FARM WEEK # 4 - June 16, 2011 - Still only FULL AND HALF SHARES?????

June 14, 2011

Dear friends of the farm,

FARM NEWS
I've been putting off writing this week because I SO want to start the Mini-Shares. Earlier in the week I was sure there were not enough vegetables ready. Now, I am not so sure. I will be picking the radishes and mesclun tomorrow morning and will make a decision based on the harvest. There is a chance that there will be enough for everyone. I'll send you an email by noon tomorrow and let you know. If the minis start, there will be no choice this time; only the mesclun and radishes look likely.

However, coming right along are garlic scapes, head lettuce, kolrabi, dill and cilantro. The peas, (snow, snap and shell), are all blooming, the tomatoes are busily setting fruit, the onions and leeks suddenly look substantial, the pole beans are climbing their poles and making buds, and the cabbages are forming heads. The garden is a happening place!

The chicken coop is kind of busy too. There are two broody hens and I am gathering eggs for them to set. In a few weeks there will be more chicks, if all goes well. And the young pullets are all feathered out and about ready to enter the main flock. They look like miniature chickens now.
To see pictures of chicks from our hens' eggs go here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/eroyalty/May2011Chicks?authkey=Gv1sRgCMmi3uaZx_aPXw&feat=directlink#
We gave some eggs to someone with a broody hen and that's what hatched out!

Now that the rain slowed down I have been setting out more plants. Celery, fennel, Asian onions, 75 more head lettuces, and Pick-Your-Own flowers are all in. Kale, brussel sprouts, more lettuce and a ton of flowers going in tomorrow. After that I'll be planting rutabagas and more squash, cukes, carrots and beets. And then more succession plantings after that, but if I look that far ahead my head starts spinning.

I am looking forward to some sunny days! Wow!

Still lots to do here before I feel like the garden is really in. Planting and mulching are the main things. If you feel like helping with that, come on by on Saturday (all day) or Sunday morning. It's fun! it's grubby! It's peaceful here! There are chickens for entertainment!

SHARE # 3: For information about last week's share check out the csa blog:
http://lastingimpressionscsa.blogspot.com/


PICK UP: Pick up went more smoothly this week. Thanks for the extra care selecting your items. I think that listing the Half and Full Shares on separate papers might have helped as well. For the time being, (until I finish cleaning the garage) we will continue putting the shares on the porch, especially if it looks like rain. I will probably put the flowers outside on sunny days since the porch gets so warm. The coolers worked fine for the vegetables. (Still looking for more refrigerators...)

THIS WEEK'S SHARE:

Mesclun - featuring thinnings of spinach, chard, mustard and chicory and Johnny Jump Up flowers
Radishes
Arugula
Baby turnip greens
Probably bits of garlic scapes, mint, cilantro and maybe dill.
Flowers - Peonies! Sweet William!, and more. Calendula and Valerian starting to bloom. And I just bought about 75 more flower plants at Walker Farm in Putney, VT, mostly perennials that we can enjoy in the bouquets for years and years.

The shares still seem kind of small to me. We need sun and rain. In good proportion.
I am looking forward to that.

Look for another email tomorrow by noon about the minis. If not this week, it will be next week for sure. Think garlic scapes!
Laura


Laura Timmerman
910 Greenfield Rd
Leyden, MA 01337
413-773-8325
laurat-at-crocker.com
http://lasting-impressions-on-the-farm.blogspot.com/