Trialing the Flame Weeder!
Well, we finished potting up about 2,000 tomato plants last week. You can see what that looks like in the picture above. It took us the entire day on Monday, plus a few hours each day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The tomatoes didn't skip a beat and are already starting to put out roots in their new pots!
We're still not in the fields and the forecast doesn't look positive for getting in them this week, but next week is supposed to be sunny and dry, so I'm hoping to get planting then! In the meantime we'll keep doing any prep we can before entering with the tractor and keeping up in the greenhouse with plant starts.
Joe and I spent the bulk of the day in the little greenhouse with the baby plants, with the exception of Joe going out to pick up some supplies for our newest venture, mushrooms! We're going to be trying out some bucket culture mushrooms in the barn this year for the summer CSA. I am super excited about the possibility and we have got a pretty good plan in place for how we want to do it. I'll be sure to keep you all posted!
I was able to bring the flame weeder into the field on Saturday afternoon/evening to trial it on some cover crops that need to be terminated before we can plant. I wasn't expecting full efficacy yet since it is the first time and I will have to work out the kinks, but after a few days, we are starting to see results! In the pictures below you can see the field as I was going over with the tractor followed by the dying off tan parts in the second picture a few days later. This is in the field in front of the greenhouses, so if you're driving by the farm, feel free to take a look! I'm calling this a success for the first run with it, and I'm excited about what I will be able to do in the future. I spoke with a UNH Extension agent that sponsored my grant proposal the other day about incorporating cover crops into a flame managed system and we have some pretty fun ideas we'll be working on. Stay tuned!
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR FALL CSA!
BULK SPINACH AVAILABLE
We had a huge spinach haul last week and I'm expecting similar this week. Anyone interested in 5+ pounds of spinach, please reach out. Spinach can be canned or frozen and is a great way to stretch the season!
Bags are $9/lb and order minimum is 5lbs. Pickup anytime after 3:30pm on Wednesday. Email jack@dogdaysnh.com to order!
Spring Shares Week 8
Another week of greens is on deck! We are right on the precipice of a bunch of new veggies in shares, but will have to wait another week or two. Carrots are almost there. They are probably my favorite vegetable and I can hardly wait. Peas will follow the carrots close behind, radishes are almost ready, lettuce heads have another week or two, and fennel is sizing up in the tunnel. We're in for a good end to the season!
Bok Choy is back in shares this week. Cilantro is in baskets and there is a recipe for spinach cilantro soup below. Chives are ready from our perennial beds. Microgreens are a staple. Spring Mix will be your baby green salad mix and should be a combo of lettuce, claytonia, and baby kale. Spinach might be on its last week after we harvest this bed. I'm offering bulk spinach if you want some before we are done for the spring!
Spring Week 8
Bok Choy
Chives
Cilantro
Microgreens
Spring Mix
Spinach
Egg Share: Weekly Eggs Only
The Plant Stand is Open!
We've got the first starts of the season out at the plant stand! All of the veggies in the stand are cold tolerant, have been hardened off, and are ready to plant in the ground, even if the temps drop below freezing again!
Currently available in the stand:
Veggies
Beets
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Napa Cabbage
Cauliflower
Chard
Green Curly Kale
Red Curly Kale
Flat Kale
Red Leaf Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce
Leeks
Red Onions
White Onions
Yellow Onions
Flowers
Yarrow
Cosmos
Herbs:
Lavender
Thyme
Sage
Mint
Parsley
Oregano
Coming Soon
Tomatoes
Basil
Dahlias
Cucumbers
Hanging Baskets
Peppers
and more!
The Farm Store is OPEN!
Open to the Public.
Dawn - Dusk
Honor System
In the store this week:
Spinach
Bok Choy
Microgreens
Spring Mix
Kale
Radishes
Kielbasa
Maple Breakfast Sausage
Hot Dogs
Pesto
Ice Cream
& Eggs!
RECIPE LINK:Spinach Cilantro Soup with Lemon Tahini
Ingredients
Yield: 2 quarts
For the Sauce:
▪¼cup well-stirred tahini
▪¼cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
▪1large clove garlic, finely grated or pounded to a smooth paste
▪¾teaspoon fine sea salt
▪½teaspoon ground cumin
▪½teaspoon red-pepper flakes
For the Soup
▪7cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
▪12ounces baby spinach (about 12 packed cups)
▪4cups roughly chopped cilantro (from 2 large bunches)
▪¼cup well-stirred tahini
▪2teaspoons fine sea salt
▪2tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
Instructions
Step 1
First, make the sauce: Combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin and red-pepper flakes with 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more water as needed to achieve a drizzle-able consistency, and set aside.
Step 2
Next, make the soup: Add stock to a Dutch oven or heavy pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in spinach, cilantro, tahini and salt, and return to a boil. Turn off heat, and stir in lemon juice.
Step 3
Use an immersion blender to purée soup. Taste, and adjust seasoning with more salt and lemon, if desired.
Step 4
Serve soup immediately, and drizzle with tahini sauce. Cover and refrigerate remaining soup and sauce for up to 1 week, or freeze soup for up to 1 month.
Pickup Location for Archway Farm Meat CSA
I heard back from a few of you interested in an Archway Farm meat CSA share, so Mark has added the farm as an additional pickup location. Now if you want to sign up, you can pick up your meat share from the same place you get your veggies! It makes choosing what to make for dinner a breeze!
Visit www.Archway.farm to explore options and order a share delivered to the farm!
Support the Fitzwilliam District Nursing Association!
Each year our farm provides CSA shares to the Fitzwilliam District Nursing Association for their food delivery program. The FDNA has been providing food for members of our community for decades, and Tracie's Farm, and now Dog Days Farm, has been providing CSA shares as a part of their programming for over 10 years. Last year we packed 8 baskets per week for their food delivery program. The FDNA is run by a group of volunteers that are passionate about not letting members of the Fitzwilliam Community go hungry. We are lucky to have them as our neighbors.
I am putting out a call for members or friends of the farm that would like to pitch in to help purchase CSA shares for the FDNA this season. I match shares purchased for the FDNA, so if we are able to get four shares paid for, we will be able to offer another 8 baskets per week for our community members in need. Shares can be purchased directly from the farm and receipts for your donation from the FDNA are provided upon request. Donations are tax deductible.
If you would like to help purchase a CSA share for the FDNA, please send me an email at jack@dogdaysnh.com. Additionally, if you are in need of food assistance and would like to be on the delivery list through the summer, please send me an email and I will put you in touch with a member of the FDNA.
Workshare with Us!
We are looking for workshares to come help out on the farm one day a week for the summer season in exchange for a CSA share. Workshares are one of my favorite parts of the farm. We often get returning workshares year after year, and they almost always become longtime friends of the farm. It's a great way for me to get to know our CSA members and for members to get to know their farm.
Physical labor is a given for workshares, but we are often able to find tasks that suit the abilities of those that are able to help out. We have seen workshares of all ages on the farm over the years. It is a full day commitment, and we ask that members pick one day out of the week and come in that day for the duration of the season. Workshares are allowed to miss up to three days during the summer to accommodate vacations. In exchange, you receive a full summer share plus bread and eggs, as well as lunch on the farm on the days you work and access to deals on bulk veggies.
If you are interested in worksharing, please email me at jack@dogdaysnh.com
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