Abbe Hills Farm CSA

Greetings shareholders,

Monday people:  I still can't tell you for sure if we will have our regular Monday pickup tomorrow night.  The weather people say it IS going to rain tonight, and the question is if it is going to be 1 inch or 2.  If they are right, I think I will have to call off the harvest tomorrow.  I don't see how we will be able to get through the fields if it is that soggy.

As soon as we know what's going on in the morning, I'll send another message with the plan for Monday.  I'll also post it on the first page of the website, www.abbehills.com.  I keep that page very current, so you can always look there for the most timely info about what is happening at the farm.  

If we can't do pickup tomorrow night, we'll do it the first night that we can.  Not sure yet when that might be.  They are predicting rain every day between now and Thursday.  Too bad.  We've got 100's of heads of very nice broccoli and cabbage that need to be harvested just as soon as we can carry a knife and bucket through the field.  I'd hate to lose them all, but it could happen.  Plants mature really FAST when it is warm and there is plenty of moisture.   Lucky your kids aren't on the same hormones as the plants!!!

We would like to harvest broccoli, cabbage, sugar snap peas, kale, lettuce, garlic scapes, onions, spring turnips, and daikon radishes this week.   At least we should be able to get the above-ground things for you by the end of the week.  Maybe the underground crops will get to grow another week.

We'd also like to get a very large amount of planting done this week.  We've still got over 1500 eggplant plants to set out, and a couple hundred tomatoes, plus we haven't planted nearly enough green beans or winter squash to keep everybody happy.  The first time the ground is fit, I plan to keep my crew here until they drop or mutiny or the sun goes down.  And since the longest day of the year is tomorrow, I think it will be a long day.

Thursday people:  We might have normal pickup on Thursday.  Or it will still be so muddy that we can't get through the fields and have to come up with another plan.  Or the Monday people will be here the same time you are.  Or something else.  Too soon to tell.

I'm sorry for the inconvenience this weather delay is going to cause you.  I've never called off a harvest before, and if we have to do it some this week, it will be because of record-setting mud in the gardens.  But maybe everything will fall into place.  I'll let you know as soon as I can figure it out.

See you this week probably,

Laura

Remember that the weekly newsletter and all my mass emails to you are posted on the farm blog, also accessible from the first page of the website, or by clicking on here.  Check out Saturday's entry to get the full story on the mud situation.