Promising perennials, some old, some new
Back in high school biology class we were told that if you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly raise the temperature, the frog will never notice that it is boiling to death. The frog is apparently oblivious to the change in temperature until it is too late. While we aren’t sure […]
Breakfast items bring in customers
Early in my first market year it occurred to me that many of our customers were arriving at market hungry. Having left their homes early in order to beat the rush at market, they passed up breakfast. So I began to make and sell scones. These are easy to eat with just a napkin and […]
Fall is the best time for brassicas
Summer! Isn’t it wonderful that it’s finally here? For the last several months, we have been working toward this time – when we are harvesting all the crops that make market farming what it is – tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, okra – wonderful stuff! And now it’s time to plant for fall. Fall!? We’re just […]
Finally, a great insect ID book!
When crops are being attacked by insects, your first line of defense is to identify the insect doing the damage. But with more than 100,000 insects and arthropods in North America, identification isn’t always simple. A new book from a Colorado State University entomologist is a tremendously helpful solution for ecological gardeners and farmers. Garden […]
Roll down cover crops for no-till veggies
Do you have a patch of cover crop that has gotten away from you? Dreading pulling out the brush hog to wrestle with your overgrown rye? You might consider rolling it down flat, then planting a veggie crop directly through the resulting “mulch”. Over the 2002-2003 growing season, our farm enacted a no-till vegetable research […]
Woodchuck harassment
If woodchucks have become a problem on your farm, now is the time to take action. According to an article by the Humane Society of the United States reprinted in the newsletter of Pennsylvania Certified Organic, late July and August are the months when woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, are most likely to move away […]
The beauty of cover crops
Building and maintaining soil fertility is one of the most important tasks of any farmer. Organic farmers in particular face new challenges in finding a good source of fertility. Since the new federal organic standards were passed, the use of both compost and manure has become more tightly regulated. With the new restrictions on using […]