The rain of the past couple days is so welcome. As Texas dries out we are starting what we hope will be the process of catching up with moisture lost over the past couple months. It is so unusual to have prolonged dryness combined with cool the temperatures we’ve had this spring. We are still running behind for the simple reason we have not been able to plant much. Greens, our major crop this time of year, don’t mind cooler soil but depend on water for their small root systems. Root crops, nightshades, and onions need heat in order to develop (as well as water!). This double whammy of dry and cold has kept the greenhouse full of plants waiting to go out as we all waited for heat and rain. April brought us three inches (four is average, and some of that was snow)! May was California-like with only a half-inch of rain instead of our usual four minimum. Needless to say we are happy we have irrigation systems and have spent many evenings running water here and there to keep young seedings rooting in dusty ground.
There’s always a silver lining…
While all of the rain has been a challenge to our vegetables the bees pollinating our blueberries have been enjoying the uninterrupted sunny days. Bees don’t fly on rainy days so with all this sun they have been working hard. Wild blueberries begin to bloom in mid-May and there is a tight 3-4 week period where each flower must be visited by a pollinator to create a berry. While there are many native pollinators about we also bring in bees to help maximize the potential number of berries. This year we trucked 72 hives from Swan’s Honey in Albion to spend a month in our berry fields. An exciting trip, we try to load the bees in the late evening when they are calm and likely to stay in the hives. After sunset I arrived in the fields with the humming flatbed and before sunrise I unloaded the hives which woke up and quickly got to work.
With the immediate water debt behind us, we are very enthusiastic to start harvests and the CSA next week. Look for our weekly newsletter on Mondays which will detail what you can find in you share along with a recipe and news from the farm.
When Do I Get My First CSA Share?
We start next week! (The week of June 8th):
Brunswick members: Tuesday or Friday 2:00-7:00, come either day – just once during the week. You do not need to commit to a day or let us know if you change days.
Portland Area Delivered Share: Wednesday afternoon delivery. Check with your site coordinator for the time and where to find your farm box.
Portland Area Delivered Share Orientation
For our Portland Area members, we welcome you to come to the farm, meet your farmers, and see where and how your veggies are growing! A great chance to learn the ins and outs of the upic field.
Sunday July 12, 4:00 p.m.
Saturday July 18th 4:00 p.m.
Egg share
Here’s how it works… You will have a dozen eggs waiting for you each week when you come to the farm for your share or in your delivery box. The eggs are from our friends at Sparrow Farm who raise their hens on pasture, ensuring they have a diverse diet and orange yolks. The share runs for 20 weeks (June 16-October 27) and is $110. Click here for the link.
We will have eggs available for sale ($5.50 per dozen, same price as egg share) each week as well if you do not want to commit to the egg share.
Mushroom share
Here’s how it works… You will have a fresh mushrooms each week when you come to the farm for your share or in your delivery box. Oyster Creek Mushroom Co. raises and wildcrafts these for us. Each week she provides a different type of mushroom. The share runs for 18 weeks (June 16-October 13) and is $207. Click here for the link.
Email Contacts!
Please check to see that your your share partners and family members are receiving this email. If they have not, anyone may be added to the list by following this link.
