Dry times continue on the farm, which is a good thing and bad thing. We've watched and heard thunderstorms echo to the east and north of us, but they are only throwing sparse sprinkles our way (so far). The good part is weed pressure has dropped significantly, and plant disease is slower to set in. The bad part is the plants are relying solely on our drip irrigation systems which can be spotty at times and the wildlife are thirsty for any moisture-filled plants. The deer had been relentless, all but demolishing one of our bean plots, and the pearly-eyed thrashers are going after our young tomatoes as soon as they show the slightest signs of ripening.
Yet despite the dryness, we have a plentiful harvest ahead of us this week, with zucchinis surging, greenhouse cucumbers growing to crunchy proportions, sunflower and pea shoots dancing, mangoes filling out and ripening, unbothered turnips maturing to peak glory, pineapples sweetly yellowing, the sweetest tamarind in all the land staying their course and not molding like it does when it rains a lot, and passion fruits delivering a pucker-less, sweeter punch.
Our farm crew has been doing an amazing job adjusting to the dryness and additional pest pressures. Deer netting has been erected around vulnerable crops, watering has taken a newfound attention, and additional plantings are going in regularly with intense care for the conditions. We are proud to be offering over 26 different organic crops in volume this week, giving you plenty of swap options. At this point we could double our Farm Share box output without a problem. So please tell a friend if you think they would enjoy one of our boxes, as there is a lot to go around:)
With the easing on in-house dining we are considering offering one of our community donation-based Slow Down Dinners in the near future. We've been playing with ideas on how to comply with the social distancing requirements on a thing that is usually a tight social affair. We have so much land to spread it out. The next event we have will surely be a different experience to protect us all, and we think we can do it in a way that would be novel and more creative than ever. Please let us know what you think and if you would consider joining us for a dinner in June or beyond.
Also, please send us your feedback on the shares, the good and bad, the kitchen successes and fails. We’ve recently seen some inspiring social media posts about our produce and we encourage you to document and tag us on your home creations. We love it.
Please help spread the word about our Farm Share excess and let's get more people involved in our local food revolution that is certainly not on lockdown.
Blessings and peace from the fertile fields,
Nate & the Farm Crew
