News from the farm: July 4th, 2011

Happy Independence Day!

“Delightful Day at the Farm” featuring the Caseus Cheese Truck and Jordan Caterers –
Sunday July 10, noon – 3 pm

We have a few more spots left! We’ll have a wonderful lunch in a lovely setting. There will be kids’ activities, farm tours, hay rides and a silent auction. Please sign up online at www.friendsofboulderknoll.com/dayonthefarm. Tickets are $30 for adults and $5 for kids (there’s a small (under $3) processing fee). All proceeds will benefit the Friends of Boulder Knoll’s agricultural, conservation and environmental education work. Ticket sales close at the end of the day on Tuesday (tomorrow!!)

Help is needed to set up tables and tents, direct parking, sell raffle tickets and clean up. Please send Brenda a note to brenda@boulderknollfarm.com if you can assist with any of this. Tents will be set up on Saturday and everything else will need to be set up on Sunday morning. Thanks!!

Important time change for next Sunday’s pick-up

On July 10th, your pick-up time will be from 4 to 5 pm. This is so we don’t have a conflict with traffic from the farm lunch event. If you are at the event you may pick your food up when you are there.

Work needs

Thanks to all those of you who have done so much for the farm this season. A reminder about how it all works: CSA members’ work is coordinated by two members, Annmarie Golioto and Amy Wojenski (thank goodness!). When you receive the email from Annmarie telling the times that are available for work, you may sign up with Amy Wojenski according to the instructions. They’ll add your name to the work calendar. Please check the on-line farm calendar for your scheduled times.

Any time you can put in is helpful, so don’t be shy about coming for an hour or two. Harvests on Thursday and Sunday mornings are important so check the calendar for harvests you can help with. Signing up way ahead of time is great!

Educational events coming up
Please RSVP to Julia at educator@boulderknollfarm.com

• Beyond the Basics: Organic Gardening
  Tuesday July 5th 4-6pm 

  Already begun a garden? Want to take it to the next level? Farmer Brenda will lead this workshop in going beyond the basics of organic gardening. Using examples from the farm and drawing on Brenda’s years of hands-on experience in the field, we’ll cover many aspects of farming. Participants are encouraged to come with questions!

• Whats Buggin’ You?
  Saturday July 16th 10-12am 

  The CT Agricultural Experiment Station’s Kim Stoner will lead this morning workshop on insect ecology. Dr. Stoner, an expert in local pollinators and entomology, will help us discover different insects, their relationships to plants and their purpose on the farm.

• Friend or Foe? Invasive Plants and You
  Saturday July 23rd 9-11am 

  Join horticulturist and invasive plant expert Rose Hiskes of the CT Agriculture Experiment Station in understanding the plants that are threatening our native ecosystems. Brief lecture followed by a walk around Boulder Knoll farm and forest in search of invasive plants.

   

Events are free and open to the public. Bring your enthusiasm and dress for the outdoors!

The Gardens

As you may have noticed, peas are doing great, and squash, cukes, and tomatoes are not too far behind. I hope you’ve been enjoying the food. Your share will include some fruit from High Hill Orchard in Meriden starting next Sunday.

I’m hoping to have our first potato harvest in a week or two, so watch for a call for adult and kid helpers.

Weeds are coming in fast and furious, so weeders and mulchers are always welcome. I’d really like to get all of the paths mowed and covered with cardboard and woodchips in the next few weeks. This will really help hold pest populations down and increase air circulation.

We have had lots of sightings of special birds, reptiles and amphibians at the farm this year. We’ve seen turkeys, bluebirds, cedar waxwings, yellow warblers, chipping and song sparrows, toads, snakes, and even a box turtle and a snapping turtle. The birds have been enjoying the birdbath in Anne’s Garden.

Thanks to Julia and farm friend Ann Cherry, the patio outside of the hoophouse entrance has been turned into a shady, pleasant spot to rest or meditate. Please feel free to come early in the morning or any other time to enjoy this peaceful place to sit and watch the birds and chipmunks.

See you at the farm!
Brenda