From the farm - Week 11

In the Share: Week 11
TOMATOES (F/P) The heirlooms are outproducing the hybrids right now.
CHERRY TOMATOES (F/P) The healthiest tomatoes on the farm are on our highest ground.
GREEN BEANS (F) Thanks to all the pickers that have signed up to help us tomorrow! Partial shares will get them next week. Still need more pickers for the 30th. Here's a photo from Saturday's bean picking.
WALLA WALLA ONIONS (F/P) Our sweetest onion, great raw in salads
SUMMER SQUASH (F)
CUCUMBERS: (F)
GREEN PEPPERS OR BEETS: (P)
HERB CHOICE (F/P) Basil, Oregano or a dried herb.

Also this week: Parker Farms meat & egg share delivery

Next Week: More tomatoes, summer squash, cucumbers, beans. More garlic & carrots. Perhaps some cantaloupe. Bread share delivery.

Farm report
There has been a tropical air this week with temperatures in the upper 90s for the first time this year. It came too late for the tropical melons, however. The tropical melon variety called ‘Passport’ is one of our favorites – somewhere between a cantaloupe and a honeydew. We transplanted 200 feet of them along with the same of watermelons and cantaloupes back in mid-May but the cool, wet weather left them to wilt. This week we are beginning to hand out the melons that survived starting with on-farm distribution. If you don’t get one this week, not to worry, there are better chances down the line with our second and third plantings that grew under more favorable conditions.

The end of July signals the peak of activity on the farm. The tomato harvest is in full swing filling up every crate on the farm. After spending all day picking and sorting them, we spend our evenings converting them into our winter stores. The time of the tomato also coincides with the fall planting. So far we’ve planted a bed each of cauliflower, brussel sprouts and kale & collards. Many more seedlings await their turn in the coldframe and shade tents including lots of broccoli, kohlrabi, lettuces, and cabbages. It’s also time to get the last of the garlic out, harvest a bed and a half of carrots, and pull all five beds of onions. Whew! That list made me a bit dizzy. Needless to say, we don’t have a lot of time for the blog right now. It’s 10 pm and my brain is mush and Tom is just filling the final batch of jars for the night – pickles, my grandma’s four-day recipe. So, instead of attempting to blather on any longer, your weary farmer is headed to bed. I’ll see you all soon, however, as I will be sticking around at distribution attempting to sell our extra tomatoes to you all. Read Tom’s blog below for more on that. See you there!