July 19, 2011
Hello friends of the farm,
I'm going to try to keep this brief tonight so I can get to sleep early and so nothing grows bigger before I get this out to you! When I checked the garden on Monday morning and at that time I thought there would be 3 kinds of beans ready to pick for Thursday. This afternoon I discovered that there are now 5 kinds that are big enough. It must be something about the warm sunshine. Everything is growing fast!
FARM NEWS:
Not a lot of news this week. As you know, I was ill last week and most of my extra time and energy has been devoted to healing. Thank goodness, that seems to be bearing fruit. (couldn't resist, sorry) We did spread plastic mulch over a large area so the pumpkins have lots of room to run around. And I have been tying up the tomato plants; they just get bigger and bigger. And we've been weeding. Sarah watered the young fruit trees and has gone on bug patrol several times, collecting potato bugs, Japanese beetles and cabbage worms. These are two important tasks that need to happen over and over. Thanks, Sarah! Lots more of everything to do and 15 more bales of straw were delivered yesterday so the weekend won't be dull.
Meanwhile, the garden is thriving. There are raspberries to pick every few days, lots of beans, including the first Scarlet Runner beans, AND the tomatoes are ripening! The first tomatoes will be included in half and full shares this week. I must warn you that very soon we will have lots and lots of cucumbers. It's time to think about your favorite salad and pickle recipes.
(I just took a break from writing to go shut up the chickens for the night. With the long summer days, I have to wait until after 8:30 before all the birds have gone in so I can shut the coop door. Two exceptions: there is one young pullet who would like to roost outside on top of a fence. Each evening I have to prod her off with a stick and remind her about nighttime predators. The other exceptions are the two mama hens and their chicks. The mothers bring the chicks in early and tuck them underneath their bodies. By 7:00 all the babies are in bed.)
There will a bit of a lull before the next round of mesclun. In the meantime, we have head lettuce.
Rubeckia
THIS WEEK'S SHARES:
FULL & HALF SHARES:
turnips
radishes
a few small kolrabi?
head lettuce
beans - Provider, Annellino Stortino, Dragon Tongue, Royal Burgandy, Northeaster, Scarlet Runner
fava beans - priority to the half shares this week since they haven't had them yet.
greens - could be chard, kale, turnip greens or a mix, depends on the harvest
green onions (regular onions that are not fully formed yet. very tasty)
raspberries
tomatoes
carrots
snap peas pyo
snow peas pyo
MINI SHARES:
Several of these items only have enough for 2 or 3 shares. There's plenty over all but it will be first come, first serve if you have a preference.
1 - Your Choice of TWO of these:
head lettuce
green onions
beans
mixed greens - turnip, kale, chard
raspberries
or
Farmer's Choice of any of the above or something else entirely that needs picking!
2 - flowers
snap peas pyo
snow peas pyo
I'll be finishing the picking on Wednesday evening so let me know before that if you have a preference.
Have a great day and see you at pick and pick-your-own Thursday, 12:00 - 6:00.
Follow-up PYO on available on Saturday.
Laura
Laura Timmerman
910 Greenfield Rd
Leyden, MA 01337
413-773-8325
laurat-at-crocker.com
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2011 Farm Shares on facebook:
Sweet peas
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