May Farm Tour Photos / Farm Work Day Info

Middle of Summer

We have been harvesting token amounts of melons until this week. Now we are officially into our melon production. The melons should have started a bit sooner but we were flooded with the first big wave of tomatoes when the first planting of the Galia melons hit its harvest point. Unfortunately the entire farm was too busy to notice and by the time we went to check the mixed melon planting all of the melons were just about ready to be harvested but the Galia patch was too ripe. That is how it goes and aside from loosing a few bins of melons I guess it was a good learning experience; the Galia variety is first, keep a close eye on it.

The last planting of melons is about six inches tall and receiving it’s first, and hopefully only, hand weeding and thinning job. Planted at the same time is our one and only planting of mixed winter squash. The squash should be ready at the end of September, which is about the right timing. The main varieties seeded were butternut, kabocha, acron and delicata. We also planted some pie pumpkins and jack-o-lantern pumpkins that should be timed perfectly for a fall pumpkin patch.

I must admit that overall this summer’s weather has been relatively mild. We have had a couple little heat waves but nothing too punishing. I remember last year we had a ten day heat wave that consistently hit 105-110 degrees and maxed out a 118 degrees; this is just too hot for anything to be happy – especially myself. That being said - the summer is not over and nobody knows what is to come.

We are having some problems in our heirloom tomato planting with a soil borne fungus. It has not completely whipped out the planting but it has certainly made things look ugly and will put a dent in the field’s production. The only thing I can conclude is that our rotations have been a little too aggressive and I need to let the tomato ground stay off of tomatoes for a couple more years before putting another set on. The only way this can be learned is experience, something I will have to admit I do not have much of. I don’t think there are many farmers my age with my level of experience but there are lots of farmers a lot older than me who have been doing this a lot longer than me who do have more experience. I guess that is how any industry goes, the longer you are involved the better you get at predicting the future.

Enjoy your boxes this week,

Thaddeus

June 27,2007
Already Thinking of Fall-Thaddeus

June 20, 2007
A Week of Benchmarks -Thaddeus

Jun 6, 2007
Goslings in the Creek -Thaddeus

May 30, 2007
Tomatoes -Thaddeus

May 23, 2007
Summer Smells -Thaddeus

May 9, 2007
Muddy in May -Thaddeus

May 2, 2007
What a Busy Week-Thaddeus

April 4, 2007
Gopher Food - Thaddeus

March 28, 2007
Spring Silence - Thaddeus

March 21,2007
Spring Buds and Worm Food - Thaddeus

March 12, 2007
Spring Gobbles - Thaddeus

March 7, 2007
Spring Time - Thaddeus

February 26, 2007
Summer Food Please - Thaddeus

February 19, 2007
Peach Blossoms and Arundo Burning - Thaddeus

February 12, 2007
Chris Leaves - Thaddeus

January 31, 2007
Heart Attack- Thaddeus

January 24, 2007
Turkeys Can Fly- Thaddeus

January 10, 2007
Live the Seasons- Freeman

January 1, 2007
Happy New Year Thaddeus

Nov 29, 2006
Organic? - Thaddeus

Nov 15, 2006
Winter Preparation - Thaddeus

Nov 1, 2006
Canal Dries Up - Thaddeus

Oct 25, 2006
Beets - Thaddeus

Oct 18,2006
New Database - Thaddeus

Oct 11,2006
Rain, Sweet Rain - Thaddeus

Oct 4, 2006
Organic Fertilizers- Thaddeus

Sept 27, 2006
Windy Days - Thaddeus

Sept 20, 2006
Clean Produce - Thaddeus

Sept. 13, 2006
Cools Coming - Thaddeus

December 12, 2005
Wrapping Things Up For Winter - Thaddeus

December 5, 2005
Au Revoir, Automnal - Noah