ALL Thursday CSA deliveries have been moved to Wednesday THIS week due to forecast snow! We've been watching the forecast, hoping to not have to upend the schedule again, but it's looking more likely that we'll have fairly substantial snow this Thursday.....So, all Thursday pickups are moved to Wednesday this week. Same times as normal just a different day.
Friday pickups at the farm can be done as early as 2:00 PM Wednesday if you want to come before all the snow. Our back road and driveway may be snow covered until Sunday given the forecast temperatures so keep that in mine. Not sure why, but it seems all the winter weather has fallen on CSA delivery days this year.
I love this time of year! It's, "So fair, yet so cold like a morning of pale Spring still clinging to Winter's chill." - JRR Tolkien The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Even though Tolkien puts these words in the mouth of an extremely creepy character, they're beautiful words nonetheless.
Spring is coming and we keep getting glimpses of it, but winter hasn't given up yet. We've taken advantage of some mud-free conditions to prep some planting areas out in the fields. We're just about to start planting outside, and we'd better do it soon because the greenhouse is FULL of transplants ready to go into the ground. We'll hold off on planting outside until the upcoming cold snap blows by, but we're excited to transplant our first tomatoes into the ground in one of our heated greenhouses this week!!!! Thank God, that we were able to lock in our propane price last summer before all the oil and inflation issues emerged. The market price is 2x what we are paying right now since we pre-purchased.
We're approaching the spring equinox when the days equal the nights and we're noticing much more rapid growth in the high-tunnels and greenhouses. This is the BEST time of year for greens!
What did you think of the Jerusalem artichokes, aka sunchokes aka fartichokes? They're my very favorite roasted veggie! We're harvesting the remainder now to get them up before they spout. Yes, these were planted almost 12 months ago and formed amazing tubers that are now dormant in the ground. With the spring thaw, they'll quickly sprout so we've got to get them harvested and in the cooler where they'll keep for many more weeks. The ones we miss in the ground (it's impossible to find them all) will sprout again and provide us more food this coming fall. So amazing! You can even plant them yourself if you'd like, just be ware that they'll grow 15 to 20' tall and once you plant them, you'll have them forever....so plan ahead. They're a native plant and they have amazing medicinal value and could make a really good screen from the neighbors all summer:).
The new greenhouse is ALMOST complete. We're waiting on a final shipment of parts to build the roll up endwalls. We hope to complete the house in the next week or so and fill it with plants at the same time. Hurray for more food!
Bread: Farm to Market Artisan Sourdough loaf
Cheese: Hemme Brothers Garlic Dill Curds
Thanks for being local eaters, supporting your local farmers. We appreciate you, and pray that the goodness we grow brings brings blessing to your household.
Dave and Sheri
