Natty Invites You...

Natalina wants you to come to our party. First annual Strawberry Festival this Saturday, June 27th, from noon until the chocolate fountain runs dry. Not kidding about that chocolate fountain.

Early Season CSA offerings

This week marks the first baby carrots of the season. The first carrots are a milestone of the season, as are the first beets and strawberries. they are the first Summer vegetables of substance after all the Spring greens and radishes begin.

That's not to discount the peas! I have eaten more peas in the last two weeks than I've had in the last eight months...but isn't that the way it should be? Eat 'em fresh, and get sick of them, so you won't miss them until next pea season is approaching. There's nothing like stalking the first vegetables of the season. For those of you who have a yard, especially those of you who have children who are picky eaters, PLANT A GARDEN. Even if it's just a few carrots and tomatoes. Kids are fascinated with growing things. and if it's not some creepy unknown vegetable, they're much more likely to eat it. Trust me. As a child, the only 'safe' vegetables beyond carrots and broccoli were in my grandma's garden. From then on, I didn't eat a green bean until college, because I never had a truly fresh one (I grew up in the parched desert, where no one grew anything outside). Zucchini was odd and foreign, let alone eggplant. Natty won't always eat the food on her plate, but she'll try 90% of what's growing in the field.

Our members who start growing their own gardens often call or email to apologize for not signing up. But really, I'm thrilled. I think that everyone should grow something, even if it's just a windowsill herb. It's grounding. We're so far removed from what nourishes us...any living thing that we can help to flourish, especially a plant, who won't tug on your pant leg and ask you for water, or a snack, or some sunlight, just anything that can guide us to that mindfulness is a blessing.

Look Ma, more transplants! As if the first 50 or 60 thousand weren't enough, the transplants just

keep

coming.

Quite probably because we just keep seeding them. Here we have cauliflower, kale (just eat it, it's good), and basil in the foreground, with fennel and who knows what else filling the bench. We'll keep transplanting into the field until early August.

Tis the season for strawberries! This time of year, we always go into the field with extra room in our pockets and empty hands. It takes a few minutes longer to get anywhere, because you always have to stop and "check in" on the strawberries. This handful was reduced to a few tops in five minutes time.

If you haven't heard, our first annual Strawberry Festival will be on Saturday, June 27th.

Live music and snacks will be provided, and we'll be selling berries and strawberry shortcake to raise funds for painting our renovated barn!

For our CSA members, our first delivery is next week. Expect fresh picked strawberries for your first delivery! Here's what else is fresh from the field:

Asian broccoli

Beets
Bok choy
Cilantro

Garlic flowers
Kohlrabi
Red Oak Leaf Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce
Saladbowl lettuce

Sage

Thyme

Winter density lettuce

Easter egg radishes
Shunkyo Radishes
Tatsoi

Thanks to the Sunshine!

Our strawberry plants are in full flower, encouraged by sunny days and climbing temperatures. We have about a month until we see our first fruit, but the flower set looks promising! They should be just in time for our first ever Strawberry Festival in late June.

The Bees are Back in Town

Guess who just got back today?

Our very first Woogie Bees traveled up from California and
their almond orchards to pollinate the old apple orchard here at the farm. I suppose they thought they were in for some nice Spring weather, having come from Sunny California and all. For a moment, it looked like we might have a bit of sun, but that thought was quickly doused by the heaviest rain I've seen all spring. It went on for hours...

and just as I began to give up hope, the clouds parted and out came the sun. My father jokes that around here it should be called the Stun--it appears suddenly and leaves you half blind with its brightness.

Our apple trees are ancient, planted so many years ago that only the older locals can identify the varieties. Their trunks are hollow in places, and every year one loses a branch, but they seem as much a part of the farm as our house and barn, and we're not quite ready to replace them with tiny saplings.

Besides, they still offer amazingly sweet, delicious apples for eating and baking, as well as Spring food for the bees.

I wandered down to the low field at the house to check out

our early lettuce transplants. They, for one, have appreciated the recent rainy weather. Mike bought a fancy rain gauge with accompanying "weather system" that sits on his desk and tells him the temperature and how much it's rained in the past week. I think, at this point, I would rather not know.

30,000 transplants later

After two solid days of toiling in the sunny Spring heat, we have transplanted over 30,000 seedlings into the fields.

We now have lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, celery, celeriac, cabbage, and who knows what else in the field. Our crew of six, plus Mike and Patrick, put in long hours with very little complaining.





Liana, Jesus & Francisco load flats of plants from truck to transplanter.

Half a day's work is shown here below:


It doesn't look like much now, but in a few months it will be lush and beautiful!


I am officially exhausted. i must be getting old...it took me two days to fully recover my sore muscles.

-Heidi

Keeping up with the Toddler

I am in a constant state of awe when it comes to to the curiosity, speed, and tenacity of miss Natalina. She stands next to me, trying to open a packet of flower seeds. When they won't open, she shakes them, turns them around and around, and finally forces the glued flap to peel back, dumping the whole packet on the floor. next, seed dispersement: her hands go immediately to the floor, pushing the seeds wildly across the carpet. Success! Now, on to the Barn Stomp photos.

She'll make a fine farmer some day.