I know in the last couple of emails I have said how it is really feeling like Fall but.. I take it back except that the days are definitely getting shorter! ThLast week was awful warm and humid for this time of year and it looks like the forecast for next week is predicting the same. While we are ready for cooler temperatures at the Farm this weather has been great for the crops! Like I've mentioned in past emails the summer crops got planted way later than normal because of all the rain and the temps this time of year have really helped them along. The Winter Squash and Melon plantings were also planted later than scheduled but it's hard to tell because of how much they've grown in the last few weeks. Normally we would have been harvesting melons a few weeks ago but it looks like within a week or two we will begin harvesting them! The Winter Squash field looks amazing and also within a week or two we will probably start harvesting them! While later than "normal" I think we will actually be harvesting okra this coming week but don't expect to start seeing them offered as an option for your share for another week or two as the plants are small and not going to produce a lot for a few weeks!
Today (Sunday, Sept. 15th) I got to go over to Scattergood Friends' School Farm for our monthly Gang of Five meeting. The GoF is five of us Farmers (Blue Gate Farm, Grinnell Heritage Farm, Genuine Faux Farm, Scattergood Friends' School Farm and me) who get together once a month to help with a big farm task, share a meal and talk about Farming! Today at Scattergood we helped harvest Ornamental Gourds and shared a great meal and conversations! We talked about everything from varieties that did or did not do well this year to what changes we are going to make for next year! A big topic of conversation today was how we are going to adapt to the ever changing weather patterns we've all experienced in the past few years. There were a lot of great ideas thrown around and some kinda sad topics about what the future of our farms will look like, don't worry as we are going to be going strong next season!
Our Hot Pepper field is really producing so if any of you want really HOT Peppers (Black Cobra, Habaneros and/or Hinklehatz) please shoot me an email and we'll try and accommodate all of your requests as best we can! I received a few emails last week about the long carrot shaped red pepper in the share asking if it was a hot pepper. It definitely looks like it could be a hot one but is actually one of the sweeter Sweet Peppers we grow called a Jimmy Nardello Sweet Italian Frying Pepper!
Did you get to try some of the apples, from my buddy Steve who manages Hall Orchard, last week from the Ala Carte options? He is just starting to harvest all sorts of varieties and the differences in flavor are amazing! Also there are Shiitakes available this week from my buddy at Bee Grateful Gardens! Curious if anyone is interested in Goat Sticks (similar to Beef Sticks but a bit better tasting in my opinion!) from my Farmers' Market Neighbors and good friends at Simple Life Farm outside of Winterset? Please let me know if you're interested and we'll get some for you!
Hope everyone stays cool week and eats well!
Until next week,
Farmer Ben and the Crew
