Farming without Rain

Each week, Joe and I are able to do what most farmers can not, met the folks that eat thier food. We share cooking tips, comment on the weather, and discuss local events. Because of this, I have refrained from writing about farm life. However, members have encouraged us to write more. So I will attempt to keep a weekly log of events at the farm.

Rain...it's weather we have not seen all month. Regardless of good management, the pasture has dried up. The sheep are in their loafing yard eating the winter stock of hay. If it rained tomorrow, there's a chance we could graze again in two weeks. The vegetables are fairing better. The sprinklers are rotating through the garden and everyone gets a good drink. It's not the same as rain water, but it keeps the plants alive.

The cool weather has been beneficial for the cole crops and chard. It has not been as helpful for the warm weather plants such as tomatoes and summer squash. The tomatoes are loaded with fruit, but we need some warmer weather before they turn in mass.

On a more positive note, the lambs are thriving. Most of the credit can be giving to our Corriedale ram 'Giles' who was purchased last fall. I'm excited to see the lambs that his offspring will give us next spring.

Time to eat breakfast and begin morning chores. I'll be waiting for the rain.

Garden in June

A beautiful foggy morning

Peas are almost ready to harvest

This is the first year we've grown
Copenhagen Market cabbage. We are impressed with its fast growth and appearance. I'm sure it will become a staple in our garden.

The yellow blooming plants on the left is mustard. The flowers attract dozens of beneficial insects and lures pest insects away from food crops.

Random Photos at the Farm

Pigs enjoying outer leaves of Chinese Cabbage

The 'girls' with Bradly the rooster

Check out our recipe blog at pehlingbayfarmrecipes.blogspot.com.

There's a great recipe with photos for Chinese Cabbage with Old Fashion Bacon. There will be Chinese Cabbage in next week's shares.

First CSA Day

Although we had only a couple Saturday morning pick-ups due to the holiday weekend, it was still fun to pick the first greens of the season.

Tuesday members, here's a sneak peak of some of what you'll be getting this week. Radish varieties are cherry bell, purple plum, and french breakfast. Greens include spinach, micro greens, beet greens, mustard greens, and turnip greens. And what would spring be if there were not green onions?

Mushroom Inoculation Kit Arrived!

Joe is growing specialty mushrooms this year. We have a number of trees that need to be thinned out of the grove so the mature oaks have more room to thrive. So instead of wasting the logs, they will be used to produce shiitake and oysters. The kit included 500 plugs, so we should get a good amount. We don't expect shiitakes this year, but we should get plenty of oysters. If all goes well, CSA members may find fresh mushrooms in their shares. You can visit the supplier at http://www.fieldforest.net/store/index.php?main_page=page&id=3&chapter=0

A Few Garden Photos

We've been busy in the garden planting cool season crops. The row covers are turning out to be a wise investment. The cabbage and broccoli are growing nicely underneath.

The horse chestnut in our back yard is beginning to leaf out.