Summer Solstice Upon Us

As we approach this year's summer solstice the farm is in a good place, a good state, in this time as we make our revolution around our sun. As an organic produce farmer I'm out and about under the sun's gaze for much of the trip around the sun and I'm often transfixed by the beauty and grace that is present in the natural and agricultural 'scapes around the farm. Especially this time of year when multiple shades of green glisten and glow as most plants work hard to maximize photosynthesis and the creatures that share this space frolic and call as they raise their young or attempt to find a partner to do so. It's often easy to overlook this subtle beauty in the 'natural' world and I feel very lucky to be around it and see it while I work and walk around the farm. These plants and animals (and fungi, etcetera) that I share this space with remind me that we're a part of their world, or we're a part of the same world, or we're all part of these ecosystems where we call home. And we better do a decent job to take care of it for each other since we're dependent on each other while we both depend on the same space.

And to everything there is a balance, so back to production: We were quite busy last week. Celeriac, leeks, edamame, and lettuce were transplanted. Massive amounts of cucumbers and zucchini were harvested. All of the tomatoes were pruned and trellised. Peppers were staked. Watermelon and eggplant were uncovered. Walking aisles between beds were cleaned up for carrots, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes. More seeds were sown into flats for future transplanting including broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. Sweet potatoes were cultivated and hilled. Ground was prepped for upcoming plantings of lettuce, beans, edamame, and hoop tunnel tomatoes. On the agenda for this week (if it stays dry) is finishing beds for the 2020 strawberries and the final planting of this season's zucchini and cucumbers, both of which are slated for planting the following week. We also need to transplant tomatoes, lettuce, beans, edamame, dill, and cilantro; seed; harvest; weed; cultivate; and mow.