Farm News: Week of Saturday, May 26, 2012

On-the-farm
Sam and I got up at 5:30 Monday morning and were out transplanting our field tomatoes, peppers and eggplants by about 6:15, trying to beat the rain. We finished about 11 AM, in a mist, just as the rain began.

Today, Tuesday, another big work day outside on the farm, pretty much got rained out. How many of you have your whole workday planned out, then just as you’re ready to start, it begins to rain, and you have to completely rearrange your day? If you’re in construction, that might be you, but not too many occupations these days (I suddenly thought of professional baseball…. any Nationals out there?) are so dependent on the weather. Of course I have loads of deskwork to do, but that is not where I really want to be, and is seldom my actual plan. More like what happens — on days like this — when I can’t be outside doing what I really like!

Most greenhouse planting is done, and the crops are doing reasonably well.

[PHOTO: This week we start with small eggs from our new flock of young hens (aka pullets). They started laying about a week ago, at age 17 or 18 weeks, and each day we get about 10 more than the day before. Early on they are all small, so we charge less. Then there will be several weeks with ‘medium’ eggs. Within about a month they’ll be up to regular size.

Off-the-farm
Chris came down to market with me last Saturday, as we had plans for the evening. Our daughter Anna — who works at market on Saturday, but whose day job is at the Ford Theater — had gotten us all tickets for the sold out final performance of 1776. We went out for dinner, to the theater, and then took a walking tour of 18th St. in Adams Morgan about midnight — always an eye-opener! Needless to say, after our 3 AM start at the farm, it was a long day, and we slept late Sunday morning at Anna’s place, before a nice breakfast at The Diner. Ahhh, city life. Y’all really have it made! (And it’s great when I’m there, but I’m more than happy to get back to the farm again at the end of the day!!!)

This week’s planned produce list

• Berries: At the market stand on Saturday. Come early; they go fast!
• Greens: arugula, Napa cabbage, rainbow chard, Russian kale, watercress, lettuce (Bibb & Romaine), microgreens mix, pea shoots, salad mix, spinach (big bag), stir-fry mix,  sunflower shoots, watercress.
• Veggies: asparagus, red beets, celeriac, fresh garlic, onions, sugar snap peas, red & watermelon radishes, ramps, rhubarb, scallions, hothouse tomatoes (red & orange).
• Herbs: basil, chives, cilantro, lovage, oregano, parsley, peppermint, sage, French sorrel, spearmint, thyme, winter savory.
• Mushrooms: crimini, portabella, shiitake, white.
• Other food items: eggs, chicken, butter, cheese, preserves. Cider is available at the farm stand.
• Chicken: please note that there is a new category for the stewing chickens, with an expanded description. Many of you are quite excited for us to have the birds, yet many are also not following our recommendations about picking them up early. Please read and be careful!

Thanks to our CSA volunteers at the truck on Saturday!
I can’t believe I forgot this completely last week… Many thanks to LeeAnn, Rob, LuAnn & Chris for our first week, and to Tiffany, Gretchen and Phil for this past Saturday. You guys were great. Thanks very much! We have our sign-up calendar there at the truck where you pick up so that you can sign up for your shift whenever it suits you. We’re covered already for the next month or so, but starting in July there are openings.

Farmer’s Pick
This week’s box contents are planned to be red sails lettuce, big bag-o-spinach, Diva hothouse cucumber, onion, shell peas, bunch of scallions, hothouse tomato, and a jar of fruit jam.

Thanks much to all of you for your support,
Randy, Chris & all at Star Hollow Farm

General farm info: starhollowfarm.com.
CSA-specific info: starhollowfarm.com/csa.
Online store: store.starhollowfarm.com.

Randy’s cell phone (works Saturday only): 814.386.5015

22 May Permalink

Farm News: Week of Saturday, May 19, 2012

On-the-farm
Marketing takes up a lot of my time, both building the store and coming to DC on Saturday. In fact, the only two days I have completely open for actual farm work, dawn-to-dusk, are Monday and Tuesday. It’s Tuesday evening as I write this. There was a beautiful sunset tonight shortly after we finished our supper.  Turns out it rained — poured — all day Monday and much of today, for a total of slightly over two inches. Not only does it keep us out of the field, the gray skies slow down the growth of all of our plants. Asparagus goes almost on hold, and strawberries can’t be picked wet or they’ll mold overnight.

Rain isn’t bad per se — some things benefited — but I have a hard time accepting that I have no control whatsoever over the most important aspect of my business: the weather! (That is one of the attractions of the high tunnels we’ve been putting up; they give us a little more control over the plants’ environment!) All the tasks that really needed to happen this week will now have to wait until next. Some won’t make much difference, others might. Instead, I tuned up and readied my irrigation pump, planted in the greenhouse, weeded inside the high tunnels, and today built a new set of shelves for my truck. All good things to do, but none seeming nearly as important as laying plastic and planting the field tomatoes that were started in the greenhouse nearly a month ago and are pretty desperate to get into the ground now. Hopefully they’ll hold on until next Monday, and it will be a glorious sunny day!

[PHOTO: several varieties of lettuce growing in our front garden patch Tuesday evening.

This week’s planned produce list

• Berries: Maybe at the market stand on Saturday, but not online now :(
• Greens: arugula, baby bok choi, Napa cabbage, rainbow chard, Siberian kale, watercress, Russian kale, lettuce (3), microgreens mix, red mustard, ramps, salad mix, spinach (big bag), watercress.
• Veggies: asparagus (limited), red beets, celeriac, Diva cucumbers, bulbing garlic and a few scapes, onions, sugar snap peas, red & watermelon radishes, rhubarb, scallions, hothouse tomatoes.
• Herbs: basil, chives, cilantro, lovage, parsley, peppermint, sage, French sorrel, spearmint, thyme.
• Mushrooms: crimini, portabella, shiitake, white (limited).
• Other food items: eggs, chicken, butter, cheese, preserves. Cider available at the farm stand.

Farmer’s Pick
This week’s box contents are planned to be Bibb lettuce, pea shoots, asparagus, red beets, onions, watermelon radish, hothouse tomatoes, and a nice bunch of spearmint for your mint juleps!

Thanks much to all of you for your support,
Randy, Chris & all at Star Hollow Farm

General farm info: starhollowfarm.com.
CSA-specific info: starhollowfarm.com/csa.
Online store: store.starhollowfarm.com.

15 May Permalink