Farm Happenings
The heat lately has been consuming! Bob and GH have been sweating it out, working six days a week on building the new barn. They are making excellent progress- the framing, siding, roofing and window installation is nearly complete. There’s more to tackle in the coming weeks but soon it won’t be as time consuming and they will get to spend more time in the gardens again.
NOTE: There’s times of the season when big projects make many hands very useful, such as garlic/shallot harvest, onion harvest, mulching, etc. Several shareholders have asked if there’s anything they can do that would be helpful, so we wanted to let you know we plan to send out brief, mid-week emails letting the group know when a particular activity is happening. Labor can be challenging on a small diversified community farm, but we do out best to make the times in the field fun and productive.
Options to plug into the garden this week. We have shallots to harvest plus the last of the garlic.
- Tuesday the 26th anytime 9am-noon
- Wednesday the 27th anytime 9am-noon
- Wednesday the 27th, anytime 5:30-7:30pm
- Saturday July 30th, anytime 9am-noon is the garden morning. Pitch in the fields in the am then enjoy a potluck lunch with shareholders at noon. BONUS PLUS, first potluck on the new barn porch!
The garlic harvest is still ongoing. Pictured here, Ronald, Jules and Solange of St. Lawrence University Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) harvest a load of Carpathian. The students have been joining us in the gardens weekly during the month of July.
A local, seasonal bouquet designed for friend is a fabulous gift. It’s also a lively addition to contribute when you are hosting or attending a gathering. The best weeks of our cutting garden are in July and August. There’s blooms in September, but the growth slows down as frost approaches. Seize the day to create a bouquet for yourself or a loved one. Tithonia/Mexican Sunflower pictured here.
A big shout out of gratitude and thanks to Frank and Jenn Palumbo. They’ve joined us in the garden to participate in planting, weeding and harvest several times over the past couple weeks. We’ve had great conversations while also getting important tasks done. Here Frank is weeding with the scuffle hoe in the 2nd planting of summer squash and zucchini.
Tips for Success
- Garlic pick-up extends through this week. If you are NOT able to pick up your share of the garlic by Saturday, July 30th, please let us know if you have not already, so that we make sure to set some aside for you
We want to see your bouquets! Please share so we can enjoy the many creative ways that shareholders find beauty in the cutting gardens. Send us photos, and let us know if it’s for any particular occasion by: tagging the farm page on Facebook @littlegrasse or texting Flip at 315-854-5399 or emailing littlegrasse@gmail.com.
Here’s a tasty medley: thinly sliced zucchini and/or summer squash sauteed in the fat of your choice with ample minced garlic and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This is great in classic stirfry form; for a new twist, continue to cook on low until the squash basically melts into a creamy aromatic blend. Spread this mixture onto toast and store surplus in the refrigerator.
Crops Available
This list and availability are subject to change, check the share whiteboard at the start of every visit. If you are unsure about how to harvest: ask us! In person, via text or email.
Cell phone numbers, Flip: 315-854-5399 and Bob 315-854-5395.
*Asterisk marks crops added this week
- Beans
- Beets
- Bulb fennel
- Carrots
- Cucumbers, green or yellow*
- Cutting celery (harvest individual stalks, not entire plant)
- Flowers
- Garlic
- Kale
- Lettuce greens
- Onions, yellow
- Rainbow chard, also called Swiss chard
- Zucchini and summer squash
Culinary and Medicinal Herbs
- Anise hyssop
- Basil
- Bee balm
- Bronze leaf fennel
- Dill
- Lavender
- Lemon balm
- Mint
- Nasturtium, edible flower
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Sorrel
- Tarragon
- Thyme
- Winter Savory