Garlic Planting

Many people asked me, over the last few weeks, if everything was wrapped up for the season at the farm and were then surprised to hear that we were getting ready to plant garlic and shallots. Yes, in Minnesota we plant garlic and shallots in October, when the soils cool down, with enough time to start rooting, but not sprout.

To get ready for planting we started by "popping" the cloves. Taking the bulbs and separating all the cloves to plant individually.

Bags filled with garlic cloves.

This year we also planted 'Walking Onions' (aka Egyptian Onions) in the kitchen garden--I've been waiting to have those! After popping the garlic I prepared the garlic bed map and was ready to plant.

Cart with garlic, shallots, map and tools.

The dibbler helps us ensure good spacing, more efficiently.

John tilled the bed, which had been resting for about a month (they followed beans this year) and I raked it. We have heavy soils so we used a raised bed to allow for good drainage. Next I used the fancy-schmancy dibbler John made to mark out spacing--6"x6". This makes planting go a lot faster.

Marking spacing with the dibbler.

View a short video of me using the dibbler. After the spacing is marked I laid out the garlic and shallot cloves, then went back and started planting. Garlic is planted 4-6" deep and shallots are planted with the tops even, or just under, the surface of the soil. View a short video of me planting garlic.

Garlic laid out for planting.

Dutch Yellow Shallots ready to plant.

 All of our garlic is organic certified, as we are transitioning to organic. Red Russian garlic, Dutch Yellow shallots and French Gray shallots were planted again; we liked all of these. We also planted some new varieties to trial--German Red and German Extra Hardy, and Inchelium Red (soft neck garlic). In our region we grow hard-neck garlic--these produce those lovely scapes that we all cherish for a few weeks in spring (yum!)--but I wanted to grow a small amount of soft-neck, just to experiment (these are the braiding kind).  We purchase seed from The Maine Potato Lady (great source for garlic, onions and potatoes), and we also got some from Territorial Seeds this year too.

 The last step in the process is to cover with a thick layer of mulch. Mulch provides protection from the elements over winter, and helps to suppress weeds. The pigs helped us with the mulching! Using bales from their pen we are able to add a little fertilizer--perfect since it sits out, breaking down all winter and spring (the minimum requirement is 120 days, and it will be about 240). Also, in anticipation of garlic planting, we threw several bales in there over the last week for them to forage through and clean out the small-grain and weed seeds. We purchased some really seedy straw last spring, hopefully this will reduce the amount of barley growing in the garlic bed, plus we got to nurture the pigs foraging instincts!

 I am already looking forward to next year's garlic and shallot crop!

CSA Week #18

Week #18, the final week of the season, has been delivered--members took home their full-to-the-brim and heavy last boxes yesterday. This was our second CSA season on the farm and it was a good one. A great big thank you to all of our members who supported the farm--we couldn't do it without you!

So here's a look at the last box...

Link to the Week #18 CSA Newsletter

CSA Box Wk #18 • Layer 1 • Oct. 22nd, 2013

 In the boxes: Butternut and acorn squash, beets, 1.25# leeks, 1.5# parsnips, Jonathon apples, 3# Katahdin potatoes, 1/2lb garlic...

CSA Box Wk #18 • Layer 2 • Oct. 22nd, 2013

...green bell peppers, 2# mixed onions, French gray shallots, rosemary, sage, dill seed and tarragon. Plus the EWG (Environmental Working Group) Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 shopping guide and the Seafood Watch guide.

CSA Week #17

It was a cold and rainy delivery day. It makes for muddy harvesting--it's dirty work, but someones got to do it! The parsnips were all dug Monday, in anticipation of the rain. We ended up getting about 1.25". We are loving the rain, but also hoping for an opportunity to get in and till to prepare for garlic and shallot planting. Here's a look at the boxes from this week--regular full shares and the final boxes for our Week half shares.

Link to CSA News Week #17

CSA Week #17 • Oct. 15, 2013 • Full Share

Still holding summery goodness with the peppers and tomatoes!

In the Full Share Boxes: Cherry tomatoes, ground cherries, red and green bell peppers, garlic bulb, Valencia tomato, 1# leeks, butternut squash, 2# Katahdin potatoes, apple mix, 1.25# parsnips, red and yellow onions.

CSA Week #17 Half Shares Final Box • Oct. 15, 2013 

In the Half Shares final box: In addition to our weekly newsletter members also received a copy of the Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 & Seafood Watch reference cards (for health eating off CSA season), parsnips, ground cherries, cherry tomatoes, 4# Katahdin potatoes, 2# red & yellow storage onions, red and green bell peppers, butternut squash, 1# leeks, 2# mixed apples, acorn squash, kale, French Gray shallots, 1/2# garlic, Superschmeltz kohlrabi, Valencia tomato and herb mix--dried tarragon, dried rosemary, dried sage and dill seed.

The apple mix this week included heirloom Northern Spy, Cortland and Regent.

Leeks!

CSA Week #16

Week #16 boxes were tasty looking! We are loving the parsnips and brussel sprouts this time of year!

In the Boxes: Sweet green bell peppers, parsnips, apples, acorn squash, potatoes, pie pumpkin, decorative corn, shallot mix, 1/2 # brussel sprouts, red and yellow onion, kohlrabi, tomato mix.

Link to the Week #16 CSA Newsletter

Week #4 of our Apple Shares was also delivered this week!

CSA Week #15

Week #15 CSA boxes have been delivered, along with the 3rd week of Apple Shares and other goodies to Farm Share members. It was a very fall box this week!

In the Boxes: Wealthy apples, red and yellow onions, butternut squash, green bell peppers, leeks, Red Russian kale, cherry tomatoes, brussel sprouts, parsnips, heirloom tomato mix, heirloom roma tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and (pictured below) Winter Luxury pie pumpkin and decorative flint corn.

Link to the Week #15 CSA Newsletter

All of the boxes received a bundle of decorative corn. We grew this to use for animal feed and corn meal. The colors are amazing!

I am looking forward to fresh pumpkin pie! And pumpkin bread! Have a great week :)

CSA Week #14

Quite a nice variety in CSA boxes this week and the first parsnips of the season. Apples continue to come and the frost has held off so fresh tomatoes and peppers keep coming!

Apples this week include the one pictured: Haralson, Red Baron and Cortland. You can find more about apple varieties at the Orange Pippin website.

In the Boxes: Parsnips, apples, yellow onion, acorn squash, garlic, German Butterball potatoes, beets ground cherries...

...green peppers, parsley, basil, heirloom tomatoes and broccoli.

Link to the Week #14 CSA Newsletter

Why Organic Apples?

This is a great article about organic apples. It's a quick read and share the reason why we grow only clean, chemical-free apples. A great read that came out the same week we started our 2013 Apple Shares!

Why I Only Eat Organic Apples, and Why You Should Too

"Apples are the single most pesticide-contaminated produce item available at the grocery store. If you had to choose just one item from your grocery list to buy organic, make it organic apples."

"As opposed to being full of poisons like Snow White’s apple, organic apple skins offer a boost of antioxidants—15 percent more than conventional."