foxlinecityfarm

Another powerhouse week in the garden.  The rain came!!  Just about 5 inches here in a short time and we were starting to worry it would not stop.  Perfect for us and no washout issues or flooding.  We are grateful.  The garden grew in leaps and bounds in response to the moisture and heat.  Tomatoes are growing tall and loaded with blossoms and fruit, the bean plants doubled in size and the watermelon is flowering.  Cucumber vines are inching their way up the trellis,  baby zucchini forming, and  eggplant too which is shocking to us.  The garden is strong and healthy.

Baby Zucchini. Maybe next week a few in the boxes????

Really! This early…. That is eggplant. Tons of them out there.

Cabbage plants heading up nicely.

I was the Weeding Queen all week and my shoulders sure knew it…..we blasted through all the cruciferous crops, fussed with the leeks for hours on end, spent an afternoon hanging out with the rows and rows and rows of potatoes making sure all weed free and perfect.  I have 1 long carrot bed that is calling me yet but the soil was just too wet to tease away the weeds from the thread like baby carrot seedlings.  I am calling that area the “carrot pillow” as there is a nice fluffy canopy of weeds that shouts at me every day when I enter the garden.  A priority this week is the rain hold off.

Taking a break from weeding. Brussels sprouts in front of me and cabbage behind.

We started another row of green beans in the garden. Transplanted another rotation of fennel, kohlrabi, and cabbage out there too.  We direct seeded in a few varieties of Fall Turnips, and anther round of radishes in the hoop house and 2 rotations of lettuce.  AND all our Fall/Winter crops were started in the greenhouse.  Crazy to me that it is time to be thinking about this already.  Busy but it feels good.

Scott had time to add to Maeve’s playground area and got the slide up.  We hope to start the living willow fort this week.  We have had the willow slips rooting in buckets since Spring and excited to get this project started.

Leveling the slide.

Our time and focus now shifts to the daily duties of monitoring harvests along with weed management…..Daily walks around the garden and planning what and when we need to pick.  The major crops are in or started in the greenhouse at this point and now we maintain and enjoy the bounty.

It was another big deal harvest this week!  We are all going to eat really really well.

WHAT IS IN YOUR SHARE

256 pounds of produce went out the door today.

SNACK PACK

Baby Spinach-Delicious and tender deep green leaves.  I have mentioned this before (a few times) this is our best Spinach year ever!  What we harvested this week was 2 long rows planted as a hopeful early season extender of this tasty crop.  Not a heat lover.  You never know with the summer heat if it will preform or just give up.  We gave this area lots of attention, lots of water and shade cloth.  It worked!   We are glad.

Spinach before harvest.

Spinach after harvest.

Swiss Chard-So pretty.  Long thin tender stalks and juicy leaves.  A favorite of mine.  This crop does not like heat either so it will be pulled and a new crop is already started in the greenhouse for Fall harvest.

Beautiful Swiss Chard before harvest.

Peas!!!!!-They have started and it is a strong crop.  The vines flowered much shorter than last year’s too huge never ending pea crop.  We had concerns.  All is well.  Enjoy the start of the pea season.

Sugar snap-Pull the string and enjoy pod and all.

Snow-Thin beauties.  Wonderful in stir fries or fresh eating with dips or salad.

The pea vines are loaded and Scott even had to add bracing as we were concerned the weight of the crop would pull from the trellis.

Baby Carrots-Sweet!  Maeve says,  “tastes like candy”.  A fantastic harvest for us and a treat.  Enjoy.  I forgot to take a picture this year of how we wash our carrots.   An old wringer washing machine.  Will add pictures here from the past so new members can take a look.

A peek inside at the carrots.

Scott and Maeve having a quick snack break.

Final rinse.

Pac Choi-A  surprise huge harvest for us.  Will keep for weeks in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Dill-This crop doubled in size in the rain.  Makes a zippy fresh dressing, great on fish or add to salad for flavor.  Lots more coming.  Several rotations in the garden for cucumber time.

Strawberries-MADISON SNACK PACK SHARE MEMBERS ONLY

FULL SHARE

Lettuce-Crisp, pretty lime green leaf.  A variety I wanted to try because of the name.  Frizzy haired lady.  This is the time of year we have to get up and in the garden at 5 to pick the leafy greens.  Nice and cool from the evening temperatures.  Rough some mornings but so important to ensure quality.

Broccoli-Those Spring Broccoli plants are producing abundant tasty side shoots.

Mizuna-A spicy asian green that can be sauted or enjoyed fresh in salads.

Baby Spinach-Delicious and tender deep green leaves.  I have mentioned this before (a few times) this is our best Spinach year ever!  What we harvested this week was 2 long rows planted as a hopeful early season extender of this tasty crop.  Not a heat lover.  You never know with the summer heat if it will preform or just give up.  We gave this area lots of attention, lots of water and shade cloth.  It worked!   We are glad.

Swiss Chard-So pretty.  Long thin tender stalks and juicy leaves.  A favorite of mine.  This crop does not like heat either so it will be pulled and a new crop is already started in the greenhouse for Fall harvest.

Peas!!!!!-They have started and it is a strong crop.  The vines flowered much shorter than last year’s too huge, never ending pea crop.  We had concerns.  All is well.  Enjoy the start of the pea season.

Sugar snap-Pull the string and enjoy pod and all.

Snow-Thin beauties.  Wonderful in stir fresh eating with dips or salad.

Baby Carrots-Sweet!  Maeve says tastes like candy. A fantastic harvest for us and a treat.  Enjoy.

Pac Choi-A  surprise huge harvest for us.  Will keep for weeks in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Dill-This crop doubled in size in the rain.  Makes a zippy fresh dressing, great on fish or add to salad for flavor.  Lots more coming.  Several rotations in the garden for cucumber time.

Strawberries- ALL MADISON MEMBERS THIS WEEK.

BEST GUESS FOR NEXT WEEK-fennel, kale, lettuce, garlic scapes, peas, beets???, turnips and more.