(Pictured left to right: Miriam planting strawberries, Pamela washing beets and Erica on "Rosie" the tractor.)
Dear Friends and Members of B & H ,
We try to give you useful information and news about what is going on at the farm. I thought you might like to know what a typical day on the farm looks like. Each day is different depending on what we are preparing for. And each person on the farm has a different role.
Here is what a typical Thursday on the farm looks like from each person’s perspective. We begin at 7 am these days and end at 4 pm.
Miriam is my assistant. She was hired to watch and manage the fields. Her jobs include: monitoring irrigation, fertilizing, managing work crews and overseeing of the planting. On a typical Thursday she will help with the harvest. (We harvest something each day. Many crops such as beans, squash, tomatoes and peppers need to be picked every other day.) Then she will fertilize all the crops through our drip irrigation system. We use a combination of compost tea and fish emulsion for this. It is a smelly and tedious job. Then there is usually some major project to undertake currently we are finishing weeding carrots. Then she will mow with the small push mower between the rows of crops planted on fabric mulch. After lunch is usually planting. During the season we plant lettuce each week. Currently we are working on a major strawberry planting. We have 2,000 plants to be planted in the next 2 weeks and Miriam is in charge of getting that accomplished.
Then we have Pamela. She is our packhouse coordinator. The packhouse is where all your veggies are washed and bunched or bagged. This is an indoor job. The least favored job on the farm. Pamela, I refer to her as the most positive person I know, takes on this job with enthusiasm. She takes the vegetables we have harvested that morning and prepares them for sale. Usually on Thursday she washes potatoes for market. All those tiny potatoes we love so much are singly washed by hand by Pamela.
Pamela has an assistant, Doreen. Doreen has been such a great addition the last few months to keep me out of the packhouse and in the fields where I truly want to be.
What do I do on a Thursday. Well it seems I have become the main harvester on the farm. It is my job to know what is in the field and when it is ready to be picked and sold. I do a lot of running around trying to organize everyone and retrieving supplies. And I get to do the tractor cultivating. and mowing as well. If I am lucky and I have time I will get to do some weeding. Now that I own my own business and I am in charge of everything the thing I miss doing the most is weeding.
Paul is always around and about helping us with tractor work , tending the cows, growing corn and soybeans. And most importantly maintenance around the farm. He keep the place together and in more ways than one. I truly believe that his spirit is what makes the farm run. If he weren’t around anymore I think the farm would literally crumble.
We love our jobs. And we have a great crew. Your veggies are grown by people who love what they do.
This week's harvest;
Full share: (you may receive any of these items)
- White potatoes 2 lb
- Lettuce- 2-3 heads
- salad mix 1/2 lb
- Beets 1.5 lb
- Carrots 1.5 lb
- Mixed colors and shapes of sweet peppers 1.5 lb
- Eggplant (small purple, green, large purple or orange) 1.5 lb
- 3/4 lb of komatsuna or kale or collard greens or mustard greens mix
- Winter Squash- Butternut. 1 fruit.
- Cabbage 1 head - this could be green, savoy or nappa
- Parsnips- 1.5 lb
- leek 1#
- Daikon or Watermelon Radishes 1 lb - very few watermelon radishes
- Broccoli - 1 lb - probably can't fulfill double orders
Half Share:
- Any 4 of the above full share items.
Optional Items: (these count as an item in your share) Some of these items are in limited quantities so can be ordered on a first come first serve basis.
- Fresh cut flower bouquets
Extra Items: (these do not count as an item) - Please let me know the quantity you would like.
- Hot peppers - 6 peppers – we have tons so order more.
- Tomatoes- cherry 1/2 lb - limited quantities
- Beets 1.5 lb
- Aji Dulce Peppers- ½ lb. These are also known as Caribbean Seasoning Peppers. They look; taste and smell like a hot pepper but have no heat. They are excellent for seasoning.
- Italian Parsley- 1/8 lb
- Mint 1/8 lb
- Sage 1/8 lb
Thank you and have a great week,
Erica
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