by milecreekfarm

CSA WEEK 22

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

FARM NEWS

I wish that I could say today that all the garlic is planted, but I can only report that it is half planted. After such a dry start to fall, we are currently in a wet pattern and juggling tasks between lots of rain. Last week I reported that the garlic beds had been hilled up. With rain in the forecast last Friday night, we were hoping to have the opportunity to till and plant on Friday, but the field was still wet from rain earlier in the week. We waited as long as we possibly could, checking both the soil moisture level and the radar. Finally around 5 we decided we better till the beds. There was no time to plant, but if we got the beds completely ready we could at least jump into planting as soon as possible. You can see in the picture the beds are still wet. A few times Ben had to stop and scrape mud off the tires. Not ideal!

Ben tills the garlic beds before a thunderstorm rolls in.

Unfortunately, actually planting is proving to be very difficult with ill timed rains continuing and gray skies keeping that moisture locked in. Yesterday we managed to plant two beds but it was not pretty and is damaging to the soil. This is definitely something we don’t like doing! Tomorrow is a partly sunny day and we’ll just hope we get enough sun in the morning to let us get back in there in the afternoon as Thursday brings another round of heavy rain!

The planter barely makes it down the bed as we “mud” the garlic in

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: Charity and Tabitha

This year we have 2 sisters working for us. This is both Charity and Tabitha’s first year at the farm but you wouldn’t be able to tell- farm work comes naturally to them! They are both very involved at Hilltop Equestrian Center where they volunteer. Experience lifting heavy bales of hay, being outside in the elements, and getting clothes dirty is bound to happen at an equestrian center, and carries over well to a vegetable farm. Tabby has also worked at Learning Tree Farm (one of our favorite places in Dayton!) and Charity has worked at Bayer’s Melon Farm. This year they helped harvest and were in charge of every single CSA pack.  We increased the number of CSA shares this year, but they have managed to get the pack done in the same amount of time as before! Tabby enjoys seeing the process through from harvest to pack and finds the end result, whether it be a CSA box of mixed veggies or a wholesale box of cabbage very rewarding. Charity also enjoys the end result– extra produce that she gets to take home! Charity just graduated high school and Tabby is a (newish) newlywed, and even though they see each other at Hilltop, working here together as helped foster an even closer relationship. We are so grateful to have them!

RECIPES

Beef Stew with Root Vegetables (Vegetarian Version)

Lemony Spinach Rice

Butternut and Cauliflower Curry

Kohlrabi and Fennel Slaw with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Coming Up Next Week (our best guess….) Japanese sweet potatoes, Rutabaga, Spinach, Head Lettuce, Carrots, Broccoli, Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Red onions