Summer CSA Week 2

Week 2:

Wow what an incredible first week of distributions to kick off the summer CSA season. I really enjoy welcoming you all back onto the farm at the beginning of the summer. Looking forward to seeing the rest of our half share folks this week. This week is week two (even week) so if you have a half share and your last name starts with M-Z then this is your week to pick up your share!

This is also the first week of the fruit share. The share will be delivered on Tuesday. If you have signed up for a fruit share you can pick it up Tuesday (recommended), Thursday, or Friday.



Needing the tractor head lights
to wrap up a long day

Every Monday I take a crop walk around the farm to asses what is ready to harvest for that weeks CSA as well as what looks like it will be ready in the coming weeks. I really savor this time to slow down and check in with every inch of the farm. I also scout for pests in the fields and make a plan to deal with them. This year I am partnering with UMASS extension who is sending a graduate student to the farm every week to collect data on out pest populations and best practices in controlling them using organic methods. Our first wave of cucumbers is almost ready and we will likely be harvesting next week. The broccoli is also on the cusp of being ready.

 

After a bit of a slow start due to the cool spring temperatures the farm is really starting to fill out. This week brings more diversity to our harvest list.

Your share this week

In this weeks share:

Lettuce

Scallions
Beets
Arugula
Pick one cooking green (kale, collards, or chard)
Spinach
Garlic Scapes
Radishes

Our peas were hit hard by a pest this week called the seed corn maggot. Seed corn maggot is the pupa of a fly. They lay there eggs on the surface of the soil and burrow down into the soil. They prefer to eat large seeds like corn, peas, and beans. Our peas were affected as well as one of our plantings of beans. We still have a shot at spring peas from one of our plantings but unfortunately no peas for picking this week.

* The strawberries are just beginning to fruit but there are not yet enough to open them for picking. Please be respectful of your fellow CSA members and the Powisset Farm staff and refrain from picking the strawberries this week.

PYO:
Herbs

I often get asked the question "what is a garlic scape and what do I do with it?" Garlic scapes are flower stalks that garlic  plants develop this time of year. We harvest them before they go to flower because this will cause the plant to send energy into the bulb and create a bigger garlic bulb. Garlic scapes are edible and can be made into pesto, sliced into coins and sautéed with greens, chopped and sprinkled on salad, or pickled.

Your Farmer,

Zannah