Farming in July by David

So, I have several thoughts this week. First is the importance of
farmers and gardeners to not get caught up in worrying of things.
Especially over things you have no control over, which is true of
pretty much everything in farming. You need to be able to move on when
something is lost and instead of worrying and trying to save something
that is already lost, put your time into taking care of what you still
have. For example, we on the farm have lost several crops. We have had
to decide which crops to still save put our time into and which to
just plow.

Second is the importance for farmers to constantly be learning new
things and staying up to date with the latest news. It's not enough to
settle with the head knowledge you already possess. Successful farmers
and gardeners need to take the things they observe in the field and
learn why they happen or don't. For example, we have several
interesting things happening to some of our plants on the farm. On
some of the tomatoes, some of the leaves have started to curl and we're
not sure why. One site claims the curling of the leaves has no effect
on quality or quantity of the tomatoes. I would agree that I have
noticed nothing unusual about the plants. The site says that a
possible reason for this may be exposure to an herbicide, which is
improbable since we don't use any, or just a virus in the plant.
http://www.ehow.com/list_5965949_remedies-leaf-curl-tomato-plants.html
Other sites say it is just the result of stress to the plants.
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cornucop/msg0613093832683.html
I need to do look into it more, but I would say that stress is
probably the likely cause.

Golden Potato Soup

We'll just say this is a family recipe cause I am unsure of the exact
origin. It tastes really good though I can vouch for that.

6 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion (simmer and pour off water and puree in blender)
2 cubes chicken bouillon
2 cups water
2 teas. Dried parsley
1 teas. Salt
1/4 tea. Black pepper
4 teas. All-purpose flour
3 cups milk
3 cups shredded American cheese
opt. 2 cups chopped ham

Directions:

In a large stockpot add potatoes, celery, onion, chicken bouillon,
water and parsley flakes. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until
vegetables become tender.

In a separate bowl mix flour and milk. Once well blended, add to soup
mixture and cook until soup becomes thick.

Stir in cheese, cooked ham (if desired) and simmer until cheese is
melted. You can use crumbled bacon or shredded cheese to sprinkle on
top of each bowl.
Serves 6-8

Taste and texture of vegetables.

Taste and texture of vegetables.

Did you ever wonder why arugula is sometimes mildly nutty and spicy and sometimes bitter and intensely hot?

This can be the result of the age of the arugula.  But, most often it is the weather. 

Temperature and moisture are almost always the factor behind taste and texture of produce.  Now I am not picking on arugula.  This is also the case with radishes, turnips, lettuces and most greens.

Dry conditions or lack of moisture actually makes the juices of a plant more concentrated.  This is why berries are sweeter in a drier season and medicinal herbs are more potent in the desert.  However, greens that do not favor dry / hot conditions will usually become tougher and bitterer.  Greens are also more stressed in a hot / dry condition and are therefore more susceptible to insect damage.  Which is why arugula usually has more holes in the summer. 

Wet conditions are better for greens but make berries more tart.  It also makes tomatoes mushy and less tasty.  And cold conditions will really ruin the flavor of a tomato.  A cold night in the field for a tomato is like storing it in the refrigerator. 

Freezing temperatures in most hardy greens and roots will concentrate the sugar in the plant and make them sweeter.  However, frost will stress more tender greens such as lettuce and mustard greens and make them more bitter or spicier. 

We try our best to keep our greens watered well in the heat and not to water our berries and tomatoes much at all.  But, we are always dependent on Mother Nature. 

Did you know also that the sweetness or sugar content in plant tissue is directly correlated to mineral content?  The fact is that if your plant has a good mineral content it will be sweeter and will store longer.  This is why we are striving for nutrient dense produce.  I am always searching for the sweet flavors in the garden.

A friend came to the farm about a month ago to test the sugar / mineral levels in our strawberries.  He was testing several locations in the area.  Our strawberries tested the highest in sugar / mineral content.  However, how do we do that again next year?  If we have a rainy winter and spring we will most likely have a less sweet berry.  These are the exciting challenges of farming.