A quick housekeeping item to start off our newsletter:
We will be closed on Monday, May 30th for Memorial Day. If you normally pick up on Saturdays, we encourage you to make sure you come on the 28th to ensure that your vegetables are fresh. The next time we will be open is Tuesday, May 31st. If you are traveling, remember that you must let us know of any changes in your pickup 48 hours (or more) in advance of the change.
It was a really productive and beautiful week! Here's a photo of Eric and I planting tomatoes and husk cherries on the back of the transplanter. This nifty piece of equipment allowed us to plant 1,400 tomato and husk cherry seedlings in about an hour and a half.
This is how it works:
Randy drives along on the tractor while one person sits on each side of the raised bed on the back of the transplanter. As Randy drives along, a wheel in the center punches a hole in the plastic 18 inches apart (for tomatoes - you would use a different wheel for different spacing as necessary). The yellow tanks hold water and deposit water into the hole. As we drive along, the two people place a plant into the hole and quickly cover it up. It's such a fast-paced process, depending on how fast Randy drives that you can't even talk to your buddy on the back. You really have to focus and work together to make sure you don't miss a hole! Eric and I got the most beautiful day for this task. At times we had to share trays of tomatoes depending on the variety we were planting, so we were constantly passing off seedlings. Eric's in his second year here at the farm but this is his first season of transplanting and he loves it! We bet you can see why - it's fun!
Here is more photographic evidence of just what a beautiful week it was! In front of us are beans, directly to the left: peas, and directly to the right: lettuce.
Randy was checking irrigation here - a task that is done frequently at this stage in the season. Every time we plant we hook up the next round of irrigation. You have to do it within a few hours or the plants will start to fry. They need a good drink of water for hours afterward, so Randy usually runs out around Peter's bedtime to shut it off.
Laina, Eric, and Emily planted parsley for later this spring in these beds. Basil is up next.
Can you even handle the beauty of this butterhead lettuce? I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's even more beautiful than a rose.
This week, we're implementing a Grab-a-Green option. We'll have out crates of assorted greens and you'll choose one to round out your share. Offerings might include escarole, lettuce, bok choy, and more. Please try to remind us if we forget to mention it at pick up. We are happy to receive a gentle reminder!
One last thing to show you on what feels like a little tour of the farm. In our smaller greenhouse, the tomatoes are coming along. See if you can spot any fruit.
Did you see these?
We're still looking at at least 6 weeks before we get some greenhouse tomatoes, but seeing the green ones gives us something to look forward to! This week, we'll be sending out an email to our general mailing list that discusses the timeline of when we can expect to see certain favorite crops. Our Extended Season members are always so appreciated for getting excited about ALL of our crops, though! It may still be greens season, but your desire to eat whatever we have in season makes us so thrilled to be your farmers.
In Your Share (Listed approximately from shortest shelf life to longest)
Large:
1 Grab-a-Green
1 bunch of Asian greens mix
2 bunches of spinach
1 bunch of broccoli rabe
1 bunch of radishes
1 1/2 lbs. of leeks
Small:
1 Grab-a-Green
1 bunch of spinach
1 bunch of broccoli rabe
1 bunch of radishes
3/4 lbs. of leeks
Caring For Your Share (All of this information, plus long-term storage info, can also be found in our Vegetable Library of Resources
Store Asian greens, spinach, leeks, broccoli rabe and your Grab-a-Green in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge. Wash when ready to use.
Remove the greens from the radishes and store them in separate plastic bags. Wash and eat the greens within a few days; the roots will keep for a couple of weeks if stored properly.
The LGF Cooking Club
(Use the Library of Resources for your Grab-a-Green choice!)
30 Minutes or Less:
Large Share Additional Ingredients:
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