Having a heart to heart. This guy is oh so social.

Then up he hops onto my shoulder, usually getting nicely settled on my left. Not sure what it all means for Thanksgiving dinner.

RAIN is the topic, usually whether there is too much or not enough.  Driving sheets, thunderbolts, steady showers, we've had it all everyday, since Saturday.  That is a whole mess of water. I am not going to start whining after experiencing drought conditions, but it is time to turn off the sky faucet. If mud prevents planting that's no good either. Ahh, to receive just the right amount is always the high wire act for growers.

Toms and zukes are looking good for this Saturday's CSA bag.  The rain will help all those weed seeds germinate. Looks like tomorrow will be half weeding and half planting. More varieties of cukes and squash are going in the ground. We've lost several days for working and need to ramp up the effort.

Baby Napoli and Yellowstone carrots

Columbian feathered Wyandotte eating overripe cukes

Brown Chinese goose doing perfect ballet move

Royal Palm turkey

Coreopsis

Finally water!!!

Not quite ready toms

Fantastic helpers Lauren and Emily

Oh! What an everyday tool for other produce growers, drip irrigation.  Not so for me, for years I hauled water from down the road.  Our trailer location has 2 water hydrants.  The Spring was so cold and wet that drip irrigation was not on my radar. June brought week after week of no rain, and temps in the 90's created stress for the plants, and me. I kept thinking it'll rain, it'll rain!  No, not a drop fell from those clouds.

Today I went to Nolt's and got "fitted" for my garden. All the line, connectors, valves, pressure regulator etc. to give my plants a drink. Now I know nothing about the particulars of drip tape.  I feared I would not be able to do it correctly.  Voila! It went together quite easily, and as I write all my plants are having a nice root soak.  Arrrggh, why didn't I do this weeks ago??? 

CSA members have been wonderful and very gracious concerning the absence of zukes and peppers in their shares.  This time last year the shares had squash, eggplant and artichokes.  I doubt the chokes are going to make it.  They are over at the other location without water.  It has been a less than ideal growing season.  Growers who have drip tape and greenhouses are the ones who have loads of toms, squash, peppers and cukes.

Perseverance is a plan.  I don't waste time (well not excessively) dwelling on all the stuff that's going haywire.  Instead, I plod slow and steady trying to remedy one problem as it appears, and ward off future catastrophes. This week will be a scorcher, stay cool mentally and physically. 

CSA shares were minus a gorgeous 6" head of purple broccoli due to "buttoning".  Temp spikes and uneven water cause heads to stay 2-3" and even have leaves grow through the heads.  I grew broccoli four years ago and decided it was a horrible, tempermental diva best left to masochistic growers with drip irrigation.  Oh well, I will try again for a Fall crop.

My friend Julia came by Friday morning to lend a hand with odd jobs.  What a job, as she weeded the potato patch.  Another family dropped by to also lend a hand. The children filled sandbags, spread mushroom soil on the flower beds and did some weeding. What a blessing to have these extra hands!

Last night I went to wash my hands and NO water, not a drop.  Thanks to the selfless kindness of my neighbor Delmar, I had water before dark.  The pump protector circut went bad.  I had never seen the inside of a well pit.  Not the kind of place I would want to spend any appreciable time.  Not to mention I don't think I would have fit through the entry hole!  Delmar slid down there without blinking an eye.  Seeing how he is a dairy farmer such places do not skeeve him.

Growing is an art more than a science.  Can I ever learn enough?  Thank you all for supporting our farm.

You know it is June when peas are on the scene.

Garlic Scapes, the ephemeral pesto treat.

These are seasonal markers for foodies.  CSA members, I hope you will make a pungent pesto to savor with crusty bread or pasta!  Enjoy each vegetable as it becomes available. Beans, Cornichon Cukes, carrots, cabbage and broccoli are growing nicely, it won't be long before you will see them in the share bags.

Radish: a mix of Pink Beauty, Rudolf, French Breakfast

Lettuce: Mikola and Galisse

Leek: I forget which variety I planted

Thyme: German Winter

Lavender: Munstead

Mint: Chocolate

Thank you for your support of our farm this season.  Today was downright hot while harvesting.  I enjoyed meeting each of you last week and hope to get to know you better over the summer. 

Did you know that radish greens are edible?  They are in the mustard family and have that sharp mustardy taste, just saute like other mustard greens. Flea beetles have already claimed my mizuna greens, dastardly critters that also attack eggplants with a vengence.

Lavender is used in Herbs de Provence, and of course you may slip a few buds in any linen closet or dresser drawer. It has a luxurious aroma, quite pungent.

Chocolate mint is wonderful just stuffed in your shirt pocket!  Try it chopped in whipped cream, chocolate cake, iced tea, or macerate with fresh strawberries.

I am trying to get caught up with transplanting between the two locations. If you would like to volunteer, even for a single day, come on down!

See you tomorrow between 9:30 and 1:00

Julie and Aaron

Share Distribution May 29

Lettuce: Mikola and Galisse

Radish: mix

Asian Cabbage: Houshu

Green Garlic: German White

Scallion: Stuttgarter

Oregano: Greek

What is new on the farm?  Emily Burrichter started work Monday as our intern.  She is going to be a fantastic asset to our little farm.  I am so pleased to have reliable help!  Until she graduates in June I must share her schedule, sad!  I sure could have used her today.  It is 10 pm and I am not done washing and bunching the radishes.

The leaf cabbage is an Asian variety. You may chop and use like any other brassica green.  The green garlic would make a good companion.  One of the share members offered to send an e-mail out Friday morning to simply list what you will receive Saturday.  If you have an objection to being included in the mailing please call me 610-506-2965.

Back to washing, see you tomorrow!

Julie and Aaron (who already called it a night and is snoring)

Share Distribution June 5

Radish Mix: This will be the last week for radishes

Garlic Scapes

Lettuces: Kalura and Merlot

Scallions: Stuttgarter

Greens:  Beet greens

Mint: Chocolate

We have two new lettuces for you to try: Kalura, a romaine and Merlot, a very deep wine colored leaf type.  Please do not boil your beet greens in a pot of water!  These greens deserve to be savored with either a creative saute or roasting.  I highly recommend FARMER JOHN'S COOKBOOK: The Real Dirt On Vegetables.   This book is so much more than a cookbook, with the focus on eating from a CSA each week.  It contains many sidebars of helpful information on the vegetables themselves, and other bits related to the world of CSA. 

Share Distribution June 12   

Peas: Early Freezer 680

Lettuce: Kalura and Merlot

Baby Beets w/ Greens:  Touchstone Gold and Pronto

Scallions: Deep Purple and Stuttgarter

Garlic Scapes: This is the last week for these gems

French Tarragon

Sage: Broadleaf

Mint: Chocolate

Coming on in the garden are snap beans, purple broccoli and some other goodies.  Lettuce will return in a few weeks.  The weather has been fickle of course.  More plantings of summer squash, peppers and tomatoes kept us busy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Our new post harvest wash area got a new load of stone.  This will prevent large mud holes from forming during washing and packing.  Thanks to each one who supports us. There are some new pics on the blog.  I hope to have each of you meet Emily our intern next week at market.  She has been a wonderful asset to our little farm.  My other new helper is Julia, a friend who generously offered to help me at market.  She has probably greeted you when you came to the stand. In farming, helping hands are always needed.

See you next week, Lord willing

Julie, Aaron and Emily

First day on the job she weeded grapes.

Our goslings are growing at an alarming rate, who knew?

These birds LOVE grass and weeds!

Driving the BCS, aka THE BEAST

Setting tomato stakes with a heavy post driver, builds the biceps.

Emily cleaned up these toms, which were just about buried in red root pigweed.

A bright spot of cheer appeared in the form of poultry.  Day old chicks, poults, goslings and ducklings arrived, maxing out the cute meter.  They proved a significant distraction to the daily task list!  And they grow FAST.

The new growing location is prepped and ready for potatoes, sugar peas, snow peas, carrots, greens and lots of other tasty fare.  Not too much time for posting as we are working outside.  May 8th will be upon us too soon!  Work work work!

Meanwhile back at the ranch................or our first location, that too is being prepped.  The ground was very soggy, we could not get into the field for about 2 weeks.  Finally got initial tilling done for carrot beds.  And so it goes, each day has a list of tasks to keep on schedule. Right now the wait is on for transplants to size up.

After luxuriating in balmy temps the thermometer plunged to 45 degrees yesterday.  To add insult to injury, cold rain pounded us accompanied by 40 mph wind gusts. I want my warm yellow rays back!