Letter from John Krueger (Week 24) FINAL WEEK!

Hi Folks, 

We have reached the end of the CSA season. I hope that you have enjoyed the produce we were able to provide this year. Every farming season has it’s unique challenges, mostly weather related. This year we had both the latest spring frost ever- May 18th and the earliest fall frost that I can remember- September 18. The September frost took us a bit by surprise as the forecast was for a low of 38 degrees. The cold snap in September was even more unusual since it was not a single night but rather four night in a row of sub-freezing temperatures. This gave us only four months of frost-free growing season. A long summer drought followed by excessive rain added another hurdle. This year, in addition to the normal weather issues, the pandemic added more challenges. We were stymied by a lack of manpower, as four of my regular workers were unable to arrive from Nicaragua (no flights). My crew of twelve worked close to eighty hours per week for most of the season and did a magnificent job. I am extremely grateful to my staff; without them I could never have been successful at farming. They work tirelessly and conscientiously and are always cheerful.

The final share is a bit heavy on roots and tubers. The cold nights have damaged many of the greens, except for the spinach and the kale. The squash will be butternut, or a variety called Autumn Frost, which is similar except in shape. We are finishing up the long, complicated rotation with the brassicas. If you did not receive Brussel’s sprouts last week, you will get them this time. Ditto for cauliflower. A few groups received both last week, and some neither.

Thanksgiving won’t be the same in this weird year, but it is still a time to give thanks. I want to thank the volunteers who came out to the farm, some multiple times, to lend a hand. I also want to thank the site hosts and core group leaders, who work so hard to make the program work with no or only meager compensation. And finally, thank you so much for your participation in the program and supporting our farm and local agriculture.

Stay safe! Be well!

The share for this week will be: Rainbow carrots, kale, cabbage, sweet potatoes, spinach, garlic, scallions, salad turnips, parsnips, lettuce, butternut squash, and daikon. The premium shares will also receive either escarole or endive (frissee) and a second bunch of spinach.

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 23)

Hi Folks,

I hope you have been enjoying the balmy weather these past days; my crew and I certainly have been. It’s a bit strange for early November but we’ll take it! In any case there is no such thing as normal weather anymore. The dry conditions have enabled us to finish digging the potatoes (finally!) and get started planting the garlic for next year’s crop. The warmth is allowing some of the greens to recover from the damage sustained during the recent freeze and the Brussel’s Sprouts and cauliflower to continue to mature. We still have carrots and a few other root crops in the ground which also benefit from the mild temps and abundant sunshine.

We have some sweet, tender baby carrots for you this week as well as radishes that are so mild, you might want to give them a second chance! The winter squash for this round will be a mix of delicata, sweet dumpling and Jester (an acorn x delicata cross). We are finishing up the rotation with kohlrabi and red cabbage. There will also be Brussel’s sprouts and some splendid spinach.

The share for this week will be: Leeks, baby carrots, radishes, arugula or broccoli raab, kale, spinach, delicata or sweet dumpling squash, Brussel’s sprouts, kohlrabi or red cabbage, potatoes, and cilantro or parsley. The premium shares will also include baby bok choi and a second bunch of spinach.

Enjoy!
Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 22)

Hi Folks,

November came brrrr-eezing in this weekend. We had temperatures in the mid- twenties Saturday morning. Today we are being buffeted by howling winds. We have two more cold nights ahead before the temps rise back to more seasonable levels. Friday was a long day for the crew, as they worked diligently to harvest and cover crops ahead of the freeze. We were mostly successful in protecting the crops, although we did have some losses. The dill and cilantro were burned by the cold. They should recover but they will need some time to grow new leaf. We continue our rotation with broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and red cabbage. We have some lovely lettuce for you this round. We will be alternating the arugula with broccoli raab and some other mustard greens during the final weeks of the season.

There are no more beans to pick, sweet potatoes or squash to harvest, but we could still use some help preparing the garlic for planting. This is work done in the barn, so weather is not a concern. It can also be done sitting down and is not very strenuous. If there are any more folks who wish to volunteer this Sunday for a couple of hours let me know. You can set your own hours. RSVP to kruegerjohn@earthlink.net

The share for this week will be: Acorn squash, lettuce, kohlrabi or cauliflower or red cabbage, salad turnips, onions, kale, spinach, mustard greens, white sweet potatoes, and parsley. Premium shares will also receive either escarole or endive (frissee) and a second bunch of spinach.

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 21)

Hello Everyone, 

The weather continues to be good for growing, although it looks like somewhat of a dreary week ahead. The forecast for Friday night into Saturday has been fluctuating in the mid-twenties, what we would refer to as a hard freeze as opposed to just a frost. At that point we will be giving up on protecting the more tender crops and covering the hardier ones to protect them from damage. Even crops like kale and spinach which are quite tough can sustain damage which reduces their quality and marketability. We will have to cut any broccoli or cauliflower that is heading regardless of the size because if the heads freeze, they are ruined. Lettuce is amazingly resistant to the cold but if the tender center of the plant freezes it will no longer continue to grow and size up. There are only a few weeks until the end of the CSA season, but the challenges never end!

We are continuing the rotation with broccoli, cauliflower, and kohlrabi; everyone has received a head of cabbage already. We have some very nice rainbow carrots for you as well as some beautiful spinach. As promised, we have some lovely lettuce in the shares. The baby bok choi has gotten quite large; perhaps we should call it adolescent bok choi.

Thanks to the folks who came out to help this past Sunday. It was great to meet so many of you and for you to have a chance to see the farm. It was a big help to us, and I know that everyone had a good time. There is still plenty that needs to get done, so we will offer another opportunity this Sunday. Volunteer shifts at 10 AM and 2 PM and a farm tour (either before or after) at 1 PM. RSVP kruegerjohn@earthlink.net

The share for this week will be: Lettuce, buttercup squash(kabocha), broccoli or kohlrabi or cauliflower, spinach, rainbow carrots, arugula, leeks, potatoes, baby bok choi, daikon and cilantro. Premium shares will receive some beans and a second bunch of spinach.

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 20)

Hi Folks,

The weather continues to be reasonably good for the crops. We had almost two inches of rain and another ¾ of an inch on Friday. We had a light frost Sunday morning. We continue to cover the beans and a few other more delicate crops to protect them from cold nights. We are getting a good harvest from the beans now, so our efforts have paid off. We are still in a complicated rotation with the brassicas and will be adding kohlrabi and the exotic cauliflowers (green, purple, Romanesco) to the mix. We have a lot of lettuce planted but it is growing slowly, so we will take a week off and allow it to size up. The winter squash of the week is carnival- a colorful one that is similar to acorn and can be prepared in the same way. They make nice decorations until you are ready to consume them. We are doubling up on the root vegetables with parsnips and radishes this week. Carrots are coming next time around. We will also begin to have an abundance of spinach by next week.

Thanks to all the volunteers who came out these past two Sundays. It was a big help to us. I and my workers are grateful for the support. It was also nice to meet some of the members. I believe that most enjoyed the visit and that likely all gained a better appreciation for the hard work it takes to grow and harvest their food. We have one more opportunity scheduled for next Sunday and may add a few more before the end of the season.

The share for this week will be: Carnival squash, arugula or tatsoi, kale, string beans, parsnips, radishes, sweet potatoes, broccoli raab or Swiss chard, a brassica ( broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi or green cabbage, and an herb (cilantro, dill or parsley). Premium shares will also receive a pie pumpkin and either sweet corn or some Vermont cranbury shell beans. 

Enjoy!
Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 19)

Hello Folks, 

The weather has been copacetic this past week- one cold night but no frost. We are currently getting some rain, but it is not expected to be excessive. We are still waiting for a large planting of string beans to size up. They are growing very slowly but we should have enough for some groups this week and for the rest by next week. This will be the gasp for the summer vegetables. For the rest of the season we will be depending on tubers, root crops, brassicas, winter squash, and the hardy greens- spinach, chard, and mustard greens like arugula and broccoli raab. It’s soup weather and many of these items are great soup ingredients. If you are unsure what to do with beets, I suggest searching for a hardy borsch recipe which will include cabbage and sometimes potatoes (you can add other greens as well). The beets will come with greens this time, which are edible and very nutritious. If you are not going to use the beets promptly you should cut off the tops so that they do not pull the moisture out of the root. We are also sending some ornamental gourds for your visual pleasure- do not try to cook them!

Thanks to those who came out to lend a hand with the harvest. It was a big help. I hope to meet more of you over the next 2 Sundays.

The share for this week will be: Lettuce, potatoes, delicata squash, tatsoi, broccoli raab, broccoli or cauliflower or cabbage, bok choy, beets, ornamental gourds, and an herb (parsley, cilantro, or dill). Premium shares will also receive either a shell bean Vermont cranbury or French flageolet) or a few ears of corn

Bon Appetit!
Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger -- Volunteers need at the farm -- October 11, 18, 25, Farm tour too!

Hi All, 

It’s been a challenging year for all of us. Early on in the pandemic I decided that we should plant and grow as much as possible. While the status of the markets and CSA membership was uncertain, I believed that local food production was more important than ever. With unemployment soaring there would be tremendous demand on food banks and pantries which serve the less fortunate among us. If we were unable to sell it we would donate it. Once I was able to get most of my workers in place we forged ahead with our planting. We have a good potato and sweet potato crop and a tremendous crop of winter squash and pumpkins. Unfortunately, I was never able to bring my four Nicaraguan workers up and we are struggling to harvest these crops.

I have been contacted by a few folks offering help and by some interested in visiting the farm. We were unable to host our usual early summer farm visit this season. I know there are many who would like to lend a hand and many more who wish to visit the farm.

For the next 3 weeks, we will host volunteer workdays on Sunday @ 10 AM and 2 PM and a farm tour @ 1 PM. Tasks for volunteers will be gathering winter squash, picking beans or possibly help with the potato harvest. We hope you can work for two or three hours and enjoy a short farm tour before or after your volunteer shift. We can accommodate quite a few volunteers while maintaining social distancing, since the field are large and there are various tasks. 

For the farm tours, we will need to limit the numbers a bit. Please RSVP to me – kruegerjohn@earthlink.net and indicate the time and date you would like to come and whether it will be to volunteer, for the tour or both. If necessary or preferred, I can add a farm tour at 9 AM.

Sundays, October 11th, 18th, and 25th 

Volunteer- 10 AM and 2 PM Farm Tour @ 1 PM

Take home a pumpkin or some extra winter squash of your choice!

Thanks,

John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 18)

Hello Everyone, 

So after three weeks without rain, we received a little over three inches last week. We have gone from bone dry to muddy conditions, but at least we have a respite from moving the sprinklers around. Nighttime temperatures have been dropping but we have not had any more frosts. At this point we are covering anything tender and worth saving anytime the forecast calls for temps in the thirties. We have a large planting of beans which have been flowering profusely and are loaded with small pods. They are growing very slowly with the shorter days and cool nights, but we hope to have beans for next week. Unfortunately, the peppers have not fared so well, between the frosts and the ravaging of the deer. I have added peppers to the list of crops which the deer never bothered before but for which they have now developed an appetite. We will be investing another twenty grand in deer fence for next season. The good news is that the sweet corn has managed to fill out some ears despite having virtually no green leaf left. We will be sending it with the tips cut off because the earworms are prevalent.

We have many acres of brassica crops planted and all except the Brussel’s sprouts are starting to head up. We are in a complicated rotation now with broccoli. cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. Most groups have now received Napa cabbage, and many have received cauliflower. We will continue this throughout the remainder of the season until everyone has received an equitable share of these crops. I mentioned broccoli raab last week, and we have a fair amount planted, but it is slow to form it’s bud. We will be rotating it in with the arugula and the tatsoi as it becomes available. We are sending spaghetti squash again this round because we have a lot, and it does not store as well as the other winter squash. Delicata and acorn are coming next.

The share for this week will be: Lettuce, salad turnips, arugula or tatsoi (or perhaps broccoli raab), potatoes, garlic, spaghetti squash, sweet corn, a brassica vegetable, baby bok choi, and cilantro or dill.

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 17)

Hi Everyone, 

Farming can be a very rewarding endeavor- producing high quality food in a sustainable and environmentally conscious manner is important and gratifying. It can also be tremendously heartbreaking. As last week went by, the extent of the damage from four successive night of frost became apparent. We tried to cover and protect as much as we could of the more sensitive crops, but it is not possible to cover ten or more acres of crops. I estimate the losses to be in the tens of thousands of dollars. Some of this loss is manifest as income loss on crops we would have sold at market- we loss most of our cut flowers for example. Some of the loss is reflected in both market sales losses and what we have available to put in the CSA shares, reducing the value of the shares. We were expecting to have eggplant for another round of distribution, but it is done for this season. I have been promising sweet corn, but the last four planting were burned so badly by the cold it is uncertain whether the plants can mature the ears. The peppers are still half alive; at least those which we able to cover. The summer squash is over for this year, but we have a tremendous crop of winter squash that we are bringing in presently. We will have a different variety of winter squash in the shares for most of the remaining eight weeks of the season. The sweet potato crop looks very nice and since the vines are 90% killed, we are beginning to dig them (and hope you will too lol). We also have lots of nice greens, brassica crops and root crops which will begin to dominate the shares as we head into the fall. As always, we are working hard for you and doing our best to keep you well fed.

The share for this week will be: Carrots, lettuce, arugula or tatsoi, lettuce, sweet potatoes, onions, spinach or broccoli raab, cauliflower or Napa cabbage and cilantro or dill.

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 15)

Hi All, 

So, the days are getting shorter and the nights cooler. This begins to slow down the warm weather crops. We are taking a break from peppers for a week or two to allow the fruit to size up and ripen, so that we can get you another round of colored peppers. We also hope to send eggplant one more time this season- the plants are loaded with fruit but are growing very slowly. We will have to see how long we can keep the zucchini coming… As we head into autumn, greens will become more abundant and we will begin to have brassica family crops more consistently. We have lots of broccoli, cauliflower and Brussel’s sprouts planted and they are thriving under these conditions. The sweet potato crop is looking good but needs a few more weeks to size up. More corn is coming soon!

The share for this week will be: Summer squash, beans, lettuce, potatoes, garlic, beets, kale, arugula or tatsoi and cilantro.

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

IMPORTANT!!!!

PICK UP IS NOW AT THE FRONT OF CHURCH!

Corner of Ridgewood Rd and Lenox Place. 

Only Pick up on Lenox Place -- DO NOT PULL OVER ON RIDGEWOOD RD!

Letter from John Krueger (Week 13)

Hi Everyone, 

We received 0.4 inches of rain from the remnants of Laura on Saturday. We may get a little more precipitation tomorrow. Soil moisture is good; seeds are sprouting, and the transplants have taken root. Mostly moderate temperatures are forecast for the week ahead but with some cool nights. Shorter days and cool nights slow down the production of the warm weather crops, such as peppers, eggplant and summer squash. The eggplant production had already dropped off because in extreme heat the plants drop their flowers without forming a fruit. The plants are healthy and loaded with flowers now, but they take longer to mature their fruit and it will be smaller than before. We expect to be able to distribute eggplant one more time, too everyone over the next few weeks. The same if true for the summer squash - the third planting is just beginning to produce. We should have zucchini for you once or twice more before we move into the winter squash. Spaghetti squash is coming soon! We are also working on getting everyone a watermelon over the next several weeks.

The share for this week will be: Peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, rainbow carrots, leeks, kale. Arugula or tatsoi, basil, and a melon or watermelon. Premium shares will also include radishes.

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 12)

Hi Folks,

So I guess I misspoke when I said that the extreme heat was done for the year, as we are amid several more scorching days. We had a few minor rains during the week; sufficient to help transplants to take root and seeds to germinate. As I expected my early August planting of spinach was almost completely killed by excessive rain from the tropical storm. The next planting has germinated well and should be ready to cut in a month or so. Greens in general, are still scarce. We will have some arugula next week and should have lettuce again as well.

The root vegetable for this week is radish. I know that for many of you it is not very popular. Remember that it can be cooked and doing so takes away the bite. It can be roasted or included in soups or stir fries; and it’s good for you! If you are not ready to cook with it quite yet- remove the tops and store just the roots. It will not take up much space and will keep for weeks (or even months).

The ground cherry production has dropped off and the deer have been feasting on them as well. I go out every night before bed with my spotlight and chase them off, but they are most likely back again before my head hits the pillow! The South American cousin of this fruit- Physalis peruviana, aka goldenberries are beginning to ripen prolifically. These are sweeter than Physalis pruinosa but also more tart. We will be including them in the shares, as availability allows, over the next couple of weeks.

We are into the next planting of sweet corn now, with slightly larger ears. We send it with the usual caveat- there may be a worm on the tip. We have 5 more varieties/ plantings to come and we are spraying with a combination of biological controls to suppress the buggers. One is a highly specific virus and the other a more broad-spectrum fungus. Later in the season these pests become more abundant and we are hoping to minimize their presence.

The share for this week will be: Peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn, melon or watermelon, onions, radishes, beans, kale, baking potatoes and an herb (parsley, thyme, or summer savory). Premium shares will also include arugula and (probably) summer squash

Enjoy!
Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 11)

Hello Folks, 

It seems that we may we over with the scorching heat for this season. Hopefully, the precipitation will be a little more regular going forward. We received about 0.3 inches on Sunday and have a chance for some more of the wet stuff this afternoon. We are in the process of transplanting the fall brassica crop and a little rain really helps them to take root. I am also direct seeding a lot of fall greens, carrots, radishes, and turnips. Most of the spinach planted in early August died from too much rain and there is not enough remaining to merit keeping it weeded. I will have to abandon this planting. The next planting is just starting to sprout, and I will be planting more this week.

We finally have enough sweet corn to distribute. I have purchased netting to cover the crop, as the first 2 plantings were ravaged by red-winged blackbirds! Now if we can just keep the racoons at bay… We are already having a problem with corn earworm and have begun spraying the silks with an organic approved biologic control. We will try to cull out any infested ears but it’s not easy when we are so busy and understaffed. If one sneaks past us, please excuse us, and cut the tip off. Organic corn is hard to find exactly for this reason- it has several hard to control pests. Most of the corn grown conventionally is from GMO seed. Monsanto (now Bayer) has engineered the plants to produce the same proteins produce by the bacteria which is our biologic control. Now that it is so ubiquitous that the target pest- Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) are developing resistance.

The share for this week will be: Sweet corn, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, ground cherries or cherry tomatoes, red cabbage, peppers, beans, beets, basil and melon or watermelon.

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 10)

Hello All, 

We received 5” of rain from tropical storm Isaias but no real damage from the wind. It was too much rain all at once, but we have sandy, well drained soils and most of the precipitation soaked in. We had just finished rolling up the sidewalls on most of our high tunnel greenhouses and had to run around closing them all up again or risk damage to the structures. I hope that those of you who lost power have been restored by now and did not sustain too much other damage.

The melons are coming in heavy now- both watermelons and cantaloupes, honeydews, galia and others. I few groups received some last week and may or may not get them again this round. It will just depend on availability. Sweet corn is beginning to mature, and we should have enough to begin distributing by late this week or more certainly by next week. Lettuce is back! We are beginning another rotation with the ground cherries- some groups will receive them and others cherry tomatoes. The eggplant is on pause for the moment, but I’m sure that most of you are ready for a break. Beans are also on hiatus for this round except for those who did not receive theirs’s last week. We ended up donating hundreds of pounds because the quality was poor and the came up short at the end of the week. We have another planting in flower now and the earlier plantings have perked up after the rain, and are flowering again

The share for this week will be: Lettuce, rainbow carrots, summer squash, peppers, potatoes, garlic, watermelon or some other type of melon, tomatoes, basil, ground cherries or cherry tomatoes.

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 9)

Hi Folks, 

Batten down the hatches! We’re going to have a blow! For the second time this season we are counting on a tropical storm to bring us some rain. I am reminded of the lyrics of a Michael Franti song- “…when rain didn’t have to mean a hurricane”. We just hope it does not come too hard, too fast and that the winds do not do much damage. At least you will not have to read my complaints about how dry it is for a while!

We have another wonderful share for you this week, although with not many changes from last week. Greens continue to be scarce. We should have lettuce again in a week or two and I recently seeded some spinach, which could be ready in September. August is melon month and the first few have begun to ripen. The crop looks good so far and I expect there will be melons in the share for the next month. Groups who receive their shares later in the week may receive their first treat this round. We plant an heirloom variety of pole bean known as the rattlesnake bean. It is a flat podded bean with purple streaking and is quite sweet and tender. All groups will receive these in their shares over the coming weeks.

We are still very short-handed here on the farm. My workers are putting in 80+ hours per week and we still cannot keep up with the harvesting and all the other chores. We are in the process of bringing in the onion crop and because we are behind, some begin to go bad. To minimize our losses, we are peeling some that are bad on the outside but still good on the inside. In this way we can finish curing the good ones and have a good supply through the rest of the season. Use them promptly!

The share for this week will be: Beets, green cabbage, summer squash, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, beans, red onions, and basil. Premium shares will also receive kale or chard.

Enjoy! Stay safe! 

Be well, 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 7)

Hi Folks, 

I guess I do not need to tell you how hot and humid it is! It’s July in New Jersey! We are once again waiting and hoping that some summer thunderstorms bring us some much-needed rain. In the meantime, we are moving the sprinklers around and laying out old drip tape to trickle some water on a few crops and help the germination of recently seeded plantings. Along with the ardors of mid-summer come some of the joys- those warm weather veggies. The beans have begun; the peppers are popping, and the tomatoes are turning red. We were working hard in April to get a jump on the tomato season and it looks like it has paid off. This is the earliest I can remember having enough tomatoes to put in the shares. There are not a lot this week, but they will become more abundant every week. We also have some cauliflower heading up; they are not very large, but the quality is good. All the brassica crops require a lot of water and most of them abhor the heat almost as much as I do. Most of the farmers I know have given up even trying to grow broccoli and cauliflower from a spring planting- there are just too many challenges. I love to eat both, and I know that many of you do as well. Perhaps I like a challenge or maybe I am just too stubborn to give up. We still have some broccoli coming in and will rotate over the next couple of weeks with the cauliflower and kale. Greens in general are scarce right now and we will not have lettuce for the next few weeks. We have some fresh sweet onions for you this week. These are less pungent than the regular onions and they are not good keepers- use them quickly!

The share for this week will be: Swiss chard, broccoli or cauliflower, summer squash, cukes, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, beets, sweet onions, beans (green, wax or haricot vert) and basil.

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger. (Week 6)

Hi Everyone, 

We received 3 ½ inches of rain on Friday from Tropical storm Fay. It is a lot of water in a short time but fortunately it fell at a steady rate here on the farm and was not accompanied by heavy winds. The ground was very dry after a month with almost no rain and it soaked it up easily. We are now able to get back to planting and caring for the tomatoes and other crops without the added burden of moving sprinklers around. We were held up with planting because the ground was so dry that clouds of dust where rising and my soil was being carried away in the wind, anytime we tried to prepare ground. I continue direct seeding various crops until the middle of September, and we are presently transplanting the fall brassica crops like Brussel’s sprouts and cauliflower. As dry as it was it was difficult to even prepare panting beds, let alone get small, shallowly planted seeds like carrots to germinate.

As we move into the dog days of summer, greens become harder to grow and the warm weather crops begin to predominate. Many of these are in the Solanaceous family, which includes eggplant, peppers, tomatoes as well as potatoes. We will begin shipping eggplant this week, peppers next week. Potatoes and tomatoes will be abundant soon as well.

The share for this week will be: Lettuce, broccoli or kale, summer squash, cucumbers, eggplant, rainbow carrots, tatsoi or bok choy and garlic. Premium shares will also receive radishes. 

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 3)

Hi Folks, 

Happy Summer Solstice! Summer has officially begun, and the heat is on. The scattered thunderstorms, that are our best chance of rain currently, have so far been scattering to the south and scattering to the north. In my travels I have driven through torrential downpours various times, only to return to the farm and find it dry as a bone. Hopefully, one will cross our path soon! In the meantime, we are moving the sprinklers around and, in some cases, allowing them to run late into the night. We have many crops irrigated with drip irrigation that requires much less water than overhead irrigation. For the overhead sprinklers to have enough pressure we must close all the lines to the drip tape. My workers set up them up before they leave in the evening and I close the valve before I go to bed (or sometimes at 2 am when I wake up and realize that I forgot).

The peas continue to produce profusely (a preponderance of peas). Thanks to the many volunteers who have come out to lend a hand we are almost keeping up. Last week most of you received English or shell peas; this week most will receive sugar snap. If you got radishes last week there will be salad turnips for you this time. We also have kohlrabi for you, which in my opinion is best eaten raw. It can be grated into a salad or a slaw much like cabbage.

The share for this week will be: Lettuce, peas, spinach, kale/arugula/broccoli raab, dill or cilantro, kohlrabi, and summer squash. Premium shares will also receive a second lettuce and Swiss chard.

Enjoy! 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 2)

Hello Everyone, 

Pass the peas, please! As you may already know from my recent request for volunteers, the pea season has begun. Having been raised on canned vegetables, the first time I tasted fresh peas was a revelation. Who knew how sweet and delicious they were; bearing no resemblance to the gray balls of mush to which I was accustomed. Much like the tomatoes the season for these delicacies is far too short. They do not tolerate hot weather, and since spring only seems to last a few weeks anymore, they will be with us for 3 or 4 weeks. We have English or shell peas, snow and sugar snap, which both have edible pods. This week we will have mostly shell peas and as availability permits, we will rotate through the various varieties so that everyone will receive some of each type. We also have spinach for you this week, which detests the heat almost as much as the peas. We expect to have spinach in the shares for the next 2 or 3 weeks. Unlike the peas however the spinach will make reprise appearance in the fall. The zucchini and summer squash have begun to produce but are not yet in full swing. We think we may have enough for everyone to enjoy a few this round; if not we will make sure that all groups receive some over the next 2 weeks. After that they will be abundant for much of the season.

For our root vegetable this week we are featuring Hakurei salad turnips. These sweet, ping-pong ball sized wonders are meant to be eaten raw in salads but can also be cooked. They come with mild tasting tops which are quite palatable and nutritious- cut into ribbons and mixed in salad or braised.

We also have garlic scapes for you this week- these are the flower tops of the garlic plant and can be grilled, pickled or chopped finely and sautéed. You may also find a recipe for pesto on the internet.

The share for this week will be: Lettuce, peas, spinach, garlic scapes, either kale, tatsoi or arugula, summer squash and salad turnips. Premium members will also receive escarole

Enjoy! 

Be well, 

Farmer John

Letter from John Krueger (Week 1)

Hi Folks, 

So we have arrived at the week for which you have been waiting- the first delivery of the season. My crew and I have been working hard for you over the last 2 months. We have lots of great veggies in store for you in the weeks ahead. The first shares are typically on the small side and usually heavy on greens and this year is no exception. There are loads of peas hanging on the vines, but we need to wait for them to fill out. The summer squash crop looks great and should begin to produce abundantly with each passing week. Napa cabbage and broccoli are on the horizon. For this week you have the makings for a BIG salad.

The share for this week will be: Red or green leaf lettuce, radishes, baby Swiss chard, endive (frissee) and an herb- parsley, oregano or garlic chives. Premium shares will also have arugula.

Enjoy! 

Be well, 

Farmer John