News from the Farm – May 24, 2010

The planting continues at Boulder Knoll Community Farm!

Here’s what’s in the ground:

  • some tomatoes
  • almost all the potatoes (six different kinds)
  • onions
  • leeks
  • peas
  • Swiss chard
  • kale
  • lettuce
  • Chinese cabbage
  • broccoli raab
  • beets
  • parsnips
  • flowers
  • radishes
  • scallions
  • garlic

Still to plant:

  • more tomatoes
  • eggplant
  • peppers
  • sweet potatoes
  • squash
  • cukes
  • green beans
  • more flowers
  • more lettuce
  • tomatillos
  • basil

Happenings

Members’ and friends’ farm tour, picnic lunch and work day, Sunday, June 6

Picnic lunch and farm tour on Sunday, June 6, noon until 2. See the new planting space and the improvements to the distribution shed. Bring your own lunch, something to sit on, and some gloves if you’d like to stay for some work afterward. Please RSVP with numbers and how long you plan to stay. If you can’t stay to work, that’s OK. Please come for the gathering anyway.

Domingo’s cargo bike

Member Domingo Medina has a fantastic idea that we could deliver our produce to Caseus, our restaurant friend, via bicycle on the Farmington Canal bike trail. He has purchased a cargo bike that can hold up to 400 lbs and can be assisted by an electric motor. He’ll be riding up to the farm on Wednesday morning to see if it’s a reasonable trip from his home on Canner St. in New Haven. We’ll experiment with different ways of loading the bike. It will be important to deliver produce in perfect condition, so we’ll probably need to experiment with coolers too. If it works, we’ll be asking for other people to try riding the bike to do the delivery too. We’re sure to get some press for this!

Field trip

We are hosting over 50 second grade children from Waterbury for a field trip at the farm on Friday May 28th from 10 am until noon. We’re going to teach about healthy soil including activities on composting and worms, and a garden tour and scavenger hunt. If you are interested in helping with this event and being with the kids, please send me a note. I would love to have a few more adults to help.

Wish list

  • large sheets of cardboard or craft paper for paths
  • 1/2 inch plywood (pieces will be used to cover hoop house end wall)
  • wood chips (if you know any tree service people, I’ll take a quantity of chips – Have them contact me.)
  • railroad ties or the equivalent for making a raised bed next to the hoop house distribution shed
  • string for trellising
  • compost fixins from your kitchen (please dump them on the right hand compost pile)
  • a good, relatively lightweight wheel barrow or garden cart
  • metal “T” posts
  • cedar posts

Work at the farm

Thanks a million to the folks who have come to the farm to work. Our farm sure wouldn’t function very well without the contributions of all the members.

If you haven’t had a chance to get out there yet, check out the available work times every week. Even a small amount of time worked makes a big difference on the farm. I think everyone has enjoyed themselves and I can find jobs for all physical abilities. Come to do some of your 12 hours before it gets too hot.

Make sure our work coordinator, Annmarie Golioto, knows when you plan to come and for how long. When you’re done for the day, send her a note so she can keep track of the work that you’ve done.

Your veggie farmer,
Brenda

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