An Abrupt End To Fall

Zaid talks about the rapid decline of summer, and gives us a peek into the planning that's already begun for next season:

Fall has set in with temps in the 50's, what an abrupt end to summer. We could get another week of warm weather next week I hope. The frost can happen for us as early as 9/20 and as late as 10/10...we will see. We will begin planting garlic for next year in the next few weeks..but things are winding down and crops are on the verge of running out. So enjoy tomatoes for a little while longer..the melons are gone and many of the summer crops such as peppers and eggplants peaked weeks ago and did not do as well as we wanted due to the heat. We are already thinking about next years crops and all the issues that go with that.

Continuing Heat Shifts Peak Season

Zaid relayed the following this morning:

The heat wave we have had has shifted our peak season by about 2 weeks so you will be getting melons now instead of in late August. In fact, some of our melon varieties will be done this week. As with everything every week and every season brings on new challenges and nothing is the same. Last week we got a message from cooperative extension that late blight was found in Chenango County.

 

Ramadan started today and the Egyptian crew is both happy and anxious as they will have to work in this heat [without eating or drinking!]. It looks like it will cool down for us some however. Fordham will be joining us for the fall and Farmshare will be advertising the winter share already..what happened to summer???

Heat and Breakdowns Persist, Late Blight Returns

This summer is an unusual one for sure, and it continues to take it's toll on the farm. Here's the latest:

The most heat since recorded meteorology ??? That's what they are saying now..we continue to battle the effects of that; last night another cooler died. All in a day...we are finishing up fall and winter plantings as the window is almost gone...You are getting more and more summer stuff and soon the tomatoes will be coming along. Late blight is rearing it's ugly head again....please pray for us.

Breakdowns, Woodland Creatures, and MORE HEAT!

Please take a moment to be grateful for all that the folks out at the farm are going through this year. They don't seem to be able to catch a break, yet are still getting delicious stuff to us week after week. Here's the latest report:

Writing you this from the side of the road, the van we rent in the summer to haul the tables, tents, and market setup gear broke down. This is the second breakdown in 3 weeks.....We are contemplating farming in the south if this weather keeps up, we hope this is not how summers are going to be. While the tomatoes are doing well, the peppers are showing signs of heat damage. The cool season crops are suffering, we have lost a lot of greens to the heat and to wildlife that prefers our relatively lush vegetation to the woodier wild stuff. We have not had good rains in a while so this causes the wild vegetation to become woody and thus not so desirable to the deer, woodchucks, etc. Overall, the summer crops such as squash are doing very well and that will be reflected in the share and the greens will be a little tougher due to the heat.

Heat Continues To Complicate Farming

This report came in this morning from Norwich Meadows:

Another hot week....we had to deal with both coolers breaking down and the stress on all the people of working in the heat. Everybody and everything is tired of this heat. This has to be record breaking..we are styarting to have watermelons ripen..this is a full two weeks ahead of schedule. Last week we planted about 1 acre of winter squash in NJ. I spent Sunday reworking and tweaking the irrigation there we have to move water 3600' from well source to field and all uphill....please pray for us.