Our crop list is growing and it feels great. Although some of the items are only just beginning to trickle in, they are coming and we couldn't be happier. We finally had our first zucchini harvest yesterday after watching them freeze in time, staying forever the exact same size. We also had our first pea and garlic scape harvest yesterday. All of these crops are coming in gently but in a moments notice, we will be buried in them, so get ready! The herbs are coming in too: basil, cilantro, dill what!. Flavor! Crispiness! And our head lettuce is still abundant and as delicious as ever. We also have our first round of sunflower and pea shoots. They ares so delicious. Those sunflower shoots in particular, I don't know how I lived without them! They have a nutty flavor and a very satisfying texture.
I don't want to jinx it but so far our crops are looking good this year. A little (a lot) weedy because with all the water we missed some early weeding opportunities, but still growing nicely. Some of the crops coming in, and some of those still thriving in the field, are crops that struggled or even failed last year due to the perfect storm of variables. We hardly brought herbs to market, no peas, no onions, no spring carrots, almost no head lettuce to speak of, our pepper plants and eggplant plants at this time were struggling like a giant stone toad was sitting upon them. I have been holding handfuls of vegetables up to Jim and saying "See, we do still know how to farm!" I can tell you, the stone toad is climbing off of my heart.
What is the difference, you say? There are so many factors that changed, it is impossible to pin point: we improved our potting mix and greenhouse procedures, we have a full time staff, this is our second year here so we understand the land a little better, the seed maggots didn't eat all of our carrots. One of the biggest things is, we were able to get our feet under us a little this winter. I will admit I am tired but I am experiencing nothing like the depletion of crash landing here and sprinting out of the smoldering embers.
Let's see, what is going on this week. Weeding, big time. We are slowly chipping away at the weed populations in our carrots, onions, celery, and celeriac. Bed by bed they are being cleared. Of course we are still planting. Hopefully this week we get those Brussels sprouts in, our last round of tomatoes go in this week, our second and last bout of melon and cucumbers, along with more successions of the greens we all love and depend on. And harvesting is picking up.
You may note we are light on salad mix. We are struggling with some deer and lettuce is their FAVORITE (among sweet potato leaves, carrot tops, and of course anything else when those aren't available.) Our electric fence was malfunctioning and I fear that baiting it just drew a couple in. It is repaired and functioning now but it is a little late. Because the fence depends on training the deer and these deer have already learned it is safe to come through, our choices are limited. I have been going on late late night drives around the farm, weeding at dusk in areas close to where we have seen damage and tracks, and rebaiting the fence but it feels like a waiting game in which we most certainly lose our lettuce in the end. We are hoping to get an off-season permit so we can defend our livelihood. Of course, venison is never turned away either. Wish us all luck!
Onward and upward, spiraling into the future!Of course look for us first at all of our markets (see listed below) but if you miss us at market, be sure to look for our gigantic head lettuce at Argus Farmstop in Ann Arbor See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers
Fresh From the Field!
Cut greens all limited:Arugula
Mizuna
Mustard
Tatsoi
Tokyo bekana
Salad mix!
Herbs:
Basil
Cilantro
Dill
Parsley-basically good in anything and very nutrient dense
Roots:
Baby carrots by the bunch- I still can't believe how sweet they are.
Radishes
Greens:
Head lettuce: Butterhead, green leaf, red leaf, summer crisp, and romaine!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Turnip greens
All manner of deliciousness:
Garlic scapes- just coming in but boy oh boy!
Peas: snow and snap!
Shoots:
Sunflower
Pea
Summer squash- yellow, green and striped zucchini and yellow summer squash
Although we don't have them early in the week, microgreens may be returning to the table by the end of the week or the beginning of next week. We needed a minute to recalibrate.
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 and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.
Thursday: Jackson
The Jackson Green Market at Allegiance Health is located at East Michigan Avenue and Waterloo Street. It runs from May through October 9 am to 2 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.
I don't want to jinx it but so far our crops are looking good this year. A little (a lot) weedy because with all the water we missed some early weeding opportunities, but still growing nicely. Some of the crops coming in, and some of those still thriving in the field, are crops that struggled or even failed last year due to the perfect storm of variables. We hardly brought herbs to market, no peas, no onions, no spring carrots, almost no head lettuce to speak of, our pepper plants and eggplant plants at this time were struggling like a giant stone toad was sitting upon them. I have been holding handfuls of vegetables up to Jim and saying "See, we do still know how to farm!" I can tell you, the stone toad is climbing off of my heart.
What is the difference, you say? There are so many factors that changed, it is impossible to pin point: we improved our potting mix and greenhouse procedures, we have a full time staff, this is our second year here so we understand the land a little better, the seed maggots didn't eat all of our carrots. One of the biggest things is, we were able to get our feet under us a little this winter. I will admit I am tired but I am experiencing nothing like the depletion of crash landing here and sprinting out of the smoldering embers.
Let's see, what is going on this week. Weeding, big time. We are slowly chipping away at the weed populations in our carrots, onions, celery, and celeriac. Bed by bed they are being cleared. Of course we are still planting. Hopefully this week we get those Brussels sprouts in, our last round of tomatoes go in this week, our second and last bout of melon and cucumbers, along with more successions of the greens we all love and depend on. And harvesting is picking up.
You may note we are light on salad mix. We are struggling with some deer and lettuce is their FAVORITE (among sweet potato leaves, carrot tops, and of course anything else when those aren't available.) Our electric fence was malfunctioning and I fear that baiting it just drew a couple in. It is repaired and functioning now but it is a little late. Because the fence depends on training the deer and these deer have already learned it is safe to come through, our choices are limited. I have been going on late late night drives around the farm, weeding at dusk in areas close to where we have seen damage and tracks, and rebaiting the fence but it feels like a waiting game in which we most certainly lose our lettuce in the end. We are hoping to get an off-season permit so we can defend our livelihood. Of course, venison is never turned away either. Wish us all luck!
Onward and upward, spiraling into the future!Of course look for us first at all of our markets (see listed below) but if you miss us at market, be sure to look for our gigantic head lettuce at Argus Farmstop in Ann Arbor See you at market!
Helen writing for the Lake Dividers
Fresh From the Field!
Cut greens all limited:Arugula
Mizuna
Mustard
Tatsoi
Tokyo bekana
Salad mix!
Herbs:
Basil
Cilantro
Dill
Parsley-basically good in anything and very nutrient dense
Roots:
Baby carrots by the bunch- I still can't believe how sweet they are.
Radishes
Greens:
Head lettuce: Butterhead, green leaf, red leaf, summer crisp, and romaine!
Kale: flat leaf, green curly, and red curly
Turnip greens
All manner of deliciousness:
Garlic scapes- just coming in but boy oh boy!
Peas: snow and snap!
Shoots:
Sunflower
Pea
Summer squash- yellow, green and striped zucchini and yellow summer squash
Although we don't have them early in the week, microgreens may be returning to the table by the end of the week or the beginning of next week. We needed a minute to recalibrate.
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 and January thru April from 8 am to 3 pm.
Thursday: Jackson
The Jackson Green Market at Allegiance Health is located at East Michigan Avenue and Waterloo Street. It runs from May through October 9 am to 2 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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