We planted these artichokes on a whim this spring. We'll see if they actually produce something edible.

 Rows of pole green beans

Tricolor beets

Expected harvest for this week (choose 7 for small share, 9 for large share):
cherry tomatoes
cucumbers
squash/zucchini
broccoli
cabbage
green beans
Swiss chard
new potatoes
baby carrots
scallions
kale
pea shoots
baby kale
lettuce heads
lettuce mix
spicy mix
beets
flour (from Farmer Ground Flour - organic)

 Fog rolling in over the tractor and onions

Pea and oat cover crop in Block 11

Well, we have had multiple rain storms this past week so things will start growing again. Of course, so will the weeds and grass! We look forward to a good, productive week with lots of hoeing, weeding, planting beets, carrots, lettuce and transplanting cabbage and winter squash. With temperatures in the 70s and occasional showers it should be a good week on a vegetable farm.

Expected harvest for this week (choose 6 for small share, 8 for large share):
green beans
Swiss chard
new potatoes
baby carrots
cucumbers?
squash/zucchini?
scallions
kale
pea shoots
baby kale
lettuce heads
lettuce mix
spicy mix
salad turnips
beets
flour (from Farmer Ground Flour - organic)

 This year's seed crops. Top photo: Hoeing beans, edamame and runner beans we are growing for Fedco Seeds and Fruition Seeds. Bottom photo: Zinnias we are growing for seed for Fruition Seeds in a hoophouse.

 This year's weird solanacea experiment: "litchi tomato" from Baker Creek Seeds.

Garlic scapes are tasty and fashionable.

Considering everything else that is depressing in the world right now, we were really hoping for a good growing season. Unfortunately that has not happened. After a bitter cold May now we are suffering drought conditions and have not gotten any rain in weeks. We are irrigating every day, but the crops still are not very happy. So we apologize for the lack of diversity in the shares and for the poor quality of some of the crops. Lets hope for some rain and look forward to a more bountiful harvest later in the summer.

Expected harvest for this week (choose 6 for small share, 8 for large share):
green beans?
Swiss chard
garlic scapes
scallions
kale
pea shoots
baby kale
spinach
lettuce heads
lettuce mix
spicy mix
salad turnips
baby beets/beet greens
potatoes (from Silver Queen Farm - non-organic)
flour (from Farmer Ground Flour - organic)

 Second planting of cucumbers went in the ground today

 Happy kale

 Sweet potato slips arrived this week and were quickly planted. We had one bed last year and they were gone in about a week (to the CSA and farmers market, that is). So this year we planted 2.5 beds. Hopefully they are just as successful as last year.

 Whenever people pass by our farm in cars or on foot and they see us using this backpack sprayer, we assume that they assume we are spraying pesticides. But have no fear, Dominic is only spraying the plants with a kaolin clay solution - a protectant.

The rye and vetch this spring was the thickest and lushest we have ever seen. It was so tall and thick it had to be mowed with the tractor in 1st gear. Lots of great organic matter and nitrogen for our soil!

The irrigation system is fully set up and in use just about every morning and evening. Here's hoping for rain, though there is none in the forecast. Luckily, its not too hot!



Expected harvest for this week (choose 6 for small share, 8for large share):
garlic scapes
scallions
kale
spring radishes
pea shoots
baby kale
spinach
lettuce heads
lettuce mix
spicy mix
baby salad turnips
cilantro
baby beets/beet greens
potatoes (from Silver Queen Farm - non-organic)
flour (from Farmer Ground Flour - organic)

Luna staring at the chipmunk we trapped in the greenhouse

Grove Park Farmers' Market starts tomorrow so the CSA will begin in Elmira. We will be there from 3:00-6:00. See you there.
Expected harvest for this week (choose 5 for small share, 7 for large share):
kale
spring radishes
pea shoots
baby kale
spinach
lettuce heads
lettuce mix
spicy mix
baby salad turnips
cilantro
baby beets/beet greens
daikon radishes
poatoes (from Silver Queen Farm - non-organic)
flour (from Farmer Ground Flour - organic)
limited selection of garden transplants - let us know if you have requests

 Recently sprouted potato plants exposed to light when we poked holes in the plastic

Yay tomatoes!

CSA update:
We recently learned that all parks in Elmira are closed. For this Monday at least we will not be able to have market and CSA distribution in Grove Park. Therefore, we have decided to delay the start of the CSA for those picking up in Elmira until next Monday. To make up for this we will be extending the CSA one week into November for those in Elmira.
Corning Farmers' Market is happening on schedule (first day of market and CSA in Corning is this Thursday). For those picking up on-farm, the CSA starts this Friday (pickup is from Noon til dark). Since the vegetables are in the cooler at the farm we will be sanitizing the door and other surfaces throughout the afternoon.
At market all customers will be required to wear masks. Please practice social distancing. Our plan at this time is to have one of our "staff" dedicated to selecting vegetables for you. This is per state requirements. We will be sanitizing surfaces throughout the day and we will have hand sanitizer available at market.

Expected harvest for this week (choose 5 for small share, 7 for large share):
spring radishes
pea shoots
baby kale
spinach
lettuce heads
lettuce mix
spicy mix
baby salad turnips
cilantro
baby beets/beet greens
daikon radishes
poatoes (from Silver Queen Farm - non-organic)
flour (from Farmer Ground Flour - organic)
limited selection of garden transplants - let us know if you have requests

 As if life wasn't crappy enough right now. This is coming from a lover of snow. This is probably the first time in my life I have cursed a snowfall. I will be checking the hoophouses soon to see if the ginger, tomatoes and beans survived the night.

 Our plant sale is still on today. And, incredibly, we have already had some customers. You all must be really hard up for some muddy fingers of your own in order to come out and shop for plants on a day like this! (This photo was taken a few days ago). If you miss today or your garden is not ready (for some strange reason) we will be open the next 3 Saturdays and we will be at the Ithaca Plant Sale on Sunday May 17 at the Ithaca Farmers' Market Pavilion.

These are beautiful almond blossoms that popped this past week. We are hopeful that all the fruit blossoms did not die last night. While the persistent cold weather is stunting our early crops and preventing us staying on schedule for planting, we are also thinking about our fruit growing friends right now and hoping they still have a crop this year.