Did you know that the "dog days of summer" actually has official dates? In the US, the dog days of summer for 2021 are from July 3 to August 11 which means we're pretty much in the middle of it now. How are there official dates? Well, the phrase is actually a reference to the fact that, during this time, the Sun occupies the same region of the sky as Sirius, the brightest star visible from any part of Earth and part of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog. Hellenistic astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. Hopefully the only thing you are experiencing of these is the heat and lethargy.
We're definitely feeling the heat and lethargy, just trying to slog through what we consider the most difficult time of year for us to farm.
The good news is, the heat is good for some crops like pole beans, peppers, eggplant and okra. We've been busily seeding many beds of fall carrots because ya'll just love you some carrots! We've begun planting other fall crops like broccoli, cabbage and even spinach in the field. It's a challenge to get them to sprout and survive in the heat but we need to do it in order to have those fall crops ready when it turns cool again.
Help with Onion and Garlic Trimming
We had fun with some of ya'll getting the majority of the garlic trimmed and ready for storage last week. Now the goal is to finish the garlic up and get the onions trimmed and stored this week. This is a job we can do in the shade of the barn and even the kiddos were quite helpful last week. If you'd like to join us, we've got plenty of scissors and snips just trim the root, trim the stem and carefully place in a crate. We've got a couple opportunities this week for you to come out at this link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/onion-and-garlic-trimming-tickets-164707609895
Aronia Berries are Here!
We have our very own, never-sprayed native aronia berries available again this week. Aronia are not nearly as sweet as blueberries but they're extremely nutritious and being a native plant to the midwest, they grow well without a lot of pest pressure or disease. Raw organic aronia berries have over 3 times the antioxidants of blueberries. Studies show organic aronia berries help regulate blood sugar, reduce blood pressure and reduce cholesterol among many other benefits. They're great on oatmeal, as a snack, or made into jams or syrups. The harvest window is only a few weeks so make sure to try some while we have them.
Bread and Cheese Share
Bread: Farm to Market 100% Whole Wheat Sliced Loaf
Cheese: Rubbed and Smoked Cheddar, 6oz block
Enjoy your dog days!
Dave and Sheri
