This week I thought I’d tell you a bit about my cleaning methods for vegetables. Even though we never use harmful chemicals, you should always wash the produce you receive in your share. I rinse off a lot of the greens that are close to the ground and get splattered when it rains. I do the same for the roots, using a hose that’s connected to the house, so it dispenses the same well water we drink.

I set up a washing station outside the garage that holds our cooler.
It’s controlled by a Coolbot, a neat gadget created by a local farmer a few years ago, which connects to any air conditioner that hangs out a window. Most air conditioners don’t have the ability to chill down to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, but the Coolbot tricks the AC into doing so. My partner insulated a small room in the garage, cut a hole in the wall, and viola—a cooler that’s much cheaper than a traditional unit but just as effective.

It looks like we’re in for a week of great sunny, dry weather. This will be fantastic for all the heat-loving items, including eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers. You’ll be seeing most of them soon. They should show up in your shares in July and last through September.

I spent the past rainy Tuesday planting all the broccoli and cabbage that will be ready for September and October. With summer vacation just around the corner for children, I’m sure it sounds crazy to think about fall, but that’s how farming works. I planted the fruits and veggies you are enjoying in your current shares back in March and April. I’m always looking three months ahead—to the delicious foods you’ll be able to enjoy when school resumes in the fall. It’ll be here before we know it. Just don’t tell your kids!  — Jessica

Half shares are getting:
garlic scapes
lettuce
Japanese turnips
radish
mustard greens
parsley

Full shares are getting the above plus:
escarole
salad mix
dino kale

What’s new on the farm? Rain and more rain. We’ve gotten plenty of it—every day for the past two weeks. I was just joking with other farmers that every time we look at the five-day forecast, it says “40% chance of rain today and the next two days. After that, sunny.” But we keep checking in, and those “sunny day” predictions are soon revised to “40% chance of rain,” too. This year, any day with more than a 30% chance of rain means it will rain.

My soil is fairly well drained, but the area where I live and grow certain plants is not. And the constant rain makes it harder to prepare beds or rototill for new plantings. I am starting to get a backup of plants that need to get into the ground, but the soil isn’t ready for them yet. To make matters worse, the rain makes it a challenge to keep plants weed-free. Hoeing a wet field means the weeds get knocked around, but their roots survive. So hand weeding is the only effective way to combat them.

Another problem the rain brings for plants is disease. 2009 was a super wet year, and most farmers lost tomatoes and potatoes to late blight. Luckily, I didn’t. But it instilled fear in all of us. I walk through my field every day to monitor what’s happening and to make sure nothing takes me for surprise. Keep your fingers crossed for hot, dry weather ahead!

Ending on a good note, the rock-picking machine will arrive on Monday morning. If the tractor could think, it would be even more excited than I am about this news!

Welcome to the first week of MSC’s summer 2012 CSA. This spring has been a roller coaster in terms of weather—dry and warm early on, then plummeting to wet and cold in early May, now climbing back up to wet and warm. As a result, the vegetables have exploded in the last two weeks. I’ve been amazed by how much they’ve grown as they’ve soaked up sunlight for up to 15 hours at a stretch. That means you can expect a lot of delicious greens in your share for the first few weeks, until the fruit ripens.

I’m happy to report that I’m on time with my planting schedule, though, as always, it’s been a challenge. Last Thursday night it rained two inches and the next morning I woke up to a washout in my field. The water wiped out everything in a two-foot-wide path! There’s a culvert in the corner, and it overflowed the whole length of my field. A friend who works in soil conservation came over to give me his opinion, and while we were inspecting the damage we ran into a neighbor who recommended I call the highway department to ask them for help.

I did, and the next morning a crew showed up and dug a berm so water can no longer enter my field from the culvert! I went over to thank them and found they had lots of questions about what I was doing with all those vegetables. I explained all about how a CSA works and where the produce goes.

This led to a conversation about how rocky my field was. The crew put me in touch with another neighbor who has an excavating business—and a rock-picking machine. He came by the next morning and said he can rock-pick the one third of the field I haven’t planted yet. That’s incredible news! I’ve spent hours every week rock-picking, devoted countless afternoons to unjamming the rototiller, and broken four of its tines on rocks. And the answer was just up the road all this time. We made a plan, and next week the rocks will be gone at last!

This is my first time starting a farm on my own, and it’s wonderful to find people who are so supportive and helpful. Let’s hope it sets a pattern that will continue for the rest of the season.

– Jessica

Join the CSA at MSC!

Each week from June 6 through October 31, Jessica Swadosh of Sunny’s Farm will deliver that share of produce directly to MSC (Manhattan School for Children) at 154 West 93rd street between Amsterdam and Columbus.

Pick Up for the CSA at MSC is Wednesdays 3-6pm

Full and Half Vegetable Shares Available

NEW FOR 2012 — Egg and Fruit Shares Available

NEW FOR 2012 — Partial Season Share Now Available (no August pick up)

Interested in joining? Download the CSA at MSC membership agreement here