Hello Folks:
Added Note May 14 2012:
I checked the plants yesterday and found that some Arugula, Radish, Spinach, and Shinginku are ready for harvest this Friday. Not quite enough for everyone, so I will split the harvest up over two weeks. I will deliver these on Friday. Customers west of Westboro will receive their harvest on Friday May 18th ; customers east of Westboro on Friday May 25th.
Please note that this is the May harvest, and so you will be billed directly. I will tally the numbers and contact you by Thursday evening at the latest.
Please keep an eye on this site for additional information - I have updated the Recipes page.
Talk to you very soon,
Bob
Now back to the post…
First of all – a big welcome to the final two customers who signed on for the year’s harvest. I look forward to a year of growing and eating good food together.
My apologies for the extended radio silence. A lot has been happening at the farm – preparing beds, planting and transplanting, barn improvements, planting, and more planting. There have been some good events, some disappointments, and much of what one would expect.
I will start with the bad. Recall the post a month ago, that referred to the hope for cool weather? Well, we had enough of it to get the Cress up and running, but some plants (Carrots and Mache) have been very slow to germinate. The Snow Peas and Green Onions are coming along, though these seem to be a little slow to grow as well.
On the other hand, the Arugula, Spinach and Radish are going quite well – I expect these will be the first to harvest. The Garlic is growing very well, though still some time away from harvest.
The first round of Celery may have been exposed to a bit too cool weather. They were mulched and covered during the frosty nights but I am not counting on them. Celery tends to go to seed quickly if it is exposed to cool weather shortly after transplanting. I have planted some more as insurance, so worst case scenario is a bit of a wait. Who knows, maybe they will all do just fine?
The Shingiku is coming along, a very interesting looking leaf it is. I sampled a small bite and found that it does not taste quite like anything else I have experienced. I’ll set my opinions aside for now and ask for your impressions when the time comes.
The Shingiku is coming along, a very interesting looking leaf it is. I sampled a small bite and found that it does not taste quite like anything else I have experienced. I’ll set my opinions aside for now and ask for your impressions when the time comes.
As for the nursery, the Basil, Rosemary, Peppers, and Chard are doing well, though the Tomato plants are getting very impatient and trying to crawl outside to better sunlight.
This weekend will see a lot of planting, including the flowers, leeks, and more potatoes.
Speaking of Potatoes, I was at the Ellenberger Farm in Coe Hill last week to pick up my order. Henry is a wealth of knowledge and I have the impression that my knowledge of these tubers doubled in the hour or so we were there. An extraordinary amount of growing takes place before a generation of seeds offers up a tuber large enough to call a seed potatoe.
Have you ever seen Draft Horses up close? What powerful beasts they are, they just seem to radiate strength while standing still.
If you are ever driving up that way (somewhere south-west of Bancroft), try the scenic Old Hastings Road. We found a canopy forest that was a marvelous place for a picnic. Watch out for the potholes…
Speaking of Potatoes, I was at the Ellenberger Farm in Coe Hill last week to pick up my order. Henry is a wealth of knowledge and I have the impression that my knowledge of these tubers doubled in the hour or so we were there. An extraordinary amount of growing takes place before a generation of seeds offers up a tuber large enough to call a seed potatoe.
Have you ever seen Draft Horses up close? What powerful beasts they are, they just seem to radiate strength while standing still.
If you are ever driving up that way (somewhere south-west of Bancroft), try the scenic Old Hastings Road. We found a canopy forest that was a marvelous place for a picnic. Watch out for the potholes…
While building up workspace around the barn, Dick and I uncovered the remains of my nemesis from last year...the Groundhog. I guess I never will get those beans back. That made me realize - not for the first time - how far I have come since I first broke ground on this acreage last year. I have not yet lost anything – produce or sleep – to our four-legged friends. I expect at least once this year something will evade my defenses and get in, but thus far, I feel fortunate to have that much less to worry about. As for the “little devil”, well, it does not have much to worry about either.
Keep an eye on this site over the two weeks. I will probably decide very soon, when the harvesting will start. My notes from last year have an important reminder. “Not this week, but next…” When next week came around, I had way too much growing to manage. This harvest will be limited to Radish, Spinach and Arugula. I expect the Snow Peas will follow shortly thereafter.
One final note – Thanks to Erica for taking a few snapshots of the progress this spring. Expect to see a few more pix from her on the site over the next few weeks.
Talk to you all soon,
Bob