This week's happening: Fieldwork has officially begun, some notes about our "trial" CSA plantings in the greenhouse, and read to the end for storage tips!
It's been a very busy week as we have officially started in the fields! First, we clean up trellises, mulch and row covers from last fall. Then once the ground is dry/firm enough we can start to do things like cut down last year's stubble and spread fresh compost. This year Steph has ordered 20 dump truck loads brought over from the mushroom farm, and it's round and round in circles she goes getting it spread on the fields. We were able to get seven beds planted before the rains on Thursday, crops that grow quickly and don't mind the cool weather or possible frosts: cilantro, hakuri turnips, spinach, bok choy, fennel. We've also been busy in the greenhouse replanting the beds inside to give us another round of lettuces, some beets, bok choy, turnips, radishes, cilantro and amongst all of them our tomato rows.
It truly is a "trial" year for our little spring CSA, as I start to see what we can actually harvest from the greenhouse beds we've planted. There's arugula and lettuce mix for everyone this week. There are red radishes for almost everyone, it looks like they were too crowded to grow but on the bright side the rest will size up in a couple of weeks. The patch of baby kale and mustard greens isn't giving me as many bags as I hoped - so those will be randomly assigned to people based on your preferences. I'm glad Harvie doesn't know you all like I do, otherwise it would be impossible to randomize ;)
Our storage veggies are holding up strong and in good supply. I wanted to make a note about storing your goodies once you get home. Tuck them all in the fridge! Anything green and leafy needs to go in plastic (the biodegradable bag won't stop them from wilting). We pack the cut greens in plastic zip bags, and they should keep well in the fridge for a week or more. They've been washed and spun here at the farm, so you can eat them out of the bag if you like. Everything else is best to wash before you eat, we rinse the dirt off here but it is a good habit to wash it right before you cook or eat it. We're masking up to pack your veggies and following extra hand washing, but keep it safe and wash away! Root vegetables get stored in plastic in the fridge but they like a bit of air so that biodegradable carry bag is fine to leave them in short term. Onions can be tucked in the fridge loose as their skins protect them... and they do need the fridge this time of year else they'll begin to sprout. They know it's spring and we store them longer by keeping them cold, so warming them up on the counter is a surefire way to sprout them.
