Greetings, Beausol locavores:
Today I had the opportunity to work and sweat with a great group of about 30 young folks (and a few "old folks") at an event called the Crop Mob.They have a website: cropmob.org if you are interested in their story.This is an inspiring group of young people who are farming, working on farms, considering farming, or want to connect to the land. Most of them are new farmers just starting up or interns/apprentices at existing farms.
The Crop Mob, numbering as many as 50, descends upon a farm and performs probably a week's worth of work in about four hours... and then are fed for their efforts. The idea, in addition to helping
farmers - new and established - with big projects and for the participants to get exposure to some aspects of agriculture they might not ordinarily be permitted, is to build a community and work towards a better future for us all.
Today, we hand dug in some buckwheat cover crop on a half dozen beds, added compost and mulched them for some young start-up farmers at the Orange County Breeze Farm Incubator. They are now set to plant their fall crops much sooner than had they done it alone.Beausol Gardens will host the next Crop Mob at the end of September. Among other things, they will be helping us plant strawberries and garlic.
This week we planted much of our winter crops.... and some were up in four days with the help of about three-quarters inch of rain. As I write this it is raining again.... maybe the rest of the winter seeds will join them.
The pileated woodpeckers are getting frisky, I think. One morning a pair played tag around tree after tree while at least one other called from another part of the forest. The hummingbirds must be fattening
up for the trek south. We are seeing them with increasing frequency and they seem to be increasingly territorial about the flower beds. The chickadees are bolder at the bird feeder.
I found a baby box turtle in a flower bed today. The girls were typically, "Oh, it's so cute."
The peppers are SO happy! I hope you are as happy that they are happy as I am happy they are happy. We should have lots of peppers until frost. The eggplants seem to be sulking a bit as are the squash. The okra is becoming smug about being prolific. It is time to poke around under the sweet potato vines. I'll let you know what I find out next week. The cucumbers are starting to fail, despite all our efforts to keep them healthy.... another insult to them is the early arrival of what looks to be pickle worms. Drat! I am however, glad to have had what we did get from them this year.
Well it's late, I'm tired from working on TWO farms today, so I'll say good-bye for now. This week's shares should have lots of peppers (of course), eggplant, okra, tomatoes (mostly cherries), basil and other herbs. The bouquets should have combinations of zinnias, asters, gomphrena, ornamental grasses, celosia, golden rod, and maybe a couple of other late summer bloomers.
See you soon,
Harry
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Beausol Gardens 2009 CSA newsletter #18
Greetings, Beausol locavores:
Today I had the opportunity to work and sweat with a great group of about 30 young folks (and a few "old folks") at an event called the Crop Mob. They have a website: cropmob.org if you are interested in their story. This is an inspiring group of young people who are farming, working on farms, considering farming, or want to connect to the land. Most of them are new farmers just starting up or interns/apprentices at existing farms. The Crop Mob, numbering as many as 50, descends upon a farm and performs probably a week's worth of work in about four hours... and then are fed for their efforts. The idea, in addition to helping farmers - new and established - with big projects and for the participants to get exposure to some aspects of agriculture they might not ordinarily be permitted, is to build a community and work towards a better future for us all.
Today, we hand dug in some buckwheat cover crop on a half dozen beds, added compost and mulched them for some young start-up farmers at the Orange County Breeze Farm Incubator. They are now set to plant their fall crops much sooner than had they done it alone. Beausol Gardens will host the next Crop Mob at the end of September. Among other things, they will be helping us plant strawberries and garlic.
This week we planted much of our winter crops.... and some were up in four days with the help of about three-quarters inch of rain. As I write this it is raining again.... maybe the rest of the winter seeds will join them. The pileated woodpeckers are getting frisky, I think. One morning a pair played tag around tree after tree while at least one other called from another part of the forest. The hummingbirds must be fattening up for the trek south. We are seeing them with increasing frequency and they seem to be increasingly territorial about the flower beds. The chickadees are bolder at the bird feeder. I found a baby box turtle in a flower bed today. The girls were typically, "Oh, it's so cute."
The peppers are SO happy! I hope you are as happy that they are happy as I am happy they are happy. We should have lots of peppers until frost. The eggplants seem to be sulking a bit as are the squash. The okra is becoming smug about being prolific. It is time to poke around under the sweet potato vines. I'll let you know what I find out next week. The cucumbers are starting to fail, despite all our efforts to keep them healthy.... another insult to them is the early arrival of what looks to be pickle worms. Drat! I am however, glad to have had what we did get from them this year.
Well it's late, I'm tired from working on TWO farms today, so I'll say good-bye for now. This week's shares should have lots of peppers (of course), eggplant, okra, tomatoes (mostly cherries), basil and other herbs. The bouquets should have combinations of zinnias, asters, gomphrena, ornamental grasses, celosia, golden rod, and maybe a couple of other late summer bloomers.
See you soon,
Harry
Today I had the opportunity to work and sweat with a great group of about 30 young folks (and a few "old folks") at an event called the Crop Mob. They have a website: cropmob.org if you are interested in their story. This is an inspiring group of young people who are farming, working on farms, considering farming, or want to connect to the land. Most of them are new farmers just starting up or interns/apprentices at existing farms. The Crop Mob, numbering as many as 50, descends upon a farm and performs probably a week's worth of work in about four hours... and then are fed for their efforts. The idea, in addition to helping farmers - new and established - with big projects and for the participants to get exposure to some aspects of agriculture they might not ordinarily be permitted, is to build a community and work towards a better future for us all.
Today, we hand dug in some buckwheat cover crop on a half dozen beds, added compost and mulched them for some young start-up farmers at the Orange County Breeze Farm Incubator. They are now set to plant their fall crops much sooner than had they done it alone. Beausol Gardens will host the next Crop Mob at the end of September. Among other things, they will be helping us plant strawberries and garlic.
This week we planted much of our winter crops.... and some were up in four days with the help of about three-quarters inch of rain. As I write this it is raining again.... maybe the rest of the winter seeds will join them. The pileated woodpeckers are getting frisky, I think. One morning a pair played tag around tree after tree while at least one other called from another part of the forest. The hummingbirds must be fattening up for the trek south. We are seeing them with increasing frequency and they seem to be increasingly territorial about the flower beds. The chickadees are bolder at the bird feeder. I found a baby box turtle in a flower bed today. The girls were typically, "Oh, it's so cute."
The peppers are SO happy! I hope you are as happy that they are happy as I am happy they are happy. We should have lots of peppers until frost. The eggplants seem to be sulking a bit as are the squash. The okra is becoming smug about being prolific. It is time to poke around under the sweet potato vines. I'll let you know what I find out next week. The cucumbers are starting to fail, despite all our efforts to keep them healthy.... another insult to them is the early arrival of what looks to be pickle worms. Drat! I am however, glad to have had what we did get from them this year.
Well it's late, I'm tired from working on TWO farms today, so I'll say good-bye for now. This week's shares should have lots of peppers (of course), eggplant, okra, tomatoes (mostly cherries), basil and other herbs. The bouquets should have combinations of zinnias, asters, gomphrena, ornamental grasses, celosia, golden rod, and maybe a couple of other late summer bloomers.
See you soon,
Harry
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Beausol Gardens 2009 CSA newsletter #17
Greetings, Beausol locavores:
Fall must be lurking in the woods. I have seen another monarch butterfly and the tulip poplars are starting to release their yellowing leaves. Now, a single butterfly does not a season change make, but that winged messenger and the leaves falling - especially since it has not been particularly dry this summer... at least not here at Beausol Gardens - does have harbinger qualities. Add in the winter squash starting to ripen, fewer lightning bugs over the fields at dusk, and the turkeys I think I hear and we may be able to discern a trend.
Yesterday, a set of gullywashers passed over. Through the afternoon, in three relatively short heavy downpours, we received more than 2.5 inches of rain. The fields were fairly thirsty as I saw very little runoff and no standing puddles this morning. We have, actually, been doing some irrigating recently.
I hope you enjoyed the cucurbits (cucumbers, melons and winter and summer squash) last week . I hope the melons were okay... as I mentioned last week I am having a hard time this year determining when they are ripe.
Fall must be lurking in the woods. I have seen another monarch butterfly and the tulip poplars are starting to release their yellowing leaves. Now, a single butterfly does not a season change make, but that winged messenger and the leaves falling - especially since it has not been particularly dry this summer... at least not here at Beausol Gardens - does have harbinger qualities. Add in the winter squash starting to ripen, fewer lightning bugs over the fields at dusk, and the turkeys I think I hear and we may be able to discern a trend.
Yesterday, a set of gullywashers passed over. Through the afternoon, in three relatively short heavy downpours, we received more than 2.5 inches of rain. The fields were fairly thirsty as I saw very little runoff and no standing puddles this morning. We have, actually, been doing some irrigating recently.
I hope you enjoyed the cucurbits (cucumbers, melons and winter and summer squash) last week . I hope the melons were okay... as I mentioned last week I am having a hard time this year determining when they are ripe.
I have to say this is one of my favorite times: pepper harvest! I REALLY like ripe sweet peppers. I recommend you collect, as you probably did with the summer squash, many recipes with sweet pepper ingredients - we'll have lots of peppers till frost... LOTS of peppers. We harvested about 250 pounds on Friday alone. The okra is coming in heavier now, so I think we can start passing some okra on to the half shares.
There's not much further inspiration this week, so we'll leave it at that for now. This week's shares will contain peppers, peppers and peppers, eggplant, okra, cherry tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, summer and winter squash and herbs. This week's bouquets will have zinnias, glads, tuberoses, gomphrena, celosia, and ornamental grasses.
There's not much further inspiration this week, so we'll leave it at that for now. This week's shares will contain peppers, peppers and peppers, eggplant, okra, cherry tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, summer and winter squash and herbs. This week's bouquets will have zinnias, glads, tuberoses, gomphrena, celosia, and ornamental grasses.
See you soon.
Harry
Harry
Monday, August 17, 2009
Beausol Gardens 2009 CSA newsletter #16
Greetings, Beausol locavores:
Summer progresses. The rain is erratic, the heat is not. It appears we did suffer some, but not much crop damage with the few 100+ degree days last week. Many of the main season crops are beginning to fade as the heat and humidity work their devilry. Many of the main season crops are hitting their stride as the heat and humidity work their blessings. The huge deluge of squash is pretty much over. The huge deluge of tomatoes never really happened, except thankfully for the wonderful cherry tomatoes. The huge deluge of peppers is just beginning.
We have begun harvesting melons. Yeehah! Though, for some reason I am having a hard time determining if they are ripe enough to harvest. I hope I am choosing correctly far more often than not. Winter squash is not far behind the melons. The third planting of squash should be ready this week... or next. There are baby squash on the vines and I hope they will find welcome in your kitchen... especially after their siblings made such a nuisance of themselves.
The second planting of tomatoes is still healthy and beginning to ripen. The cucumbers are amazing. I am delighted we have managed to have enough for everyone to have had some and that they are still producing in spite of being badly infected with downy mildew.
The grasshoppers are becoming more of a problem. It appears they were just waiting in the wings until the Japanese beetles left the stage. The cicadas still sing at dusk and the night is full of all sorts of noise I am insufficiently educated to identify. The buckwheat cover crop is blooming and covered in honeybees as intended. The crape myrtles are covered in many species of little wasps and bees - during the day the trees emit a multifrequency hum that is wonderful to work under.
The goldfinches and bats can give military pilots a lesson in high- gravity maneuvering.... I saw a goldfinch do an incredible "Z" dive maneuver that ended in a perfect landing in the blink of an eye. The hummingbirds are more frequent visitors to the flowers around the farm, especially the salvia just outside the window. The doves are still hunting for un-threshed grain in the straw mulch. And a new call has returned to the surrounding woods that I suspect belongs to turkeys. Not the stereotypical "gobble - gobble" but a rising brief "kyuk."
One order of business I would like to do this week is a brief survey, if you would not mind. It's time to start thinking about winter production (I know it seems too darn hot to think about winter vegetables, but believe it or not, it is time to get them started.) I think last year's pilot winter CSA went pretty well, I hope those that participated also think so. So we are considering doing it again on a bigger scale: longer season, more members and more variety.
If you are interested in the winter CSA, please let us know:
1) that you are interested in participating.... I am currently considering a 12 week season (Nov., Dec., Jan.) this year. There will only be one share size; the price will probably be $150. Same delivery places, days and times, except there will be no home delivery.
One complication is the Winter CSA has three major holidays smack in the middle. I would like to know your thoughts on delivery options for the winter holidays. We know that many people travel during these times. We also know that many have family and friends over for elaborate traditional feasts that would benefit from fresh produce. So...
2a) for our Chapel Hill/Carrboro members: Thanksgiving Day obviously is always on Thursday and we will also obviously not deliver on that day so would you rather have a delivery on Wednesday (the day before) OR have a double share delivery the prior Thursday (the 19th) OR just skip Thanksgiving week and extend the season?
2b) for our Raleigh members: would you rather have a regular delivery on Tuesday OR a double share delivery the previous Tuesday OR just skip that week?
Christmas and New Year's Day both fall on Friday this year. I don't think a delivery on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve will work for anyone, so:
3)
i) Would it be preferable to just skip the week of Christmas and the week after Christmas? OR
ii) Would it be preferable to do a double share delivery the week before the week of Christmas (which would be the 15th and 17th)?
[Another option is for those that want it, we could harvest and have shares for pick-up at the farm the weekend before each Holiday. There are certainly other options, please give us your ideas. ]
So back to the present:
This week the shares will contain lots of peppers again and eggplant, cherry tomatoes, green onions, garlic, melons, cucumbers (I hope) and herbs.
The flower bouquets will have gladiolus, celosia, zinnias, gomphrena, ornamental grasses, etc.
See you soon,
Harry
Summer progresses. The rain is erratic, the heat is not. It appears we did suffer some, but not much crop damage with the few 100+ degree days last week. Many of the main season crops are beginning to fade as the heat and humidity work their devilry. Many of the main season crops are hitting their stride as the heat and humidity work their blessings. The huge deluge of squash is pretty much over. The huge deluge of tomatoes never really happened, except thankfully for the wonderful cherry tomatoes. The huge deluge of peppers is just beginning.
We have begun harvesting melons. Yeehah! Though, for some reason I am having a hard time determining if they are ripe enough to harvest. I hope I am choosing correctly far more often than not. Winter squash is not far behind the melons. The third planting of squash should be ready this week... or next. There are baby squash on the vines and I hope they will find welcome in your kitchen... especially after their siblings made such a nuisance of themselves.
The second planting of tomatoes is still healthy and beginning to ripen. The cucumbers are amazing. I am delighted we have managed to have enough for everyone to have had some and that they are still producing in spite of being badly infected with downy mildew.
The grasshoppers are becoming more of a problem. It appears they were just waiting in the wings until the Japanese beetles left the stage. The cicadas still sing at dusk and the night is full of all sorts of noise I am insufficiently educated to identify. The buckwheat cover crop is blooming and covered in honeybees as intended. The crape myrtles are covered in many species of little wasps and bees - during the day the trees emit a multifrequency hum that is wonderful to work under.
The goldfinches and bats can give military pilots a lesson in high- gravity maneuvering.... I saw a goldfinch do an incredible "Z" dive maneuver that ended in a perfect landing in the blink of an eye. The hummingbirds are more frequent visitors to the flowers around the farm, especially the salvia just outside the window. The doves are still hunting for un-threshed grain in the straw mulch. And a new call has returned to the surrounding woods that I suspect belongs to turkeys. Not the stereotypical "gobble - gobble" but a rising brief "kyuk."
One order of business I would like to do this week is a brief survey, if you would not mind. It's time to start thinking about winter production (I know it seems too darn hot to think about winter vegetables, but believe it or not, it is time to get them started.) I think last year's pilot winter CSA went pretty well, I hope those that participated also think so. So we are considering doing it again on a bigger scale: longer season, more members and more variety.
If you are interested in the winter CSA, please let us know:
1) that you are interested in participating.... I am currently considering a 12 week season (Nov., Dec., Jan.) this year. There will only be one share size; the price will probably be $150. Same delivery places, days and times, except there will be no home delivery.
One complication is the Winter CSA has three major holidays smack in the middle. I would like to know your thoughts on delivery options for the winter holidays. We know that many people travel during these times. We also know that many have family and friends over for elaborate traditional feasts that would benefit from fresh produce. So...
2a) for our Chapel Hill/Carrboro members: Thanksgiving Day obviously is always on Thursday and we will also obviously not deliver on that day so would you rather have a delivery on Wednesday (the day before) OR have a double share delivery the prior Thursday (the 19th) OR just skip Thanksgiving week and extend the season?
2b) for our Raleigh members: would you rather have a regular delivery on Tuesday OR a double share delivery the previous Tuesday OR just skip that week?
Christmas and New Year's Day both fall on Friday this year. I don't think a delivery on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve will work for anyone, so:
3)
i) Would it be preferable to just skip the week of Christmas and the week after Christmas? OR
ii) Would it be preferable to do a double share delivery the week before the week of Christmas (which would be the 15th and 17th)?
[Another option is for those that want it, we could harvest and have shares for pick-up at the farm the weekend before each Holiday. There are certainly other options, please give us your ideas. ]
So back to the present:
This week the shares will contain lots of peppers again and eggplant, cherry tomatoes, green onions, garlic, melons, cucumbers (I hope) and herbs.
The flower bouquets will have gladiolus, celosia, zinnias, gomphrena, ornamental grasses, etc.
See you soon,
Harry
Monday, August 10, 2009
Beausol Gardens 2009 CSA newsletter #15
Greetings Beausol locavores:
I'll be brief again this week. My location in the fourth dimension seems to be nebulous.
I looks like we are in for it now! At least one one-hundred-degree day is upon us, they predict. It came close yesterday, I have not checked the min-max thermometer but it was hot. When the mercury expands that much, there is danger that nightshades loose their fruit - the fruits cook on the vine and their flowers drop. The biggest danger is with the tomatoes. Hopefully, the temperature will not remain so high for so long that our second tomato planting does not suffer.
The first tomato planting is nearly kaput. Here in the Southeast, more than six weeks of production from a tomato plant is extraordinary. There are so many ubiquitous indigenous diseases of tomatoes it is a wonder we get any crop at all.
As planned, the second planting, though not as large, is beginning to ripen. A fungal disease called late blight has been a big problem all across the eastern US this year. There are news stories about the disease in the Northeast and Midwest. The disease that brought so many Irish to America a century and a half ago caused a little damage to our crop - not bad. But our tomatoes are succumbing to early blight, I think. The cucurbits, as mentioned in a previous newsletter are being hard hit by downy mildew. It's a tough year to be a Solanaceae or Cucurbitaceae family member.
It appears we were blessed (and maybe cursed?) with more rain in the last month than most folks, from speaking with CSA members and other farmers. The rain was good for the plants and diseases. As mentioned above, the first tomatoes are about done. So are the squash - though this may be GOOD news for some of you. We did make another planting of summer squash, so hopefully by the time that is ready to harvest, you will have overcome your saturation of the stuff. We made another planting of snap beans and edamame, though they did not come up as well as hoped.
Some good news: the melons are beginning to ripen - even as the vines begin to die. And the winter squash are of a harvestable size. We just need to let them ripen. The eggplants are chugging along nicely. And the okra have now gotten their stride and need to be picked every day. The peppers are all doing well also.
More good news is the birds and bees are doing very this summer. Lots of hummers have joined the goldfinches, bluebirds, cardinals, woodpeckers, etc. The Japanese beetles have, thankfully, nearly finished their annual invasion. But the grasshoppers have followed in their wake.
It's time to start planting fall crops: lettuce, greens, roots, etc.
Since my beautiful bride, Deb, is in Ohio visiting family with her youngest offspring and one of our employees is on vacation to be with his family, "us chickens" left to "hold the fort" will be a little busy.
This week the shares will have cherry tomatoes, sweet, Anaheim, and jalapeño peppers, green onions, eggplant, okra, melons (cantaloup or muskmelons - I can't tell the difference), cucumbers and herbs (basil, oregano, dill).The bouquets will have gladioli, zinnias, celosia, gomphrena, asters, grasses and sunflowers.
See you soon. Stay cool.
Harry
I'll be brief again this week. My location in the fourth dimension seems to be nebulous.
I looks like we are in for it now! At least one one-hundred-degree day is upon us, they predict. It came close yesterday, I have not checked the min-max thermometer but it was hot. When the mercury expands that much, there is danger that nightshades loose their fruit - the fruits cook on the vine and their flowers drop. The biggest danger is with the tomatoes. Hopefully, the temperature will not remain so high for so long that our second tomato planting does not suffer.
The first tomato planting is nearly kaput. Here in the Southeast, more than six weeks of production from a tomato plant is extraordinary. There are so many ubiquitous indigenous diseases of tomatoes it is a wonder we get any crop at all.
As planned, the second planting, though not as large, is beginning to ripen. A fungal disease called late blight has been a big problem all across the eastern US this year. There are news stories about the disease in the Northeast and Midwest. The disease that brought so many Irish to America a century and a half ago caused a little damage to our crop - not bad. But our tomatoes are succumbing to early blight, I think. The cucurbits, as mentioned in a previous newsletter are being hard hit by downy mildew. It's a tough year to be a Solanaceae or Cucurbitaceae family member.
It appears we were blessed (and maybe cursed?) with more rain in the last month than most folks, from speaking with CSA members and other farmers. The rain was good for the plants and diseases. As mentioned above, the first tomatoes are about done. So are the squash - though this may be GOOD news for some of you. We did make another planting of summer squash, so hopefully by the time that is ready to harvest, you will have overcome your saturation of the stuff. We made another planting of snap beans and edamame, though they did not come up as well as hoped.
Some good news: the melons are beginning to ripen - even as the vines begin to die. And the winter squash are of a harvestable size. We just need to let them ripen. The eggplants are chugging along nicely. And the okra have now gotten their stride and need to be picked every day. The peppers are all doing well also.
More good news is the birds and bees are doing very this summer. Lots of hummers have joined the goldfinches, bluebirds, cardinals, woodpeckers, etc. The Japanese beetles have, thankfully, nearly finished their annual invasion. But the grasshoppers have followed in their wake.
It's time to start planting fall crops: lettuce, greens, roots, etc.
Since my beautiful bride, Deb, is in Ohio visiting family with her youngest offspring and one of our employees is on vacation to be with his family, "us chickens" left to "hold the fort" will be a little busy.
This week the shares will have cherry tomatoes, sweet, Anaheim, and jalapeño peppers, green onions, eggplant, okra, melons (cantaloup or muskmelons - I can't tell the difference), cucumbers and herbs (basil, oregano, dill).The bouquets will have gladioli, zinnias, celosia, gomphrena, asters, grasses and sunflowers.
See you soon. Stay cool.
Harry
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Beausol Gardens 2009 CSA newsletter #14
Greetings, Beausol locavores:
Wow! Where have I been? Now that I am back on the planet, I better quick bring you up to date as to why this email is so late (for which I apologize - all is well, no worries) and get back to work! Our routine experienced (and is experiencing) some disruptions: my beautiful bride, Deb, helped produce another beautiful bride (and handsome groom) this weekend! She officiated the wedding of one of our employees, Brian, and his new wife Danielle. Then we hosted a potluck for neighbors and friends. And we are preparing for the arrival of my youngest beautiful step- daughter and return of her beautiful sister. The former will be joining us for three years of high school and the latter is returning for her last year of high school.
Things should return to "normal".... eventually?
Oh, and we have been very busy in the fields. Farming-wise, we have been a "man down" for a week as Brian was off preparing for and recovering from his nuptials. Mike and I have been busily harvesting, pretty much non-stop: squash, eggplant, peppers, BEANS (Yeah!), okra, tomatoes.... You may be happy to hear that the squash crop is slowing down.
We have been receiving anywhere from a tenth to a half inch of rain EVERY day for the last week. Some crops are loving it, some crops have found the humidity perfect for disease to flourish. The cucurbits are suffering the most with both powdery and downy mildew. The cucumbers are taking it worst. The good news in the cucurbit arena is the melons (cantaloup and muskmelon) are nearing ripeness and the winter squash (spaghetti, butternut, delicata and pumpkins) are sizing up and should begin ripening in a short while in spite of the disease attack. The sweet potato vines are out-competing the weeds, thankfully. Since we got the sweet potatoes in on time I am feeling confident that we will have sweet potatoes for you around Labor Day. Our last planting of summer lettuce is doing very nicely with all the rain. I think we will harvest that for you next week. And the second planting of tomatoes is about to begin ripening... just in time - as the first crop is succumbing to various blights.
Well, that's enough for now, I better get out there and start putting shares together for the Raleighites.
This week the shares will have tomatoes, eggplant, squash, peppers (sweet, Anaheim, and jalapeño), green and yellow snap beans (!), green onions, garlic, okra and herbs (dill, oregano and basil). The flower bouquets will have zinnias, celosia, gomphrena, gladiolas, sunflowers and maybe a couple others. Tuberoses are right around the corner.
See you soon.
Harry
Wow! Where have I been? Now that I am back on the planet, I better quick bring you up to date as to why this email is so late (for which I apologize - all is well, no worries) and get back to work! Our routine experienced (and is experiencing) some disruptions: my beautiful bride, Deb, helped produce another beautiful bride (and handsome groom) this weekend! She officiated the wedding of one of our employees, Brian, and his new wife Danielle. Then we hosted a potluck for neighbors and friends. And we are preparing for the arrival of my youngest beautiful step- daughter and return of her beautiful sister. The former will be joining us for three years of high school and the latter is returning for her last year of high school.
Things should return to "normal".... eventually?
Oh, and we have been very busy in the fields. Farming-wise, we have been a "man down" for a week as Brian was off preparing for and recovering from his nuptials. Mike and I have been busily harvesting, pretty much non-stop: squash, eggplant, peppers, BEANS (Yeah!), okra, tomatoes.... You may be happy to hear that the squash crop is slowing down.
We have been receiving anywhere from a tenth to a half inch of rain EVERY day for the last week. Some crops are loving it, some crops have found the humidity perfect for disease to flourish. The cucurbits are suffering the most with both powdery and downy mildew. The cucumbers are taking it worst. The good news in the cucurbit arena is the melons (cantaloup and muskmelon) are nearing ripeness and the winter squash (spaghetti, butternut, delicata and pumpkins) are sizing up and should begin ripening in a short while in spite of the disease attack. The sweet potato vines are out-competing the weeds, thankfully. Since we got the sweet potatoes in on time I am feeling confident that we will have sweet potatoes for you around Labor Day. Our last planting of summer lettuce is doing very nicely with all the rain. I think we will harvest that for you next week. And the second planting of tomatoes is about to begin ripening... just in time - as the first crop is succumbing to various blights.
Well, that's enough for now, I better get out there and start putting shares together for the Raleighites.
This week the shares will have tomatoes, eggplant, squash, peppers (sweet, Anaheim, and jalapeño), green and yellow snap beans (!), green onions, garlic, okra and herbs (dill, oregano and basil). The flower bouquets will have zinnias, celosia, gomphrena, gladiolas, sunflowers and maybe a couple others. Tuberoses are right around the corner.
See you soon.
Harry
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