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This week's CSA consisted of the following:
--Harmony Add Comment We are coming close to the end of our full season CSA here at 47 Daisies...and are planning to do something different in the fall. This fall, we'll be offering a no commitment, week by week CSA. If you are not a member of our current CSA, you can go to the "CSA Members" page and view some past newsletters to get an idea of what will be in the boxes each week. Of course, it is seasonal, and this fall will be more cool weather crops. Some examples are; greens, broccoli, kohlrabi, turnips, collards, mustards, carrots, etc. The average market value of our current CSA is around $40 a week, so this is a great savings to you!!!! Here's how the Week by Week CSA will work: -We will send an email out every Monday between 8 and 10 pm with the tentative list of what may be in the box that week. This email will be sent at approximately the same time every week so you'll know when to expect it. -The first to respond to the email gets the box for that week, up to the number available. -You will recieve an response email either way, letting you know if you secured a box that week, or not. -You will receive a newsletter on Friday of the same week with more detail about the vegetables and preparation ideas, etc. -Pick up is between 1 and 4 pm on Saturdays at the farm (3363 Hwy 544, Ruston). -You will need to bring payment of $20 plus something to carry your vegetables home in. -If you secure a spot and do not pick up on Saturday, you will be removed from the email list after 2 times. This may seem harsh, but we have produce that is harvested and unsellable when this happens. If you can't make it for some reason on Saturday, please try to let us know by Thursday so we don't have to harvest the vegetables. -Please keep an eye on your kids, as this is a working farm and there are dangers EVERYWHERE..too many to mention. -No dogs are allowed on the property due to insurance reasons. -Please note, we do not carry liability insurance for the farm. This is a great opportunity for people to try out the CSA with no commitment!! It is literally going to be first come first serve. We think it's going to be fun and we're looking forward to meeting new people!! If you are not on our current CSA, on the CSA waiting list, or on our "website update email list" and are interseted in the "No Commitment, Week by Week" CSA, please contact me to be added to one of these lists so you will get the update. Please contact us with any questions!!!!!!!!!! --Harmony Even though it just won't rain (we did get a pretty good rain yesterday...but we need so much more!!) and we are still dealing with temps well over 100 degrees.....it is time to get those fall crops in the ground. Sunday evening we did one of the first (of many to come) fall plantings. Swiss chard, tuscan kale, kohlrabi, chioggia beets, collards and a test planting of carrots were sowed. We are also waiting on three plantings of beans (yellow, purple, green and dragon lingerie). Plants have been set out including pac choi, chinese cabbage, tomatoes, eggplants, broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts. Plantings of turnips and curly leaf kale are in along with gator perpetual spinach, red ace beets, golden beets and golden chard. In the next few weeks we will be completing our transition as the beds move from warm weather dominated to cool weather dominated crops........now if only it would feel like fall!!! --Dylan Week 16 was a success!! This week's pick up:
--Harmony WE LOVE MELONS! Our kids can actually eat their weight in melons...per day...if allowed. Surprisingly, melons are really good for you. They have a high sugar content, but the pros definitely outweigh the cons. We always grow our fair share of melons here at 47 Daisies. This year has been particularly fun as we have been playing around with some different varieties. Early in the season we planted about 6 different heirloom varieties of muskmelon (pretty much a cantaloupe). The raccoons apparently like those too.....but one variety did well and produced an AMAZING melon. We didn't get enough to shake a stick at but one or two made it through the onslaught and we have saved the seeds for next year. Hopefully, we will have enough to share in 2012. Then came the mid season plantings and we tried out Schoons hardshell muskmelon. It turned out pretty well but not as productive as I would like. Then we turned our sites on Jenny Lind. Jenny Lind is an heirloom melon named after an 1800s opera singer. This melon is unique because of its Turban like shape. It is also a green fleshed cantaloupe....not a honeydew. It is pretty tasty but not quite as sweet as some. Our kids didn't seem to mind as they ate just as many of the Jinny Lind as any other melon we grow. We are now waiting on golden gopher and hannah's choice. In addition to the cantaloupes we are waiting on some moon and stars watermelon and verona watermelon. Verona watermelons have a special place in our hearts as that was the name of the Wisconsin town in which we lived for 5 years. I hope you have been enjoying your melons from the farm!! And always we will try out some new ones next year! --Dylan and Harmony Only five weeks left!! This week's pick up consisted of:
Thanks!! --Harmony The only thing we can do now is laugh about the weather. La Nina is apparently coming back this fall and will.....so pleasantly........continue this drought into mid-2012. Scientists have now deemed Texas a "Dead ecosystem" which will take YEARS to recover. We are almost as dire here in northern LA....but not quite. We have noticed mature trees starting to succumb (we have lost two so far here at 47 Daisies).......but we have to stay in high spirits!!! What is there to look forward to? A new season....fall planting is under way.......we have melons aplenty and the shadehouse salad greens are absolutely AMAZING. The high tunnel is progressing and the CSA continues without a hitch (we have an AWESOME week 16 pickup in store including arugula, lettuce, watermelons and cantaloupe!!). We have pulled out all the stops this season and seen some amazing successes along with our fair share of crop failures........by far the one that takes the cake is...eggplant. We have had a dismal eggplant year......but we've got some seedlings in the ground and if the weather stays conducive we may get a harvest yet this season. The glass remains half full here at the farm and with a little bit nervous laughter to go along with that............what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger..... Dream Big, Laugh Often!!! --Dylan So now is the time to get those fall crops in the ground. The last plantings of warm weather crops along with all of the wonderful cool weather crops need to go in by mid-august. Some of the crops (i.e. carrots) can wait until September but August is high time for fall planting. The wrinkle this season is that we are still experiencing record high heat and have not seen a drop of rain in weeks (only three rains since May 1st here at 47 Daisies). Cool weather crops especially do not like this high heat and low humidity we are currently in the midst of..........huge dilemma!! This is not stopping us, however. We are plowing ahead and utilizing the success of the shadehouse salad greens to get the fall crops in the ground. Next time you are out to the farm, notice how many shadehouses you see. We are planting the broccoli out under 50% shade this weekend to get it established. Once we see a break in these miserable weather conditions we will remove the cloth and release the broccoli to the full sun. We are also sowing swiss chard, turnips, mustard greens, etc under shade to get them established. If only it would EVER rain and give us a break from this "Phoenix-like" weather we have been enduring ALL SEASON LONG!! --Dylan  I know......none of us wish for an ice storm in August with all its associated ferocity.......but one can dream of cooler weather. Maybe this picture from last winter will help! --Dylan Despite the relentless heat and drought, we had a good CSA pick up last week!! The pick up consisted of:
See you soon!! --Harmony | AuthorDylan and Harmony.....whichever of us have the time to sit down and write for a few minutes. : ) ArchivesMarch 2013 CategoriesAll |
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