Farm Happenings
It’s finally happening, freezing temperatures in Canton. While forecast is calling for the 30-32 degrees F range, it’s generally lower at the farm than the predictions. While it’s true some tender crops will no longer be available, there’s abundant food in October, from the bulky carrots, beets, potatoes and squash to the green bok choy, spinach, lettuce and cabbage.
Do you have any bins, totes or harvest tools? Please return on your next trip to the farm.
Participating at the Farm
- Root harvest, Saturday, October 8th, 9am-noon
- Swap it! Community Trading Event, Sunday, October 9th, 1:00-2:30pm. Bring goodies to the new barn to trade with others.
- Planting garlic and shallots, October 15-16, time TBD
- Final Garden Morning of the season, Saturday October 29th at 9am with potluck at noon
We stripped the remaining sweet peppers from the plants so they wouldn’t be damaged by the upcoming cold temperatures. Peppers will still be available in the share room for the next couple weeks.
Students from St. Lawrence University come to the farm for weekly shifts all semester. Recently, we taught Community Based Learning folks how to water bath can. It’s rare anymore that the college students we meet have experienced any type of food preservation, so make sure to include it in the activities during their time at the farm.
Most of the you pick crops are clustered in the beds in and beyond Irene’s field. Find them by walking up the driveway towards the greenhouse and the harvest signs are on the left as well as on the right past the greenhouse.
Tips for Success
- Lately it seems the orange flag in various crops has not been shifted after a shareholder harvests. This makes it more confusing for the next person looking for the correct place to start their you picking.Try moving the flag before you start harvesting to the spot where you plan to stop so you don’t forget to do it afterwards.
- Crops such as carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, and Chinese cabbage can be cleaned right in the field. The tops and other debris can be left in the growing bed to break down and return the nutrients to the soil.
Harvest Chinese cabbage with a knife right at the soil level. Then pull off damaged outer leaves and you’ll find a beautiful, elongated head underneath. Chinese cabbage are excellent raw, fermented or cooked.
There are two types of radishes currently available. The long white daikon and the small round red radish.
Have you tried stuffing peppers?
Crops AvailableThis 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.
Culinary and Medicinal Herbs
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