Garlic Planting

We tackled a few fall garden tasks in the past week, and the most exciting of those was planting garlic! A friend came up on Wednesday and we planted several garlic varieties and about 25 pounds worth, which came to just over 1000 cloves. Woot woot! We made sure to give the plants generous spacing and mulched the freshly planted beds with a think layer of straw. Beautiful! Hopefully each clove planted grows into a gorgeous bulb for harvesting in July. Oh my, the anticipation of next season has already begun! 

We are also spending time putting beds to rest, which basically entails pulling up the crops that are past their prime, adding compost and covering the beds with straw or leaves for the winter. Basically, tucking the soil and all it's goodness in underneath a think blanket, before winter arrives.

There are a few crops still growing (slowly) in the garden and we are harvesting a bit today for a pick-up in the Town of Ridgway tomorrow, Saturday, October 26th. We should have a limited supply of carrots, head lettuce, kale, turnips, bok choy, leeks, potatoes and tomatoes. Yum! 

CSA Harvest - Week 18

Winter made a very real appearance last week. I went to bed Thursday evening thinking there might be a dusting of snow in the morning. Well, I woke up to find 6+ inches! Wow. I was surprised to say the least. 

I may have grumbled for a few minutes while I searched for my snow boots and came up with a game plan. Then, the sky started to light up and I realized just how magical it was outside. I spent about an hour sweeping the snow off my beds covered with hoops and fabric before running off to the Ridgway Farmer's Market. The snow load was so wet and heavy that it bent some of the hoops, and smooshed the crops underneath. Luckily, most of those crops have bounced back after a few days of sunshine. 

Well, here we are. It's October 9th and the last CSA pick-up of the season. The past 18 weeks flew by quickly didn't they? I hope you have all enjoyed the fresh produce and discovered new vegetables and recipes along the way. 

This week's CSA Share includes the following:

Potatoes
Winter Squash
Carrots
Kohlrabi
Head Lettuce
Leeks
Cauliflower
Bok Choy
Green Tomatoes

The harvests are wrapping up but we are busy in the garden putting beds to rest, seeding cover crops and planning for next year. The garlic planting will commence in the next few weeks and come November we should be ready to take a rest ourselves. 

Thank you so much for being a part of the CSA this season! I truly enjoyed growing food for you all and hope to do so again next year. 

I will be sending out a survey in the coming weeks and would love your feedback. 

Have a beautiful day! 

CSA Harvest - Week 17

The sun is just about to rise over the mountains and start warming up the cool air. We are moving a bit slower at the farm these days, the mornings are lazier and I am convinced it's the colder temperatures. 

The wild winds last week brought in our first taste of cold cold weather. On Friday evening the temperatures dropped down to 22 degrees, I knew it was coming but I wasn't prepared to feel temps that low! Brr. Down jackets, long underwear, winter hats and mittens all came out of my closet. 

We had a late evening on Friday harvesting like mad and covering crops up with fabric. We lost the tomatoes and some of the peppers but tis the season. With that in mind, this is the last week of tomatoes, please savor them! The CSA Share is beautiful this week and includes the following:

Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Peppers
Carrots
Winter Squash
Potatoes
Leeks
Salad Greens
Herbs: Cilantro, Sage or Mint

I look forward to seeing everyone this afternoon. 

Have a beautiful day!

CSA Harvest - Week 16

Good morning, 

It is officially Fall and the evening temperatures have been quite cool the last few nights. We had a pretty hard frost on the farm early Tuesday morning, which I will say surprised me a bit. The cabbages and carrot tops were quite icy and the cucumbers and squash have died back. I guess I can no longer ignore the fact that it's almost October... and snow is right around the corner. The freshly snow capped mountains sure are looking gorgeous! 

So, the hot crops are on their way out but we still have a few to harvest and share this week.

This week's CSA Share includes the following:

Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Peppers (sweet and hot)
Carrots
Green Onions
Kale
Salad Greens
Bok Choy
Tomatillos
Melons
Herbs: Cilantro, Parsley or Sage

CSA Harvest - Week 15

Hello Everyone,

An early morning rainbow is shining behind the house as I type. Mmm, what a beautiful surprise from the sky this morning.

The rainy days over the weekend sent me into the kitchen to preserve some of the bounty. Pickles, relish, hot pepper jelly, pasta sauce, hot sauce and dilly beans are all freshly canned and lined up in the pantry. 

This week's CSA Share includes the following:

Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Summer Squash
Peppers
Beans (last week of these)
Tomatillos or Ground Cherries
Head Lettuce
Spinach or Kale
Potatoes or Cauliflower
Carrots or Beets
Onions or Green Onions
Herbs: Cilantro, Mint or Parsley

CSA Harvest - Week 14

Good morning,

I hope everyone has been enjoying the rain. Woo wee, the constant rain really has been unbelievable and I cannot recall a September ever being so wet. We received over 2 inches at the farm in the past week and the gardens and forest seem to be enjoying all the moisture.

It did make for a muddy harvest yesterday but I secretly enjoyed it.  

The CSA Shares this week included the following produce:

Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Peppers
Cucumbers
Summer Squash
Green Beans
Ground Cherries or Tomatillos
Melon(s)
Head Lettuce
Spinach or Arugula
Beets
Cilantro
Onion


The sun came out yesterday as I was delivering the CSA Shares and it was magical. Oh how I have missed the sunshine!  

Enjoy the bountiful harvests! They should continue until a frost comes and soon the shares will include fall crops. Think potatoes, leeks and winter squash.

CSA Harvest - Week 13

Good morning,

It feels like Summer made a serious return this week and the heat has had me questioning what month it is. Then a slightly cool and crisp breeze will brush my cheek and remind me it's September, mmm September.

September always feels so comforting...  it brings the most bountiful and beautiful harvests of the season but also reminds you a frost is near. We are constantly harvesting in the gardens right now and sometimes it is hard to keep up. I have been reminding myself to smile and savor it as the cold weather could sneak up on us at any moment. Savor it.

On Monday, amidst the harvest madness, we planted the last round of greens in the garden. Head lettuce, bok choy, kale and spinach. Now that the temperatures are cooler and the days are getting shorter the crops begin to grow slower so this is an experimental planting, we'll see if they're ready by the last week of the CSA.

OK, onto the bounty that will be in the CSA Shares this week. Warning, the cherry tomato harvests are getting wild, please be prepared for a lot this week! The following produce will be in this week's share:

Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Summer Squash
Sweet Peppers
Head Lettuce
Arugula
Melons (Cantaloupe and Honeydew)
Green Beans
Cilantro or Basil
Mini Onions

I am so grateful to be growing food for you all and we are planning to host a potluck on the farm in the near future. Stay tuned!

CSA Harvest - Week 12

Hello Everyone, 

The clear skies are a welcome sight this morning. We have received rain, rain and more rain over the last few days. I need to check the rain gauge, but I think we're well over an inch by now. I have been loving the thunderstorms, downpours and rainbows that follow. 

We did have a bit of excitement last night after hearing a hail storm was rolling through Ridgway. In a panic, as a storm approached the farm, we ran around like mad covering as many crops with fabric as possible to protect against potential hail. There is something about splashing through mud in the rain, it really brings out my inner child and puts a huge smile on my face. Luckily we just received rain (knock on wood) and the crops are happy as ever. 

This week's CSA share includes the following:
Head Lettuce
Bok Choy
Kale, Chard or Collard Greens
Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Zucchini/Summer Squash
Green Beans
Carrots
Onion
Peppers
Fava Beans or Eggplant
Ground Cherry Teaser!!!

CSA Harvest - Week 11

Good morning, 

I am prepping for the CSA Harvest, enjoying a cup of coffee and admiring the beautiful morning sky. Such a great way to start the day!


This week's CSA Share will include the following produce:

Salad Greens
Kale, Chard or Collards
Bok Choy
Kohlrabi
Cucumbers
Summer Squash
Green Beans
Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Onion
Fava Beans or Eggplant
Peppers
Carrots

The fall crops are starting to show off as well. Here is a photo of a gorgeous Carnival winter squash and below you can see the potatoes, carrots, cabbages and brussels sprouts are all looking happy. Its hard not to just think about the hot crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc) this time of the year... but  to insure we have food after the frosts come we need to be caring for and talking to these fall crops now.  


OK, back to summer mode. We did harvest a couple melons this week! Three French Charentais melons slipped right off the vine, fragrant as ever and ready for eating. They were heavenly and I cannot wait for more to ripen so I can include them in the CSA shares soon! 

CSA Harvest - Week 10

It has been a very productive week at the farm. Maybe the cold temperatures sort of put me in panic mode? I did have a scary dream one evening where I woke up to a frost, whew, such a relief to wake up from that one. We had a couple evenings get down to 43 here, a bit too chilly for August if you ask the hoophouses filled with tomatoes. Have no fear, it looks as though the warmer temperatures are returning very soon. 

We spent a lot of time flipping beds this week and seeding crops for fall harvest. We seeded more spinach, salad greens, arugula, cilantro, radishes and turnips as well as transplanted head lettuce, bok choy and asian cabbage. 

 The CSA Harvest has begun and will include the following this week: 

Salad Greens
Kale, Chard or Collards
Bok Choy or Asian Cabbage
Kohlrabi
Carrots or Beets
Cherry Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Onion(s)
Eggplant, Fava Beans or Peas
Herbs (Mint, Sage or Parsley)

I hope everyone has a beautiful day and I look forward to seeing you this afternoon.

CSA Harvest - Week 9

Well... I am happy to announce the wait is over. The heirloom tomatoes are ripe and will be in the CSA shares this week!! I told you it would be here before we knew it. 

It is the 9th week of the CSA season which means we are already half way through. Wow, time is flying... and by the look and feel outside Fall is getting closer by the day. Psst, somebody needs to tell Fall to settle down and wait it's turn. Seriously. 

The following fresh produce is in this week's CSA share:

Salad Greens

Kale, Chard or Collards

Heirloom Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

Cucumber

Zucchini/Summer Squash

Basil

Peas (last week of these)

Carrots or Beets

Turnips

Pepper

Onions, Favas or Eggplant

I love how the share gets more colorful each week. I will see you all later today! 

Beautiful Day

 The past week was FABULOUS. My little brother was in town visiting so I wasn't as productive as usual, but there were lots of hugs, laughs and constant smiles. He flew back to Fort Benning on Sunday morning... I miss that 'little' guy already.  

We made a discovery this week, there is a badger near my garden who I believe is helping keep the rodents under control. I decided this badger is like a Walt Disney character and needs a good name :).

I did complete a couple kitchen projects this week with the help of friends. We made a batch of spicy dill pickles and a huge batch of kimchi! 

Sunday afternoon brought a heavy rainstorm. It was probably the hardest I have seen it rain at the gardens this season and we received over a half of an inch in a short period of time. The child in me wants to jump in the puddles that are still hanging around from that storm. Want to know the best part? I finished seeding new beds of cilantro and spinach right before it started to rain. Must be a sign that those crops are going to do great. 

I am starting the CSA Harvest this morning and will post harvest information tomorrow. 

Have a beautiful day!

CSA Harvest - Week 8

Hello CSA Members, 

I am excited to share this week's harvest with you. The CSA share will include the following fresh produce:

Salad Greens

Carrots

Turnips

Cherry Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Zucchini/Summer Squash

Peppers

Herbs (Mint, Sage or Cilantro)

Kale, Chard or Collard Greens

Edible Flowers

Snow Peas

Scallions, Eggplant or Fava Beans

Please let me know if you need recipe ideas. I have been spending more time in the kitchen recently and keep discovering new ways to enjoy the beautiful veggies. 

I will see you this afternoon!

Rainbow!

We have been blessed with the most amazing skies recently. Sunshine, rainbows, soaking rain, fog. What more can you ask for?

Here are a couple photo updates from the garden.  

As you can see, the heirloom slicers are ripening. Here are a couple Black Krims announcing it is officially summer!! These will be in the CSA shares very soon! The wait is almost over. 

CSA Harvest - Week 7

Hello Everyone, 

I finished the CSA Harvest this morning. The weather was a pleasant surprise and harvesting in the fog and sprinkling rain was quite dreamy. 

The following fresh produce is in this week's CSA share:

Salad Greens

Mustard Greens

Kale, Chard or Collard Greens

Turnips

Carrots

Basil

Cucumber

Summer Squash/Zucchini

Peppers (Beaver Dam or Islander)

Jalapenos

Edible Flowers

Herbs (Parsley, Mint or Sage)

Snow Peas and/or Snap Peas

Cherry Tomatoes!!! 

Yum!!

I look forward to seeing everyone this afternoon. 

CSA Harvest - Week 6

Hello Everyone,

It rained a little more last night, and thunder rumbled in the distance as I fell asleep. There is nothing quite like the early morning hours after a rainstorm. It is heavenly. I love that fresh smell and calmness in the air. 

The beautiful morning made for a very enjoyable harvest.  Can you believe we are already a third of the way through the season? I hope you have been enjoying the fresh produce thus far. 

This week's share includes the following:

Salad Greens
Head Lettuce

Kale, Chard or Collard Greens

Snap Peas and/or Snow Peas

Carrots

Turnips

Cucumber

Basil

Edible Flowers

Kohlrabi

Pepper (Beaver Dam or Islander)

Herbs (Mint, Parsley or Sage)

I look forward to seeing everyone this afternoon! 

Downpour

We enjoyed rain at the farm on Thursday evening as well as Friday afternoon, but today it was a full on downpour. It felt amazing and a beautiful double rainbow came out right before dark!!!! Magic. Pure magic. There may or may not have been a pot of gold in the garden... I guess you will find out in this week's CSA Harvest.

Various flowers have started blooming in the gardens and the vegetables are growing beautifully. 

It is time to harvest garlic and hang it up in the barn to cure. 

And, I checked on the honey bees this morning. They are bizz buzzing around, busy as ever and helping pollinate the crops. Love these ladies! Keep up the good work girls.