Spinella Farm

We're in the middle of a big heat up. Warm is one thing; upper 90s with humidity is a different animal. With the string beans in blossom, there is a chance that the young beans will be deformed due to the high heat. It has happen to me before.

Tomorrow we begin our second tail gate in Margate. It's a good market for us and a lot of other vendors. The most enjoyable part is that it is really supported by the local citizens. They have a lot of pride in that market and they come out every week to show it. I've been to some duds for farmers markets and some very good ones. Margate is the best so far for us.

Also making its debut will be the local blueberries. The Weymouth variety is being picked in Hammonton. Yesterday Dad purchased 10 flats for the Margate market. We don't do much with blueberries after the first week or two because by then everybody and his grandmother has them for sale. But, like the strawberries, if you are the first in the market with them, it can be a profitable experience.

I talked to some local peach growers and it looks like they will be picking peaches on July 1. This is a little later than usual, probably about a week to 10 days later. But I hear the crop is in pretty good shape so it is worth the wait. Meanwhile, local corn will hit the stands around the same time just in time for the 4th of July.

The zucchini explosion, as I like to call it, has started. From now until September, everyone will have tons of zucchini for sale. One year I made good money by selling each piece for 50 cents. It's easy to grow so everyone has it. Fortunately for us, most people don't harvest the flowers. They are missing a more lucrative market than the fruit itself. All chefs  that I know of use the flowers so we end up making more money on the flowers than the fruit which is OK with me.