What’s been going on!

Wonderfully cool day yesterday and we took the opportunity to finish seeding an acre of summer cover crops of pearl millet and cowpeas.  I spent Monday getting everything mowed and getting the soil ready in various fields, the rains that came with the cold front fortunately missed us which allowed the seeding to go forward.  With good moisture in the soil they should sprout quickly and give us a good smothering stand.

The first real tomato harvest on Monday and Jennie spent a good amount of time carefully showing Lacee and Jacob exactly how we pick and sort tomatoes.  How much color is enough, how to separate the full ripe, part ripe and seconds from each other.  What to do with damaged fruit.  Which boxes to use and how to pack them to protect the tender orbs.  It is a long two months, with thousands of pounds of fruit, so it is best to get everyone on the same page from the beginning.

The sweet red onion harvest is happening today and tomorrow.  A bit tedious pulling each one, sniping the roots off and the neck making sure to leave an inch or so to dry.  Put into ventilated crates and stacked in the shade covered greenhouse to cure but not in the direct sun so they don’t get sunburned.  Look for them at market in a few weeks.  Tomatoes, onions, cukes, basil and peppers, seems like summer is finally here.

Picture of the Week

Tomatoes coming to a plate near you!

 What’s going to be at the market?

A medium tomato supply this week with red Big Beefs, Cherokee Purples, yellow Orange Blossoms and a few Sun Golds.  Plenty of Cucumbers and Basil.

A little bit of Summer Crisp lettuce on Saturday.  The last of the Radicchio’s with the classic round red, the speckled Bel Fiore and the heavy white Sugarloaf, great for grilling.  In cooking greens we have beautiful dark Lacinato Kale (a.k.a. Dino Kale, Cavalo Nero, Black Kale).  The return of our favorite summer green- Callaloo, the green amaranth that we call Jamaican Spinach and is a quick saute.

Fresh, sweet red Long Red of Tropea onions, great for grilling, salads or cooking, kind of like shallots.  Green Onions. Carrots in orange and Purple.  Crispy Red Radishes.

Lots of Sunflowers in various colors.  Fragrant Oriental Lilies.  Big Safflower with orange tufts of blooms (Carthamus).  Bright Zinnias.  Gloriosa Daisy with the black centers and yellow petals.  Brilliant Dianthus in purple.  A few of Betsy’s famous Bouquets.

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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