Thu, Jul 05, 2007 · Filed under Harvest, Summer, Veggies
Today we harvested the first carrots of the year (baby Nelsons), along with baby Chioggia beets, for a small custom order. Veggies seen outdoors, especially when wet, are impossibly colorful in their own particular way, quite unlike…other colorful things! I’m still and forever surprised at how deeply pleasing and satisfying it can be to simply gaze at fresh veggies in sunlight (especially after harvesting them, and on overcast, diffuse light days!). Leafy greens are great, but the time for MORE is upon us once again!
Permalink
Wed, Jul 04, 2007 · Filed under Summer, The Farm
Today had all the makings of a slow, steady, gentle soaking, but so far, a mainly misty downfall has added up to a measly 5mm. Of course, I’m not unappreciative of ANYTHING in the way of rain. And the plants are looking mighty perky. Overall, the field is heading into that final sizing up stage that leads to main season fullness (see three weeks ago). Time can move so fast. Some real rain, please!
Permalink
Tue, Jul 03, 2007 · Filed under Fieldwork, People, Pests & Disease, Summer, Veggies
The one dark secret of this organic field, something you couldn’t really tell from selected photos, is the prevalence of pigweed (amaranth, mostly or all Amaranthus retroflexus). About two-thirds of the garden seems to be completely saturated with pigweed seed. Weeding two or three times for all-new outbreaks is common. In some spots, it’s literally as if some kind soul is broadcasting new seed, thickly, every couple of weeks. And when it’s a closely space crop like the all-lettuce mesclun mix in the pic, this means painstaking fingertip weeding. Here, Andrea and I spent about two and half hours clearing 200′ of 5-row beds, the entire latest succession planting. Luckily, conversation made the time transparent (thinking about all of the extra labor devoted just to de-pigweeding is a little painful). As best as I can figure, the pigweed came along with the two-year-old, not-fully-composted cow manure that we spread in the fall of Year 2 (three years ago). We put down around 100 tons on just over an acre—the ground was positively springy!—which was great. Except for the pigweed seed. Eventually, the vast store will be depleted (the seed is viable for five years). Until then, it’s a lot of extra work… The question I’d now ask: “What has that cow been eating?!”
Permalink
Mon, Jul 02, 2007 · Filed under Fieldwork, Summer, Tools
With only a little over an inch (25mm) of rain for most of June, and a near constant breeze on top of sun and heat to help dry things out quicker, we’ve had to hit the pond. Full irrigation here is a time-consuming process, involving dragging around and repositioning a network of hoses, soaker hoses, and sprinklers, and making trips every couple of hours to refill the pump set-up by the pond (see also “Pond and barrel”). The pond was dug out a couple of years ago, is ground-fed, drops level at an alarming rate (it starts the season full to the top of the photo), and replenishes slowly. If you look closely at the perimeter, the darker strip just above the water shows the level drop just for today. Still, it was used quite heavily last year and I’ve yet to see bottom! Meanwhile, I’m visualizing RAIN!
Permalink
Sun, Jul 01, 2007 · Filed under Harvest, Summer, Tools, Veggies
Here’s an important piece of the post-harvest station, the trusty washing machine-turned-salad spinner, flanked by laundry sinks, working on Sunday CSA harvest. The washer idea I read about someplace. When the washer here on the farm started doing odd things to clothes and was heading for the scrap heap, I intercepted it and pressed it into veggie service. With the agitator removed, it’s used on the spin cycle. Good ol’ centrifugal force! The trick to preventing leaves from getting crushed—either shredded (spinach) or veiny (lettuce, other light leaves)—is not to load too much at a time. The sinks contain cold well water. Mostly, rinsing greens is done to quickly cool them down after being cut in warm conditions (like…a hot afternoon, you can’t always pick your moment). Sometimes, it’s to wash off dirt splashed up by rain. Rinsing greens for one reason or another happens about 75% of the time during late spring through midsummer. Once the days start getting shorter (yuck…), greens harvests can usually be timed for the cooler evening, and rinsing happens less often. The sinks are also used to rinse other crops when they need it! Simple, effective!!
Permalink
