This week I was the absentee farmer taking a few days to getaway to the beach and hang out with my big brother on his farm. There was crabbing and clamming, paddleboard yoga on the pond at sunset (at least for my daughter there was), skeet shooting, bon fires, surfing, and lots of eating and drinking. No that I’m back I need a vacation from my vacation.  I haven’t been able to catch up with the farm crew yet and will have to piece together this week through my walking the fields, entering invoices, feedback from part time pickers, and text threads. Here it goes.

This week we began picking our own grown squash and cucumbers. We picked 36 cases of assorted squash, 22 cases of slicing cucumbers, and 16 cases of pickles. We grow a nice assortment. The yellow summer squash is called ‘Zephyr’ which I love for its tenderness and nutty flavor. If you haven’t yet give it a try. Although not the most fun to pick I appreciate fresh cucumbers in all their spiny glory. That’s how you know it is fresh picked.  One thing we tried differently this year is giving our cucumbits, (squash and cukes), more space. Last year we planted them only 18” apart while this year we are planting them every 24”. We are thinking for next year 28” is the magic number. We just need to figure out a water wheel that can accommodate. The way we plant is with a transplanter and you adjust the wheels based on your spacing. Some allow you every 4” or 8”, some 6” or 12”, and other 8” or 16”. We need something in 7” increments to do our desired 28” spacing and we haven’t found it yet.

Also this week we began picking green beans and sunflowers which you can find in the CSA or at the stands. We have most our tomatoes and eggplants trellised and staked. I saw a few okra ready to pick and our cherry tomatoes are just a couple weeks away. Lettuce and kale is looking great. Also enjoy our baby greens over the next few weeks before they take their summer hiatus.  They peter out and wilt too fast in the heat of the summer so we have made the executive decision to start them back up in late August. Have a great week everyone.