The new traffic pattern seems to be working out thanks to all of you showing courtesy to your fellow members. Thank you all. After too many days of rain last week, I tried to order some stones in an effort to reduce the levels of mud in our lane, the parking area, and the new exit. The conversation between the scale master at the quarry and I went rather badly. After telling the grumpy lady that I wasn't going to buy stones from such a snotty person, and hanging up on her (it was warranted, I promise) I remembered that she was the most affordable quarry around. I just can't wait to call her back this week...
On a more professional note, the crops are growing great guns. We have some little tomatoes. They are tiny, but in another month or so, we should start to see some luscious fruits. The peppers are in blossom. Cucumbers are a good week away (though they have cucumber beetles worse than I have ever seen them). Some broccoli has begun to form tiny heads (we will watch for that %$#& tarnished plant bug that chews off the tops of all the florets leaving brown nubs for us). Some cabbages are starting to head up (some got lost in the grass that grew during the last period of rains). The kohlrabi patch is big and great looking thanks to Howard weeding it last weekend. And most importantly our corn is out of the ground and looking pretty good. One last thing to warn you about - shell peas. It is looking like we are going to have plenty of shell peas. We will show you how to shell them if you don't know how. Maybe I'll figure out how to post a video here...
We got behind last week with all the rains. There are many lettuces that need to be planted. Our flowers for the beneficial insects are ready to be planted. Some potatoes need to go in. Our onions and leeks are in desperate need of weeding. Bug pressure is lower than in past years, so far (weed pressure is going way up though). This week we will begin our seeding for our fall plantings, and we don't want to lose our spring and summer crops during that time. This coming Saturday we will have a working (weeding) Saturday from 8-10:30 am, but if you want to come during the week instead, let Amy know. The sooner we uncover the plants, the better for them.
Showing posts with label corn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label corn. Show all posts
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Weekly update week 2
Whew! We made it through the first week of pick ups with the new traffic pattern and through this last series of Rain. Now that we are drying out we will focus on pulling all the weeds that are overtaking most of our fields. If you would like to help with that, let Amy know.
Before the rains came we planted the first round of corn planted and all of the beans - green, yellow, purple, and lima. I expect to see sprouts in the next day or two. We have never done well with early corn since the Japanese beetles are usually out and about when it is pollinating and they eat all the corn silks off. (In case you didn't know, the silk carries pollen from the tassel to the kernel and only then will the kernel form. No silk, no pollination. No pollination, no fruit.) We are tired of trying to grow early corn only to yield a bunch of empy cobs. Our cucumbers have some blossoms, and are looking good. The tomatoes are doing well, and are sporting blossoms also. They are really starting to grow really fast. We must get our tomato stakes in this week. Today we planted more summer squash plants. The last round that we put in were transplanted from starts that we sowed in the greenhouse. They seemed to be doing poorly, so we are going to the old standby of planting seeds directly in the garden. I think it will work much better, and can't wait till I can have some summer squash. Our watermelons should be planted out this week, and if all goes well we will put out our potatoes. Usually we plant them really early and by now the potato bugs are eating off all of the leaves. I think that by waiting, we could miss the majority of the bugs and wind up with many beautiful late potatoes.
All of the spring crops are doing very well. The bugs are a bit annoying (slugs and flea beetles in particular), but the moderate temperatures have helped the cabbages and broccoli grow beautifully. This has been the best pea season in many years. The shell peas will be ready in a week or two and I suspect that we will all be tired of shelling them.
I posted a poll about lima beans on the right side of the blog. Please take it. My mom and I have always disagreed on the popularity of lima beans, and you can settle it for us (at least for this year). I can't wait to see the results. See you around the farm!
Before the rains came we planted the first round of corn planted and all of the beans - green, yellow, purple, and lima. I expect to see sprouts in the next day or two. We have never done well with early corn since the Japanese beetles are usually out and about when it is pollinating and they eat all the corn silks off. (In case you didn't know, the silk carries pollen from the tassel to the kernel and only then will the kernel form. No silk, no pollination. No pollination, no fruit.) We are tired of trying to grow early corn only to yield a bunch of empy cobs. Our cucumbers have some blossoms, and are looking good. The tomatoes are doing well, and are sporting blossoms also. They are really starting to grow really fast. We must get our tomato stakes in this week. Today we planted more summer squash plants. The last round that we put in were transplanted from starts that we sowed in the greenhouse. They seemed to be doing poorly, so we are going to the old standby of planting seeds directly in the garden. I think it will work much better, and can't wait till I can have some summer squash. Our watermelons should be planted out this week, and if all goes well we will put out our potatoes. Usually we plant them really early and by now the potato bugs are eating off all of the leaves. I think that by waiting, we could miss the majority of the bugs and wind up with many beautiful late potatoes.
All of the spring crops are doing very well. The bugs are a bit annoying (slugs and flea beetles in particular), but the moderate temperatures have helped the cabbages and broccoli grow beautifully. This has been the best pea season in many years. The shell peas will be ready in a week or two and I suspect that we will all be tired of shelling them.
I posted a poll about lima beans on the right side of the blog. Please take it. My mom and I have always disagreed on the popularity of lima beans, and you can settle it for us (at least for this year). I can't wait to see the results. See you around the farm!
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