Update as of June 2 2013:

I have added a couple of notes to the this weeks harvest page and veg notes page.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with Garlic shoots, you should check it out.  Garlic shoots are not to be confused with scapes, which should be available in several weeks.

Hey Folks:

Sorry for the delay in updating the posts.  Too much going on in the field and in the barn.  

Lots of food is in the ground but growing slowly, it seems.  I am convinced I have used the row covers too much and slowed down some of the plant growth.  The extreme changes in weather may have something to do with it as well.

The snow peas have are maturing so slowly that the Green Beans are catching up to them - it looks like their harvest dates will overlap.  This will be great for everyone except me - I will have to do twice as much picking each week!

In other news, I would like to introduce two more interns here at Whitsend.  Nathalie and Laurin have signed on for the season, and have already done some farm work.  You will hear a bit more from them as the season continues.  Welcome Nathalie and Laurin! 

Here is a passage from the previous post:

All day yesterday, I was debating the Pepper and Tomato transplant conundrum.  Should I delay until the nightly lows pick up again?  On the other hand, do I risk missing this cool damp pattern and subject plants to the stress of being transplanted in blazing sun?

There is a Ukrainian folk saying – “The morning is wiser than the evening”.  As I woke today and checked the weather, the answer was quite clear to me.  It was based on several factors, including my experience at Elmtree Farm.  I will write more about my final decision in the next post.

I assessed the whole farm.  Beds were ready.  Harvest dates were approaching.  The nursery was full to overflowing, and there was almost no room to start the next round of seeding in there.  I could wait for perfect weather to do the transplanting, but when would that be?  September?

I started transplanting, selecting plants that could tolerate cool weather - Kale, Chard, Moskvich Tomatoes, cold tolerant Lettuces, Celery and Celeriac, and Green and Bulb Onions.  About 2/3 of the seedlings for each crop went in the ground (I kept the rest in the nursery just in case).

After watering in the plants, I top dressed them with some compost and gave them a bed of straw to shelter them a bit.  The straw holds moisture, provides some heat retention, and provides a wind break.  Then, I strung row covers over them, and I left for the evening, knowing I had done the best I could do.  Off to the nursery to get the seeding back on track there.

For the next little while, I was switching between giving the plants some heat relief (recall that I planted cold-tolerant varieties!), and insulating them from the cold.   Late one Friday evening, while I was driving home from the farm, I heard a weather update indicating a risk of frost.  I debated with myself all the way down Moodie Drive, and finally turned around and went back to the farm.  I used the headlights for illumination as I opened up the gate and unhooked the electric fence.  The crescent moon illuminated the row covers I had out in the field.  I retrieved a stash of extra row covers and covered up some new seedlings (Dill and Carrots, and Coriander).  At the last moment, I remembered some Eggplant and squashes in the hardening-off shelter that should go back in the barn...it was quite a late night.

This is farming!  We don't wait for May two-four.  If we did, our Tomato season would be way too short!

Update as of evening May 9 - the rain yesterday evening has given the pea plants about 2 inches since yesterday evening.  As well as the path weeds, grass, and mosquitoes...

Hey All:

May 24 is for gardeners.

Several folks have inquired as to how the weather has been for the farm of late.  My answer (as always) is that it always helps and hinders no matter if it is dry, raining steadily, 27 or +2 degrees.

In the case of the past few weeks, the dry, hot weather has been great for weed suppression.  By lightly cultivating beds scheduled to receive seeds or transplants in the next few weeks, I have knocked out the three flushes of weeds that one can expect.  If these beds do not have the soil surface disturbed too deeply, these beds will be largely weed free while they produce two weeks’ worth of Arugula or a summers worth of Chard. 

On the other hand, the dry, hot, and sunny weather has been challenging for freshly seeded beds, sprouting seeds, and transplanting.

Finally, some cloud-cover and rain have arrived.  This is ideal for transplanting the mature Peppers, Tomatoes, and Lettuce; and for seeding Potatoes, Radishes, the first round of beans, and the second round of greens such as Arugula and Spinach and the third and fourth rounds of Carrots. 

I’ve been watching the forecast for just this pattern of weather.  I have also expected that at some point that temperatures might fall back to “normal”, and possibly lower.  My expectations have borne out with the forecast of +2 weather this coming weekend.

All day yesterday, I was debating the Pepper and Tomato transplant conundrum.  Should I delay until the nightly lows pick up again?  On the other hand, do I risk missing this cool damp pattern and subject plants to the stress of being transplanted in blazing sun?

There is a Ukrainian folk saying – “The morning is wiser than the evening”.  As I woke today and checked the weather, the answer was quite clear to me.  It was based on several factors, including my experience at Elmtree Farm.  I will write more about my final decision in the next post.

In the meantime, I am curious about what you might do.  Send your thoughts.

A few other notes…there is room for one or two more shares, though I need to know very soon or you will miss out on some of the early produce (I only seed for what I know I need plus 10-15% in case of losses or poor germination).

The Snow Peas look like they are coming along quite well.  The Carrots seem to be taking their time.  I saw my first Fennel sprouting yesterday.  The Bulb Onions are upset that they are still in the nursery – I will have to plant more short season ones to make up for some losses.  

The seed potatoes were picked up from Ellenberger Farm (more on this in the next post or two).  The Tree Swallows have returned, and so have the gnats.  My old nemesis from my gardening days, the fluffy tailed tree rat, has started showing an unhealthy interest in the barn.   

By the way, the free offer for the Green Zebra Tomato starts are for paid customers only.  Others are welcome to purchase them for $5.00 apiece.  Quantities are limited.

Much more news on the way provided I have time to write.

Talk to you soon,

Bob

Garlic Update:

Photo  by Randy two weeks ago:

Photo  by Randy this past Monday:

Look into the middle distance - all of the other varieties are catching up to the Fish Lake variety.  The straw is now being used for water retention, and to a lesser extent, weed suppression.