August brings the farm into full swing each year, and 2011 is no exception. With so much going on, it doesn't leave much time for blogging, thus the long gap between postings. After the extremes in the weather earlier this season - the cold, wet spring, followed by abnormally warm weeks in the 90's - it comes as a relief to settle into the relatively normal summer weather of the past couple of weeks.
August is high season in Saratoga as well, and we have been busy trying to meet the demand of some very busy farmer's markets. So far we have been able to keep up with a steady supply of greens. This is always a challenge in the warmest summer months, since lettuce is essentially a cool weather crop. Our strategy is to just plant a lot of it every week - between 2000-3000 heads a week. Often whole sections of the plantings will end up going to waste because it goes to seed so fast, before we have a chance to harvest it. With weekly plantings, at least, there is usually a block that is the right size and of good quality that we can harvest it for market.
We have also kept up with production of most of our other standard crops: baby boc choi, stir-fry greens, broccolini, escarole, radicchio, frisee, and scallions. In addition, for the summer season we have added cucumbers and green beans to the market offerings. This year we tried a new cucumber variety called Picolino, which is an English cuke bred to be picked small, at 4-5 inches long. We first saw these at some of the farmer's markets we visited in California during our sabbatical last year, and knew we would have to grow them. They make a great convenient snack when picked small - crunchy, sweet, with a thin skin and small seeds. The variety is very prolific and it has been hard to keep up with the picking. Fortunately, the larger cukes taste pretty good too, so we haven't had to waste the ones that get away from us between pickings. The plants are starting to wane, so enjoy them while the supply lasts.
We have not grown beans for a couple of seasons, but we're excited to have them back this year. The variety we grow is called Jade, which is a standard green snap bean, but it stays thinner and grows longer than most other varieties. It too, is quite prolific, requiring long hours of picking in the bean patch. We have several more plantings that have not come into production yet, so we should have beans up until frost.
Of course, the most exciting summer crop are the heirloom tomatoes. These are finally starting to ripen in marketable quantities. This year we are growing eleven varieties, including some of our favorites from past years like: Brandywine, Black Krim, Eva Purple Ball, Earl of Edgecombe, Green Zebra, and Minglewood's own creation, Far Out Willie. We have also added some new ones to try: Marglobe, Big Red, Marvel Striped, Peach Blow Sutton, and the original Red Brandywine.
So far the tomato plants have stayed relatively healthy, with only minor foliar diseases, however, our biggest problem this year has been the devastation caused by the Tomato Horn Worms. These creatures are right out of a sci-fi horror movie. They will grow up to the size of your index finger or larger, and eat voraciously. For whatever reason, their population exploded this year. We joke that perhaps they thought the 'caterpillar tunnels' we grow the tomatoes in was the 'Mother Ship' and they were returning home. Nevertheless, they really did a number on the plants, pruning back the top foliage and chomping on a lot of fruit. Our salable yield has been significantly reduced. With diligent worm eradication, search and destroy missions, we have at least reduced their population to a manageable level to prevent much more damage. Such is the life of a farmer, always something to complain about.
So, stay on the positive side. Take the time to savor the fruits of the season, as time passes so quickly. The signs of the changing season are all around us already: the nights are cooling down, the Battenkill is a bit more bracing, the first leaves on the swamp maples are starting to turn, and the cricket chirps are slowing down.
August is high season in Saratoga as well, and we have been busy trying to meet the demand of some very busy farmer's markets. So far we have been able to keep up with a steady supply of greens. This is always a challenge in the warmest summer months, since lettuce is essentially a cool weather crop. Our strategy is to just plant a lot of it every week - between 2000-3000 heads a week. Often whole sections of the plantings will end up going to waste because it goes to seed so fast, before we have a chance to harvest it. With weekly plantings, at least, there is usually a block that is the right size and of good quality that we can harvest it for market.
We have also kept up with production of most of our other standard crops: baby boc choi, stir-fry greens, broccolini, escarole, radicchio, frisee, and scallions. In addition, for the summer season we have added cucumbers and green beans to the market offerings. This year we tried a new cucumber variety called Picolino, which is an English cuke bred to be picked small, at 4-5 inches long. We first saw these at some of the farmer's markets we visited in California during our sabbatical last year, and knew we would have to grow them. They make a great convenient snack when picked small - crunchy, sweet, with a thin skin and small seeds. The variety is very prolific and it has been hard to keep up with the picking. Fortunately, the larger cukes taste pretty good too, so we haven't had to waste the ones that get away from us between pickings. The plants are starting to wane, so enjoy them while the supply lasts.
We have not grown beans for a couple of seasons, but we're excited to have them back this year. The variety we grow is called Jade, which is a standard green snap bean, but it stays thinner and grows longer than most other varieties. It too, is quite prolific, requiring long hours of picking in the bean patch. We have several more plantings that have not come into production yet, so we should have beans up until frost.
Of course, the most exciting summer crop are the heirloom tomatoes. These are finally starting to ripen in marketable quantities. This year we are growing eleven varieties, including some of our favorites from past years like: Brandywine, Black Krim, Eva Purple Ball, Earl of Edgecombe, Green Zebra, and Minglewood's own creation, Far Out Willie. We have also added some new ones to try: Marglobe, Big Red, Marvel Striped, Peach Blow Sutton, and the original Red Brandywine.
So far the tomato plants have stayed relatively healthy, with only minor foliar diseases, however, our biggest problem this year has been the devastation caused by the Tomato Horn Worms. These creatures are right out of a sci-fi horror movie. They will grow up to the size of your index finger or larger, and eat voraciously. For whatever reason, their population exploded this year. We joke that perhaps they thought the 'caterpillar tunnels' we grow the tomatoes in was the 'Mother Ship' and they were returning home. Nevertheless, they really did a number on the plants, pruning back the top foliage and chomping on a lot of fruit. Our salable yield has been significantly reduced. With diligent worm eradication, search and destroy missions, we have at least reduced their population to a manageable level to prevent much more damage. Such is the life of a farmer, always something to complain about.
So, stay on the positive side. Take the time to savor the fruits of the season, as time passes so quickly. The signs of the changing season are all around us already: the nights are cooling down, the Battenkill is a bit more bracing, the first leaves on the swamp maples are starting to turn, and the cricket chirps are slowing down.
