Day 57

Pretty good day! We got a lot done, starting with Kale. Lemme tell you a story about kale. Kale is very healthy for you and I feel like patting myself on the back everytime I eat it; Kale is rich in Vitamins A and C, high in potassium, calcium and iron, and is a good source of fiber. We cleared part of Gus' field to make room for new veggies, but before chopping down the kale and cabbage, we saved the seeds.

Bush Hog, it's really called that!

This is how:

Death by hanging

Kale, like many greens, will continue producing leaves you can harvest and eat during cool weather, but once the temperatures rise, kale plants will start producing seeds, a process called bolting. Kale plants create hundreds of tiny flowers on stems that grow out of the center of the plant. After the flower petals fall off, in a couple weeks, you can see little pods forming on the stems (where the seeds are).  The pods ripened and dried on the plant, then we cut the stem and took those little pods back to the barn. We hung them up to dry  for a few weeks. Next we'll remove the seeds from their pods and save them until August, when they're ready to grow again! If you can't stand the heat get out of the field.

After that, Erica and I bunched basil which smelled so nice and looked pretty, I remember the days when I used to feel like that. Right now I'm sewing a knife sheath, sure that's not what mom had in mind when she taught me to sew. Enough about pretty and sewing, on to good stuff, next we set up for our CSA assembly line:

In The Box

-1 bunch white spring Onions

-1 bunch mixed Beets

-1 bag Burge Salad Mix (Lettuce, Arugula, Baby Asian Greens)

-1 bunch Lacinato Kale

-1.5# Summer Squash OR Zucchini

-1 bunch baby Radishes or baby Turnips

-1 bunch Swiss Chard

-1# Cucumbers OR 1 bunch baby Carrots

-1 Sunflower/Basil Bouquet

Erica delivered 75 boxes to Atlanta, while we irrigated everything like crazy. Intern Jason and I pulled off the trellising and Daniel let me try to pull up the T-Posts. There's a tool that helps but when I put all my weight on it it didn't budge so I jumped on it and hung...didn't help but I think the guys got a kick out of it. Some were easier then others and we got it done in about 45 mins. I weedeated around the hoophouses and watered the greenhouses then called it a day! Whew!