April 1, 2021
Welcome to the 2021 Growing Season!
by Farmer Derek

Happy spring everybody! This is a wondrous and auspicious time of year as dormancy and hibernation ends and energies are sent bursting forth for this too brief 8-month photosynthesizing segment of our tour around the sun. We've been galvanized by the lengthening daylight, the return of the green sheen, and the positive prospects of new beginnings and the blank canvas that is the farm every spring. Growing mostly annual crops, we get to start over and begin anew each March. It's been a very busy month on the farm preparing for the 2021 growing season.

Seeding in the greenhouse began almost five weeks ago and will continue weekly through September. Preparing fields to accept those seedlings begins as soon as the ground is sufficiently dry and workable, typically mid-to-late March. We had been blessed by a dry first half of the month so we're mostly proceeding right on schedule with ground work. The first crops of the year went into the outdoor soil this week. About 1500 bed feet of carrots were sown and 1000 feet of snow peas were transplanted. Next week begins the true mad rush of spring planting: 5000 feet of beds will be transplanted with kale, kohlrabi, cabbage, turnips, radishes, bok choy, chard, beets, lettuce, romaine, lettuce mix, escarole, endive, and radicchio. The following week 2000 feet of onions (about 20,000 plants) will go in, along with carrot family crops like fennel, parsley, cilantro, and dill.

Besides growing outdoors, we also have 4 tunnels that we'll be growing crops in during the spring and summer. Space in two of those had to be readied for transplants next week. That meant mowing and removing leftover crops from Late Fall CSA, forking/aerating, hoeing, and raking.

One of our antique outbuildings should be overhauled and salvaged this year so much time has been spent moving, organizing, removing, recycling, discarding, cleaning our major barn structures. The building slated to be fixed dates back to 1850 possibly and currently suffers from a subsiding foundation.

With the harvest season a month and a half away and workshift opportunities right around the corner, you will begin to hear from us more frequently. We hope you had a nice and restful winter and were able to enjoy all that snow. See you soon!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Welcome-to-the-2021-Growing-Season-2602/

April 1, 2021
Harvest Season to Begin Mid-May
by Farmer Dana

Here's where we announce prior to each pick up week what the harvest will be. It's not always 100% accurate but we try our best to predict what will be harvested and distributed when you come to the farm to pick up your share.

Harvest season should begin either the week of May 17 or 24; it depends on the weather between now and then. We'll decide in early May.

The past few seasons the first couple of weeks of harvest looked something like this:

Harvest #1 (Week A) could include radishes, hakurei turnips, head lettuce, lettuce mix, green garlic (whole plant is edible at this stage!), bok choy, kale, swiss chard, escarole, endive, radicchio, dill, and cilantro. Some items may be a choice. U-pick should include a small handful of perennial herbs (catnip, oregano, lemon balm, bee balm, thyme, sage, mint, etc). Peas and strawberries tend to not be ready until the end of May or early June.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Harvest-Season-to-Begin-MidMay-2603/

April 1, 2021
CSA Shares Are Sold Out + Balance Due Date Reminder
by Farmer Dana

Shares are sold out for the 2021 Main Season CSA. A few spots may become available as current applicants choose to back out.

Share balance is due 5/1/21. Log in to view your balance or e-mail us.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/CSA-Shares-Are-Sold-Out-Balance-Due-Date-Reminder-2604/

April 1, 2021
Harvest Pick Up Routine Update
by Farmer Dana

We will resume hosting pick ups in the barn where, as in the past, members will be able to choose their own produce from bins based on the harvest amounts listed on the blackboards. In order to accommodate the requirements of social distancing, the number of members in the barn will be limited (exact # TBD) while additional members will form a line and wait outside of the barn until the folks ahead of them finish collecting their share. Masks will be required in the barn, per PA Department of Health guidelines.

U-Pick crops and amounts will continue to be posted outside the barn. Like last year, the season’s u-pick quart, pint, and ½ pint baskets will be supplied to members with their first harvest. Members should bring their own scissors/pruning shears for u-pick flowers and herbs.

Reflecting on last year’s experience assembling shares for the membership, we think it was definitely the right decision at the time. It allowed everyone an extra level of control and comfort that felt really nice during last year’s uncertain time. Also it was a real treat to have in-person time with each and every member. By the end of the season though, it became apparent that with all the extra time it took to assemble shares, we lost significant time taking care of the crops still in the fields.

Moving forward we are confident, given the open-air nature of the barn, that members can safely collect their own shares in the pick up room. Limiting the number of members in the barn at one time and wearing masks also helps us feel like this decision does a good job of balancing the needs of the farm and our membership.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Harvest-Pick-Up-Routine-Update-2605/