| We are officially into Summer!
The Field Crops
June saw us getting zucchini and yellow squash from the fields. We also were picking the first of the plugged sweet corn. It is delicious! We had lots of sugar snap peas and snow peas. We even had a few English shell peas. We began to pick broccoli and the first field lettuces as well.
We direct seeded two more plantings of sweet corn. All but the last of the field tomatoes are in the ground. All the cantaloupe transplants are in the ground and all, but the last of the watermelon are in also. We were irrigating heavily for a couple of weeks in the middle of June. We could actually see the water level drop on the pond. We direct seeded carrots and beets. The garlic produced scapes and we began to pull out the first sweet onions. At the end of the month we hand dug fingerling potatoes and small red potatoes too.
We had peaches around June 15th and red raspberries even earlier. We picked lots of black raspberries and blueberries. The gooseberries are still being picked and this was the best year for black currants. We began to pick blackberries at the end of the month.
The peaches were still needing to be thinned through the month of June.
The Tunnels
The cherry tomatoes from tunnel one are producing well for the beginning of the season. We have some problems with white flies, but not enough to warrant spraying them. The cherry tomatoes are still being pruned weekly.
The tomatoes from the heated house are slowing down a bit. They are a determinate tomato and produce very heavy for about three weeks than taper off.
Tunnel two is full of pickling cucumbers and kohlrobi plants. We do not have production on them yet.
Greenhouse Seeding
Seeding in the greenhouse was heavy in June with all the winter squash and pumpkins as well as all the fall broccoli and cauliflower. We still have one seeding of broccoli for fall plus some cabbage to seed yet in July.
We seed lettuce every 15 days in the greenhouse. We seeded a second batch of basil for late August and September sales.
CSA
The CSA is on week 5 now. We are heading into all summer vegetables. Some of the vegetables are very slow going. We had a lot of fruit for the month of June. Usually we are strtching to find fruit for the CSA in June, but this year the fruit was way ahead and vegetables are lacking.
Canning, Gardening, Grilling and Preserving
I was making shortcakes all through the month of June. I just did not have time for making pies. Strawberry and blueberry shortcakes were in the refrigerator every day. I grilled some burgers once and some fish, but things have been too hectic with the fruit coming in so early. I finally baked a blueberry pie this past weekend.
I also started the canning for the year with some rhubarb and blueberries for the winter. I am shelling English peas for canning next week. I plan to can some sour cherries as well next week.
We have been eating snow peas and sugar snap peas every day and now we are sauteing yellow squash and adding in some spring onions. They are delicious. We hate to see the end of the peas.
I am sure that you are as busy as I am and so you also do not have the time for the great cooking that you can see in the magazines, but try to add a bit of summer vegetables to your plate and get outside and enjoy the sunshine.
I shell my peas on the patio while sitting on my glider swing. I can see the lovely hydrangea and the cosmos flowers in my front yard as well as the ducks waddling in and out of the barn. That is refreshing. Enjoy the great summer weather!
Farm Stands and Markets
The St Luke’s Farm Stand is open every Saturday from 8 – 1 pm . Come out and support the local farm on Saturdays!
The Belle View Condos Farm Stand is open every Thursday from 2 – 7 pm
The East Columbia Library Farm Stand is open every Thursday from 12 noon – 6 pm
The Fairfax Community Market is open every Saturday from 8 am- 1 pm.
OPENING on TUESDAYS
St Luke’s Farm Stand – every Tuesday through September 24 from 12 – 6 pm
Try to come out and support our farm in one of these locations.
Have a Great Day!
Louise
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
Gregg and Louise Keckler
Oliver and Lizzie Keckler with Isabelle, Remington and Cassidee, also
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
1410 Goodyear Rd
Gardners, PA 17324
717-486-4653
www.orchardcountryproduce.com |
