ducks are growing like weeds, and they like to eat weeds!


PICK UP NOTES
Pick Up is 1:00 - 7:00 unless you arrange otherwise.  I'll send an email when the shares are ready.  Leaving a cooler or insulated bag here is a good idea, if you have one to spare.  Make sure it is bigger than you might think.  Even for a mini share it would need to hold a large bunch of greens.

Bring a tote bag or box for your vegetables.  Some things will be packed in bags but as much as possible I am trying to leave that to you.  Please return clean, dry bags, esp. the big freezer bags.  Thanks!


THIS WEEK'S SHARE
radishes
mesclun
head lettuce
cauliflower (for the shares that didn't get some last week)
kohlrabi
kale
escarole - these are small heads, but yummy, and starting to bolt so let's eat them!
salad turnips, the next batch is starting up.
a little rhubarb from my new bed!
scallions
cilantro
dill
flowers: peonies, snapdragons, sweet william, lady's mantle, and more.


See you Thursday!
Laura


Sweet Morning Farm
910 Greenfield Rd
Leyden, MA 01337
413-773-8325
laurat-at-crocker.com

Lots more farm news and pictures at:

What is in Share #4 - June 7, 2012

More Sweet Morning Farm pictures

Half Share:

Radishes 1 lb
Mesclun 1/4 lb
Head lettuce 2
Kohlrabi 1

Kale 15 oz
Chard 1 lb
Baby spinach 10 oz
Mint and Lemon Balm 1 small bunch
Cauliflower 1 small (Only some Half Shares got these.  The other shares will get some another time.)

The Full Share got twice as much of everything.

The Mini Shares got 2 items as requested - kale, mesclun, head lettuce, eggs or chard.

Flowers for everyone!

FARM WEEK # 4 - June 7, 2012 MINI SHARES START THIS WEEK!

Two week old Welsh Harlequin duckling

Good morning, good people!

Everything is growing: ducks, chard and kale, chicks, spinach, snapdragons, you name it.

MINI SHARES

This week will be the first of the Mini Shares.  Thanks for waiting, you folks.  Remember to come get your share between 1:00 and 7:00 this Thursday.  Bring a bag for your share and a jar for your flowers.  I'll be around, (probably in the garden planting more vegetables), but come say hello and ask for help, if you wish.

Mini choices week #1 - Pick two or I will choose for you.

mesclun

head lettuce

kale

chard

1/2 dozen eggs

Farmer's Choice (I give you 2 items from the garden, from this list or not, based on general preferences you have shared with me and based on the harvest.)

As a GIFT TO ALL FARM MEMBERS, I grew some Pistou basil plants.  These plants have small leaves with a big flavor.  They can be grown inside or outside, in the ground or in a container.  If you haven't gotten yours yet, please take one home to enjoy.

FARM NEWS

It was a big week at home for me, mostly setting out plants (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, brussel sprouts and more!) and weeding.  Lots of rain!  Which was kind of good because I needed to catch up on paperwork and it was great weather for transplanting.  I got a lot planted but there is a bunch more for this week.

Welsummer rooster

We have hen setting on 9 eggs that should hatch around the solstice.  The eggs are from out own Welsummer and Araucauna hens, crossed with our Welsummer rooster.  We noticed that the ducklings have a regular routine down, first they run around in circles, then eat, then preen under their heat lamp, then take a nap.  Repeat.

Germinating Royal Burgundy bean 

The corn is growing well, some is already almost knee-high!  The beans are up after only a few days.  I guess they like the warm weather and rain.  The fava beans in the hoophouse are getting big and some are filling out.  Same thing on the kohlrabi and escarole.  The eggplant, hot peppers and snap peas are starting to bloom.

Mayan Jaguar lettuce

I'll be planting the rest of the transplants, and seeds for squash, cukes, shell beans, more salad and greens this week.  Next after that: more carrots and beets.

PICK UP NOTES

Leaving a cooler or insulated bag here is a good idea, if you have one to spare.  Make sure it is bigger than you might think.  Even for a mini share it would need to hold a large bunch of greens.  I will be home to answer questions.  Bring a tote bag or box for your vegetables.  Some things will be packed in bags but as much as possible I am trying to leave that to you.  Please return clean, dry bags, esp. the big freezer bags.  Thanks!

THIS WEEK'S SHARE

radishes

mesclun

head lettuce

cauliflower (if not enough, some shares will get them this week and some a different week)

kohlrabi?  nearly ready

kale/chard

baby spinach

lemon balm

mint

snow peas? - a hand full

flowers: peonies, snapdragons, sweet william and more.

See you Thursday!
Laura

Laura Timmerman
910 Greenfield Rd
Leyden, MA 01337
413-773-8325
laurat-at-crocker.com

Lots more farm news and pictures on facebook

What was in Share # 3, May 31, 2012

Half Share:
8z mesclun
1 big bunch of kale
1 # radishes
1 small head lettuce
1 3/4 # pak choy
4z scallions
small bunch of sorrel
taste of sweet cicely pods
2 1/2 z snow peas

Sweet Cicely - the seed pods taste like licorice

Full Share:
Twice as much on everything except a medium head of cauliflower instead of snow peas

Everyone got flowers, including sunflowers from the hoophouse, the first of the annual centaurea, snapdragons and Sweet William.

Here's a bouquet I made with the leftover flowers:

Click HERE for more pictures of the share.