The solstice is right around the corner. In addition to being a chance to celebrate the longest daylight of the year, it’s also a signal to some plants that affects how they grow. For example, onions are photoperiodic, which means they have a physiological reaction in relation to the amount of daylight and darkness that they experience. In general terms this means that before the solstice, the onions are growing leaves and after the solstice when the daylight is reducing, the plant is focused on bulb growth. So far the onion and leek crop look excellent, with healthy vigorous tops. They’ve enjoyed the moisture this season. You can check them out the next time you are at the farm, in Irene’s field by the parking area.
Will you join us and your fellow shareholders this Saturday? It’s the monthly garden morning on June 25th. We’ll do a couple projects in the fields 10am-noon and then sit down to share a potluck lunch. If you’d like to join us in the field for a non-garden morning, shareholders have an open invitation for Wednesdays 5:30-7:00pm as well as any Wednesday or Saturday 9am-1pm.
There’s a new fence in the middle of the front range field. We cut some of the rye growing there and later this week the chickens will begin their life outside.
The storm whipped through here on Thursday evening with fierce winds. Many crops were battered but not destroyed, they are righting themselves and carrying on. We lost a handful of flats that were overturned, so we’ll replant those this week.
Tips for Success
- Kale is here, which means it will be available for the rest of the season unless there is an unexpected disease or pest issue. Harvest only a few leaves from each plant (the largest ones that are lowest on the stalk, never the center growth) and then move to the next one. In that way, the crop gets harvested evenly so the plants are stimulated to produce new leafy growth.
- Garlic scapes will be around a couple more weeks and then they are over for the season. We’ve tried them just about every preparation and find they are quite flexible. If you are looking for a mild garlic flavor, these work well raw or cooked. Picked garlic scapes are beautiful curled into a jar!
Plant Spotlight: From the lightest of greens to the deepest of purples, there are hundreds of varieties of head lettuce. The varieties are divided into different types, such as romaines, butterheads, bibbs and icebergs. At littleGrasse, we most often grow 6-8 varieties a year. This photo includes a leaf from a beautiful type from Austria called Forrellenschluss, translated as Speckled Trout along with the delicate, smooth Nancy lettuce. When harvesting head lettuce, cut the entire plant at soil level.
Find other information and tips on the littleGrasse website in the Vegetables Pages where there’s a section for nearly every crop we grow.
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
- Beets greens
- Garlic scapes
- Green garlic (immature garlic, entire plant is edible)
- Head lettuce
- Kale*
- Lettuce greens
- Rainbow chard, also called Swiss chard
- Rhubarb
- Scallions*
- Spinach
Culinary and Medicinal Herbs
- Anise hyssop
- Basil*
- Bronze leaf fennel
- Chamomile
- Cilantro
- Lemon Balm
- Mint
- Oregano
- Parsley*
- Rosemary
- Sorrel
- Tarragon
- Thyme*
- Winter Savory
Happy solstice!