Progressing

We enjoyed a productive, busy week on the farm. We hilled potatoes for the 2nd and final time; added another layer of trellising to tunnel and field tomatoes; cultivated a few rounds or beans, edamame, lettuce, and herbs; transplanted additional rounds of cantaloupe, beans, edamame, lettuces, and herbs; repaired the flail mower and mowed the entire farm; chisel plowed ground for fall broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage; continued bed preparations for the 7,000 strawberry plants that will arrive next week; removed floating row cover from the winter squash patch; weed-whacked 2 linear miles of pepper, eggplant, okra, and basil aisles; deposited about 10,000 seeds into trays; and harvested a couple thousand pounds of produce. It was a good week even though we endured the first severe thunderstorm and flash flooding event of June, on a harvest morning, and had to wait it out in the barn. By then we did need some rain and can at least avoid thinking about irrigating for another week.

Now that the Summer Solstice is here, harvests will begin to slowly transition away from some spring staples. Greens will lessen just a bit as early summer crops trickle then flood in. Scallions arrive and will continue for a couple of months. Strawberries and peas wind down but beans and flowers rise up. Cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, and husk cherries aren't too far away. Cabbage, fennel, beets, and carrots will be here soon as spring roots like radishes, turnips, and kohlrabi give way. Cucumbers and zucchini arrive and will hopefully stick around all summer.

Long, warm days with ample sunshine and regular precipitation means weeds will be germinating and growing quickly. We strive to cultivate with wheel and oscillating hoes at the right time when weeds are still small and easily killed. This is done weekly and normally most crops only need one pass. Occasionally this time of year two passes are needed. Adequate dry weather between rain events allows for this schedule. Sometimes it doesn't work out and hand weeding is necessary. Either way it's very rare that we lose a crop to weed pressure. Timing is everything!