This last weekend, I found 3 ripe eggplant OUTSIDE. This never happens in Leavenworth in mid-June. All of these eggplant were from a new Asian variety that we are trialing this summer. It seems to be a good one and is well ahead of the Italian varieties we have been growing (and continue to grow). We also pulled 2 cucumbers out of the glass house with more coming. It is difficult to say when there will be enough for all the boxes but at least they are starting to make an appearance. There are tomatoes on the vine as big as my fist and the cherry tomatoes outside are starting to be covered in hundreds of little green globes. As long as we continue to have favorable evening temperatures, it looks like we could have an early start to some of summer's favorite crops.
It looks like we get to add another member to our farming A-Team. Our friend Malerie has left her position at Cloudview Ecofarm and will be starting up at Tierra sometime over the next week or so. This is incredibly good news and adds one more amazing young farmer to our arsenal of outstanding help. Willy is toying with the idea of opening up even more ground since the farm crew seems to be having no problem staying on the weeding in all of our traditional gardens as well as the new beds that were added this season.
We have added a new helper on the animal front as well....there is a weasel that has made its home inside the high tunnel. Apparently, it must have moved in over the winter and made a little den for itself underneath the strawberry bed. It seems to be very friendly and social and its presence explains the lack of predation our strawberries have experienced this spring....I think our new weasel friend has been gobbling up all of the voles, mice and gophers (and maybe birds) that have come to nibble on the berries. For the time being, no harm is coming from having this little guy around so we are letting it be. Even Comet, our dog, doesn't seem to mind. We are still thinking of a good name for the Weasel and are toying with the name 'Despareaux'.
There have also been some challenges over the last couple of months. Several plantings came in 'spotty' due to the flux in weather a few weeks ago...primarily the squash and zucchini. These beds have all been re-sown and by mid-summer the new babies should catch up to their older counterparts. I don't anticipate you as CSA members will notice this delay much since we tend to put items into the boxes before we commit to market each week. It will be our market stands that will feel a little bit of a pinch but will re-bound as the new plantings begin to mature.
I am also concerned about the stretch of VERY hot weather that is coming our way. That kind of weather can be a curse when growing produce. The plants can get pushed too hard and it can cause problems with fruit set and rapid growth. Fortunately, at this point, Willy has many years of farming experience under his belt and I am sure we will be able to mitigate our way through this heat spell like we have done in the past.
Have a great week!
In Your Share This Week: Looks like there will be Kale, Collards, Turnips, Peas, Garlic Scapes, Beets, Cilantro, Head Lettuce and a couple other surprises.
Ellie Holm Collecting Garlic Scapes
Glazed Turnips- http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/glazed-turnips-104647
Kickin' Collards Recipe-/http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kickin-collard-greens/
More on Garlic Scapes-http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/garlic-scapes.aspx?PageId=2#ArticleContent
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