This week we have been gearing up for Family Farm Day which takes place this Sunday from 10am-3pm, rain or shine. Staff from all around the region came to lend a hand - we cleaned the barns, tidied up the Stone Paddock, built the hay obstacle course, shined up the tractors, decorated the farmstead with hay bales and mums, and so much more. Hopefully no one gave up and tossed their raincoats and galoshes during the drought because we'll be celebrating the start to fall regardless of the weather. All the details can be found here: http://bit.ly/familyfarmday2016
The Share
Potatoes
Squash
Tomatoes
Garlic
Peppers
Kale/Collards
Carrots
Leeks
PYO Cherry Tomatoes
While many people consider Labor Day to be the unofficial
end of summer, technically we have another week before the fall equinox which
officially marks the passage of summer. The trees are still green (or at
least those that haven’t turned brown), the days are still warm and the
mornings have only a hint of chill but something about the light does feel
different. The mid day sun is still hot but it has lost some of its
blinding harshness and the mornings and evenings have become clear and pleasant
in the fields. Everywhere you can feel that a change is coming and it
prods us to attend to our tasks with greater focus less we should end up like
the lazy grasshopper from Aesop’s fable.
We transplanted lettuce, spinach and bok choi this week: our
very last planting for the season. Next week we will seed the very last
of the greens and radishes. Thinning and weeding the watermelon radishes,
beets and turnips have been keeping us busy as have several weeding projects.
One benefit of the shorter days and cooler nights has been that new weed
pressure is minimized. Bulk harvesting for the fall is in full swing
right now with squash, onions, potatoes, carrots and many other root crops
coming in. This has been a little bit stressful since many of the bulk
harvest crops, which we rely upon to fill out the share through the fall,
suffered from the drought. I alluded to this worry in last weeks post
when I mentioned that we have been dipping into our storage crops to fill out
our summer share. The potatoes and carrots we ordered from Heron Pond
farm and Picadilly farm mean that we will have a steady supply of these key
crops. Onions and squash yields are looking about as good as can be
expected but, with careful distribution management, I’m optimistic that they
will last for the next 5 or 6 weeks. Add to this list some very promising
brassicas along with the extra radishes, and direct seeded greens and the final
third of this season looks to be in decent shape all things considered. We are
at the doorstep of autumn and it seems the most difficult period is behind us.
At the most troubling times during the last month and a
half, I worried that we would need to shut down the CSA, that we would be
forced to lay off our farm crew and send out apprentices home early and that I
would need to draft a letter of apology and explanation to send to all of you,
our shareholders and supporters. We were never so close to this dark
possibility that the fate of the CSA was in imminent peril but the persistent,
nagging dread that “maybe next week will be the week when our luck and
fortitude abscond with the last of our high hopes” was enough to tie my guts
into knots for days at a time. I know that to a greater or lesser degree,
all of the CSA staff has felt this way once or twice this summer. During
a moment like this an off hand comment from one or our shareholders might have
crippled morale. Instead we have received an unbelievable amount of
patience, understanding and support. I can’t say what impact this has had
on the success of the CSA operations but for myself and my crew this has made
the difference.
Thank you, Ryan
Friday Farm Dinners: Every Friday through September in the Stone Paddock at 5:30PM. Join us for a summer evening of farm fresh food, live music, and lawn games! Pre-register online here
Fun in the Farmyard: Every Sunday in the Carriage Barn from 10am-3pm. FREE drop in program where you can meet the animals, make a farm craft, and learn all about Appleton Farms.
Rise and Shine Little Farmers: Saturdays at 9AM. Have you ever collected warm eggs from the chicken coop or seen how fast pigs will run for their morning helping of veggie scraps? This Saturday morning program brings families behind the scenes of our working farm. Pre-register online here
Upcoming Programs and Events:
