Photo Update 6.27.12

Oh my! It has been 2 weeks since I did a photo update. I haven't been slacking though--I've just been outside with work more than in :)

Farming life lately has been all about logistics--there has been a lot of little details to work out regarding CSA boxes and delivery, figuring out pricing for our produce, and getting ready to head to farmers' market in the next couple weeks! Then becoming more efficient and everything we do.  So, whew, here is a little photo break from all of that...then back out to weed, trellis tomatoes (got the posts in this morning), mulch, practice setting up the market tent, and hang some laundry on the line.  Enjoy the large photo tour :)

Cucumbers--tiny ones have started, so it won't be long now!

 Part of our requirement for organic certification is to have a buffer zone of at least 30'.  We will be planting 30' field border with native grasses and forbs (flowering plants) to increase wildlife habitat and attract pollinators and other beneficial insect.  At 30' we are going to be planting small trees/shrubs to aid with wind protection for our field.  We started planting willows last week.

John planting our first willows (narrow-leaved variety), that will
attract beneficial insects and protect against wind.

We're cutting back our first planting of buckwheat this week.  It was planted as a cover crop (smother weeds, add organic matter, good for pollinators).  We will be planting another succession of buckwheat after we work in the organic matter.  We will be cutting it with our brand new scythe--I took it for a test-drive this morning.  I'm ready.

It's soooo awesome.

Emily monitoring for cabbageworms on the brussel sprouts.

Mother Schneider came down last weekend and helped
weed the tomatoes--thanks mom!

John's dad, Larry, came and helped work on framing in the walk-in
cooler--thanks Larry!

 The walk-in' cooler now has two walls framed in and the door installed!  It's really coming along.  And thank you Betsy for donating flooring for in the cooler!  The generosity of time and materials is greatly appreciated!!  Now we have everything we need to get this project finished--time is the only matter.

John, and a partial cooler wall.

This spring was wet.  Just wet. We spoke with a farmer mentor & friend of our this week (we reach out to our farmer network when we have questions) and he said that this has been a terrible farming year.  Given that perspective we feel pretty good about where we are at, and pretty thankful that we didn't have any extensive damage due to flooding or hail  That being said, we did loose some lettuce, the first planting of chard and turnips--the latest victim being the garlic.  Here it is, looking a little sad from the deluge of rain in May--we expect lower yields this year, the scape harvest was lower as well.

The garlic is drying down to early, and some bulbs are
rotted from the moisture, but there's still bulbing going on
in there--just not as much as hoped for.

Sunset on the farm.

Buckwheat was planted in this bed, then fall broccoli seeded
down the middle. I just took out the buckwheat and left
it as mulch.

Dino, or Lacinato, Kale

Parsnips, radishes, parsnips.

Four sowing of beets and kohlrabi--the fourth is just
starting to germinate.

Onions are bulbing.

Early Jersey Wakefield cabbage--a beaut.  Staring
to form its elongated heads.

Celery is a water hog, I made it happy by mulching it
yesterday. (Cucumbers on the trellis.)

The re-sowing of chard is coming along, bordered
by onions.

Two beds of tomatoes were mulched yesterday,
we'll finish the rest today, and start
trellising them.

Bean are a climbin'.

Blue potatoes, purple flowers.

Squash is flowering and starting to wander.

Three successions of corn.

And the last pic, this is what I am so excited about! Guess what it is....rhubarb.  Tiny little darling rhubarbs now=rhubarb in the spring.  With this variety I expect to be able to cut it next spring already, so there should be enough for our 2013 CSA boxes, what a delight!

Rhubarb seedlings.