July 19, 2009
Another banner week in the garden and the second flush of June bearing strawberries is ripening with all this nice warm weather, there is still a huge supply of nice big berries to be picked. We will be mowing the bottom of the strawberry rows as those plants and berries got so water logged with all the rain they are going bad as quickly as they ripen and I want to avoid the "strawberry wine" smell in the field. I expect we will have June bearing strawberries until the first week of August depending on the weather maybe but don't wait, come out and get your jam and freezing supply early. If you want pre-picked berries please order in advance. The Day Neutral strawberries are taking a break at the moment but I expect they will start blooming again in the next few weeks to keep us in berry supply until the first killing frost. There are a lot less rows of Day Neutrals so the supply on them is limited.
The mesclun lettuce is finished now as is the spinach so I will be pulling both of them out this week but the romaine lettuce and swiss chard are beautiful, the beets are a really nice size and the potatoes are "getting there". Peas will be ready to pick this week, we have snow peas and shelling peas for sale, the zucchini is ready to pick and not too big yet. We had a feed of baby potatoes, baby carrots, onions and garlic last night and wow what a treat. The hardneck garlic is huge and so tasty, you haven't tried garlic until you've had it fresh from the garden. I have the cutest little eggplants forming right now and I got a lesson yesterday in how to grow it (Thank you Mrs. Hironaka), now I will have to find some good recipes to use it. The parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary and Stevia can be picked anytime and the dill is coming right along.
See you in the garden
Barb
July 27, 2009
I am a day late posting but our internet was not working yesterday.
We still have an huge abundance of strawberries for picking but this will be their last week. I have a crew coming in on Wednesday to clean up the berries starting in the Cavendish so if you still haven't picked your Strawberries for jam, freezing you'd better get here before they do! The fall berries haven't started blooming as of yet but I expect them to start any time now especially if our temperatures are going to be cooler this week and should be ready end of August/early September right up until first killing frost which historically has been just before Thanksgiving
I have changed my hours for August (check on the contact page) and will only be open until noon each day unless you make an appointment for later (or earlier).
In vegetables I have potatoes, onions, beets, Romaine lettuce, garlic, peas (pod and snow), zucchini, swiss chard, basil, parsley, oregano, mint, rosemary, stevia, hot peppers, purple sweet peppers, and the cherry tomatoes are ripening nicely so we should have a pile of them ready soon.
July 31st update
The large crew of pickers did not show up Wednesday so guess what, I STILL have a ton of berries out there to pick. We will be renovating by Thursday next week to get them ready for next year's crop so the very last day for picking Junebearing strawberries will be Wednesday August 5 (depending on weather more heat means they ripen more quickly). Remember although my hours will be reduced for August you can still give me a call to pick at other times. The mosquitos have been nasty this last week so bug spray is a must out in the field.
August 3, 2009
Well wasn't that a stormy weekend, first Saturday night the wind then last night the rain and hail it's been quite the season weather wise this year. I took a brief perusal and it seems that the quarter sized hail did little damage last night but it is wet out there this morning. A few people have asked why I am only open until noon during August and the reason being once the main strawberry season is over, there isn't enough traffic in the afternoons to warrant staying open until 6 pm each day. You can still pick after noon if you give me a call and set up a time so I don't have to sit out there by myself all afternoon. Don't get me wrong, I like my own company just fine but...there is a limit to how much "me" I can take!
Also please note, if it is raining I won't be sitting out in the store but will be around the yard or at the house if you enjoy picking in the rain and would still like to come out for strawberries, veggies aren't an option if it's wet cause you just can't get near them for the muck.
Mosquitos still prove to be a menace out in the field, so make sure you are thoroughly sprayed before going out there to pick, dig or pull.
YES I still have strawberries in the Junebearing area but the last day for picking will be Wednesday August 5th as they have to be renovated as soon as we can get in there. Let me explain renovation for you, although it breaks my heart that there are still so many beautiful berries out there to pick, we have to renovate the plants by a certain time each year. The plants are mowed to remove old leaves and debris, the spaces between the rows are tilled for aeration and to allow runners to root and the runners are trained back into the rows. If we don't renovate by next week at the very latest we run the risk of winter injury or death to the plants as they need a good long time to re-establish before winter hits. We are very particular how the plants are cared for and sacrificing a few berries for the well being of the plants is not something I have a major problem with, I tell myself the berries will become a wonderful compost for the soil! I guess the solution to mowing those beautiful berries is having more pickers to take them off. I couldn't get another bag of strawberries in the freezer if I tried!
Veggies ready this week:
Potatoes
Swiss ChardZucchiniBeans (green and yellow)
BeetsGarlic Onions Romaine Lettuce
BasilParsley Dill SteviaOregano
Day Neutral Strawberries are just starting to bloom so it will still be end of August/early September for them to be ready.
August 6, 2009
Because of the rain this week, we won't be renovating until this weekend so if you are wanting to come pick strawberries for your freezer or jam you can come out to pick today and tommorrow (Thursday and Friday). We haven't been able to pick veggies due to the wet conditions so there are alot out there and the corn will be ready next week as well. The cucumbers are coming, ever so slowly but they are coming, so inside the next 2 weeks I should have enough for pickling. The potatoes are a really nice size now but digging them will require it drying up more than it is today WHERE'S THE SUN!!!!?????
Dang I'm starting to grow webbed feet!
August 8, 2009
The Junebearing strawberries are now done for the season, we have vegetables and herbs available at the present time and hopefully by Monday it will be dry enough out there to harvest them. I store is only open from 9 am - noon Monday through Saturday but if you want to come out after that (or before) give me a call and set up a time. I took a meander through the Day Neutral strawberries and they are coming into bloom slowly, all this cloud and rain I suppose. I am thinking that now the sun has decided to show it's face they will kick into high gear and give me a huge crop for end of August through to October. It's always best to call before you come out to pick strawberries or veggies as the weather plays a big role in what can be harvested and when. If it's really muddy I don't allow people to harvest veggies simply because the traffic on the wet soil destroys it's structure making the walked on areas into cement (never mind the fact that you can't get it off your shoes or boots).
August 13, 2009
The Dayneutral Strawberries are blooming beautifully at the moment and it looks to be a pretty nice crop for September (as long as the frost stays away). We renovated the Junebearing strawberries getting them ready for next year so they look a little sad at the moment but that will be short lived.
We have a very large crop of potatoes, reds, yukon gold and whites as well as some beautiful red and yellow onions and the corn is just about ready as well. I covered the tomatoes to speed up their ripening, I prefer to ripen them on the plant as opposed to in my garage, the flavor can't be beat.
The summer squash is coming right along as are the pumpkins and winter squash, there is a ton of zucchini out there both big and small. Yellow and green beans have been well picked but more are coming.
Soft neck garlic is ready and we still have some hardneck garlic available but limited quantities. We are drying herbs at the moment and will have some nice dried parsley, basil, oregano, stevia and mint for sale.
I will be closed on Saturday August 15th for a family activity but will re-open Monday morning at 9 am. Call before you come to make sure conditions are good for picking veggies.
August 26, 2009
Well haven't I been shirking my blogging duties lately!! The strawberries are coming right along and it looks to be a fairly good sized crop for September but of course nothing like when the Junebearing are producing. I had originally thought we would have enough for upick the first week of September but I am going to revise that to the middle of September now and as long as the frost stays away there should be lots for both upick and farmer's market. I still have a ton of potatoes for upick and will be pulling plants, drying and bagging them over the next month. The sweet corn is ready to pick now and will continue for the next week or until we are sold out ( I have taken 128 cobs off so far!!!)
The pickling cucumbers are producing now and we are picking them every couple of days when they grow big enough for pickling size but they sell out fast so pre-ordering is a good idea. I won't be opening the store everyday (starting tommorrow) so if you want to come pick please call 403-378-4420 and arrange a time either morning or afternoons but I am still closed on Sundays.
I planted Gladiolus this spring to see how they would do out in the garden and they are spectacular so I think they will become the newest member of the upick patch for next season. I have always wanted to include flowers for picking and farmer's market and I think next year will be the start.
Whats available now:
Red PotatoesYukon Gold PotatoesWhite PotatoesBeetsSwiss Chard
GarlicOnions DillParsleyBasil
RosemaryPickling cukesZucchini Flying Saucer squashSpagetti squashGladiolus spikes Sweet Corn
The tomatoes are coming and I have them covered to speed up the ripening process so they are red on the vines rather than ripening them in my garage, I do have pumpkins (10 to be precise) and they will be for sale once they ripen as well as winter squash when it is ready sometime late September.
September 1st, 2009
Hasn't it been a glorious few days weather wise? I am sure last night was the most perfect summer night I can remember in a long time.
I have been picking cucumbers this last week, both pickling and slicing and there are still a bunch more coming if you are wanting to make dill pickles or green relish.
Most of the corn is picked now and the beets are getting in shorter supply. I will be digging potatoes over the next few weeks to get them done so will be selling them already dug and bagged in 10 to 50 lb quantities.
The strawberries are ripening up nicely and I see the big flush will start middle of next week and up until first killing frost in October, supply will be limited so call to arrange a time to come and pick, we won't be open each day for picking.
If you like spagetti squash there is a ton of it out in the field as well as patti-pan and 11 really nice pumpkins (yes I counted them). I still have zucchini both small and large for baking or relish and there are some gorgeous eggplant out there as well.
The tomatoes are starting to ripen and they should be ripe around the same time as the tomatillos are ready to pick in the next couple of weeks
September 9, 2009
I am no longer accepting orders for pre-picked or upick strawberries as the demand has been huge this year and I will probably only have enough to fill the orders I currently have. There are still vegetables available, potatoes, beets, summer squash, a few really nice pumpkins and swiss chard. If you want to pick veggies or pick up pre-picked give me a call and we can arrange a time. I will be at Farmer's Market each Thursday in Brooks from 3 pm - 6 pm and will have soap, lotion, veggies and maybe even some strawberries there.
Whats available now:
Red PotatoesYukon Gold PotatoesWhite PotatoesBeetsSwiss Chard
Onions Dill Parsley Basil
RosemaryFlying Saucer squashSpagetti squash Pumpkins (8)
September 29th
Well Sunday night brought with it a pretty good frost so the growing season is now over. I checked the strawberries and it appears I may have some for Farmer's market on Thursday but won't know until I actually go out to pick. I still have LOTS of potatoes both Yukon Gold and Red as well as some squash and beets available for sale, if you want any vegetables give me a call and let me know how much you would like then we can set up a time for pickup.
