82 degrees in the shade!

And it's not even June yet - Yikes! We are very tempted to strap some ice cubes to our heads as we walk about the fields. All we can say is...if this keeps up, it is going to be a banner year for eggplant, peppers and tomatoes :-)

All this warm weather has us altering our plans a bit - we'll give it to Mother Nature, she sure teaches one to be flexible and adaptable! The cold loving plants simply aren't going to last this year with such a short and odd spring. So we are planting things like Orach and New Zealand Spinach which are great spinach substitutes, and do well in warm weather. Be on the lookout for them.

Things are continuing to grow here - we've got summer and winter squash, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes hanging out in the greenhouse waiting to get into the fields. This weekend will probably see the tomatoes and peppers transplanted. Cucumbers have to wait until the soil warms up a touch more. They are looking good!

The warmer weather brings out some unwelcome visitors to the farm...the pest have arrived. Flea beetles, which actually look quite a bit like fleas, love the heat...we've found them hopping out there, nibbling holes in tender young leaves. When they are finished the leaves will look like they've been shot full of tiny buckshot. Luckily they don't care for the older leaves, so if you can struggle through the early part of the season with these guys, it should come to no harm.

Cucumber beetles are another story altogether. Ever see a bug buzzing about that looks like a green ladybug with spots? Well, that's no ladybug! Cucumber beetles are bad news, carrying viruses which they pass along to the plants when they bite into it. Definitely do what you can to get rid of them.

Our two young chicks hatched out a few weeks ago are doing well, scratching up the soil with mom. It is amazing how fast they grow.

Try not to melt and have a great weekend!

Planting update

May showers bring June flowers? It sure has been rainy this month! Everyday we stand by the door, trowels in hand, just waiting for a break in the weather to run out and get some plants in the ground. We were grateful to Mother Nature this past weekend for several days of sunshine, which allowed us to get outside, till, and plant. The plants were grateful too, they were more than ready to get out of the greenhouse!

So far we have broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, radish, potatoes, lettuce, onions, cilantro, kale, endive, mustard greens and arugula out in the field, all happily growing. Many of them are under floating row cover, which helps to raise the temperature a few degrees, keeps the pests out, and provides nice diffused light to give them a boost early in the season.

This past weekend, we were able to seed our squash for the season - 8 types of winter squash, four types of pumpkins, and four varieties of summer squash. They are just starting to pop above the soil. Next week sees our beans and other warm loving plants getting a start.

Our chicks are all grown up now, enjoying their free time outside eating grass and bugs.

We have some other new additions to the menagerie...we let one of our Australorp chickens go broody and sit on eggs. The proud mama just hatched out her first chicks yesterday. She is working hard to keep them warm, and doesn't let them out much...we'll post pictures when they decide to venture out in the world.

Hope your May has been well. A few more weeks, and the food deliveries will begin!