Hello!
Yes, the extreme heat caught us by surprise, too! At the Market last Saturday we watched freshly picked Strawberries deteriorate to the point of being unsaleable right before our eyes, and our great coworker Eva couldn't re-sort them fast enough! As an organic Farmer, the whole concept revolves around understanding that nature will always change, translating "plant language" into usable Farmer talk, and moving to successful production. At that point both the Farmer and our food supply customers win!
Normally the next few weeks involve infrastructure improvements and repairs, like a deer fence, and preparations for planting Autumn crops. However, the heat has rendered Baby Lettuce too bitter to market, the cooler weather crops want to retire and go to seed, and the fruiting population like Tomatoes and Peppers are developing almost too fast to ensure good flavor. So this week we pause to run more irrigation lines, get out the unused shade cloths, and maximize ventilation wherever possible! Humble Pie, but that is just what growing Great Food is all about!
This week I am at the Family Fare parking lot in Eaton Rapids on Wednesday at 12:00 noon and the Allen Street Farmers Market after that, 3:00-6:00. Thursday afternoon is farm pick up, and Saturday, we are at the Grand Ledge Farmers Market on River Street, 9:00-1:00. Saturday afternoon we'll complete scheduled home deliveries. Sunday we'll participate in the East Lansing Farmers Market at Valley Court, 10:00-2:00! NOTE: looking ahead we are honoring deliveries and Farmer Markets, except for a brief pause on the 4th. Thank you All!
