Farm Happenings
When life doesn’t give you rain- mulch!
The extended forecast remains dry. In order to retain perspective and sanity, farmers make the best of the cards we’re dealt by shifting our strategies and energies often. While we are irrigating each morning and evening, we also expanded our efforts to conserve water which included mulching the peppers this week. Though the weather can induce stress (in farmers and some plants too), there is beauty and food around each corner, and for that we remain grateful.
Spiffing up the flower garden: We gave the flowers some love this week including weeding, reinforcing the mulch and pruning many of the varieties to promote larger plants and more blossoms. With over a dozen new varieties this year, we are looking forward to adding flowers to the harvest list later this month!
Join us in the field any Wednesday evening 5:30-7:30pm or Saturday anytime 8:30am-1pm.
Crops Available
If you are unsure about how to harvest: ask us! In person, via text or email. This list is subject to change, check the share whiteboard at the start of every visit.
* Items new this week
- Snow peas* (peas do not last as long in heat, pick this week. Also note there’s are some off type peas in the row so you’ll find the occasional shelling pea plant in the bed)
- Tulsi or Holy basil (amazing flavor for tea)*
lavender bee
- Purple basil*
- Lavender*
- Calendula*
- Chard
- Garlic (full garlic flavor, just not yet full-sized)
- Head lettuce
- Mixed lettuce greens
- Spicy mixed greens
- Kale
- Rhubarb
- Anise hyssop
- Basil
- Chamomile
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Fennel fronds
- Lemon Balm
- Mint
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Sage
Tips for Success
- How to harvest kale and rainbow chard: Select only the largest, lowest leaves on each
rainbow chard
plant, up to four per plant. Leave the center with the tender leaves to mature to full size. Also, harvest stem and leaf both (not leaf only). Both stems and leaves are edible and cutting full stem simplifies future harvest since the old stems aren’t poking up in the way.
- Herbs in infused waters and teas: Nearly all the herbs in the garden can add a subtle zing to water or a more robust flavor to heated teas.
- Our sun tea strategy: Harvest 1 or multiple herbs – put in a half gallon container with water – leave in sun for full day -at the end of the day, pull out all the herbs except for one sprig as a reminder of the flavor- put in the fridge to cool- enjoy over the next few days. Herb quantities are flexible, adjust more or less to taste.
