Greens, More Greens and a Greenhouse

Believe it or not, things are still growing out in the field, and it’ll show this week at market. There was a window in mid-September when it was dry enough to plant baby greens such as Tokyo Bekana, lettuce, Hong vit, arugula and various spicy and mild mustards. Normally that’s a little late to plant greens out in the field, but the inclement weather (understatement) of late August—which is when I usually sow the last seeds of the season--made planting fragile greens (or anything else) a bad idea. Since the weather has been warm the past 5 weeks, those seeds grew well (see photos) and so you will be in the greens the next several weeks (I think). Even more than that, I also took a photo of my greenhouse, which we have been putting up the past month. It is almost finished, and that will allow me to grow all sorts of greens and hopefully herbs year round for you.

In the photos, you can see how the planting beds are raised above the water. I started planting everything in raised beds in the spring of 2010 because my soil tends to be wet. In many parts of the farm, the footpaths are actually flowing streams, but right now, after some very heavy rains last night and this morning, there are no places where the produce is actually underwater, which is a huge accomplishment. (Speaking of huge accomplishments, as I write this my friend Aaron is hooking up the greenhouse heater, and I just heard the heater go on for the first time, which means all connections have been made and it’s working).

This week at market, I’ll have the same peppers as I had last week: sweet Italian, jalapeno, cayenne and Russian Roullette. I’ll also have eggs; garlic; purple top turnips; THE BEST SALAD MIX AND BRAISING MIX YOU’VE EVER HAD, AS EVIDENCED IN THE PHOTOS; red and white potatoes; Hong vit; pea shoots; sunflower greens; watermelon radishes and possibly some chives and mint, though I’m not sure if they grew back. It looks like they might have gotten abused in the rain. Either way, I’ll try growing chives in the greenhouse all winter, and maybe some mint, too.

The sun is out now, and it’s supposed to be nice Saturday, so finish up last weeks produce and save your appetites for some awesome salad and potatoes.

That's Not Rain Outside--Go Get Some Veggies

This Saturday I'm going to have a lot of amazing looking sunflower greens, which I haven't had in a while. I'll have tomatoes, too, but this could be the last week. The arugula and salad mix that I harvested today is fantastic. I also have my usual selection of greens and the best potatoes on earth. The herbs are slowing down, but I still have most of them, as well as turnips, watermelon radishes and a whole lot more. And, as always, I'll have eggs in the morning.

Here is a link to an update on Evolutionary Organics and their fundraiser:
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=3dd2b00e5c137efcbc3cb1faf&id=99d39203a5&e=607016e4ed

Thank you immensely to everyone who has helped them out with donations and spreading the word about their situation. The garlic and lemon grass that I'm selling is from Evolutionary Organics.

Fundraiser for Evolutionary Organics

So...about that hurricane.... It's been a hectic time. Excessive rain is always a struggle on Muddy Farm because I have heavy soil, and we've had a lot of rain. I'm guessing I lost 70 percent of my crops from both the hurricane and the record rains that followed a week or so later. However, I've replanted some things, and I'm scrapping around as best I can.

I was not hit nearly as hard as my friend on the other side of the mountains--Evolutionary Organics Farm, in New Paltz. Below is a link to a fundraiser that Kira Kinney created for her farm. If anyone can help her out or spread the word to other interested people, I would be incredibly grateful. I can't tell you how many reasons why Muddy Farm wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Evolutionary Organics Farm. First of all, I learned how to grow vegetables from Kira. My greenhouse was also a gift from her. All in all, Kira is profoundly generous with her resources and farming expertise and as far as I'm concerned, a gift to her is a gift to all of the small organic farmers in the Hudson Valley who look to her and her farm as a pillar of the community.

Thank you.  Here's the link: http://www.myregistry.com/visitors/GiftList.aspx?param=1&sid=176AE4CE-664C-4B4C-AA90-991C273D5C5E

Muddy Farm July 23

I'm going to try to be set up extra early tomorrow because I think people are going to want to come out early to avoid the heat. I have some new crops this week. Here's a list of what's new:


Dragon's Tongue Purple and Yellow Wax Beans--These are incredible. You cook them like green beans, but they are much sweetier and tastier.

Eggplant
Sweet Peppers
Tarragon
And, of course, I will have everything else you are used to, including a ton of lettuce.

Also, there will be a new poultry person at the market this Saturday with eggs, chicken and possibly other meats as well, so hopefully I will have eggs past 10 am (but not too much past 10 am). Be sure to find the new farmer and support him.

Stay cool.

Dave

This Saturday at Abingdon, Beer Drinking Pot Bellied Pigs and Dragon's Tongue Beans

I have been compulsively staring at the tomatoes and eggplants and dragon's tongue beans, willing them--not to hurry up--but just to stay healthy. So far it's been paying off. My tomatoes look perfect--much better than any other season on this property. Also, I'm amazed at how good the eggplants look. They like lots of heat, and my soil tends to be cold and wet, but with a lot of attention, they seem to be thriving. And, the potatoes are better than ever and should be getting ready by the end of this month.

In case you're wondering what dragon's tongue beans are, they're a beautiful purple and yellow bush bean that is cooked like green beans, but they are more crisp and juicy. The first time I grew them was in 1994, while living in a tent in Wisconsin on land owned by a guy named Bud who had a dog named Tubby. Rumor has it, Bud also used to have a pot bellied pig that would sit on the porch drinking beer with him. Anyhow, they're one of my favorite things to grow, and I haven't done so in...I'm guessing about thirteen years. So, I'm excited. And they're covered in flowers, which is always a good sign.

I'm really supposed to be telling you what I'll have at market tomorrow, so I'll try to focus: I'll definitely have a lot of lettuce for sale. I also have a small amount of summer squash this week, but once it starts, it really comes on strong, so by next Saturday I should have a lot more. I have all the usual herbs, including a lot of flat leaf parlsey and basil. Of course, there are also eggs, a few varieties of kale, chard, collards--which look particularly good this week, pea shoots, sunflower greens, buckwheat greens, escarole, salad mix (I think) and to the wheat grass guy (who doesn't read this) I have some fine grass growing for tomorrow. I can't believe I just said that. Good thing I got a hair cut a couple weeks ago.

Okay, before I write something really stupid, I'll just say I have A LOT of veggies and eggs and I'll be taking up two spaces, so come on by.

Saturday, June 24 at Abingdon--this is probably going to be stream of conscious

I'm not even going to claim to completely remember everything I harvested this week, since last week I forgot a couple things, and I usually leave something out.


But, here's what's new this week:

BASIL

NATACHA ESCAROLE! I love this variety of escarole, and I should have a lot of it this year. It's a mild, sweet and slightly bitter green with a wonderful texture when lightly sauteed. 
I have eggs this week, as always, though I might sell out early. One can never tell.

I have a ton of lettuce--red oak, Simpson Elite (that greenish yellow one) Red Fire and probably another one I can't think of now.

I also have collards and a few types of kale and dandelion greens and komatsuna, which is a mild mustard. Also, I have all the usual herbs, including Italian Flat Leaf Parsley.

And, yes, I have the sunflower greens, pea shoots, cress and a small amount of buchwheat. I don't have wheat grass or kitty greens. Sorry. Oh! But I do have catnip. And scallions.

See you soon.

Saturday, June 18 at Abingdon

This is intimidating.  I now have TWO followers.  I'm not sure who the second one is, but it was nice writing to an audience of one (hi Gabs).  I could make up anything I wanted about what I'd have at market since that one follower lives in Massachusettes.

I hope everybody is doing well. I should have a lot of produce this Saturday:
EGGS!  LOTTA' EGGS!
Curly Kale
Lacinato Kale
Red Russian Kale
Swiss Chard
Lotta' Lettuces: Red Oak, Red Fire, Summer Crisp Head, Green Leaf Lettuce
Hakurei Turnips.
Scallions
Mesclun Salad Mix
Sunflower Greens
Pea Shoots
Buckwheat Greens
Cress
Kitty Greens
Wheatgrass
Herbs: Oregano, Thyme, Lemon Thyme, Flat Leaf Parsley, Chives, Garlic Chives, Sage, Catnip
That's all I can think of, but after I send this, I always remember a few other things.

RAIN!

Everytime it rains on Muddy Farm I want to call the police!  I've been informed that this is inappropriate behavior, though, and law enforcement can't do anything about precipitation.  WHAT ARE MY TAX DOLLARS GOING TOWARDS THEN!!!?

That was a joke.  Really.  You know it's been a rough week, though, when I feel the need to start a post with multiple exclamation points. Rain is always a challenge over here--even in a dry year I get a little stressed when there's a storm.  Normally, this time of year, I would be planting non-stop and still feeling behind. When it's wet, though, you're not really supposed to work the soil because it will dry up like cement, and you're definitely not supposed to drive a tractor in the field. So, I've been doing what I can do. In fact, yesterday another farmer and I drove one hour to Cheryl's Fried Fish in Middletown, NY to eat heaping plates of the best fried fish on earth. For part of the drive, I couldn't even see out the windshield it was raining so hard. Not to worry, though. I actually have some new crops ready this week and more to come in the next few weeks.


I will have perennial herbs tomorrow. I will definitely have chives. I'm hoping to get some thyme and possibly oregano. It looks like the sage will be ready in a week or two.

I will also have my usual greenhouse greens: cress, buckwheat, pea shoots, wheat grass, cat grass and sunflower greens. And, of course, I have a lot of eggs. The hens are happy now because they have tons of room to roam and more green stuff to eat then they can possibly forage. This also makes the eggs tastier and more nutritious. Maybe one of these days I'll post some photos. I also still have some turnips.

a few weeks ago--before the endless rain--I managed to plant some arugula, lettuce and other salad mix greens, as well as cilantro, radishes, beets and hakurei turnips. Last I checked, they looked good, so I may start having some of those crops in the next few weeks.

I look forward to seeing everybody tomorrow!

David
PS
Every week I've been sending out an email to people who signed up at the market.  I'll try to cut and paste that to the blog--which is what I did here.  This is actually a second draft, so you missed out on a few typos.  I think I added a couple typos though, and the questionable joke at the beginning of the post.

What I'll have this Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011

When I got home from the market last Saturday, the 70 mph winds knocked out the electricity, so the greenhouse wan't heated until I set up a backup heater.  As a result, there are no pea shoots this week.  Also, to my wheat grass customer, I don't have a tray this week.  I have kitty greens, but they don't look quite as good as usual because of the power outtage. 

I'm collecting email addresses at the market and sending this weekly update via email.  You can also leave your address in the comments section of this blog, if you want.  Thanks!

Eggs


Pullet Eggs

Buckwheat Greens

Sunflower Greens

Red Potatoes

Watermelon Radishes

Hakurei Turnips

Purple Top Turnips

Kitty Greens