|
|
Sign Up or Login |
| | | Hutten Family Farm Newsletter for Sunday Dec 16, 2012 |
It is sunday evening and well past time that I send a newsletter. I have been very busy with the farm over the last several weeks as well as making wreaths for the holidays. The season for wreaths is essentially over now and things will slow down for us over the next seven or eight weeks until the spring seeding begins again. Tomorrow I will start seeding micro mix in the heated greenhouse again. We have had almost nothing for micro mix production over the last couple of weeks but we should be back on track for micro mix by the end of December. It is the standard salad offering in the CSA boxes through January and February. By late February we can pick more spinach and arugula to complement the micro mix. I actually did not have problems with the micro mix; I just spent my energy on harvesting late field crops like leeks and kale and making wreaths and did not have enough time to plant micro mix for three weeks or so. Another one of my failings.
I will be ordering more seeds this week for trial plantings in the winter greenhouse. I planted some red amaranth ten days ago and it is growing well. My intention is to add new colours and new tastes to the winter micro mix so that it will change as the winter progresses. Some plantings will have a bit of cilantro added, some will have dill, and I will add sorrel to some seedings as well. The basic mix that I have been using is mostly a blend of Asian brassicas with some arugula and lettuces and cress added. The lettuces do not respond well this time of year to the short day length but they do very well in late February and March. Because of the day length issues the micro mix is more spicy in January and more mild in March.
We have decided that we will not be shipping any CSA boxes on December 26 (boxing day). Our drop off in Halifax is at Local Source market and they are closed on boxing day. Last year we did have boxes each week through the holidays but over half of our members put there box on 'hold' that week so we decided to cancel the drop that week. Deliveries will resume on Wednesday, January 2. Our final market for 2012 at the brewery market in Halifax will be this coming Saturday, December 22.
I think that I'll take a break from the computer now for a few minutes because Debra and Sarah and Aleida just baked some gingerbread cookies and they are smelling kind of good right now.
Have a good week. ted
Return to the list of newsletters |
|
|