...And we're off! This is a big year for us as we take a leap with the new Harvie system. We're confident it will improve the CSA experience and reach new members, but it will of course come with some changes and adjustments. If you have questions, please check out the Harvie FAQ page and don't hesitate to let us know if something isn't working right. Also don't forget the "members only" resources, which can be found via the "Robinette Farms CSA Members 2018" group.
Lots of greens this week, and that's because of the very late spring we had -- all the seed we put in the ground in March and April just sat there instead of popping out of the ground and making a dash for your CSA share. We're getting back on track, but this early heat is a struggle for those cool season crops, which means our production is limited by the double-whammy of late spring cold and early summer heat!
How the season comes on affects our production of things we WANT to grow, but also things we don't want to grow -- like weeds! For whatever reason, the amaranth absolutely loved this weird sequence of weather so we've been swimming in it. But the photo below shows the result of our new secret weapon: a flame weeder! We're working with some great folks that are building new flamers for veggie growers and we're very excited about using it more going forward. Flame weeding allows weed "cultivation" without disturbing the soil and without spraying chemicals. We're in our early stages, but it will be interesting to dig into the numbers after this season and understand the trade-offs we're making to keep fields weed free. Lots of positives to this technology, but it also means burning propane and we put plenty of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as it is!
Chloe's hand showing what the bed used to look like before she flamed it!
Happy Eating this first week of CSA!
Farmer Chloe