This
week has been busy! Slowly but surely we are taking steps to get out of
spring production and into the full-blown summer season. This has
included getting the older crops out of the ground and putting in the
new. Last week we pulled out all of the garlic and hung them up to dry
in the barn. We also pulled up most of the sweet onions from the same
block. This morning we took some time to weed and prep the bed to seed
some mesclun mix and a spicy green mix I am excited to try. From there
we moved onto the sugar snap peas, which I am quite sad are done. We
pulled out all the old plants as well as the trellis and tee posts. Next
door we pulled out older heads of the romaine lettuce. Here we will
amend the soil and plant some okra. Getting older things out of the
ground and putting new summer crops in is an ongoing process but assures
us that we will have new and exciting things throughout the season.
Getting
out of spring production and into the summer we focus a lot of energy
on the soil and make sure we amend it so that the nutrients are present
for what our plants need. Soil is a farmers’ main capital and the secret
to a successful farm is good soil management. We don’t just want to
maintain the soil but over time also improve the soil quality. So what
do I mean when I say soil? Soil is the unconsolidated outer surface
layer of terrestrial earth. Soil is made up of air, water, mineral
particles, living organisms and dead organic matter. On Sugar Creek farm
we improve the soil by little tillage, the use of cover crops, crop
rotation and the addition of organic matter. By taking these steps we
increase water holding capacity, infiltration and soil organisms. This
all will increase the soil structure and overall soil quality. With good
soil the farm will be the most productive.
So
how is the soil looking at Sugar Creek Farm?? Awesome! Soil management
is an ongoing process but since I have been at Sugar Creek I have been
quite impressed with the quality of the soil. Still some blocks around
the farm need some work and I know that Jeff and Natalie have BIG BIG
plans! In order to classify a soil one can look at the soils physical
and chemical properties. Physical properties to look for are the texture
(mineral size and distribution), structure (spatial organization of
soil particles), tilth (the ease of working the soil), amount of soil
organic matter, aggregate stability (resistance to water), bulk density
(weight by volume) and porosity (spaces between soil particles). The
chemical properties for soil are measured by the pH, amounts of various
nutrients, the cation exchange capacity (which measures how many
nutrients the soil can hold), salinity (amount of salts in the soil) and
the alkalinity. The physical properties can be observed and maintained
on the farm by us but for a more in depth analysis we send off a soil
test twice a year to find out what our soil needs in order to be the
best quality.
Speaking of soil, I need to be off to get my hands dirty and have some quality tomato time!
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Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese, and Avocado Sandwhiches
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 cup mixed greens
A few tablespoons of vinaigrette
4 slices whole grain bread
2 ounces goat cheese
1 avocado, sliced
Salt and pepper
Preheat
the oven to 450 °F. Wrap the beets individually in aluminum foil. Toss
the into a roasting pan and place in the oven. Cook for about 40 to 50
minutes, or until a knife can easily slip into the flesh. Let the beets
cool slightly, peel them, then thinly slice the beets into 1/4 inch
rounds. Sprinkle the almonds into a skillet set over medium-low heat.
Cook for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Remove from heat before
they burn. Toss the greens with a tablespoon or so of a vinaigrette.
Something really basic. Add the almonds to the greens. Toast the slices
of bread. Spread an ounce of goat cheese on two slices of the bread. Top
each of those with a few slices of avocado, a little bit of the salad,
and then a few slices of beets. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Top each with another slice of bread. Slice in half and serve.
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Here
is a list of what is available for our Friday on-farm pickup (today
4pm-6pm) as well as the Dixie Classic market tomorrow morning from
6am-12pm. The Friday on-farm pickup will be at our barn at 1451 NC Hwy
801 N, Advance NC 27006. Just look for our black mail box on Hwy 801
and you'll need to drive all the way back to the barn/greenhouse. For the folks that are members of our market share program we
will happily reserve produce so you can pick it up at the market please
so just reply back to this email with a list of what you would like.
beets - 3.00/bunch
kohlrabi - 1.50/ each
collards - 2.50/bunch
swiss chard - 3.50/bunch
romaine lettuce - 3/head or two for 5
green onions - 2/bunch
boc choi - 2/each
mint - 2/bunch
basil - 2/bunch
thyme - 2/bunch
flat leaf parsley - 2/bunch
baby cabbage - 1.50/lb
turnips - 2/lb
squash - 2.25/lb
zucchini - 2.25/lb
carrots - 3/bunch
cucumbers - 2.25/lb
zinnias - 3 for $1
onions - 2/lb
eggs - 5/dozen or 2.5/half-dozen
leeks - 3/bunch
yukon gold potatoes - 1.75/pound
Weeding Wednesdays:
Every Wednesday from 8:30 to 12 we are weeding, if you would like to
join us, drop me a line - we'd love to have you.
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