This week’s harvest: lettuce, parsley, tomatoes, basil, chard, kale, red onions, beets, garlic, kohlrabi, u-pick herbs (dill, fennel, purple and thai basil) if you want some on the way to the… u-pick strawberries.

Yes, it’s true. We have enough tomatoes to give a couple to everyone! It’s exciting to have such abundance this early in the year. Our daily diligence early in the season – pulling on and off the two inner layers every morning and night – is finally paying off! It seems like the season isn’t truly in gear until the tomatoes are on the dinner plate every night. We hope it adds flavor and color to all of the greens we always provide. Though the amount will leave you wanting more, be assured more is on the way.

When we aren’t harvesting, the list of farm tasks continue to keep us buzzing around the farm like bees…

Many of the spring greens beds are on their last leg, so we are in the process of planting them again. One of the benefits of having more space this year is that we can give beds a much-needed rest in between sowings. First, we till under the old crop bed and let the plant’s organic matter start to decompose in the beds. This organic matter acts like a fertilizer, soil aerator, and provides food for the soil food web, all of which are critical to building soil fertility. After waiting a week or two, we till the beds again, seed, and cover them with burlap to keep the seedbed wet. Then, of course, we have to make sure the beds are wet throughout the hot days while the seeds germinate. This will all pay off later when we have greens throughout the fall. We are especially looking forward to the new spinach beds, which are starting to germinate!

We also spent this week staking beans and cucumbers, which are already finding their way up the netting. Staking gives the plants space as well as keeps them off of the hot, dirty ground. This will help keep the fruit clean and make the plants more productive. We are still several weeks away from beans or cucumbers, but the plants look healthy!

And as always, we have been weeding, weeding, and weeding.  Thanks to our work shares for continuing to help us combat them! I’m sure some of you are starting to see how you can get sucked into weeding. It’s so satisfying uncovering crops below the weeds, giving them access to the sun and space to grow. Uncovered plants look so much stronger just a couple days after they get weeded.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Thanks,

Linley, Pete, and Reid