What’s been going on!

Ugh!  100 degrees.  It could have slipped up gradually but instead it had to go straight up from the low 80’s to near the century mark.  It is all about early mornings, shade and lots of water, both for the plants and the farmers.

At least the hot and dry waited until most of the spring crops were finished.  It reduces both the amount of water we need to irrigate with and the amount of time it takes to get the whole place watered.  We can only irrigate a half an acre at a time due to the distance we have to pump water and the size of our pump.  Right now it takes us nine hours to water everything, every other day.  If it had hit a month earlier it would have taken 12 hours or more.  We try to irrigate as early in the day as we can so the water will be more effective except for the remaining greens which we water last so that the evaporative cooling effect is the greatest in the heat of the day.

Even with very efficient drip irrigation we are still pumping about 10,000 gallons of water every other day just for our acre and a half or so.  You can imagine what those farms in California have to pump for thousands of acres of crops where they get almost no rainfall!  At least we might get a little cooling and rain from the remnants of Tropical storm Bill, this weekend before it heads back towards 100 next week.  Stay cool out there!

Picture of the Week

Weeding in the peppers, chasing the shade across the field

What’s going to be at the market?

Warm season flowers here we go!  The first of what will be a fabulous Lisianthus crop.  The Gloriosa Daisies and Zinnias in bright colors.  Annabelle Hydrangeas.  The tall and stately Safflower.  Sunflowers.  Fragrant Oriental Lilies.  Yellow and blue Statice good fresh or to dry.  Of course lovely mixed bouquets.

The Tomatoes are here! starting with Big Beefs in red, Cherokee Purples and a few Orange Blossoms.  Nearing the end of the great Fennel.  Nice heat tolerant lettuces- Red and Green Summer Crisp, Little Gem and a bit of Oakleaf too.  Just about the last of the Radicchios with round red and the tall green Sugarloaf, great for grilling.

Still beautiful Lacinato Kale.  Basil, Cilantro and Italian Parsley.  More Cucumbers.  The last of the Beets in all three colors, Red, Gold and the striped Chioggia.  Carrots too.  Fresh Long Red of Tropea (Torpedo) Onions, also great for grilling.  More Baby Leeks.  Last week’s new hit crop Callaloo, Jamaican spinach, will be back on Saturday.  A cooking green for hot weather!

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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