On the Farm

Welcome to Summer Shares everyone! We appreciate the continued support of returning members and are happy to make room for those of you new to My Fine Homestead. Our membership has come close to doubling this year so we have lots and lots of wonderful people joining us. We look forward to a season filled with nutritious vegetables and connections with our farm members.

I've said it before, but it is worth repeating, let us know if you have any questions or concerns. The CSA experience is more rewarding for all if we communicate. And if you'd like to visit your farm and/or spend time getting your hands dirty - we can make it happen!

We continue to be busier than we think possible! We are doing some of everything right now.

Bill is still working on readying the plots of land we changed from pasture to vegetables this year. Readying them for winter squashes and succession plantings of other crops. We continue to start seeds in the greenhouse, transplant seedlings to the gardens, and direct seed other crops. We are hoeing and weeding in earnest now. We are harvesting for CSA shares and for the farmers market. We have two batches of broiler chickens and one batch of laying hen chicks in the pasture now. That is moreat one time than usual. We decided to try getting more chickens earlier this spring. We may decide to have fewer at a time next year.

I'm not complaining, it is just that some days, we aren't sure which way to turn! We have almost doubled the number of shares we have compared to last year. It is very exciting to have so many join our farm and support us.

We are experiencing some effects from the unusually cool weather of April which will be noticed in your box. Beets and carrots that should be ready by now have been slowed down by the low temperatures. We are anxiously waiting to be able to put them in your box. Enjoy the bountiful greens knowing there will be other types of vegetables in a few weeks.

Then the warm (dare I say hot? weather brought us a bumper crop of aphids in the greenhouse. This is a new experience for us. It really warmed up under the roof, and the humid environment was perfect for them. We found out they love salad turnip greens. Fortunately we had also planted turnips in the field so we can pack them in the full share boxes this week. In the past we've discussed getting ladybugs which love to eat aphids but never felt we had the need. We do now, and have ordered a big batch.We can't wait to see lady bugs in our gardens.