Tomato, eggplant and pepper seedlings heading out from the Milkhouse (seedling room) to the unheated hoophouse for some real sunlight and a taste of the harsher field conditions, before transplant time in a couple of weeks. The small riding mower does double duty, mowing the paths and ferrying around seedlings, tools, harvests.
Year: 2006
Stormy weather
It’s been raining for days, interrupted by a few hours of sunshine here and there. Not entirely bad, the water is appreciated, but so is sun. We’re up to 3-1/2 inches (around 85 mm) in the last week…
First market!
First day of the year at the local farmers’ market. It’s held Saturdays, 7am to 1pm, from May through October. Today, there are four varieties of the early lettuce, only around 30 units. At this point in the season, it’s mainly being there that counts.
Seedlings
Most of the seedlings are in the greenhouse now. The next couple of nights forecast for rather unseasonable 32°F (0°C) lows means going for the emergency heating measures!
First day of summer
A horizon-to-horizon rainbow stuck around for a good half hour this evening of the first day of summer. Here it’s arcing over the goat barn (which, despite it’s appearance, is far from caving in!).
CSA share!
Here’s part of a weekly CSA share. There are about 25 members this year. A third pick up here, the rest on Saturday mornings at the farmers’ market 15 miles away. It’s all local! In the pic, this week’s washed: carrots, beets (red, golden and striped), mesclun (the bag’s in the top left corner), green onions, baby beets for cooking greens. These go in with cucumbers, string beans, baby potatoes, zucchini and other summer squash, garlic. Still waiting on early tomatoes, but the main season harvest is picking up! (I’m still thinking over the what-to-wash question. Washed veggies look nicer and are less messy when you get ’em home, but there are various arguments for not washing, like longer storage and even better nutrient retention. Not to mention, saving lots of post-harvest time. I do know it’s a lot more work)