Happy Labor Day Weekend! Still a lot of labor going on here at the farm deep into the season now. With more and more crops coming to their finish line, we have started to focus in on replanting that ground with cover crops to help us out with the needed fertility and weed suppression for next year. We have 3 diffferent types we’re using this year and while they are not very tasty they are exciting for us to see none the less. 
This is Sunn Hemp. We planted this a few weeks ago after we harvested the last of the cauliflower out of the field that also had our broccoli, cabbage, and kohlrabi in it. It is actually not related in plant species to the other hemp we have growing on the farm at all. This plant is adding nitrogen back into the soil to help things grow next year while it will also act as a soil builder with it’s biomass after it dies in the winter.
This is a picture of the buckwheat that we have planted in between the rows of our strawberries. As you can see the bees love it! So we are hoping to see some buckwheat honey when we open the hives in the Fall and as a bonus it is helping to smother out and weeds that are trying to grow in the aisles as well. And last,
This is a picture of a mix of clover, oats, and rye that was just planted where some potatoes were harvested. This will actually survive the winter and then the clover will flower late next Spring. It will protect our soils from erosion over the winter, add nitrogen back into the ground, give the bees a source for honey production, and add organic matter back into the ground.
So as we harvest the crops and things start to wind down just a bit we are already in preparations for 2020!
Back to vegetables… The share this week has some new items and we welcome back 1 last time a taste of summer. The share also has some good long term storage crops like potatoes and butternut squash. These type of storage crops will be in quite a few of the shares as we hit the Fall months to help you stock up the pantry a bit for winter!
CSA List
Sweet Corn – back as planned for the week of labor day!
Leeks – a little sweeter then onions, it looks like a nice crop this year
Fingerling Potatoes – these smaller, finger shaped potatoes are great for roasting.
Brussels Sprouts – first success of any type we have had with this crop in a few years. We try it every year, and we struggle with it every year!
Beans – green, dragon, and/or noodle types
Delicata Squash
Butternut Squash
Peppers – Hot and/or Sweet
Kale or Swiss Chard
And a choice table as well
Have a great long weekend!