Greetings, Farm-ily,
This week on the Farm we're trading harvest knives for tool belts as we take on our biggest fall project: our high tunnels. Some of you may know that while a tunnel resembles a greenhouse structurally, it doesn't include a heat source. Our high tunnels are a metal framework wrapped in heavy plastic sheeting that amplifies the warming greenhouse effect created by trapped sunlight and minimizes day-to-night temperature variation for the crops inside. Until a few days ago, Willowsford Farm had 8 of these high tunnels, 7 of which sat side by side in row by along the Grange fence line. If you've been a member of our previous Winter CSA seasons, you enjoyed a steady supply of leafy greens from these tunnels through the colder months!
Every so often, tunnels need repairs and new plastic to keep their insulating capacity operating at peak efficiency. Any holes or tears can lead to lost warmth, which leads to less consistent harvests. This year, we decided to combine repairs with a little re-engineering and rebuilding. Although they seem large, our eight tunnels are all too small to accommodate any of the tractors or implements we use use frequently in open fields. We've been dependent on a walk-behind tiller, which is cumbersome to steer and turn inside the tunnel structure. The portion of the farm where our high tunnels currently sit is also at the top edge of a downhill slope. We've added drainage ditches in the last year to combat the soil erosion from precipitation, but we know that flatter land will yield a better surface for growing. So, what's the answer to these tricky problems? If you're Farmer Collin and your early farming days were spent in tunnel construction, then the answer is simple: dismantle and move your tunnels!
As you read this, the last of three selected tunnels is being taken apart carefully, piece by piece, and the metal frame stacked up in a fresh central location. We're going to combine the three older tunnels into one new "megatunnel", big enough to drive through with our New Holland tractor. We'll wrap it in pristine plastic and seed the fertile soil underneath with a round of cole crops for Winter CSA. All this time invested in new larger tunnel will reward us handsomely with fresh harvests from December to February.
While we're on the subject of Winter CSA, the Farm crew owes our wonderful community a round of applause! Our winter vegetable shares sold out in less than a week after we opened sign-ups. This is the first year in the history of the Farm where the entire winter membership roster has been composed of current summer members. It feels like an important milestone in the story we're writing together with you. Thank you so much for choosing to continue your summer journey with us! We hope to see and serve the rest of our Farm-ily during the colder months through our Farm Stand Online option, where you can purchase surplus produce from our harvests, as well as your tasty, locally-sourced favorites from this season. To get notifications about availability for these "one-time" winter boxes, log in to your Harvie profile and click "Manage Notifications" beneath our logo on the right. Toggle the checkmarks next to the winter veggies, and we'll email you whenever we have extra boxes available.
One last "housekeeping" note for week pertains to our CSA staffing. Our home delivery members have probably noticed that our crew member Rory is expecting a new little farmer early in 2021! As she heads into the second half of her pregnancy, we're swapping some of our responsibilities around to keep her safe and comfortable. Rory will be taking over Farm Stand CSA pickups while Ashley and the rest of the crew hop into the driver's seat for deliveries. We look forward to putting new names and faces together for the last few weeks of the season.
Eat Well and Be Well,
Ashley, Collin, John, Lex, Alexandra, Rory, Gabe, James, and the hens, hogs, and dogs
Meal Plan Week #18
- Sweetness and bite in Radishes and Greens Braised with Honey Mustard
- There are a million variations of potato salad, but Arugula and Dill Potato Salad is one of the best
- Treat yourself to easy Marinated Sweet Peppers and their lingering summer flavor
- Look beyond Eggplant Parmesan and try Roasted Eggplant Pasta for a change of a pace
- This fresh and sweet Pear, Pesto, and Arugula Cousous is a home run
