Brianna works putting in hoops to hold up the frost blankets. We are trying to find the best way to do this so that one person can easily manage the giant pieces of cloth. We'll see how this version works!
Here you can see our covered greens in the foreground. We are hoping that this cover will keep our greens safe through November. Every year is different so we will have to wait and see but I think chances are good. In the midground you can seeour caterpillar tunnels. Each one is 150 feet long and spans two beds. Within are greens that we hope will take us through the winter. The greens in there are covered again with more row cover! And you can just barely make out our late fall planting in the background. Almost all of that will be harvested and brought in for the winter long eating.
First let me note, this will be the last week of the Northville, Howell, and Stockbridge markets. Thank you so much to those who have come out to support us this year. We appreciate your dedication to local agriculture and the farmers who make it run. If you are planning on shopping with us again next year or if you shop with us at any of our other markets, consider signing up for our Market CSA by opening an account with us. Find more information about it here and please feel free to email us with any questions. Our memberships run season round and you can use your account at any of our markets. Chelsea market will move inside after this week and run through the end of December. Ann Arbor Wednesday will stay right where it is and run through the end of December. Ann Arbor Saturday will stay the same all the way through! We are considering picking up another market for next season (perhaps starting in January, depending how much stuff we have) and will keep you posted as it develops.
Well folks, now that that's out of the way, let me tell you, we knew it was coming the whole time, but here it is, a hard frost. Last night we worked to the moon putting hoops and covers over our hopes (little plants) in the hoops. Between now and last weeks email, we disassembled and reassembled two caterpillar houses, built a third one anew and planted them full of little plants. It is late in the season to plant for winter but since our winter line-up consists of hard plants that take full advantage of even tiny drops of sunlight, we are hoping something will come of it. Either way, we will have vegetables to offer come winter, it just depends how long it will take them to mature.
I feel a little less terrified that everything is going to die from last year's experiences, but I am still not feeling easy. I know that cabbage can survive a cold like this. I know that broccoli can. I know that kale can. I know in my heart that tatsoi under cover can be frozen solid and then thaw out perfect. But I am still feeling edgy waiting for reassurance from the sun's thaw.
While we continue to work on bulk harvest (beets, radish, carrots, cabbage, kohlrabi, and potatoes!) we are also working on planting our garlic. The field is laid out, all we have to do is add nutrients, garlic, and then mulch it! While we wait for the plants to thaw so we can harvest with out destroying their delicate cell structure, we crack open heads of garlic, separate by variety and laugh and talk together.
Looking forward to seeing you at market and watching you faces as the realize how sweet the greens become after a frost!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers
Well folks, now that that's out of the way, let me tell you, we knew it was coming the whole time, but here it is, a hard frost. Last night we worked to the moon putting hoops and covers over our hopes (little plants) in the hoops. Between now and last weeks email, we disassembled and reassembled two caterpillar houses, built a third one anew and planted them full of little plants. It is late in the season to plant for winter but since our winter line-up consists of hard plants that take full advantage of even tiny drops of sunlight, we are hoping something will come of it. Either way, we will have vegetables to offer come winter, it just depends how long it will take them to mature.
I feel a little less terrified that everything is going to die from last year's experiences, but I am still not feeling easy. I know that cabbage can survive a cold like this. I know that broccoli can. I know that kale can. I know in my heart that tatsoi under cover can be frozen solid and then thaw out perfect. But I am still feeling edgy waiting for reassurance from the sun's thaw.
While we continue to work on bulk harvest (beets, radish, carrots, cabbage, kohlrabi, and potatoes!) we are also working on planting our garlic. The field is laid out, all we have to do is add nutrients, garlic, and then mulch it! While we wait for the plants to thaw so we can harvest with out destroying their delicate cell structure, we crack open heads of garlic, separate by variety and laugh and talk together.
Looking forward to seeing you at market and watching you faces as the realize how sweet the greens become after a frost!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers
Frosted spinach! This is a pretty intensely spikey situation!
Frosted beet greens!
Fresh From the Field!
Greens:Arugula
Baby Bok Choi!
Head Lettuce- Limited
Mizuna
Mustard
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekana- Bok Choi lettuce!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. -Limited
Shoots: Pea!- Limited
Swiss Chard- frost sweetened and in bags.
Herbs:
Cilantro and Dill
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Celery
*Eggplant: (limited) Roast, stirfry, sandwich- prep breaded eggplant in the freezer!
Fennel: Fresh licorice-y fronds with crispy bulbs.
Garlic
Kohlrabi- beautiful meal sized kohlrabi and tender petite
Onions
Potatoes will be back in a couple weeks once the rest of the crops are safe from the frost
Sweet potatoes at the end of the week!
*Peppers: Limited
*Hot peppers: Hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, serrano, and poblano- try pickling!
*Snack Peppers: ( limited) as sweet as peppers get!
Radishes: Classic, White Daikon, Green Daikon, and Watermelon- Try making steamed radish
*Tomatoes: greens- time to make those pickled green tomatoes!
Turnips: Sweet white turnips and purple top roasting turnips
*End of the season for starred crops so stock up while you can!
Markets, always rain or shine!
Wednesday: Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm.
Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 3 pm.
Friday: Stockbridge
The Stockbridge Open Air Market is located on the square in downtown Stockbridge. It runs from May thru October from 4 pm to 7 pm
Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.
The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.
Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.
Greens:Arugula
Baby Bok Choi!
Head Lettuce- Limited
Mizuna
Mustard
Tatsoi
Tokyo Bekana- Bok Choi lettuce!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Microgreens: Spicy and mild. -Limited
Shoots: Pea!- Limited
Swiss Chard- frost sweetened and in bags.
Herbs:
Cilantro and Dill
Mint
Oregano
Parsley: The stems of the curly parsley are incredibly sweet!
Sage
Thyme
All manner of deliciousness:
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Celery
*Eggplant: (limited) Roast, stirfry, sandwich- prep breaded eggplant in the freezer!
Fennel: Fresh licorice-y fronds with crispy bulbs.
Garlic
Kohlrabi- beautiful meal sized kohlrabi and tender petite
Onions
Potatoes will be back in a couple weeks once the rest of the crops are safe from the frost
Sweet potatoes at the end of the week!
*Peppers: Limited
*Hot peppers: Hungarian hot wax, cayenne, jalepeno, serrano, and poblano- try pickling!
*Snack Peppers: ( limited) as sweet as peppers get!
Radishes: Classic, White Daikon, Green Daikon, and Watermelon- Try making steamed radish
*Tomatoes: greens- time to make those pickled green tomatoes!
Turnips: Sweet white turnips and purple top roasting turnips
*End of the season for starred crops so stock up while you can!
Markets, always rain or shine!
Wednesday: Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm.
Thursday: Northville
The Northville market is located at 195 Main St, Northville, MI 48167 and it runs May thru October, 8 am to 3 pm.
Friday: Stockbridge
The Stockbridge Open Air Market is located on the square in downtown Stockbridge. It runs from May thru October from 4 pm to 7 pm
Saturday: Ann Arbor and Chelsea
The Ann Arbor Market is located in the Kerrytown District at 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor, MI. The market runs from May thru December, 7 am to 3 pm and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.
The Chelsea Farmers' Market is located in the lower library lot along Park St. It runs May thru October from 8 am to 1 pm.
Sunday: Howell
The Howell Farmers' market can be found in the heart of Howell at State st and Clinton st, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse. It runs May thru October, 9 am to 2 pm.
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