What’s been going on!

We hope that everyone had enjoyable and filling Thanksgivings!  After two markets in four days we looked forward to taking last Saturday off, Jennie even escaped to the beach for 3 days!. Only a few markets left before Christmas and we plan to be there, with tasty produce, until the end.

Have been working this week on getting three of the little sliding tunnels moved over Betsy’s Anemones and Ranunculus for the winter.  By the end of today the job will be done but things are rarely as straight forward as they might be.  As early adopters of new techniques we built these tunnels 20 years ago before there was really any work done on moveable tunnels much less commercially available models.

There are now more elegant and easily moved styles (and much more expensive!) but ours have served us well but with rails and hoop supports made of wood there is always some maintenance required and so has been the case this week.  We are also redesigning the end walls that have to be taken off when moving day comes.  These are also built of wood and are heavy and cumbersome so with an eye toward the future we have been thinking of a lighter and faster alternative.

Back in October I built the first prototypes on one of the tunnels to see how they would perform (they have done well) so now as we get close to real cold, I am refitting the other five tunnels with the new design.  So the job of moving tunnels that would normally take a half a day has taken several days.  What is new becomes old, what is old becomes new again.

Picture of the Week

Tunnels moved over the Anemones, old walls off, new walls coming

What’s going to be at the market?

No newsletter next week as I will be out of town but be aware that the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Christmas Parade is next Saturday the 10^th and finishes at the market late morning.

Beautiful Lacinato Kale and sweet Collards but not a lot.  Bok Choy and Asian Braising mix is back.  Radicchio and Escarole.  Cilantro and Italian Parsley.  Spaghetti, Acorn, Butternut Winter Squash and Seminole Pumpkins.  A bit more Celery and Fennel.

In roots we have tender and sweet Japanese Salad Turnips.  Red and a some Watermelon and Black Spanish Radishes.  Plenty of fresh Turmeric!  Maybe some Lemon Grass too.

The peppers are running out. Red Bells; Aji Dulce the habanero without heat in sweet peppers.  Hot peppers from mildest to hottest- Passilla, Anaheim (New Mexican), Poblano.  Lots of Green Bells.

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.  Just so you know, sometimes not everything listed will be at the Wednesday market.

Hope to see you all at the market!

Alex, Betsy and Jennie

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