Planting for the future, harvesting for the present.
CSA and market farming is all about looking ahead while also paying enough attention to the present to do it justice. This week we are balancing our time between harvesting hundreds of pounds of summer favorites, like bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant and basil, and preparing beds for fall, including planting kohlrabi, broccoli, kale, lettuce, carrots, beets, and cauliflower.
This means that our attention has to be somewhat divided; being sure that our current crops are being watered, harvested, and generally cared for, while at the same time putting a lot of effort into tilling, spreading mulch, transplanting and seeding. After thirteen years of farming, it’s easier than it used to be to maintain this tension between working in the present and preparing for the future, but it’s still a challenge. In fact, it’s one of the things that keeps our vocation interesting; the constant challenge of timing, prioritizing, creating and executing the plan. So while we are swimming in tomatoes, and hot peppers are just beginning to be harvested, and we love all the fresh salsa and pizza sauce that those bring with them, we are also working hard to be sure that come September and October and November, we’ll all be enjoying an abundance of fresh carrots, broccoli, lettuce, and cabbage, the fruit of planning and execution from months before.
Thanks for choosing us to be your farmers.
Curtis, Sarah, and the Crew at Millsap Farm
