CSA :: Week 7

Week 7 boxes are delivered! View the newsletter here.

July 24, 2012 ~ Week 7 Box

In the box this week: Early Jersey Wakefield cabbage, zucchini, bundle of swiss chard, a kohlrabi, Red Gold potatoes, Double Yield cucumbers (green), Poona Kheera cucumbers (yellowish), Aunt Molly's ground cherries, white onions and Dino kale. All heirloom varieties.

Wheat Harvest Update

On Sunday, July 15th, we had a Wheat Harvest Workshop planned; unfortunately, the instructor was ill and the workshop was cancelled. But the wheat is ready, so we are harvesting. On Sunday we did still have one volunteer who came down from the cities and helped for a few hours, and got some one-on-one instruction with John. We are harvesting the wheat with a hand sickle, versus cutting the field with the scythe, like we did for the oats.

Our volunteer, Christopher, and John cutting and laying
the wheat in piles to be sheaved.

A giant THANK YOU to Mr. Christopher Thompson for volunteering his time and a wonderful visit.

 We will continue to work at the field little by little until we get it done, but it's definitely a process. If you are interested in volunteering to come out and help some day or evening, please don't hesitate to call--any time would be appreciated :)

CSA :: Week 6

We are one third of the way through our CSA season, with the delivery of our Week 6 boxes today. We have also begun delivering to our Farm Share members as well. Here's a pic of what was in the boxes today, and you can find the Week 6 Newsletter online here.

July 17, 2012 ~ CSA Week 6

In the boxes we have: a bundle of basil, an onion, a bundle of beets W/ greens, broccoli, a head of cabbage, carrots, zucchini (including one "vacation" sized), Armenian cucumber (long slender green), Poona Kheera cucumber (yellow), & Valentine heirloom sunflowers.

CSA :: Week 5

My apologies for this being a little slow :) After we delivered boxes on Tuesday we headed straight up North, for a few days vacation with the Knisley family.  It was wonderful. Now back to business! We delivered boxes for week 5 this past Tuesday; you can find a copy of the newsletter for Week 5 here.

CSA Box Week 5 • July 10, 2012

In the boxes this week we had: kale, zucchini, small cut flower bouquet, bunching onions, cucumbers, early potatoes, snap peas, swiss chard, shallots, rosemary.

Photo Update 7.6.12

Well we are enduring the heat here on the farm--watering, mulching, and drinking lots of ice water!  Not to mention sweating a lot!  We are gearing up to cut our oats this weekend--probably just for use as mulch, and not the grain--we'll see.  Then on the 15th we'll be hosting a workshop on harvesting wheat!  Enjoy your weekend!

John, harvesting beets from our first bed.

The first kohlrabi of the season :)

The Pie Pumpkins are going crazy. The three-sisters corn and beans
are in the middle.

A couple of the tomato rows--all mulched and pruned.
One of the basil patches down in the left corner.

First planting of basil!  One of the few patches.  Also used
as a companion planting amongst the tomatoes.

I can't wait for the first snap beans!!!  This is the first blossom :)
The dry beans have been flowering for two weeks, so I
admit that I am getting a little impatient!

Yellow Pear (cherry) tomatoes are starting to fruit.

Valentine sunflowers--all starting to head--will be great
cut flowers.

The zucchini is starting...and then it will never stop!

De Cicco broccoli, starting to form heads.  Mmmmmm...

Hope you had a great 4th of July!  John was off of work so we spent the day working in the field and hanging out--we love working amidst all these wonderful plants :)

CSA :: Week 4

On Tuesday we delivered out fourth week of produce for the season for our CSA members.  It was wonderful to harvest our first potatoes and kohlrabi of the season.

Our Week 4 newsletter is available here.

July 3rd, 2012 • CSA Week 4

In this week's box: spinach, kohlrabi, radishes, an onion, snap peas, basil, nasturtium flowers, beets with greens, potatoes, shell peas and thyme.

Wheat Harvest Workshop

July 15th • Wheat Harvest Workshop: harvesting wheat by scythe

10 am, weather permitting

Exciting!  We are holding our first workshop on the farm with Botan Anderson of The One Scythe Revolution.  Our wheat field was broadcast seeded, and is about a 1/4 acre in size.

Contact us for more info: alternativerootsfarm@yahoo.com or 507.439.6541

Wheat field (on the right).

Wheat with dew.