Tag Archives: summer cover crops

Peregrine Farm News Vol. 16 #23, 8/20/19

What’s been going on! 

Well it has been a month and a half and so far it is going as we expected.  We did pick tomatoes up until almost the end of July, taking most of them to our friends at ACME restaurant for their Tomato Festival and other uses.  All of the tomato vines and other crops are now gone except for the one row of peppers that we have begun to enjoy and freeze for this winter’s consumption.  The cover crops have grown beautifully and soil tests have been taken for next year.

I have also spent most of my July mornings building the long awaited screen porch overlooking the creek.  It was really a steamy project but it went smoothly and I was picking up the tools by noon each day.  Not done yet but close, with the electric just started and then the ceiling to put up but that can wait until later in the fall after we get back from the West.

Tomorrow I fly out early for a long backpacking trip into the Wind River Range in Wyoming after which Betsy will fly in and I will pick her up for our big loop through Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.  By Thursday evening I will be at 10,000 feet enjoying the cool temperatures and magnificent views!  When we get back it will be time to turn under all the cover crops and begin the soil preparations for next year’s plantings.  Look for pictures on Instagram and a newsletter when we return.

Pictures of the Week

IMG_20190722_101341Beautiful summer cover crops and new ones just seeded

IMG_20190801_113056 The screen porch

Hope to see you all soon at the market!

Alex and Betsy

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Peregrine Farm News Vol. 15 #17, 6/13/18

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

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Tomatoes coming to a plate near you!

 What’s going to be at the market? Continue reading →

Peregrine Farm News Vol. 14 #20, 6/30/17

What’s been going on!

Busy week trying to take advantage of the amazingly cool weather, 54 degrees here on Wednesday morning!  It is the mid-summer reset with all of the spring crops mowed and turned under and summer cover crops being seeded today before the next possible rains.  New this year we will be trying out a seed drill to exactly place the seeds at the right depth and in good contact with the soil for best germination.

We used to be able to just spin the seeds out and lightly, but erratically, cover the bigger seeds and hope that a good rain would do the rest and cover them a bit more.  Increasingly we have had poor stands, especially of summer cover crops because we would not get our usual thunderstorms, instead they would not get a good start with sometimes thin plant densities which allows the weeds to get a foothold underneath them.

We have known that if we could just use a precision drill to seed them it should be much better and more consistent, problem is a good seed drill is $7000 or more.  This spring we joined a new Farmer Tool Sharing group that was still buying tools with a grant they received.  We suggested that they get a small quality seed drill and they did!  So today is the first test run for us and hopefully it will be the ticket!

Picture of the Week

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Fancy new seed drill ready to go

What’s going to be at the market? Continue reading →