What’s been going on!

The monsoon rains have given us a few days of reprieve but it looks like a return is slated for the end of the weekend.  Late newsletter this week as I was in Louisiana most of the week training new and beginning farmers.  I would have to say it is more humid here today than it was any day this week down there.

A pretty exhausting two days there as I presented/talked for ten hours and then many more hours of answering questions and general farming discussion, fortunately I did not lose my voice.  This is the third time that LSU has brought me down over the past ten years to help them build their nascent sustainable/organic farm enterprises.  The first time there were maybe 15 attendees, then three years ago probably 60 and then this time around 90 both farmers and extension agents.

The trainings consist of one day of how to start an organic farm and all of the parts that one needs to consider- organic farming 101.  Then the second day the participants chose from a list of topics that I talked about the first day for an in depth dive into them.  Those talks are one to one and a half hours long so I can only do 3 or 4 the second day.  The group has the full range of experience from just gardeners to seasoned growers and extension agents so it becomes a little bit of stump the band but it felt like everyone came out of the room with some valuable information.

We forget sometimes how fortunate we are here in North Carolina with so many good sustainable farming operations and all the support and supply options we have developed over the years.

Picture of the Week

Peppers looking really good, nearing the top of their trellises.

What’s going to be at the market?

Our Tomatoes slowed down a lot this week.  In slicing tomatoes there are red Big Beefs, Cherokee Purples, a few yellow Kellogg’s, Cherokee Greens and pink sweet German Johnsons. In the Cherry sizes there are a few Sun Golds and red Sweet 100’s and the variegated Blush.  Juliets, Romas and Oxhearts in the sauce types.

Just a bit of Summer Crisp head lettuce.  Our favorite summer green- Callaloo, the green amaranth that we call Jamaican Spinach and is a quick saute. Our sweet Red Onions, great in every dish.  Cured Torpedo onion, use them like Shallots.  Fairy Tale Eggplants and a few Italian Heirloom Eggplants too.  The first Spaghetti Squash of the season.

Peppers coming along with Shishito peppers for appetizers and a few Padrons too. Sweet Cubanelle and Pimiento, small Corno di Toros and Jimmy Nardelo frying peppers.  A small amount of Jalapenos and Serranos.  The first Anaheims and Poblanos, you will have to roast your own!

More of the huge Limelight Hydrangeas. The flood of the crazy felt like Crested Celosias continues to go with the gem stone colored Plume Celosia and Zinnias.

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

If you know folks who you think would be interested in news of the farm then please feel free to forward this to them and encourage them to sign up at the website.