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Community Supported Agriculture Newsletter March 17, 2004 3/17/04 |
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Pablito.... 
RAIN + HEAT =
Wow. I don’t remember a year when
we had 5 inches of rain one week, and then 80 degree temperatures the next
— in March. But then, I don’t remember much about beyond last year.
What is very clear to me right now is that I have never seen weeds grow
faster than they have grown in the past two weeks. Even our crop
plants — the few we still have — have shot up with the warm temperatures
and abundant ground moisture.
The race is on. The race, that is, to mow all the weeds, prepare ground for planting before it dries out too much, plant a month’s worth of crops, and irrigate the crops that are already planted before they dry out.
Spring is mowing season. We have just one mower, which is eight feet wide. In the month of March, that mower will mow roughly 95% of all the land we farm — all the orchards, all the winter vegetables now reaching the end of their season, and all the cover crop for our summer crops. Since we now are responsible for managing almost 200 acres, and an acre is about 44,000 square feet, that means our mower (and the tractor that drives it) will go almost two hundred miles this month.
Many of the fields that get mowed will then need to be prepared for planting. Two weeks ago, the soil here was so saturated with water than you could barely walk on it without sinking. As of today, any soil exposed to the sun and wind is as hard as concrete on the surface, while the ground underneath still contains varying degrees of moisture. This includes our winter vegetable fields, stomped on during torrential rainstorms in the process of harvest. These fields are very tricky to work in the spring. If the soil too wet or too dry when it is worked, it breaks into large, hard clods. Often, we have to water these fields to achieve the proper moisture level so that we can plant seeds of crops like spinach and lettuce into them.
Fields planted to cover crops are much better protected from the elements, tend to dry out more evenly, and are free from the damage done during winter harvest. Nonetheless, they dry out almost as quickly — especially when the plants grow as fast as they have in the past week. Four foot tall plants like bell beans, vetch, and oats suck a tremendous amount of moisture from the soil when densely planted, and just a few days of drying north wind evaporate most of that water and whisk it away. Mowing these cover crops is a much slower job than, say, mowing a field of spinach or broccoli. The vining plants and grasses slow the mower down, and the sheer biomass involved means that the tractor must move much more slowly across the field. Time lost in mowing, however, is gained back in tillage. The soil, interlaced with dense root systems and organic matter, breaks easily into small crumbs that are a joy to plant into.
Many years, we get little breaks in the winter weather which we use to do some pre-prep for our earliest spring crops. This year gave us little chance to do so. Last year, we were able to plant two acres worth of crops during February. This year, just half an acre. Last year, by the 15th of March we had almost 5 more acres planted. This year, just two. And last year certainly wasn’t a dry year. This year we are scrambling just to play catch up. While we will be on time with early plantings of corn, beans, and squash, we are already late on the first tomatoes, and we’ve missed plantings of peas, spinach, salad mix, and others.
Deciding when to begin irrigation in the spring is tricky. Inertia makes it easy to wait and see what the weather will do — all that work to set up the pipes, and then it rains… So we usually wait until the ground is getting pretty dry. Then some wind comes along, and all of sudden it’s an emergency — everything needs water all at once. Then we’re convinced the rain is over for the year, so we irrigate beds that are scheduled to be planted in a week or so — to improve the soil texture and make a better seedbed. Then it rains just a day before the beds are dry enough to plant, and we lose another week. Those are the times when farmers really, really wonder why meteorologists get paid at all and why anyone listens to them.
But when you’re not in control, nice things can happen too. While last year offered well-timed dry spells between rains, it was also chilly quite late into the spring — which slowed all the crops down. The current heatwave we’re having is warming up the ground quickly, which will mean things grow faster. So even with a late start, we might catch up after all. Oh well, it’s off to bed and a return to those dreams I had last night. You know, the ones where you’re a giant hamster, running in one of those big wheels, always trying to get somewhere but never moving...
IN YOUR BOXES
The asparagus genie gave up enough of
the green stuff this week for us to share it with both Large and Medium
box subscribers. Next week it will be in Small boxes for sure, but
that’s the only promise I’ll make. Despite the warm weather, our
older fields seem to be resisting the urge to break out of hibernation.
Please note that this particular asparagus is not yet certified organic
— the older field (not yet producing) is certified organic.
The March heatwave and a well-timed irrigation seems to have done the trick for our over-wintered Romaine Lettuce field. The heads are small, but they would probably bolt to seed if we waited for them to get any bigger. Enjoy. The next lettuce you will see in your boxes is getting planted on Friday, which means it will be a while.
For a month now, we’ve loaded up your boxes with broccoli, cauliflower, or both. The onslaught of these crops is now coming to an end. This may be the last week you see them from us. I hope that this abundance has tested your culinary skills in a positive way, because these two vegetables are among the most versatile of those we grow.
This week’s broccoli is what we call “side shoots”, meaning the growth that happens after we cut the initial head. These are tender and thin-skinned, and some people prefer them to the large heads. Our restaurant customers call them “De Cicco”.
Thanks and with apologies for any non sequitors, run on sentences, or absurdities that slipped by my exhausted editor this week.
Thanks,
Pablito
Recipes..............
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Asparagus Leek Frittata
This would also make a tasty quiche. And if you’re not a vegetarian,
you might find that a couple of strips of bacon, chopped, are a nice addition
when cooked along with the leeks.
Carefully wash and trim 2-3 leeks, then
cut into halves lengthwise. Cut the halves into 1 inch pieces.
Trim or snap the ends off 1 bunch of asparagus, then cut into 1 inch pieces.
Toss the vegetables separately with olive
oil, salt, and pepper, then arrange the leeks on a baking sheet.
Roast in the oven at 400 degrees, turning several times, until the leeks
soften. Add the asparagus. Everything should be in a single
layer. Cook until both the asparagus is tender and the leeks are
browned.
Meanwhile, beat 6 eggs with a little salt
and pepper. Add 1 T. fresh or 1/2 t. of dried French herbs.
Grate 1/4 C. each parmesan and fontina or jack cheese.
When the vegetables are done, remove from
the baking sheet and allow to cook slightly. Add 2 T. oil to the
sheet to deglaze it, then use the oil to grease a large skillet.
Combine the eggs, cheese, and vegetables in the skillet, then cook over
low heat until the eggs are set. Place the skillet under the broiler
and broil on high for a minute or two until the top browns slightly.
| Monthly | Quarterly | Yearly | |
| Small box | 52 | 150 | 580 |
| Medium Box | 78 | 222 | 870 |
| Large Box | 104 | 295 | 1160 |
**being offered only to existing everyother week subscribers, as the small box has better variety andis more tuned to the smaller household appetite. The weekly schedule is also much easier to remember, and saves us all a lot of problems at the pick up sites. |
43 | 124 | 480 |
| Vacation Credits: | Small | Medium | Large |
| Vacation credits are lower to discourage overuse, and to reflect actual cost to the farm | $8 | $12 | $16 |
Vacations & Billing Inquiries
We need seven days notice before a vacation hold
or other change of service.
Contact Valerie through voicemail at (530) 756-2800,
or e-mail Goldenbell@aol.com
Account Balance Inquiries The account sheet is hiding under the sign off sheet each week with your account balance on it. Mid month I've been e-mailing statments, so if you're not getting it send me an e-mail requesting to be added to the list.
MAILING ADDRESS:
Terra Firma Farm
P.O. Box 836
Winters, CA 95694
(530) 756-2800
www.terrafirmafarm.com
Goldenbell@aol.com
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