A mild fall and late killing frost combined with a plethora of storage vegetables is allowing us to send out an additional CSA box this week!
In This Week’s Box:
Sweet Potatoes
Purple Potatoes
Carola Potatoes
Butternut Squash
Yellow Onions
Shallots
Lacinato Kale
Hakurei Turnips
Head Lettuce
“Kossak” Giant Kohlrabi
Bell Peppers
Fennel bulbs
Tomatoes
Jalapeno Pepper
We are in good shape entering our “off” season. We planted our garlic in a few short hours one gorgeous late October day. Several fields have a good stand of cover crop. And we are still harvesting so much produce! We didn’t actually have a killing frost until last week, giving us our longest flower and tomato season to date. Therefore, we are still so busy! But our off season is right around the corner and we enjoy the change of pace. We spend more time with the children and doing all the things we didn’t have time to do during the season. We also do tons of planning for the next season.
A rather major change for us next year will be an additional 24 acres to manage! We have been growing on 8 acres and leasing out the farm’s remaining acreage to another certified organic farm that does row crops. But this was their final year and so, 32 acres: here we come! This was always the plan and why we were so excited to find someone to farm the land organically until we were ready to manage it all. We will not be increasing our diverse vegetable or flower production beyond 8 acres at this time, but will manage the additional acreage as a means of building soil. We will be able to rest the current vegetable fields for a couple years (vegetables can be heavy feeders and take a lot out of the soil) by rotating the vegetable production to other areas of the farm. The areas of the farm that are not planted to vegetables and flowers will be managed some how–perhaps a cover crop of sunflowers, or a few years with an alpha crop. Maybe we will decide to plant an entire acre of sweet corn or explore perennial crops, like pussy willow for cut flowers and asparagus for spring sales). What we are going to do with 24 more acres needs to planned this winter. Considerations include soil building, weed control, perennial plants and trees, cost, time, etc. We are glad to have a couple slow months to plan and get all our hens in a row before we delve into another insanely busy, but fun, farming season! (With 24 more acres!!)
Recipes:
Braised Pork, Sweet potatoes and fennel stew
Sauteed Kohlrabi and onions with cream (Kohlrabi this week doesn’t come with greens, but you can use the kale in its’ place)