The first frost came in the wee hours of Friday. We managed to strip most of the field on Thursday. The tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers are done for the season. The winter squashes seem to have survived.
The fall garlic planting is the next activity, then we clean the fields and hunker down for the winter.
The end is in sight. Things have slowed in the field, and we’re starting to clean rows and prepare for next spring. There’s one planting left to do – the garlic goes in in the next few weeks.
We’ve made it to Labor Day. The farming season is far from over. Truthfully it’s never over; the end of the market season is still 8 weeks away, but at least it’s in sight. Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and squash are rolling in. The winter squash is almost ready. Fall beans are growing fast, and the pumpkins are getting big.
We’re finally getting good tomato yield! They were a bit late this year, but they’re looking good.
We haven’t posted for a month now. We’re in full farming season with crops to tend and harvest, 5 farmers’ markets to attend, and no time for much else. The greens, squash, peppers, and eggplants are rolling in. The tomatoes are a bit late this year – they’ve only just started to be ready. There’s a bit of a challenge with fungus on the tomato leaves, but we have a few organic tricks up our sleeve. We’ll have okra soon. Decorative corn and pumpkins are coming along nicely, timed for the Halloween market. We harvested 200 pounds of spring honey.
The initial plantings are largely done and we’re starting to plant things for fall harvest. In the field we have lot of green tomatoes. I spotted a little eggplant today as well. Berries should be coming in in a week or so.
The garlic scapes are in, along with lettuce, and edible flowers. It’s still early in the season, though. The main field is now 70% planted.
We had the first farmers’ market of the year in Tewksbury last Thursday. Next Thursday, June 11, we’ll be back in Tewksbury, then in North Andover on Sunday and Billerica on Monday.
The garlic scapes are coming in – we should have them for sale this week. Planting continues at the field, but the bulk of it is done. The summer squash plants have stuck their heads out of the dirt. The tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers are looking good.
But lots of progress. Tomatoes, eggplants, sweet peppers, okra, and summer squash are in. Most of the other rows are cleaned and ready. Hot peppers, winter squash, and a bunch of other things are going in next weekend. And, the first farmers market is coming up on the 5th in Tewksbury.
We’re in the middle of a small nor’easter right now. A bit wet for field work today, but maybe tomorrow… So far we have 20 rows of tomatoes and 2 rows of eggplant in. For the weekend, the rest of the eggplant, some peppers, and the summer squash, and maybe a few other things. Next week is looking good for growing weather!