August 2014 Farm Update

Well, it should be abundant August on the farm.  Alas, not so much: it has been both disappointing and delightful.

For the disappointing, last Friday, I noticed what appears to be Late Blight on my cherry tomato plants and yesterday noticed it on the heirloom tomato plants.  I am awaiting confirmation from the lab; however, to prevent the spread of disease, I have pulled up the affected plants.  The following pictures document this.

Space where the plants were.

Then, there were just too many plants to bag.

Plants tightly enveloped in a tarp in the field.

Yesterday, instead of harvesting, I bagged up 40 heirloom tomato plants. Here's what they looked like with the disease.

Notice the brown leaves that within days spreads to the stem, fruit and eventually kills the plant. 

 

 

 

 

And, here's my van.

Bagged diseased plants going to the trash away from the farm.

Now for the delightful, I have sold some of my extra produce to the community at the school.  Here's what the farm stand looks like.

Last week, husk cherries, cherry tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, kale, eggplant, summer squash, cucumbers and flowers were on offer.

 Meanwhile, I am planning for the fall and for February 2015.

Fall vegetable starts for the CSA.

In February, I can start planting greens by peeling back the weed block fabric and tilling. Until then, I can reuse the space to cure or to store vegetables.

Curing shallots and acorn squash and storing Delicata squash for when folks are ready to eat winter squash.