Two weeks ago, I was worried. Our mower had broken, the foxtail grass was as tall as I was, with big bundles of seed just about to drop all over the fields, and we were going on weekly cabbage hunts on the south end of the field. I was always shocked to find the cabbages still sizing up under a thick canopy of 5 foot tall grass. The berms, which we carefully flagged with the help of Mark Shepard and a laser level in August, were seeded with oats which were about to go to seed as well. The peas were dying back at the end of the cool weather they like, and their trellis was instead supporting lots of bindweed, a vining weed that is quite pernicious.
Just a week later, I feel like it’s a different farm. We have fixed the mower. We figured out a way to mow the oats on top of the berms by driving with one wheel in the swales. We have had lots of help from the Junior Farm Crew and some fantastic volunteer groups who have weeded pathways in the curcurbits, and laid down burlap coffee sacks. We have finished more of our spring beds of peas, turnips and salad mix and have tilled them in and moved the trellis over to the red noodle beans. We have weeded beans, carrots and flowers, and hoed our next scallions, leeks and the sweet potato pathways.
There is still lots to do! Our winter squash and late tomato beds are being made, and will be mulched with coffee sacks or straw mulch, with leaves in the pathways to build up organic matter. Our fields in bare summer fallow are looking cleaner and are almost ready to be cover cropped. Our cherry tomato plants in the high tunnel are 8 feet tall and I am starting to plan for our fall seedings.
The cooler weather this week has led to some of the most beautiful days on the farm. The blue sky is dotted with clouds and the breeze feels amazing. Hope you can come out and experience the farm with us sometime soon!