2006 Farm Updates
November 20 , 2006
Dear Members,Well, here we are at the end of another season. Every year has it's own particular difficulties, but this year was a bit more challenging than most. I've been anxiously awaiting for the growing season to be over since about early August! In spite of the ups and downs of the year, I have tried to keep forging ahead and make the best of the situation. A large part of my determination to continue, against all odds, is the commitment I feel to the CSA members. I have tremendous respect for your commitment to supporting local farming, for the risk you take, and the faith you place in me. I don't like to disappoint and I know you can't nourish your families with excuses! Thank you all so much for your support and your patience. The last share will be a rather large one, which I hope you will be enjoying well into December. Keep the squash and the potatoes in a cool dry place, and use the acorn squash first, as it will not keep as well as the other types. All the root veggies will keep for many weeks in the fridge; take the tops off the radishes and the turnips, so they will stay crisp. This week's share will be: Assorted winter squash, potatoes, leeks, sweet potatoes, arugula, spinach, baby bok choy, salad mix, radishes, parsnips, turnips, broccoli or cauliflower, an herb, and apples.
Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!
Farmer JohnNovember 11 , 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. Things are winding down a bit on the farm these days , but there's still a lot to be done. Wet conditions have been hampering our progress in planting garlic and shallots for next year. There's still a lot of harvesting to be done as well. I have loads of leeks, turnips, arugula, lettuces and other greens, still in the field. The share for this week will be: lettuce, potatoes, garlic, orange acorn squash, carnival squash, choice of kohlrabi or cabbage, radishes, choice of carrots or white salad turnips( use in salads like radishes or lightly steamed), apples (NY- eco grown), and choice of 2 greens (arugula, kale, swiss chard, or mustard greens)
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnOctober 30, 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. With most of the major harvesting done, we are primarily working on clean-up this week. Taking down trellis and pulling up plastic mulch and drip tape. We are also planting garlic and shallots for next year's crop. The bulbs will begin to put out roots now, and then in the spring, as soon as the ground thaws, it will sprout and begin growing. I am also preparing to plant cover crops in some of the fields. This is done to prevent erosion and to add organic matter to improve soil tilth and fertility. The share for this week will be: Lettuce, buttercup squash, potatoes, garlic, leeks, choice of radishes , beets, or carrots; choice of arugula, swiss chard or kale and choice of an herb.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnOctober 23, 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. Well, the days are getting shorter, the nights colder, the leaves are falling, and another season is drawing to a close. When I think back on this season, many "D" words come to mind- difficult, disappointing, discouraging, and downright depressing at times. Yet I am determined to forge ahead, to learn from this year's pitfalls and mistakes, to devise new ways to outsmart the animals and to produce quality crops in spite of the vagaries of the weather. Many of you have expressed to me your satisfaction with this year's shares, and I appreciate your encouragement, but I know I can do better. I believe I have improved as a farmer with each passing year and I plan to continue reevaluating and refining how I conduct my business. I already have a fairly good idea which crops I need to produce more abundantly, but I welcome input from the members as to what crops they'd like to see more of. My e-mail is kruegerjohn@earthlink.net, if you would like to weigh-in. I am looking forward to some much needed down-time, but soon it will be time to start planning and ordering seeds for 2007. Thank you all so much for your participation and support. I never could have gotten started in farming without the CSA program and it's what gives me the determination to continue. I wish you all a healthy and safe winter season and Happy Holidays! This week's share will be: Lettuce, potatoes, Carnival squash (similar to acorn), red onions, cabbage, sweet potatoes, choice of beets, carrots, or radishes, and choice of herb.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnOctober 16, 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. I'm thinking of adding a regular feature to my updates, called "What the critters ate"! This week it was the deer again, this time in the lettuce field. They mowed down about 50 or 60 plants. Fortunately there are about 1500 left, and today we worked on improving the fencing. The funny thing is that there have been 2 bow hunters coming frequently for the last several weeks, and they say they have yet to see a deer! I chased deer away from my fields 3 times this past weekend alone. The other bit of misfortune this week was the frost. It came one night earlier than expected, and the temps dropped lower each night through the weekend. The leaves of many extremely hardy plants were burned, things like turnips, cabbage, broccoli, and mustard greens, which can normally endure very cold nights. I've never seen anything like this in October before, it's more typical of mid-November. Most of these plants will recover, but they will be slowed down, and there will be damaged leaves to be removed during harvesting. We finally finished digging the potatoes in the main potato field and so I now have sufficient quantities of some of the more exotic spuds to put in this week's share. Fingerling potatoes are small slender tubers with a very waxy texture. I recommend parboiling them, slicing them in half lengthwise, coating them in oil and herbs and lightly roasting them. This seems to preserve their fine texture better than simply roasting. Don't even think about peeling them! The other sweet treat for this week is parsnips, which I like to prepare in a similar manner. Many are quite small, due to frequent grazing by both the deer and ground hogs, and so I also recommend against peeling them. The share for this week will be: Lettuce, peppers, parsnips, Spaghetti squash, Fingerling potatoes, All Blue potatoes, garlic, cauliflower, and choice of herb- cilantro, parsley or dill.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnOctober 9, 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. Well the weather continues to be beautiful, so I guess I'll have to think of something else to complain about...ha ha. Actually the bad news for this week is that the deer (the damn deer, that is) broke into one of my fields, destroyed the swiss chard and did considerable damage to the beets. There won't be any more chard this month, and if you get beets without tops you'll know why. It looks like we will get our first frost this Friday night-last week for basil and peppers. The sweet potatoes are looking good-decent size and not too much rodent damage or rot. Sweet potatoes need to be cured for several weeks at 90 degrees in order to store well. Since I do not have the facility, and hence the ability to do this, I recommend that that you eat them soon. Definitely don't try to save them for Thanksgiving! The share for this week will be: Sweet potatoes, lettuce, peppers, leeks, white acorn squash, celeriac (celery root) choice of carrots, beets or radishes, red skinned potatoes, broccoli, and choice of an herb: cilantro, dill, parsley or basil.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnOctober 2, 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. Well, we almost had our first frost this past Friday, but were spared for another week or two. Actually, many of the crops that would be killed by a frost, have already been finished off by animal damage, or disease due to this season's wet conditions. The Rattlesnake beans and edamame soybeans are examples of the former, and tomatoes and eggplant of the latter. Peppers and basil are still producing and are sensitive to frost, but most everything else in the fields is quite hardy. We will begin digging the sweet potatoes this week, so these should be in next week's share. This week's share will be: tomatoes, peppers, white potatoes, garlic, butternut squash, choice of ground cherries or cherry tomatoes, choice of herb, Boston lettuce, sweet corn, and choice of swiss chard or kale.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnSeptember 26, 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. Well the weather continues to be cooperative. We didn't receive much rain from this past weekend's front. I would have liked a little to help germinate recently planted seeds, but there is adequate moisture in the soil. The week ahead looks dry which will facilitate digging potatoes, since the potato digging machine does not work well when the ground is too wet. This week you will be getting a potato variety called Rote Erstling, that I had mentioned early in the season, when we were planting them. They are a smallish variety with a bright red skin and a yellow interior that has a very creamy texture. I think you will like them! You will also be getting celery, which I realize does not look much like the store bought celery to which folks are accustomed. The leaf and outside stalk add great flavor and nutrition to soup, while the inner blanched stalks can be used in salads. You will also be getting Delicata winter squash. Don't panic if you haven't yet used the squash from previous shares. Winter squash keeps very well and does not require refrigeration-just keep it a cool dry place. They can be steamed or baked, I prefer the latter. Cut in half, scoop out the seeds and place face down on a baking dish and into a 375 degree oven. I like to put a small amount of water in the pan to steam it at the beginning- it cooks faster this way. Check for softness with a fork in 30 to 40 minutes. Turn over and add a pat of butter and some honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar. Delicious! This week's share will be: Red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, white onions, choice of beets or carrots, celery, Delicata squash, ground cherries or cherry tomatoes, and choice of an herb: cilantro, dill, parsley, or basil.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnSeptember 17, 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. This past week on the farm we transplanted about 1500 lettuce plants. It is a bit late, but hopefully they will be ready for the last couple of deliveries. I have also seeded radishes, turnips, arugula, broccoli raab, bok choi, lettuce for salad mix, spinach, beets, swiss chard, and various mustard greens. We also transplanted kohlrabi, which was started by the volunteers at the work party in August. Many thanks to Michele, Meg, Claudia, Karen, and Richard and Janey for coming out to help that day. We also dug about a 1000 lbs. of potatoes, including the Red Pontiac variety you received in last week's share. They are good storage potatoes, so we will be trying to harvest other varieties for this week's share and save these for future deliveries. We will also be starting to harvest the winter squash, which looks very good. I believe there will be a good supply of many different varieties- butternut, delicata, spaghetti, buttercup and acorn, as well as pumpkins and ornamental gourds. Expect a different variety in the share each week for the rest of the season. This week's share will be: lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, peppers, arugula or broccoli raab, ground cherries or cherry tomatoes, choice of an herb and sweet dumpling squash.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnSeptember 12, 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. Well there's not much to complain about with regards to the weather this week, except for a few cold nights ahead, that won't make the peppers very happy. Which leaves me with my next biggest challenge to gripe about- the critters. The deer have done substantial damage to the beans, parsnips and the parsley. We have been trying to improve the fencing, but they continue to find ways to get into the fields. Once inside they don't seem to remember how to get out, and when they get spooked, crash into the plastic netting. Several times a week we spend a couple of hours repairing the fence. And then there's the ground hogs and the insects....but I think I'll save those for another week. The share for this week will be: tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, leeks, acorn squash, beets or carrots, basil or parsley, ground cherries or cherry tomatoes, and sweet corn.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnSeptember 5 , 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. I expected to be writing about the flood this week, but we got lucky with Ernesto, receiving only about 2" of rain. We actually had more rain from last weeks storm, about 4". The rain was a steady light rain, and there were no high winds, so other than a few plants knocked over there was no major damage done. The main effect of the return of prolonged wet conditions has been to accelerate the demise of the already diseased tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. The best news is that the ground is not too wet to work, so I expect to be able to seed many of the fall crops I have mentioned in past updates. The share this week will be: tomatoes, potatoes shallots, Rattlesnake beans, swiss chard, rainbow carrots, ground cherries or cherry tomatoes, basil or parsley and melons (for Bloomfield-Montclair and Downtown Harvest- who did not get melons last week).
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnAugust 26, 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. While writing last week's farm update, praising the fine weather, I chose to ignore the negative side of the coin- the fact that there had been no substantial rain for almost 3 weeks. The ground was very dry and there was no rain forecast for the next 10 days. I was very worried about the transplants I needed to put in and how I was going to get seeds to germinate in dust. Fortunately, the forecasters have once again proved their inability to predict the weather more than 24 hours in advance, and we have gotten some much needed rain. On Thursday we transplanted broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Because of the dry soil, we hand watered each of about 3,000 plants to insure their survival. Now, with this rain I am in good shape to begin sowing seeds for the many crops which grow well in the cooler weather ahead. We began harvesting the first of the melons this past week. There are many medium sized melons in the field which should start maturing in the next 2 weeks. The share for this week will be: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, rattlesnake beans, summer squash, red cabbage or kale, garlic, sweet corn, basil, ground cherries or cherry tomatoes and possibly melons.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnAugust 21, 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. We have been enjoying the stretch of nice weather for the last 2 weeks, as I am sure you have as well. Moderate temperatures and drier conditions have allowed us to catch-up on many of the tasks we have fallen behind on. The plants also benefit, because photosynthesis shuts down above 90 degrees and many plants will not set fruit above a certain temperature. The dryness helps plants to recover from some of the disease problems that have plagued them through most of this season. This week we will be transplanting lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower plants. I will also be continuing to plant seed for various other fall crops. We have begun harvesting one of our more unusual crops, the Ground Cherry or Cape Gooseberry. This small fruit is a relative of the tomato, closely related to the tomatillo, with the same paper husk. The fruit falls to the ground when ripe, hence the name. Squeeze them from the stem end to push the fruit out of the husk, and eat them out of hand or add to salads. They are very sweet and have a unique nutty and tropical fruit flavor. The share for this week will be: Escarole or Swiss Chard, Daikon radish, Eggplant, Tomatoes, Summer squash or Cucumbers, Yellow onions, Ground Cherries or Sungold cherry tomatoes, Rattlesnake beans, Basil and possibly Sweet corn (conventional-non organic).
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnAugust 15, 2006 - VERY SORRY PICK-UP WAS CANCELLED!!!
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. These days most of our time on the farm is spent harvesting. The tomatoes are coming in heavy and beans are very time consuming to pick. We are also digging carrots from a planting of multicolored varieties, that we bunch together and call rainbow carrots. There are yellow, orange and a purple skinned variety called Purple Haze. What little time is left is spent trying to get the weeds under control, mowing and weedwacking in between the beds and trellising tomatoes. I am spending a lot of time spraying to control several insect pests and fungal diseases. Today I sprayed the melons and watermelons. They are growing quite nicely and with a little luck there should be melons in the shares in about 2 weeks. The bush beans have stopped producing, at least for now, and the Rattlesnake beans are just beginning to flower, so probably no beans until next week. The peppers have recovered from their malaise but are just beginning to flower, so it will be another week or 2 for peppers. I do have lots of jalapenos, so there will be some as an extra for those who like it hot! The share for this week will be: Lettuce or salad mix, cabbage, rainbow carrots, tomatoes (lots!), eggplant, summer squash or cucumbers, basil, garlic, and Caribe- purple skinned potatoes.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnAugust 8, 2006
Dear Members,Hi everyone. Well, we survived last week's scorching heat wave, although my workers opted to go home at noontime on Tuesday and Wednesday, putting us even further behind. Hopefully the worst is behind us for this season! We harvested about 600 lbs. of potatoes on Friday, the last of the Yukon golds and a variety called Red gold. Yields are mediocre but the quality looks good. This will be enough for share distributions and markets for the next 2 weeks, so we will be able to concentrate on other pressing tasks for a while. Tomatoes have begun ripening, so there should be enough to put some in this week's share. We finished putting up the trellis for my favorite bean-Rattlesnake pole bean, and the plants are beginning to climb and pull themselves out of the weeds. The Rattlesnake bean is an heirloom variety, also known as the Preacher bean in the south (in case the first name scares you!) It is a flat type with purple streaking and is very sweet and tender. This week you will likely see another heirloom bean- Dragon Langerie (another scary name!), a flat wax bean also with purple streaking. The share for this week will be: lettuce, potatoes, beets, white onions, beans, summer squash, celery, tomatoes and eggplant, and choice of an herb.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnJuly 31, 2006
Dear Members,Hi everyone, I apologize for missing the farm update last week. I was having a problem with my browser and could not access my e-mail site. The problem has been resolved, so I hope to be able to send updates for the rest of the season without interruption! This past week on the farm was spent trying to get the weeds under control and putting up trellis for the tomatoes. After a long spell of wet weather, during which it was impossible to cultivate with a tractor, the weeds have gotten too large to remove mechanically, and must be pulled by hand. I have also been busy plowing and preparing ground for planting fall crops such as spinach, broccoli, turnips, and lettuces. The winter squash, in spite of being planted quite late, is growing beautifully and I am optimistic for a good harvest. I enjoyed the first 3 small tomatoes of the season this past week, but since then I haven't encountered any more ripe ones. It will most likely be 2 more weeks before tomatoes are in the share. Sorry! Eggplant should be ready next week. This week's share will be: lettuce, red potatoes, carrots, arugula or mustard greens, string beans, summer squash, and choice of an herb: basil, dill, or cilantro.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnJuly 18, 2006
Dear Members,Hi Everyone. Sorry this is so late. This is my second attempt to send it. This past week on the farm we harvested the garlic and hung it up to dry. Looks like a good crop-lots of decent size bulbs and outer skins in good condition, so it will store well. Expect 2 heads every 2-3 weeks for the rest of the season. The onions, unfortunately are a different story. Due to all the wet weather they have begun to rot. We have harvested all of them and are drying them in the high tunnel (greenhouse) in hopes of saving as many as possible, but I expect to lose at least half the crop. In this week's share will be an heirloom onion called Ailsa Craig, it is a sweet onion, large and mild, but it does not keep well under normal circumstances. These have already begun to spoil, so use them quickly, and if the outer layer is soft peel it off- there's good onion inside. The eggplant is growing well and flowering profusely, so we should begin harvesting in 2 weeks. The peppers have been stricken with a fungal disease (damn rain!), which I am combating with several different organic remedies. They are starting to look better, but at very least the pepper harvest will be delayed another 3-4 weeks. Tomatoes should start in about 3 weeks. The beans are flowering and look good, except for some Japanese beetle damage. There should be beans next week. This week's share will be: lettuce, cabbage (round heads this time!), zucchini (green and yellow), radicchio (green trevisio type-shaped like romaine lettuce), beets, basil, and red skinned potatoes.
Enjoy!
Farmer John
July 10, 2006
Dear Members,Hi everyone. This past week on the farm I finally finished planting the pumpkins and winter squash. These went in at least 2 weeks after I would have liked, so I am hoping for lots of sunny weather and a mild Fall, so they will have time to mature. I also planted edamame soybeans, which I hope will be ready in late September. We transplanted melons and cukes, which if all goes well will begin producing in early Sept. We began putting up trellis for the tomatoes and will continue this project for the next several weeks, as time permits, and as the water recedes from in between the beds! The peas have stopped producing, but the beans are beginning to flower, so I hope to have beans to deliver for next weeks pickup. In this week's share there will be: lettuce, spring onions, fresh garlic, choice of beets or white salad turnips, choice of kale or turnip greens, and summer squash.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnJuly 2, 2006
Dear Members,Hi everyone. Well, the news from the farm this week is the flood! Nearly 7" of rain has put parts of several fields underwater and created very muddy conditions elsewhere. Last week was spent trying to catch up with the weed control and putting up fencing for the deer, who have discovered my second lettuce planting and begun grazing the beans. I have prepared the ground for the pumpkins and winter squash. This week I will be planting these as well as edamame soybeans. We began harvesting the fava beans, but the yields are very low. I will not have enough to give every member a reasonable amount, so they will be offered as a choice with peas. The rest of the share for this week will be: lettuce, cabbage, daikon radish (good grated into salads), spring onions, choice of red turnips or white salad turnips, choice of escarole or frissee, and choice of kale or turnip green. The summer squash is growing very nicely and I expect to begin delivering zucchini next week.
That's all for now,
Farmer JohnJune 26 , 2006
Dear Members,Hi everyone. I apologize that this is going out late, I am having problems accessing my e-mail. This past week on the farm we transplanted fennel, sweet potatoes, and the third round of lettuce. From seed I planted radishes beets, chard, lettuce, mustard greens and rattlesnake pole beans. I transported my large tractor to Good Hand Farm, where the owner is allowing me to use 2-3 acres of his deer fenced fields to plant my winter squash, pumpkins, edamame soy beans, and lima beans. The fields have now been plowed and as soon as the weather allows I will shape raised beds, rototill, and begin planting. It is getting very late for planting all of these because they require 3 months or more to mature, which brings us to early October, when we often have the first frost. This week we will be transplanting melons and cukes. The 2nd planting of lettuce is growing well but the deer have discovered it-I chased out 3 on Saturday as I returned from market. We will be working on improving the fencing in this field, and several others this week. We will also be trying to catch up on weed control, which has been very difficult due to the wet conditions. This week's share will be: broccoli ,peas, kohlrabi, 2 heads of lettuce, choice of endive (frissee) or escarole, choice of radishes or hakurei salad turnips, and garlic scapes. The salad turnips are sweet and mild, can be cooked or sliced thin like radishes for salads. they also have delicious tops that can be chopped to add to salad or steamed/sautéed. I have some of the most beautiful lettuce I have ever grown. Of course it is all ready at the same time and I fear losing it to bolting or rot due to the excessive rain. We began harvesting much of it on Friday, because it will hold better in the cooler than in the field. Expect to choose from red butterhead, bronze oakleaf, red and green romaine or deep red loose leaf, called Outredgeous.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnJune 19 , 2006
Dear Members,This past week on the farm we transplanted ground cherries, tomatoes and basil. On the way down to the field to plant tomatoes, the tractor hit a pothole and the tank on the transplanter cracked open, spilling 100 gallons of water. We were forced to plant the tomatoes by hand. Fortunately, I had another tank of similar proportions, that I had picked up at an auction (with another use in mind) and we were able to install it. I use this waterwheel transplanter to plant into plastic covered beds as well as on bare ground for lettuce, especially in dry conditions. We are now ready to finish planting the tomatoes, the third planting of lettuce and sweet potatoes (this week) and cantaloupes and watermelons next week. This week I will be planting pole beans, cukes, edamame soy beans, a second planting of beets and chard, pumpkins and winter squash. In this week's share expect: lettuce, arugula, peas, scallions, either broccoli or kohlrabi, and choice of herb-sage or oregano.
Enjoy!
Farmer JohnJune 7 , 2006
Dear Members,These past 3 weeks of successive and somewhat excessive rains have put me well behind on my planting. Fortunately, we did not get the 3" predicted for late last week ,only a little over an inch. Last week we finished planting the celery and celeriac. I took advantage of an unexpected dry spell on Friday to transplant the eggplants, although it did rain on us for the last 45minutes or so as we were finishing up. On Saturday, we put in tomato plants in the high tunnel where it was not too muddy to work. I have plastic covered beds ready for more tomatoes but as of today they still have puddles in the ditches between the beds. Tomorrow, I will lay more plastic and we should be able to get a lot of tomatoes in. I also expect to plant the peppers if not tomorrow, by Wednesday. Last week before the rain I was able to seed summer squash and beans about 2 weeks after I normally like to plant them. In the greenhouse, I am planting melons and cukes to transplant out in about 3 weeks. The other problem that results from too wet conditions is weeds. I have been unable to cultivate crops in a timely manner and so weeds that could have been killed - when still small - by tractor or hoe. Now they've become a hand weeding nightmare. We began cultivating the potatoes today, even though the ground is so muddy that many of the weeds uprooted will still survive. I am also under a great deal of pressure from the wildlife- deer are browsing the beet tops and chard. Ground hogs and rabbits have destroyed 75% of my cauliflower crop, but they left the tatsoi and bok choy that was interplanted with it. We are working on fencing but it is difficult to close off fields when I am still planting in them or need to cultivate with a tractor. The good news is that not too much rain is forecast for this week and I expect to be able to catch up on my seeding and get a lot of transplant in. The peas and fava beans are flowering and the broccoli ,cabbages, and lettuces are growing nicely. Well, that's about it for the good the bad and the ugly this week..... see you all soon.
Take care,
JohnMay 23 , 2006
Dear Members,This past week we got some much needed rain. True to form, a little too much rain and the fields have been too wet to get into with a tractor, and I am now a bit behind on planting. We have been working in the greenhouse transplanting tomatoes, etc., working on fences and on finishing the high tunnel greenhouse. This week I will be planting radishes, dandelion, beans, spinach and summer squash from seed. We will also begin transplanting celery, eggplant and early tomatoes out into the field, after last night's frost, which should be the last for this spring. We also have a few hundred pounds of potatoes to finish planting. In the greenhouse, I will be planting cukes and melons, which will be transplanted out into the field in abut 3 weeks. The potatoes are beginning to come up and need to be cultivated, as do the peas, broccoli, lettuce and just about everything! Many thanks to those who came out to help cover the high tunnel. As you can imagine we never could have done it without the extra hands!
Take care,
JohnMay 11 , 2006
Dear Members,This past week we have been busy planting potatoes. We have planted about 1400 #s so far, with about 300#s more to go! This represents about 20 different varieties, from the well known Yukon Gold to all red and all blue varieties. I plant a lot of European varieties renowned for their flavor and texture, with names like Bintje, Carola, Nicola, and my favorite, Rote Erstling (favorite name - I haven't tried them yet, but they are a beautiful red skinned potato with the deepest yellow flesh I've ever seen). I also planted 4 varieties of fingerling potatoes. I expect to begin harvesting the early varieties in early July. I will always try to tell you the name of the variety when I deliver and I would be interested in feedback from folks about their favorites. We are still in the process of transplanting leeks. This past week we ran a waterline to the field with the onions and they are beginning to perk up and grow well. I have planted turnips, radishes, arugula, broccoli raab, mustard greens, dill, cilantro, and carrots in the field, and today I hope to plant beets and chard. In the greenhouse, we are transplanting peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant from plug flats to larger cell size flats. I found someone to help in the greenhouse, part-time- a big help. Next week I will begin planting beans and squash in the field and cukes and melons in the green house. That's all for now.
Take care,
JohnApril 26, 2006
Dear Members,We got some much needed rain this weekend, about 2". It has been a very dry spring, and I am expecting a dry summer. I have made numerous changes to my planting locations based on my ability to irrigate certain fields. the earliest pea plantings have begun coming up, and I finished planting more just before the rain. This week we are planting onions, leeks, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, bok choy and lettuce from plants out in the field. I will also be planting parsnips, carrots, chard and beets, from seed, in the field. I have received my potato seed order and hope to begin planting these by Saturday. I had a bit of a scare last week when the hydraulic system on one of my tractors stopped functioning. After a day and a half of struggling with it, I was able to get it repaired. That's all for now.
Thanks,
JohnApril 11, 2006
Dear Members,
Last week we planted 1200ft of fava beans in the field. These will be ready in late June. This week, I will be planting peas, parsnips and perhaps potatoes. Actually, the seed potatoes are being shipped from Maine this week, so I won't start planting them until at least next week - I just couldn't resist the alliteration. Also, we will begin planting onions at the end of the week or early next. In the green house last week I planted peppers and eggplant which are beginning to sprout. This week, I will be planting more tomatoes, ground cherries, tomatillos, basil, fennel, more broccoli and cauliflower. The cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, and cauliflower that was planted in early March is now almost ready to be transplanted out - within 10 days. I have already used up the first tank of propane for heating the greenhouse at night, and had to order a refill - at $425!! I have been working in the fields with a newly purchased tool called a subsoiler. It is basically 2 large steel shanks or teeth that rip the soil down to a depth of almost 2 feet. This breaks up the hardpan and allows better drainage. I have several fields or parts of fields which are prone to flooding and I am hoping this will mitigate the problem. Also, in the next 2 weeks I'll be spreading rock minerals and compost on the fields to improve the fertility and tilth of the soil.Thanks,
JohnMarch 26, 2006
Dear Members,I am continuing planting in the greenhouse. This week, I will be planting peppers and eggplant as well as more tomatoes. I also need to replant lettuce, escarole and broccoli to replace some flats that did not germinate well. We have been working on cleanup in the fields - removing plastic mulch trellis and posts from last years crops. I have been working on my big tractor - it wasn't starting last week, due to several electrical problems. I have it running now and I need to make a repair on the exhaust system, part of which has rusted out and spews smoke in my face. I priced a new muffler (all one piece w/ the elbow that is leaking) for $500!!! I am working on fabricating something to replace the rusted elbow from auto exhaust parts. The tractor should be ready by Tuesday. And, I will begin plowing many of my fields. The soil moisture is right and I need to seize the opportunity in case we get heavy rain. When the ground is too wet it can't be worked. I will begin planting fava beans and peas by the end of the week. I have also been hauling compost from a local farm in my dump truck. I will begin spreading it on the fields this week. Well, that's all for now.
Thanks,
JohnMarch 15th, 2006
Dear Members,
I have ordered and received most of the seeds that I will need for the season. I still need to place several small orders with different seed companies that carry organic seed. As you may know I am required to buy organic seed when it is available for the varieties I want. Unfortunately at this time organic seed is often 3-4 times more expensive than conventional. I am still shopping around to find the best deal on a few items. I have also ordered my potato seed stock, which will be shipped in early April, when it warms enough that it will not freeze in transit. I begin planting potatoes in mid April. At the moment I am busy planting in the greenhouse. Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower were planted last week and are coming up now. This week I have planted lettuce, celery, celeriac (celery root) and tomatoes. In the next few days I will be planting: kohlrabi, kale, escarole, endive (frisee), scallions, parsley, radicchio, bok choy and tatsoi (which is a mild oriental mustard green). I plant on heat mats that speed the germination of the seed - especially important for crops like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. I have a limited amount of space on the mats, so as things begin to come up I move them off to start others. So far I have only started the early varieties of tomatoes. I will be planting many more in the next few weeks as well as peppers, eggplant ground cherries, (a small sweet fruit in the tomato family, similar to tomatillos). Also to be planted indoors in the next few weeks are: herbs such as sweet marjoram, summer savory, and basil, fennel and a second round of cauliflower and broccoli. Rich Sisti (from Catalpa Farms - another Organic grower) has started onion and leek plants for me, which will be ready in about 3-4 weeks. Most of my work now is in the greenhouse. I will begin planting in the field in 2-3 weeks depending on the weather. At the moment, the ground is not overly wet as it usually is from snow melt. Hopefully, it will start to warm up soon and not rain too much as it often does in the spring. In order to prepare ground for planting (plow, shape beds, and Rototill) the soil cannot be too saturated. I will be waiting for a window of opportunity to begin plowing fields for early crops in the next 2 weeks. The first seeds to be planted are fava beans, followed by peas, parsnips and carrots. As far as other work to be done, I will be working on equipment maintenance and repairs, improving and adding to my fencing (damn deer!) and finishing and covering my high tunnel greenhouse. One of my workers from last year has retuned and is working 3 days a week for now. He is cleaning up in the fields-removing old plastic mulch and trellising as well as sections of fencing on 2 sides of some of the fields. In other news- the garlic that was planted last fall is coming up very nicely and beginning to grow.
Thanks,
John
