August update

August has arrived…well, it’s already mid-August actually. With the help of a WWOOF volunteer we turned over 7 beds yesterday (thanks Erika!). I counted the number of beds devoted to beets: 11 beds!! That is an impressive number. The market goers seem to love beets, so is it nice to maintain an ample supply. We have managed to have a consistent supply all market season so far, which is quite an achievement for us. I finally feel like we are starting to get in a rhythm with this farming. Of course, the awesome volunteers and the weather have been key elements to our success this season. It appears that the weather is cooling down, so we are trying more spinach, arugula and lettuce and are planning greens mixes and some fall crops (kale, parsnips, turnips).

Our one zucchini plant has kept our household in constant supply, so lots of zucchini bread, pasta with zucchini, and stir-fry. That and the chard have become staples in our summer diet. Tomatoes are also in full glory and we enjoyed fresh salsa yesterday. Despite the cool weekend temps, I just couldn’t manage to do any canning, but the fresh salsa was delicious.

Below are a few pics taken 8/12/12. The soil looks really good. Such a difference from our first year. We are still using the no-till method and using compost teas to add beneficial microorganisms to the soil. When you get close to the soil, you can see a lot more life and we have seen a noticeable difference in the number of ladybugs on the plot. There is even a toad in the hoop house and we hope he is eating all the detrimental bugs.