2014 season about to begin!

So, I can admit that I dropped the ball on the blog last season (the last update was in early May before the peas really even needed that trellis!!). I don't think I need to tell anyone that farm work is hurried work, and between juggling the expanding CSA, weekly market demands, and the challenges of weeds, pests, and diseases something usually has to give. I apologize to the faithful supporters of this blog that you have drawn the short stick, maybe a few pictures of last season will make up for it?

Cabbage and Kale with flowering peas in the background

Close up of those peas. I experimented with varying the number of rows planted tightly in each bed. It was a great pea year, although they came on a bit later. CSA members enjoyed coming out to the farm for pick-your-own!...

 

 

...when it wasn't a monsoon.

 

It rained a lot last season! In fact, the CSA pick-up at the farm seemed to trigger the downpours. There were many days "off" from working in the fields because of the wet conditions and mud. It was hard to stay on top of the weeds and disease was always on my mind.

Tomatoes thrive on the black plastic but this year we had some crazy grasses to deal with in the aisles. We decided, instead of trying to cultivate them we would just keep them mowed. It's cheaper than mulching, although we will have to deal with them at some point. This season, the peas will use the same bed structure at the tomatoes, so we can keep mowing these aisles. Then some heavy cover cropping to choke out the grass for 2015. 

 

So there you are, the annual "year in review" in pictures to make up for an absentee blogger. I can't promise this year will be any better, but I do know it will be a better, brighter season on the farm! I am so excited about some new, exciting crops we are growing and will share them with you all soon. 

 

It's also Daily Harvest Farm's 5th Anniversary!

It feels like such an important milestone for me and I am determined to enjoy and celebrate it.