What’s been going on!

A gray and drizzly Wednesday, unusual for June but that does not stop the preparations for market or the blueberry pickers from filling buckets.  We used to joke back when we were in the blackberry business that in June our table was comprised of beets and blackberries, tough combination.  Thankfully we now have a much wider array of crops to harvest from.

It is sometimes a hard part of the season as cool season crops are on the wane and the warm season ones are moving slowly without hot days and sunshine.  Betsy is out every day talking to the zinnias and gloriosa daisies, which have been tempting her for a week with some color but refuse to open more than a few a day.  She refers to this kind of harvesting as milking a chicken, hard to get much with so much effort.

Fortunately it was warm and dry enough Monday to get some cultivation done including the tractor cultivation of the winter squash.  Years ago we bought a special implement for behind the tractor to hopefully speed up our weeding chores.  Known as a tine weeder it has springy steel rods or fingers spaced every two inches or so that rake down the beds behind the tractor pulling the small weeds out and breaking up any soil crust.

The problem is that we usually have all the irrigation in place and so we can’t use it without removing all the water lines, it ends up being faster to just do it by hand.  The winter squash are generally the one exception and it does a great job if we can get to it when the soil is the right moisture level.  Monday it was perfect.  We will probably go over it one more time in a week and then they will be good for the rest of the season.

Pictures of the Week

Freshly cultivated winter squash

BLT’s anyone?  Tomatoes on the way

What’s going to be at the market?

The flower department is full speed ahead.  The great Campanula (Canterbury Bells).  Larkspur, the annual delphinium.  Regular blue Delphinium.  Dianthus in dayglo colors.  Sunflowers.  Yellow and blue Statice good fresh or to dry.  Of course lovely mixed bouquets.

Blueberries!!  Lots of great Fennel.  Nice heat tolerant lettuces- Red and Green Summer Crisp, Little Gem for Saturday if it grows enough, and a bit of Oakleaf too.  Escarole for soups and salads.  The Radicchios are back, round red and the tall green Sugarloaf, great for grilling.  Some more Romanesco Cauliflower.

Still beautiful Lacinato Kale.  A bit of Jennie’s Stir Fry Mix of 4 Asian greens.  Basil, Cilantro, Dill and Italian Parsley.  A few Cucumbers.  In the roots department Red Radishes and lots of Beets in all three colors, Red, Gold and the striped Chioggia.  Fresh Long Red of Tropea (Torpedo) Onions, also great for grilling.

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, Betsy and Jennie

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