Greetings from the Gardens,
I know some of you are wondering when the picking season finally ends. So do we! Right now, we still have lots of prepicked veggies, veggies in the fields, and a hoophouse that we’re seeding and transplanting into greens. Our goal (experimental, I might say) is to see if we can still be “eating from the gardens” at Christmas time. I think we’ll make it!
Lettuce keeps producing, spinach and chard is growing unemcumbered by bugs, kale will be “pickable” beneath the snow, new beets are wonderful out in G4, new radishes are at the back of the row of “biggies” and arugula is still tender alongside the hoophouse.
We have a long handled clipper on the formica table in front of the pack house to cut off the Brussels sprouts plants. Pull the leaves down and off in the field, then cut off the stalk to bring home. Sprouts are at their best after the frosts.
We’re nearly done harvesting the G3 carrots and then have a new treat for you! To the South side of HH2 is a beautiful bed of rainbow carrots. They seem to be thriving from the reflection or protection of the hoop house. And there are 2 more beds in G4 that we’ll put under straw for the spring, hopefully.
Take popping corn from the front of the pack shed. DRY a couple weeks. They could make a table decoration while drying. And there are a few gourds for the grabbing too. Both at the pack shed and on the hayrack are BIG swan, birdhouse, and dipper gourds. These need to be stored and dried before use.
You’ll notice the ground getting greener again. Ben has been zealous in planting ground cover this year. All of G5 is coming up as well as most everything that will be planted in late spring. Garlic wll be going in soon and a few beds will be held open for early plantings. With the new hoop house, we won’t have to be quite as early.
The bees have been given a treat of sugar water. The hives felt light, which is not good. They still need to make more honey for their winter survival and there is very little in the fields for them to forage. We help them out.
Our big disappointment of the year has been the broccoli, or lack of. Being farmers…there is always next year. A new hardier variety! Would you believe we’re alreaady thinking about ordering seeds? and have ordered a pallet of Vermont Compost to be delivered in November. Wow!
Keep picking when you can. The rain will end.
See you soon,
Bill, Jill, and Ben