Greetings, Beausol locavores:
Quick: when I say "Summer," you say...... "Tomatoes!"
While tending to the fields this week, I noticed a red globe hiding amongst the tomato vines. Upon further investigation I found more and more, A couple of weeks earlier than "normal," but about on time for the last couple of years. HU-rray!! And for those who may have responded "Cucumbers," I found a couple of those nestled in their part of the field, too! And both just in time... The summer solstice announces the changing of the seasons - from the season of brassica (kale, turnips, broccoli, cabbage) to the season of solanacae (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, potatoes) and cucurbitae (squash, melons, cukes).
We're harvesting the last of, and tilling under, spring crops and beginning to harvest, and planting more, summer crops. And we're starting seeds for fall crops already. This week we weeded and harvested and weeded and harvested and weeded... With many thanks to Holli and Katy. Busy, busy, busy.
The potatoes continue their decline. I think we will do our big harvest in two weeks, Sunday July 12. It's a later than usual, but we should have a great crop. I am hoping that we can borrow a tractor- mounted potato digger so all we will have to do is pick the spuds off the soil surface and not resort to days of shovel work. If you are interested in helping with the potato harvest let me know; I'll reserve a row for you.
The edamame have little baby pods now, so we should be getting some edible soybeans next week.
I have identified the fellow making all the racket in the woods. One of our beautiful pileated woodpeckers is the Buddy Rich wanna-be. One day this week I was positioned perfectly in the field to spot him high in the tree I suspected of being the primal instrument. He was eyeing it for the perfect place to produce the perfect timbre (pun intended) then drumming his tambour for our listening pleasure. The goldfinches are enjoying the seeds of the flowers we failed to cut. The cowbirds and doves tried to steal our buckwheat seed (for our summer cover crop while we wait impatiently for the proper time to succession plant more veggies for you).
The praying mantises are growing up, the eating must be good. The Japanese beetles are much too healthy also. As dry as it has been the last couple of weeks the mosquitoes must be finding water for breeding somewhere because they love Deb's legs... who could blame them. (For you feminists, I write this with Deb's approval.)
Our flower growing endeavors are much to the liking of many flying and fluttering creatures: hummingbirds, bees, wasps (the little good predatory kind) and butterflies all are enjoying the flowers - in different ways - as much as you are, I hope.
This week it looks like the greens are all done for the time being. We will pull all the carrots for you this week. They did not turn out as I had hoped. While they are tasty, they are not very big. Our companion planting experiment, while not a total success was educational nonetheless: We know not to do that specific arrangement again! Next year it'll be alternating beds.
So this week we will hand dig enough potatoes for everyone, divide up the carrots and throw in the last of the cabbage and broccoli. These will join a tasting of tomatoes (probably just the full shares this week) squash, garlic, onions and herbs. This week I am looking at cilantro, thyme and lemon basil for you. I made a pretty tasty (if I do say so, myself) pesto with cinnamon basil. Deb reports the lemon basil is too lemony for pesto, so pull out your recipes calling for lemon grass, lemon peel or lemon extract for substitutions.... hmmm... a lemon basil pound cake?
The flowers, if we can get them away from the birds and bugs, will be combinations of stunning ornamental millet, gladiolas, echinacea, dianthus, daisies, phlox, gooseneck loosestrife, yarrow, zinnias, gomphrena, "Frosted Explosion" grass and scabiosa.
See you soon.
Harry
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Beausol Gardens 2009 CSA newsletter #7
Greetings, Beausol locavores:
First let me make a logistical plea to those who receive your shares pre-packaged in the recycled bags: please be sure to return your bags this week. We also will very much appreciate it if you could wipe out the bags before returning them. Thank you.
The farm is transforming as the season progresses - both quickly and slowly. The wrens in the barn breezeway have fledged.... at least I assume and hope so. Today they were all gone and Friday they were in the nest, packed in tight, huddled together looking mostly like real birds instead of the weird little wobbly mostly-mouth creatures they have been. The goldfinches seem to be quite randy these days: we watched four bright males streaking around the field in hot pursuit of a single female. It makes sense that their mating season is later since they are seed eaters and need to wait for the seeds to be available to raise young. I think I cannot decide if the bluebirds, goldfinches, cardinals or red-headed woodpeckers are my favorite birds to see. I
very much enjoy the flash of bright colors of each. I cannot tell how the phoebes are doing but the parents are still returning to the nest then swooping out to hunt again. The crows are
getting a little bolder hunting the fields. I can't tell what they are hunting.... hopefully not our seedlings. Some woodpecker has found the perfect tree in the pine woods south of the fileds to rap its territorial announcement. All day it seems to be filling the whole county with drumming.
Japanese beetles are increasing in numbers and damage caused. This week I went to get the flame weeder out and the propane tank was covered in little baby praying mantises. The lightening bugs are putting on a wonderful show each evening. I seldom see honeybees in the perennial flower beds, but Deb reports there are many there competing with the bumble bees. I see the honeybees mostly working the clover around the farm, but today, when I went to check on the summer squash, it sounded like a hive in swarm mode with all the honeybees working the squash flowers.... it reminds me of when the bees were working the crimson clover earlier this spring. I think it is time (probably past time) to check the honey stocks of our hives.
And the squirrels are often complaining about something... probably our or the neighbors' cat prowling the woods.
The flowers are rioting out here!! Gladioli have burst forth. The Sweet Williams (Dianthus) are shouting for attention. Statice and zinnias are blooming. Cone flowers (Echinacea), bee balm and daisies are ecstatic. The satin flowers (Godetia) exploded and will soon be done. They are lovely delicate flowers which only bloom during a short period only a little longer than Saponaria. And they are on the top of favorite foods list of Japanese beetles.
The summer squash are starting to produce! I hope there will be enough for at least the full shares to have a taste this week. And the Sungold cherry tomatoes are starting to straggle in! Summer is nearly here. The broccoli is maturing in larger quantities and the cabbage is getting larger and firmer.
I hope you enjoyed the beets last week. There will be lots more this week. They are so sweet, even Deb conceded they were tolerable. (I loved them: both boiled and roasted.)
As perverse as it may sound, the GOOD news is the potato vines are starting to die. We will begin harvesting them when they are have finished withering... maybe in a couple of weeks. And the sweet potato slips must be putting out good roots, since they are no longer wilting In a short while the vines should start running. We planted lots of winter squashes and watermelons this past week... late, but not too late.
The companion planting experiment is yielding mixed results this far. The peas were tolerant, if not pleased, to have turnips sharing theirfoot space. We definitely had a good crop of peas, I wish there had been more. But the turnips were down right indignant about the
proposition... they never did fill out their roots, though some of the greens were reasonable size, but buggy. A rather big disappointment. The lettuces were very happy to have shared their beds with carrots, but the carrots seem nonchalant about the arranged relationship. In a couple of weeks I think we will begin eating carrots... then we will see how they responded to the crowded conditions. I fear the lettuce shaded the carrots too much, which is why the carrots are late. The beets seem delighted to be nestled in under the broccoli, and the broccoli, in turn, are ecstatic with the responsibility of sheltering the beets and growing very big strong leaves! I think this is the best companion experiment this year. I hope the broccoli heads are equally healthy. We'll find out soon.
This week we will continue our deluge of greens, minus the lettuce. It is done for a while.
The shares will contain Swiss chard, kale, garlic, onions, beets, basil, other herbs. Maybe cabbage and/or broccoli. The full shares should hopefully have a taste of summer squash and a taste of sungold tomatoes. The bouquets will have combinations of statice, Dianthus, snapdragons, ornamental grasses, zinnias, Rudbekias, Echinaceas, sunflowers, gladioli, daisies, godetia, yarrow, and probably others - things are happening so quickly.
See you all soon.
HArry and Deb
First let me make a logistical plea to those who receive your shares pre-packaged in the recycled bags: please be sure to return your bags this week. We also will very much appreciate it if you could wipe out the bags before returning them. Thank you.
The farm is transforming as the season progresses - both quickly and slowly. The wrens in the barn breezeway have fledged.... at least I assume and hope so. Today they were all gone and Friday they were in the nest, packed in tight, huddled together looking mostly like real birds instead of the weird little wobbly mostly-mouth creatures they have been. The goldfinches seem to be quite randy these days: we watched four bright males streaking around the field in hot pursuit of a single female. It makes sense that their mating season is later since they are seed eaters and need to wait for the seeds to be available to raise young. I think I cannot decide if the bluebirds, goldfinches, cardinals or red-headed woodpeckers are my favorite birds to see. I
very much enjoy the flash of bright colors of each. I cannot tell how the phoebes are doing but the parents are still returning to the nest then swooping out to hunt again. The crows are
getting a little bolder hunting the fields. I can't tell what they are hunting.... hopefully not our seedlings. Some woodpecker has found the perfect tree in the pine woods south of the fileds to rap its territorial announcement. All day it seems to be filling the whole county with drumming.
Japanese beetles are increasing in numbers and damage caused. This week I went to get the flame weeder out and the propane tank was covered in little baby praying mantises. The lightening bugs are putting on a wonderful show each evening. I seldom see honeybees in the perennial flower beds, but Deb reports there are many there competing with the bumble bees. I see the honeybees mostly working the clover around the farm, but today, when I went to check on the summer squash, it sounded like a hive in swarm mode with all the honeybees working the squash flowers.... it reminds me of when the bees were working the crimson clover earlier this spring. I think it is time (probably past time) to check the honey stocks of our hives.
And the squirrels are often complaining about something... probably our or the neighbors' cat prowling the woods.
The flowers are rioting out here!! Gladioli have burst forth. The Sweet Williams (Dianthus) are shouting for attention. Statice and zinnias are blooming. Cone flowers (Echinacea), bee balm and daisies are ecstatic. The satin flowers (Godetia) exploded and will soon be done. They are lovely delicate flowers which only bloom during a short period only a little longer than Saponaria. And they are on the top of favorite foods list of Japanese beetles.
The summer squash are starting to produce! I hope there will be enough for at least the full shares to have a taste this week. And the Sungold cherry tomatoes are starting to straggle in! Summer is nearly here. The broccoli is maturing in larger quantities and the cabbage is getting larger and firmer.
I hope you enjoyed the beets last week. There will be lots more this week. They are so sweet, even Deb conceded they were tolerable. (I loved them: both boiled and roasted.)
As perverse as it may sound, the GOOD news is the potato vines are starting to die. We will begin harvesting them when they are have finished withering... maybe in a couple of weeks. And the sweet potato slips must be putting out good roots, since they are no longer wilting In a short while the vines should start running. We planted lots of winter squashes and watermelons this past week... late, but not too late.
The companion planting experiment is yielding mixed results this far. The peas were tolerant, if not pleased, to have turnips sharing theirfoot space. We definitely had a good crop of peas, I wish there had been more. But the turnips were down right indignant about the
proposition... they never did fill out their roots, though some of the greens were reasonable size, but buggy. A rather big disappointment. The lettuces were very happy to have shared their beds with carrots, but the carrots seem nonchalant about the arranged relationship. In a couple of weeks I think we will begin eating carrots... then we will see how they responded to the crowded conditions. I fear the lettuce shaded the carrots too much, which is why the carrots are late. The beets seem delighted to be nestled in under the broccoli, and the broccoli, in turn, are ecstatic with the responsibility of sheltering the beets and growing very big strong leaves! I think this is the best companion experiment this year. I hope the broccoli heads are equally healthy. We'll find out soon.
This week we will continue our deluge of greens, minus the lettuce. It is done for a while.
The shares will contain Swiss chard, kale, garlic, onions, beets, basil, other herbs. Maybe cabbage and/or broccoli. The full shares should hopefully have a taste of summer squash and a taste of sungold tomatoes. The bouquets will have combinations of statice, Dianthus, snapdragons, ornamental grasses, zinnias, Rudbekias, Echinaceas, sunflowers, gladioli, daisies, godetia, yarrow, and probably others - things are happening so quickly.
See you all soon.
HArry and Deb
Monday, June 1, 2009
Public Location of Reycling Bins at Meredith
Belk Dining Hall
- Paper on Faircloth side and Platic and Aluminum on Stringfield side
- Downstairs is one set of 3*
Noel House
- One set of 3*
Noel Annex
- One set of 3*
Carol
- One set of 4** downstairs
- One set of 3* upstairs
Martin
- One set of 3* on all floors
Witherspoon Annex
- One set of 3*
Witherspoon:
- Two sets of 3*
Joyner
- One set of 3* on all floors
Harris
- One set of 3* on all floors
Cate
- 2 paper, 1 plastic, 1 aluminum, and 1 glass downstairs
- One set of 4** upstairs
SMB
- Three sets of 3* downstairs
- Two sets of 3* upstairs
Ledford
- One set of 3* on all floors
Alumni House
- Paper bin
Jones Chapel
- One set of 3*
Johnson Hall
- One set of 3* on all floors
Wainwright
- One set of 3* on all floors
* paper, plastic, and aluminum
** paper, plasitc, aluminum, and glass
- Paper on Faircloth side and Platic and Aluminum on Stringfield side
- Downstairs is one set of 3*
Noel House
- One set of 3*
Noel Annex
- One set of 3*
Carol
- One set of 4** downstairs
- One set of 3* upstairs
Martin
- One set of 3* on all floors
Witherspoon Annex
- One set of 3*
Witherspoon:
- Two sets of 3*
Joyner
- One set of 3* on all floors
Harris
- One set of 3* on all floors
Cate
- 2 paper, 1 plastic, 1 aluminum, and 1 glass downstairs
- One set of 4** upstairs
SMB
- Three sets of 3* downstairs
- Two sets of 3* upstairs
Ledford
- One set of 3* on all floors
Alumni House
- Paper bin
Jones Chapel
- One set of 3*
Johnson Hall
- One set of 3* on all floors
Wainwright
- One set of 3* on all floors
* paper, plastic, and aluminum
** paper, plasitc, aluminum, and glass
Obama Cuts $100 Million from Hydgrogen Funds
Development of new hydrogen technologies might be at a halt due to economic troubles. Obama’s administration has cut $100 million from the hydrogen fuel cell program for 2010. However that does not mean no money was given, the budget was just trimmed like many Americans have had to do. Instead of $168 million received last year for the hydrogen fuel cell research in 2009, it has been nipped to only $68 million. This is not the first time hydrogen research has had to step aside for the government, in 2008 the Bush administration also canceled the FutureGen power plant that would have generated hydrogen and eliminate carbon dioxide emissions. Dramatic cut but what do we do from here and what can we accomplish with this?
photo cortesy www.digitaltokyo.com
It is predicted that the idea of having hydrogen cars as the choice of vehicle is out of the way for the next 10 to 20 years. The prototype cars have been proven too expensive and the fund is only enough to assist in research of hydrogen cells dealt with devices to use within buildings. The scale has changed but many buildings and homes use fuel cells today.
Besides the budget cut, the infrastructure of the hydrogen fuel research has been lacking and had a weak foundation to start with. Steven Chu, Obama’s energy secretary mentioned that the product of hydrogen fueled cars are decades away , right now we must concentrate on research that will give us immediate energy saving results. So maybe the budget cut isn’t such a bad idea or is it just delaying further advancement by too much? In the end, we need a reality check. The
Sources:
R.I.P. hydrogen economy? Obama cuts hydrogen car funding By: David Biello
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/obama-hydrogen-cars.php
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