Wow! I can hardly believe how fast the weeks fly by! We are officially half way thru our growing season and so much has happened since I last reviewed! So here I go…
MONTH IN REVIEW: June 13 – July 15
WEATHER AND PRECIPITATION: Summer heat has set in but fortunately we have had plenty of rain; and since our beds are raised and mulched, they can handle the conditions well.
WE PLANTED:
* 2 rows of peppers (including purple beauty, ivory bell, chocolate bell, jalapeno and big chili) donated from Brett Palmier of Biver Creek Farm–via Karen Davis, our Lincoln University Extension Agent.
* 3 rows of beans: dragon tongue, royal burgundy and tavera
* 3 rows of late tomatoes: including green zebra, orange banana, speckled roman, Amish paste and black from tula; as well as more basil and cherry tomatoes
* little leaf cucumbers–known for their resistance to pests and diseases
* moon and star watermelon–an Amish heirloom variety
* golden midget watermelon–from seed savers exchange
* another round of summer squash under row covers–including pattypan, magda and winter or hard squash: waltham butternut, turks turbin, honeybear acorn squash, cornfield pumpkin squash and galeux d’eysines squash
* bird house gourds in the children’s garden
* more zinnias and flowers in lower field (thank you Beth) for our glorious bouquets
WE TENDED:
* The never-ending weeds…. Particularly fox-tail and pig weed (an amaranth); not to mention the bindweed.
* Staking and tying up tomatoes.
* Mulching beds
* Putting down coffee bags
* Transitioning spring crops out and preparing for fall crops.
WE HARVESTED: Green and purple beans, chard, sorrel, tomatillos, tomatoes: taxi–a early season variety (not my favorite) and cherry, including sungold (my favorite!), potatoes: all 5 varieties (adirondack blue, red thumb, russian, banana, desiree & mountain rose), mars onions, garlic, genovese basil, lemon basil,lime basil, cinnamon basil, amethyst purple basil, sunflowers, zinnias (celosia & feverfew for bouquets… with a little queen annes lace and fox-tail thrown in), parsley, dill, cilantro, kale, collards, turnips greens, beets, turnips and summer squash!!!
CELEBRATIONS AND SPECIAL MEMORIES:
* A wonderful summer solstice pot luck on the farm (and a fun way to celebrate Molly’s b-day).
* More than 20 farmers markets!
* We finished building beds: Completing all of upper field north and south this week, and set many world records along the way!
* A fabulous set of field trips to Sunny Creek Farm for the potato digger workshop and to Columbia Missouri last night for the tractor workshop as a part of the Beginning Farmers series.
* Pam and Leslie celebrated birthdays on July 12! …Many more ladies!
* Another wonderful Fresh Ideas gathering at St. Stephens.
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
* April who has taken on the Wednesday morning harvest and Beth who has taken on lower field; and Jamie and Leslie for growing the beautiful seedlings that we have transplanted to the fields.
* Nancy for the water and ice deliveries which has made harvest so much easier!
* Melissa who has taken on the CSA.
* Steve and his mulch crews-not to mention the water barrel filling and hauling!
* All of our presenters: Anastasia Becker and Paul Krautman–for their knowledge and insight.
* Crop presentations have been delightful and delicious!
* Every single one of the Freshman Farmies who have worked so hard in the heat, weeds and bugs to keep our little farm running!
Many thanks and much gratitude,
Vicki