Full and By Farm, August 11

James Graves at Full and By Farm in Essex, NY.

We’ve enjoyed some much needed rain in the last few days. It’s refreshing to look out and see dark soil again. We hope it’s a little relief to the stressed fields of vegetables and pasture. The second cutting of hay seems oh so far away still, though the dark mornings are creeping in and the crisp night air makes it clear that autumn isn’t far away.

Despite the hot, dry summer our old friend Late Blight has managed to make it’s rounds up north again this year. This is the blight that wiped out the tomato crop the year before last. The deadly spores spread like wildfire, traveling miles on a single storm, and staking claim on wet plants of the tomato family (eggplants and potatoes included). They wipe out a plant within days, as dark lesions quickly spread on the stems, leaves and fruits. The latest sightings have been in Maine and as close as Burlington. It was earlier reported in Connecticut, Massachusetts and on Long Island. In other words we’re surrounded. Please be extra vigilant if you have home crops, and be nosy if your neighbors do. You must destroy plants immediately by placing them in trash bags and taking them to the dump. Infected crops, especially potatoes can over-winter in the ground and come back up nice and early to infect next year’s crop, burning spreads the spores even faster. We have taken the precaution once again of spraying our tomatoes with copper. This is a certified organic spray, but still a last resort for us. It does mean that you must wash your tomatoes off before eating them, including the sungolds. You can borrow a sink here if you need to snack on the way home.

Their is a natural seasonality to all things on the farm, some less obvious than others. The warmth of summer make it the perfect time to raise broilers. Since the young birds live on the ground rather than perching and don’t develop the full plumage of laying hens they don’t do well in chilly or damp weather. Likewise every spring we welcome in a new batch of piglets to the farm. They’re here for about 6 months, until they reach their prime weight for meat. Pigs don’t really enjoy winter, they have very thin coats and walk around like they are on toe-shoes, slipping and sliding on icy ground. Raising them over the winter would also mean they would need to eat more expensive and labor-intensive grains and not spend their time rooting around in the pasture and wallowing in mud, their favorite activities. The beef steers are with us a bit longer, usually just over two years until they reach their best weight. The prime season for butchering a steer is at the end of summer, after they have been feasting on good fresh grass and legumes in the pasture. Most of you have probably noticed that the selection in the freezer has been getting lower each week. First the beef went, then the sausage and bacon. Finally we’re down to pork chops, a few roasts and chickens (as well as a fine selection of organs). We’ll have another fresh batch of broilers next Thursday, then James plans to butcher a beef in the beginning of September, and the first pork will follow shortly after. Remember to savor your fresh chicken now.

In the veggie share this week: Green beans, celery, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, green cabbage, garlic, onions, bunching onions, carrots, beets, kale, chard, broccoli, basil, dill, cilantro, black and white beans. And lettuce is back! Tomatoes are still straggling in, we seem to be past the pest issue of the early season, but some hungry raccoons have been raiding the biggest, plumpest fruits this week. Taking a bite off each before moving to the next juicy one. Coming soon: melons and peppers.

In the meat share: chops and chickens

See you all tonight between 4 and 6,
Sara

PS: Almost forgot….The flower rows are really blooming now. Don’t forget time to come up to the garden and cut some beautiful flowers and pick your sungolds.

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Full and By Farm, July 28

Setting sun, rising farm. Full and By Farm, Essex, NY.

The buzz of activity around the farm has been intense this week. With 15+ people from 5:30 to 1 every day we’ve tackled a lot of nagging projects. The fallen barn has nearly disappeared, leaving behind piles of nailed and de-nailed lumber, metal for salvage and recycling and a burn pit filled to the brim with more piles waiting in the wings. Firewood has been cut, chicken coops mucked, compost piles flipped, grain bagged, round bales rolled and concrete walls poured in the bank barn. The skilled laborers have been spending time on the buildings adjacent to the fallen barn, patching holes in the roof, replacing rotten boards on the cupola and framing out the new back wall. We’ve even managed to fit in a hike down to the beach in split rock for swimming and cliff jumping.

This week may be the height of the summer broccoli, a tricky crop to grow. It doesn’t particularly like hot or humid weather, both of which are not uncommon in the summer in turns out. It’s a challenge to cut the head at the perfect time, when it’s fully filled out but hasn’t begun to open the buds. As a result our broccoli tends to be a little under done and a little overdone at the same time. It is usually suggested to cook the summer crop rather than eating it raw, where you may find it’s a little bitter. If you experienced a bitter head last week give it another try this week. We’ll have another big planting this fall, and better weather for the growing.

In the veggie share this week: broccoli, sweet summer onions, green beans, fresh garlic, zucchini, carrots, beets, turnips, kale, chard, lettuce, lettuce mix, bunching onions, basil, dill, black and white beans. Coming soon: green cabbage. In the meat share: chickens and pork

See you all this evening from 4 to 6,
Sara

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• Full and By Farm, July 7, 2011 (essexonlakechamplain.com)
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Greenbeans at the Old Dock

Image via Wikipedia

Have you tried the Greenbeans at the Old Dock in Essex, New York? I wandered in late last night, but caught their last set. These local boys from Willsboro can really put a sway in your slouch, a tap-tap-tap in your toes and a green bean eating grin on your mug. I plan to learn more about them post haste, and I’ll pass the news your way soon. In the mean time, pull out your calendar or PDA and add Greenbeans at the Old Dock next Wednesday from 7:00 – 11:30 pm. And every other Wednesday this summer. Did I mention it’s an open mic? The Greenbeans will be hosting this weekly musical variety show which means lots of local talent peppered between their sets. Are you a musician? Step up to the mic!

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