Fall Plantings
The challenging weather continues to have an effect on our growing this season, so we continue to pivot and adjust accordingly. Over the last week, snacking cucumbers have come out of GH8 and have been replaced by fall Salanova Head Lettuce. Zucchinni deteriorated quickly from peak production and has also been removed making room for a cover crop, fallow field, or quicker growing crop. A thick cover crop of Oats, Peas, Beans have been planted in various locations around the farm including the Oxbow which will smother any competing weeds, while also fixing nitrogen, loosening up hardpacked soil, and providing organic matter.
Zucchini is out
GH8 snacking Cucumbers replaced by Salanova Head Lettuce
As you are well aware the rain and wet weather of the summer has been a damper on our greens production. We have managed, however the challenges around the weather have become a constant conversation as we plan out the fall plantings of head lettuces, direct seeded greens, and more quick growing fall crops.
With gardens and greenhouses moving on from summer fruiting crops, we are planting tons of greens. A number of years ago, we were able to deliver lettuce mix to the Littleton Food Coop in December, it would be wonderful to be able to provide local, high quality lettuce and other greens to our customers in December, over the next 6 weeks we will be planting with the intention of doing just that.
Garden 5 onions are drying and greens are planted and already coming up. Got to love the rogue sunflowers!
Drying onions
As mentioned in a previous newsletter, we have laid out onions and garlic on tables underneath a shed roof behind the pole barn. This new space has freed up GH1 and GH2 for fall growing. Evrald spent some time cleaning up the sides of GH2 so we can put down some fabric and eventually plant about 1200 salanova head lettuce for a fall harvest. Since housing seedlings in the spring time this space was cover cropped and then tarped.
Check out GH2 now (above), set up for fall salanova. The cover crop Colin planted earlier in the summer can be seen for comparison.
In celebration of Eat Local Month, the Littleton Coop, for the second year in a row, has coordinated a bus tour visiting a number of local farms including Meadowstone. There is still time to sign up if you are interested!
Pickup
Come anytime between 3 pm and 6 pm to choose your share on the day you chose when you signed up, so either Monday or Thursday.
Please bring your own bags or box to gather your choices.
If you signed up for an add-on, don’t forget to pickup your
Eggs, Pork sausage and Flowers!
Remember to contact us in advance if you will be unable to pick up on Thursday, so that we can store your share in our walk-in refrigerator to keep it fresh. You can email or call us to let us know. Thank you to all of those who have already arranged another time to pickup!
Here's what you will find in this weeks share:
Full shares receive 12 choices
Small shares receive 8 choices.
WANT SOME RECIPE IDEAS?
CHECK OUT THE CSA RECIPE PAGE!
Enjoy! Thank you for supporting local agriculture. See you Thursday if not before.
Your Farmer,
Sam (For Tim, Matt, Mikaela, Jeannie, Jim, Jaime, Evrald, Shawn, Colin, Jessie, Ani, Wyatt, Gal, and Claira)