What’s been going on?

I always say “If you are going to suffer, you might as well set a record”. Five consecutive days over 100 degrees, the previous was four in 1983 and 2008. What a summer and this week looks just as brutal. One must transcend this and keep pumping water.

To make it seem like fall, we are planting lettuce, turnips and radishes today! Brussels Sprouts for Thanksgiving are already in the ground and the Celery goes in today as well. If you think it is fall, then it will come, we just have to get through August. We are slowly turning the seasonal page as we mow down the first Zinnias and take out trellis for the early Celosia. Soon we will be taking out the early tomatoes, deconstructing the trellis and preparing for disking residues into the ground.

In preparation for fall we are taking our traditional August break next week. Looks like perfect timing again as the early tomatoes are on their precipitous decline just like our energy is. It has been 22 weeks non-stop with only Saturday after market as our part day off so it is time to breath deep for a week and recharge a bit before heading into the last of summer and fall. Glenn and Jennie get a week off with pay so they can chill out too. We may go to the mountains for a day or two but mostly we will hide out here in the AC and slip out to turn on irrigation and take care of the turkeys. So no newsletter next week and we will not be at market on the 3rd and the 6th. Look for us to return on Wednesday the 10th.

Jennie and Glenn planting Summer Crisp lettuce under shade cloth

What’s going to be at the market?

The great conical shaped, firm headed Limelight Hydrangeas are amazing. Did some on say Crested Celosia, it is still rolling in. The felt like heads in yellow, pink, red, crimson and more. Zinnias forever. The fragrant Oriental Lilies and more Asiatic Lilies too. Betsy will have mixed Bouquets as well.

The last week of tomato diversity, albeit limited in supply. In reds we have some Big Beef and very few of our early red Ultra Sweet. The best supply of heirlooms is in Cherokee Purples, all the rest we have some in each color but not a lot. Big bi-color Striped Germans, Green Cherokees, pink German Johnsons, yellow Kellogg’s Breakfast, Orange Blossoms and the higher acid Azoychkas. Also just a small amount of Oxhearts and Romas for sauces. A smaller supply of Sungolds and some of the bi-colored elongated sweet Blush.

We are moving into the late summer selection now. Basil to go with the tomatoes. Still lots of our sweet Red Onions. The first good amounts of peppers, Purple Bells and Cubanelles, Shishitos and Padrone, Jalapenos and Serranos, Poblanos and Anaheims too. The first Corno di Toros and Green Bells. Cukes!

As a reminder if there is anything that you would like for us to hold for you at market just let us know by e-mail, by the evening before, and we will be glad to put it aside for you.

Hope to see you all at the market!

Alex and Betsy