CSA squash and basil.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
October: Pick-Up Day
If we thought last week's pick-up was a site for sore eyes, this week's is positively beautiful.
Sweet potatoes, peppers, bell peppers, eggplant, okra, zucchini, basil, yellow squash, saucer squash.
October: Pick-Up Day
This is our first real pick-up since July due to the drought in Texas. While it looks meager, we were very excited!
Onions, squash, bell peppers, banana peppers, okra.
September: Quesadillas & Cantaloupe
With the exception of onions, this cantaloupe is all we got for the entire month of September due to the horrible drought conditions in Texas.
August: Texas Drought & CSA Risk #5
August 26, 2011
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
The rain came so close to us, but we only got a sprinkle----at least it cooled off for a few hours which felt so good. Looks like the searing heat will continue right on into September with no rain in the forecast. The squash is finally dying as the week after week of this heat has stressed it so much that it can't survive any more. The good news is that we have the third crop just about ready to go into the field along with lots of cucumber seedlings and a second crop of cantaloupe seedlings. We just pray that surely the heat will diminish and this third crop of squash, cucumbers, and cantaloupe will produce a bountiful crop. The okra and sweet potatoes continue to flourish even in this heat--the okra should be producing soon.
I suppose that the heat must have caused the green bean seed to "rot" in the ground as they came up only very sporadically so we will replant soon--the seed was new seed so it should have been good seed. We know that green beans will not produce in temps much beyond 90 degrees, but I thought at least the seed would germinate. However, we got a good stand of purple hull peas. Just finished planting the cream peas last evening--14 two hundred and sixty foot rows.
We usually plant the fall turnip greens, mustard greens, radishes, and snow peas Sept. 1, but it looks like it will be much too hot this year--will have to wait until the temp moderates.
We will bring onions tomorrow. We will pick the last of the squash for Plano. We will bring the first of the cantaloupe for Plano and Coppell. Coppell will not receive any of this crop of squash, but will be the first to get the squash from the third crop. We have been eating the "runt" cantaloupe and the ones with bad places on them and they have been so sweet and flavorful. I just wish there were a lot more of them like last year--we filled the coolers with cantaloupe 2 weeks in a row last year, but they weren't sweet. Next week we will bring cantaloupe for East Dallas.
Again until the temp moderates and the fall crops begin to produce we won't use the coolers.
See y'all tomorrow,
Gene
The rain came so close to us, but we only got a sprinkle----at least it cooled off for a few hours which felt so good. Looks like the searing heat will continue right on into September with no rain in the forecast. The squash is finally dying as the week after week of this heat has stressed it so much that it can't survive any more. The good news is that we have the third crop just about ready to go into the field along with lots of cucumber seedlings and a second crop of cantaloupe seedlings. We just pray that surely the heat will diminish and this third crop of squash, cucumbers, and cantaloupe will produce a bountiful crop. The okra and sweet potatoes continue to flourish even in this heat--the okra should be producing soon.
I suppose that the heat must have caused the green bean seed to "rot" in the ground as they came up only very sporadically so we will replant soon--the seed was new seed so it should have been good seed. We know that green beans will not produce in temps much beyond 90 degrees, but I thought at least the seed would germinate. However, we got a good stand of purple hull peas. Just finished planting the cream peas last evening--14 two hundred and sixty foot rows.
We usually plant the fall turnip greens, mustard greens, radishes, and snow peas Sept. 1, but it looks like it will be much too hot this year--will have to wait until the temp moderates.
We will bring onions tomorrow. We will pick the last of the squash for Plano. We will bring the first of the cantaloupe for Plano and Coppell. Coppell will not receive any of this crop of squash, but will be the first to get the squash from the third crop. We have been eating the "runt" cantaloupe and the ones with bad places on them and they have been so sweet and flavorful. I just wish there were a lot more of them like last year--we filled the coolers with cantaloupe 2 weeks in a row last year, but they weren't sweet. Next week we will bring cantaloupe for East Dallas.
Again until the temp moderates and the fall crops begin to produce we won't use the coolers.
See y'all tomorrow,
Gene
August: Texas Drought & CSA Risk #4
August 19, 2011
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
As the searing heat and drought continue, many of the fall crops are struggling to stay alive. And the disheartening thing is that it looks like there is no end in sight through the end of August. We finished weeding all of the sweet potatoes and they are doing good. We just finished applying a second organic fertilizer to the sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, okra, and basil. We finished planting the fall green beans and purple hull peas in the field. We also weeded the eight 260 foot rows of okra and it looks good----should be producing by the first part of September. The cantaloupe are not producing nearly the number of melons that they should be because of the heat--we have been 108-110 for several days now. The watermelons have some smaller melons on them, but not sure if they can mature in this heat---we fertilized them with the organic powdered fertilizer last week.
The second crop of squash is just barely producing with the heat----we may have enough for one CSA. We will pick today and if there is enough for one CSA we will bring it in a large white cooler for the East Dallas CSA. Normally we pick squash 3 times each week and should have tons of squash as we have seven 260 foot rows of squash in the field.
So we will have onions this week----2 baskets of onions per person-----and squash for the East Dallas CSA if there is sufficient to bring.
We still have water in our ponds, but need rain soon because the water level drops every day and we are becoming very concerned that the water will run out if we don't get rain soon.
We are having to sell most of our cattle this Saturday--our son Joed will take them to the sale this Saturday as he is home on break between the summer and fall semesters of college. We can't afford to continue feeding them the outrageously expensive hay. Will keep 6-7 bred cows and the registered Black Angus bull.
The 2 acres of blueberry bushes are pretty much dead----we don't have sufficient water for them and all of the fall crops. The bushes were 4 years old and just beginning to produce a lot of berries. We will have to start over again once it begins to rain.
We continue planting, weeding, and irrigating in faith that the rain and cooler temps will come in time for a bountiful fall harvest.
Please feel free to come out and visit the farm and see all of the crops in the field (waiting for rain and cooler temps). We think if it important for you to actually see where your food is grown.
See Y'all Tomorrow,
Gene
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
As the searing heat and drought continue, many of the fall crops are struggling to stay alive. And the disheartening thing is that it looks like there is no end in sight through the end of August. We finished weeding all of the sweet potatoes and they are doing good. We just finished applying a second organic fertilizer to the sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, okra, and basil. We finished planting the fall green beans and purple hull peas in the field. We also weeded the eight 260 foot rows of okra and it looks good----should be producing by the first part of September. The cantaloupe are not producing nearly the number of melons that they should be because of the heat--we have been 108-110 for several days now. The watermelons have some smaller melons on them, but not sure if they can mature in this heat---we fertilized them with the organic powdered fertilizer last week.
The second crop of squash is just barely producing with the heat----we may have enough for one CSA. We will pick today and if there is enough for one CSA we will bring it in a large white cooler for the East Dallas CSA. Normally we pick squash 3 times each week and should have tons of squash as we have seven 260 foot rows of squash in the field.
So we will have onions this week----2 baskets of onions per person-----and squash for the East Dallas CSA if there is sufficient to bring.
We still have water in our ponds, but need rain soon because the water level drops every day and we are becoming very concerned that the water will run out if we don't get rain soon.
We are having to sell most of our cattle this Saturday--our son Joed will take them to the sale this Saturday as he is home on break between the summer and fall semesters of college. We can't afford to continue feeding them the outrageously expensive hay. Will keep 6-7 bred cows and the registered Black Angus bull.
The 2 acres of blueberry bushes are pretty much dead----we don't have sufficient water for them and all of the fall crops. The bushes were 4 years old and just beginning to produce a lot of berries. We will have to start over again once it begins to rain.
We continue planting, weeding, and irrigating in faith that the rain and cooler temps will come in time for a bountiful fall harvest.
Please feel free to come out and visit the farm and see all of the crops in the field (waiting for rain and cooler temps). We think if it important for you to actually see where your food is grown.
See Y'all Tomorrow,
Gene
August: Texas Drought & CSA Risk #3
August 11, 2011
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
We will not have a delivery this Saturday, August 13. The intense triple digit heat and drought continues with no end in sight according to the weather forecast. The crops cannot produce anything with this heat--it is physiologically impossible. We continue irrigating trusting that soon the heat and drought will break and the crops can start producing.
We continue weeding the sweet potatoes-----should finish all 35 rows today. The crop looks good. As long as we can irrigate them with the blessing of the Lord they should produce a bountiful harvest of potatoes in mid-October. We will apply a second organic foliar spray to the sweet potatoes tomorrow as well as to the okra and squash.
We will not have a delivery this Saturday, August 13. The intense triple digit heat and drought continues with no end in sight according to the weather forecast. The crops cannot produce anything with this heat--it is physiologically impossible. We continue irrigating trusting that soon the heat and drought will break and the crops can start producing.
We continue weeding the sweet potatoes-----should finish all 35 rows today. The crop looks good. As long as we can irrigate them with the blessing of the Lord they should produce a bountiful harvest of potatoes in mid-October. We will apply a second organic foliar spray to the sweet potatoes tomorrow as well as to the okra and squash.
We are doing everything that we can do to encourage crop production.
Next Saturday we will for sure bring 2 baskets of onions----but if the heat continues there won't be any vegetables for the coolers.
Best Regards,
Gene
August: Texas Drought & CSA Risk #2
August 4, 2011
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
Well the scorching heat continues with no end in sight. Our ponds are getting low, but we haven't run out of irrigation water yet. This searing heat has destroyed 1/2 of the fall tomato seedlings. They just can't survive the 110 degree heat day after day even with the irrigation every day. The heat has killed 8 of the laying hens and we have been misting them every day with cool water--now 2 times a day. The squash seedlings we planted 2 weeks ago are surviving, but are not really growing much because of the heat and drought. The eggplant has pretty much stopped producing, but will produce again if we could just get daytime temps in the 90's and night time temps in the 70's. The poor pepper plants are surviving, but not producing any peppers that are worth harvesting. The scorching sun just sears the peppers so we pull them and leave them in the rows. One exception is the Jalapenos---they have continued to produce some peppers.
The sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, watermelons, and okra are doing pretty well. They are growing and the cantaloupe have lots of small to medium cantaloupes on the vines. I burned 2 more fields in spite of the strict burn ban (they have an exception for burning for agricultural purposes), but we have been very careful. A neighbor brings his huge water tank equipped with a 5 horsepower pump and a 2 inch hose for putting out any fires that might get started. A fire started on a fence line yesterday, and I saw it just in time to kill our tractor and propane burner and run to the truck and pull the tank within reach of the fire and extinguish it. I quit burning after that--it was scary to say the least.
We are busy also weeding the good sweet potato crop. There is a gourd that grows among the vines and literally smothers the sweet potato vines. We have tons more rows to weed and are working daily to try to save the crop. If anyone would like to volunteer to help weed them we would welcome your help--we know everyone is busy with their own schedules though. We will weed as many rows as we can with the help we have.
This Saturday I will bring onions and potatoes. We have a little garlic left and I will bring it. If this triple digit weather continues into next week I don't think the squash or peppers will be ready to harvest--we'll just have to see how they progress this week and next. We have fertilized all the cantaloupe, squash, peppers, and okra plants by hand with the organic fertilizer that we mix, and have also applied an organic foliar fertilizer to all the crops, but the crops have not responded very well due to the extreme heat and drought.
We will continue working diligently as long as we have irrigation water all the time praying for rain and a break in this scorching heat. My wife finished planting the 5,000 squash seedlings last week and they are up and growing for the fall crop. There are several varieties---yellow crooked neck, yellow straight neck, zucchini, acorn, butternut, sunbeam, etc. It is still too hot to plant the cucumbers as they wouldn't survive the heat. Hopefully the weather will break soon and we can get them planted. I finished burning the weeds off a field where we will plant the cream peas and purple hull peas. Still need to disc and plow the field, make the rows and then plant the seeds.
Try to keep cool and I will see you Saturday,
Gene
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
Well the scorching heat continues with no end in sight. Our ponds are getting low, but we haven't run out of irrigation water yet. This searing heat has destroyed 1/2 of the fall tomato seedlings. They just can't survive the 110 degree heat day after day even with the irrigation every day. The heat has killed 8 of the laying hens and we have been misting them every day with cool water--now 2 times a day. The squash seedlings we planted 2 weeks ago are surviving, but are not really growing much because of the heat and drought. The eggplant has pretty much stopped producing, but will produce again if we could just get daytime temps in the 90's and night time temps in the 70's. The poor pepper plants are surviving, but not producing any peppers that are worth harvesting. The scorching sun just sears the peppers so we pull them and leave them in the rows. One exception is the Jalapenos---they have continued to produce some peppers.
The sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, watermelons, and okra are doing pretty well. They are growing and the cantaloupe have lots of small to medium cantaloupes on the vines. I burned 2 more fields in spite of the strict burn ban (they have an exception for burning for agricultural purposes), but we have been very careful. A neighbor brings his huge water tank equipped with a 5 horsepower pump and a 2 inch hose for putting out any fires that might get started. A fire started on a fence line yesterday, and I saw it just in time to kill our tractor and propane burner and run to the truck and pull the tank within reach of the fire and extinguish it. I quit burning after that--it was scary to say the least.
We are busy also weeding the good sweet potato crop. There is a gourd that grows among the vines and literally smothers the sweet potato vines. We have tons more rows to weed and are working daily to try to save the crop. If anyone would like to volunteer to help weed them we would welcome your help--we know everyone is busy with their own schedules though. We will weed as many rows as we can with the help we have.
This Saturday I will bring onions and potatoes. We have a little garlic left and I will bring it. If this triple digit weather continues into next week I don't think the squash or peppers will be ready to harvest--we'll just have to see how they progress this week and next. We have fertilized all the cantaloupe, squash, peppers, and okra plants by hand with the organic fertilizer that we mix, and have also applied an organic foliar fertilizer to all the crops, but the crops have not responded very well due to the extreme heat and drought.
We will continue working diligently as long as we have irrigation water all the time praying for rain and a break in this scorching heat. My wife finished planting the 5,000 squash seedlings last week and they are up and growing for the fall crop. There are several varieties---yellow crooked neck, yellow straight neck, zucchini, acorn, butternut, sunbeam, etc. It is still too hot to plant the cucumbers as they wouldn't survive the heat. Hopefully the weather will break soon and we can get them planted. I finished burning the weeds off a field where we will plant the cream peas and purple hull peas. Still need to disc and plow the field, make the rows and then plant the seeds.
Try to keep cool and I will see you Saturday,
Gene
July: Texas Drought & CSA Risk #1
July 30, 2011
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
We are going to suspend this Saturday's delivery (July 30). We picked tomatoes yesterday and there are very few tomatoes------since the nights have been so warm (staying in the 80's for the last 2 weeks) the blooms have not set fruit so therefore very few tomatoes. The eggplant has also diminished in production with the heat and warm nights. So we would have only basil and a few eggplant in the cooler. So I think it would be better to wait until the next crops begin to produce instead of you having to spend your time to come and pick up a small amount of vegetables.
We have potatoes for 2 more Saturdays and onions for about 8 more Saturdays so we will bring a double portion of eggs for the egg share holders and your potatoes and onions next Saturday August 6. We will have potatoes and onions for the August 13 delivery and hopefully the squash and peppers will be ready also. The summer crop of tomatoes are probably finished as the heat stress has "taken its toll on them". However, we will have to see how they respond if we get the rain from the tropical storm. The fall crop of tomatoes are struggling but we should have a fair crop. We received 1.25 inches of rain Monday for which we are very thankful. It was so refreshing to see the pouring rain coming down for about 30 minutes. The rain came from the East which is very unusual and of course the weather forecast gave us no chance of rain at all----we know this came from the Lord.
We have almost finished weeding the peppers and have started weeding the beautiful crop of sweet potatoes. We are also busy planting the 3rd crop of squash and cucumbers. Since we had the rain on Monday, I began burning (with our propane burner) the grass and weeds off of a field where we will plant the green beans and peas. I still have to be extremely careful as the neighbors land is still very dry and we surely don't want a spark to ignite a fire on their land.
We are praying for rain-----we pray we get the soaking rains, but not the floods from the tropical storm.
See y'all Saturday August 6,
Gene
Dear 2011 CSA Members,
We are going to suspend this Saturday's delivery (July 30). We picked tomatoes yesterday and there are very few tomatoes------since the nights have been so warm (staying in the 80's for the last 2 weeks) the blooms have not set fruit so therefore very few tomatoes. The eggplant has also diminished in production with the heat and warm nights. So we would have only basil and a few eggplant in the cooler. So I think it would be better to wait until the next crops begin to produce instead of you having to spend your time to come and pick up a small amount of vegetables.
We have potatoes for 2 more Saturdays and onions for about 8 more Saturdays so we will bring a double portion of eggs for the egg share holders and your potatoes and onions next Saturday August 6. We will have potatoes and onions for the August 13 delivery and hopefully the squash and peppers will be ready also. The summer crop of tomatoes are probably finished as the heat stress has "taken its toll on them". However, we will have to see how they respond if we get the rain from the tropical storm. The fall crop of tomatoes are struggling but we should have a fair crop. We received 1.25 inches of rain Monday for which we are very thankful. It was so refreshing to see the pouring rain coming down for about 30 minutes. The rain came from the East which is very unusual and of course the weather forecast gave us no chance of rain at all----we know this came from the Lord.
We have almost finished weeding the peppers and have started weeding the beautiful crop of sweet potatoes. We are also busy planting the 3rd crop of squash and cucumbers. Since we had the rain on Monday, I began burning (with our propane burner) the grass and weeds off of a field where we will plant the green beans and peas. I still have to be extremely careful as the neighbors land is still very dry and we surely don't want a spark to ignite a fire on their land.
We are praying for rain-----we pray we get the soaking rains, but not the floods from the tropical storm.
See y'all Saturday August 6,
Gene
July: Pick-Up Day
Drought worsens, CSA risk increases. Eggplant, basil, onions, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes.
July: Pick-Up Day
Potatoes, onion, garlic, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, eggplants (two varieties), basil, grape tomatoes, blueberries.
July: Pick-Up Day
Eggplant (two varieties), cucumber, butternut squash, tomatoes, grape tomatoes, basil, onion, garlic, blueberries.
June: Chocolate Cake with Blueberries
My absolute favorite dessert. French-style chocolate cake with fresh CSA blueberries.
June: Slow Roasted Tomato Bruschetta
Yet another meal of bruschetta. This time the tomatoes were slow roasted for several hours, making this possibly the best bruschetta ever. That's a weird pic of a Q'uorn Chic patty too.
CSA tomato, garlic, onion, basil.
June: Pick-Up Day
Red potatoes, tomatoes, onion, squash, garlic, 2 varieties eggplant, zucchini, blueberries.
June: Pick-Up Day
Blueberries, grape tomatoes, basil, tomatoes, red potatoes, saucer squash, summer squash, zucchini, garlic, onion.
June: Fresh Tomato Pasta, Green Beans & Kale
May: Bruschetta with Fresh Mozzarella
CSA tomatoes, garlic, onion and basil.
Just can't get tired of this meal!
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