Summer 2011 Full and By Farm crew: Sara Kurak, James Graves, Tyler Sildve and Emily Jaquish (l. to r.)
We took advantage of the beautifully sunny weather spell to make hay. We cut about 22 acres starting last week, and successfully baled 19 of it. The rain caught us in the middle of raking the last small field and we had to abandon the project. Once the grass and clover is cut rain begins to leach away the nutrients. Four straight days of rain is enough to ruin the hay as winter feed. It’s always a sad defeat, but part of making hay with an ever changing weather forecast. Our northern fields are still long and fully matured, we’ll need to cut those as soon as we get another dry spell another chance to practice with the new horse-drawn implements! So far we’ve been able to cut and rake the hay with the horses, 2 of the 4 steps. It’s been such a pleasure moving through the fields behind two beautiful animals, rather than a loud and stinky tractor. Much of that stinky work has been done by John Bingham and Katharine Preston, who have graciously been helping to ted the fields, run around looking for implement parts and refilling the tractor diesel.
As a reminder, a farm dinner and tour is planned for next Thursday, directly following the pick-up. We’re providing dinner, and you all are responsible for desserts and drinks. Please bring a place setting as well, and hope for a dry evening! If you have not done so rsvp at the pick-up tonight or by email.
In the veggie share: strawberries, garlic scapes, radishes, kale, chard, lettuce heads and lettuce mix, potatoes, celeriac, black and white beans. Coming soon: beets, turnips, pac choi and more rhubarb. (Please bring back the green berry containers so we can continue filling them next week.)
In the meat share: pork, ground beef and chickens.
See you all this evening between 4 and 6,
Sara Kurak
Full and By Farm
Essex, New York
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