Tyler harvesting squash! This year we cut back on some of the green and gold zucchini and added in some specialty types. At market you will see green and white striped zucchini which has a sweeter flavor than most cocozelle type zucchinis. Mexicana is lime green summer squash that is very tender. The UFO squash you'll see are patty pans. Allegedly larger ones taste like a potato. I like to cut them into discs and use them on grilled sandwiches. And we are growing the classic yellow summer squash. Excellent grilled with salt and pepper or with squash marinara.
Ahoy!
We're on a weather roller coaster. Wednesday was a peak! Hot. We ended just a touch early (at 5) and went to the lake.
The plants don't like it this hot either.
In this email:
Fresh From the Field- Not a lot yet but soon!
Greens:
Chard
Head lettuce
Kale
Pea shoots
All Manner of Deliciousness
Baby Green Garlic (see the tales from the farm to see why we still have green garlic now)
Kohlrabi (New this week! Just starting to come in)
Snap Peas
Spring radishes
Sweet turnips
Summer Squash!
Herbs
Dill (New this week!)
Mint
Oregano
Sage
Thyme
Coming soon:
Carrots
Cucumbers (There's a little this week!)
Fennel
We're on a weather roller coaster. Wednesday was a peak! Hot. We ended just a touch early (at 5) and went to the lake.
The plants don't like it this hot either.
In this email:
- Generally important notes
- Farm Members, if you haven't read and responded to the email we sent out about changing membership rules
- You can find your most up to date balance in that email. You can use the subject line to search for it in your inbox: "LDF News: Farm Membership Update PLEASE READ AND RESPOND!"
- If you have questions or the arrangement proposed in that email doesn't work for you, please let us know that too. Let's work together!
- If you can't find the email, let me know and I will forward a copy to you.
- Stockbridge Members: Look for the email from a couple weeks ago. Please email me with any questions or thoughts.
- Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change.
- Farm Members, if you haven't read and responded to the email we sent out about changing membership rules
- Fresh from the Field
- Recipe
- Market Details
- Tales from the Farm!
Fresh From the Field- Not a lot yet but soon!
Greens:
Chard
Head lettuce
Kale
Pea shoots
All Manner of Deliciousness
Baby Green Garlic (see the tales from the farm to see why we still have green garlic now)
Kohlrabi (New this week! Just starting to come in)
Snap Peas
Spring radishes
Sweet turnips
Summer Squash!
Herbs
Dill (New this week!)
Mint
Oregano
Sage
Thyme
Coming soon:
Carrots
Cucumbers (There's a little this week!)
Fennel
Jim smiles about squash!
Tales from the Farm:
We sailors of the soil and the weather is our mistress. This week brought us a swing of 48°F between high and low. Our human bodies are adaptable. We able to make microclimate adjustments. We go in the shade. We pour ourselves a glass of cool, glistening water. We submerge ourselves in water. We add or remove clothes.
The plants sit in place. The sun shines down on them all hours of the day. Maybe through the clouds or maybe directly. At reasonable temperatures (85°F and below), most plants are doing good. The sun is the engine that keeps it all moving. They need the sun. The plants take up water and use it to make food. They use the flow of water to collect nutrients. Herbaceous plants like most of our crops use water to stay upright (turgor pressure). Water flows from their roots to their leaves (transpiration). Is that rudimentary plant biology section of science class coming back to you? Its all true!
When temperatures head north of 85°F, the plants may start to suffer. They can get stressed directly from the heat and their tissues can be damaged, they become more susceptible to some pests and diseases, and they may drop their blossoms. They may also suffer because the need more water. Why? Processes are moving at double time and the plants need more water than usual. The rate of water moving through them picks up as does the rate of photosynthesis. First step to keep plants happy when its hot? Water! Then stay even keel over the crest and hope for a gentle landing.
This week we crested at 96°F plus humidity feels like factors. And tonight we'll surf into a trough of 48°F. That is a big adjustment for a stationary creature. We kept up on the water and vented all our tunnels and houses to the max. Here's to hoping the plants aren't too bothered. In any evet, the weather tomorrow is going to be beautiful. The perfect day for collecting beautiful fresh ingredients from market and heading to the lake.
Want more about plant heat stress? Check out this article.
Onward and lakeward!
Helen for Jim, Tyler, Wiley (honorary worker and dirt eater extraordinaire!), Boomer (bark layer), and Exie (morale officer)
We sailors of the soil and the weather is our mistress. This week brought us a swing of 48°F between high and low. Our human bodies are adaptable. We able to make microclimate adjustments. We go in the shade. We pour ourselves a glass of cool, glistening water. We submerge ourselves in water. We add or remove clothes.
The plants sit in place. The sun shines down on them all hours of the day. Maybe through the clouds or maybe directly. At reasonable temperatures (85°F and below), most plants are doing good. The sun is the engine that keeps it all moving. They need the sun. The plants take up water and use it to make food. They use the flow of water to collect nutrients. Herbaceous plants like most of our crops use water to stay upright (turgor pressure). Water flows from their roots to their leaves (transpiration). Is that rudimentary plant biology section of science class coming back to you? Its all true!
When temperatures head north of 85°F, the plants may start to suffer. They can get stressed directly from the heat and their tissues can be damaged, they become more susceptible to some pests and diseases, and they may drop their blossoms. They may also suffer because the need more water. Why? Processes are moving at double time and the plants need more water than usual. The rate of water moving through them picks up as does the rate of photosynthesis. First step to keep plants happy when its hot? Water! Then stay even keel over the crest and hope for a gentle landing.
This week we crested at 96°F plus humidity feels like factors. And tonight we'll surf into a trough of 48°F. That is a big adjustment for a stationary creature. We kept up on the water and vented all our tunnels and houses to the max. Here's to hoping the plants aren't too bothered. In any evet, the weather tomorrow is going to be beautiful. The perfect day for collecting beautiful fresh ingredients from market and heading to the lake.
Want more about plant heat stress? Check out this article.
Onward and lakeward!
Helen for Jim, Tyler, Wiley (honorary worker and dirt eater extraordinaire!), Boomer (bark layer), and Exie (morale officer)
I think this is a Baltimore Checkerspot. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. It is a great time of year to see butterflies and we are in a great spot to see them!
A Yellow swallowtail butterfly from the greenhouse. I don't know the fate of this butterfly. When we found it, it had narrowly escaped a spiders web, but not without taking some damage on its wings.
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