SHARE # 2 - May 24, 2012 (Still just Full and Half Shares)

May 21, 2012

Good morning!
It's another beautiful day after a fantastic weekend of sun and gardening.  Later on the rain will water all our little seeds and seedlings.

PICK UP NOTES:  I'll be trying out a different plan for setting out the shares.  Your items will be in a separate bin labeled with your name.  You still need to bring bags, etc. to carry your share home.  (Leave the bin.)  I think this will be easier for everyone.  Let me know what your think.  Thanks, Marie, for the idea.

Also, the swapping went pretty smoothly last week.  I think the key is making a note of what you swap. Assuming that there are extra items, swapping will be an option this week as well.

Swamp Azalea
The scent is even more awesome than the color!

FARM NEWS

Mini Shares start Thursday, June 7.  Until then, you can pick from the Extras list and/or look forward to kale, chard, salad greens, radishes, flowers and more.

It was a busy weekend here at the farm.  We set out corn, basil, hot peppers and some of the tomatoes, including 18 varieties for the pick-your-own tomatoes.  These will be extras that you can add to your share if you are a farm member and I will offer the option to the Extras folks as well.  18 different kinds of cherry, paste and small salad tomatoes.

Robin tilled some of the spots that needed a second time and, bless his heart, started cleaning the chicken coop.  We also got ready for ducklings, that we expect to arrive tomorrow!  Exciting.  We opened up the sides of the hoophouse for better ventilation.  It's nice to have the air moving in there and to be able to see in and through the tunnel.  Luckily, the new chicken fence is keeping the hens in their pasture and out of the garden and hoophouse!

Winner Pak choy

The Swiss chard and the second planting of kale getting bigger and looking very healthy.  The snapdragons and Sweet William are budding up.  Garlic looks strong and there are more small heads of lettuce about ready to pick. The next batch of pak choy looks big and juicy, so expect a fair amount in your share this week.  I happened upon the website for Fine Cooking this morning and found some nice sounding pak choy recipes.

MORE SHARES AVAILABLE:
I would be happy to sell a few more shares.  If you know someone who may be interested, please let them know.  Thanks!  (I will prorate the share cost for late starters.)

CALENDER:
Home all week farming - 5/26 to 6/2, feel free to stop to visit, plant or weed!
Farm Work Bee - Saturday, June 2, meet the ducks and your fellow farm members, eat soup & salad, get grubby!
Mini Shares start - Thursday, June 7 - Hurray!
Farm Picnic - Saturday, August 18 - Farm Tours, pot luck cookout, visit with your fellow farm friends.
Be Nice to Nettles Week - happening NOW!  I plan on weeding my nettle patch to celebrate.  Also, eating more nettles!  And drying some for winter tea.

Stinging Nettles

THIS WEEK'S SHARE

Pick Up 1:00 - 7:00

Kale
Radishes
Pak choy, probably lots
Mesclun
Rhubarb  (Thank you, Karen!)
Garlic chives
Wild Peppermint
Head lettuce  Most likely there will be some small heads.
Arugula?  A bit small last time I looked but coming along nicely.
Flowers  Peonies?  Dogwood?  Lady's Rocket?  Not sure of the mix but many things are in bud.

See you Thursday!
Laura

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