CSA Member Updates

It’s hard to believe that it’s already May 27th! The spring of 2008 began, and has continued to be, cool and wet. In April, moisture here at the farm was about 250 percent above normal combined with very cool temperatures. This is a tough combination when you are awaiting dry and somewhat warm (or at least seasonal) conditions to dry the fields enough to get in and start working. For those of you who are completely new to all of this, I talk about the fields conditions because excess moisture literally keeps us out of the fields (unable to plant, weed, till, etc.) because we cannot operate our machinery properly in wet soil conditions. Basically the the soil is unworkable.

Things did start drying out enough to start transplanting the first of the onions about the 5th of May and made our first direct plantings about the 10th of May - these are the crops that
we directly plant from seed and include the early crops of salad mix,
arugula, spinach, beets, radishes, and others.
Although the soil moisture was excessive early in the month,
conditions have improved and those first plantings have emerged
quite well. The onion transplant total was about thirteen thousand,
potatoes at around 750 lbs., and the combined total of the other
transplants (started in our greenhouse back in early April) that
have been planted since the 5th is well over twenty thousand.
Many of these include the brassica family of crops - broccoli,
cabbage, bok choi. kale., etc., as well as lettuce and other greens.
As one of the women who works with us exclaimed recently :
“ I didn't know I had muscles in that part of my body!”
You can only imagine what part of her body she was referring to!

Now that much has been planted, the missing ingredient has,
and continues to be, heat. unlike the past few seasons that have
been quite warm, the cooler daytime and nighttime temperatures
have led to very slow growth. Our floating row covers - think of big
white blankets that cover some of our beds - have been helpful in
creating warmer growing conditions for some of our crops, but we
can’t cover the whole farm with floating row cover. Fortunately, we
have had some good warm days in the past week and the
temperatures are predicted to moderate somewhat.

Summer Share Deliveries began on June 19th

lafinca@earthlink.net
218-372-8804.
Cel.320-216-5296

Summer Share Calendar 2008

Within the next week to 10 days we’ll be making a big planting of the heat loving crops such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, summer squash, cucumbers, and melons. Think of your happy veggies once conditions warm.

The cool, and generally wet, conditions of early spring have meant a slow start to the growing season. Experience has shown that weather patterns often change fast and before we know it we'll be yearning for cooler temps. Farming, like life, is unpredictable. We sow the seeds, nurture our crop, and hope for the best!

Take Care and Thanks for your continued support of La Finca.

Charlie, Tzeitel, and Alida

Cooking classes at La Finca

Join Kristin Hamaker of Farm to Fork, one-time farm hand and personal chef, this year for a series of summer, fall, and winter cooking courses. Wondering how best to prepare your share of kohlrabi, baby turnips, and eggplant? Kristin will be on the farm to show you how to use some of the produce you receive each week during the season. Classes will be held one Saturday during each of the growing seasons and will take place right at La Finca. Make a day of it and tour the farm, harvest a few vegetables, and sit and relax while Kristin cooks up a few ideas for you to take home. Visit the site later for further details. Any questions now, call Kristin at 651.231.4356 and get to know her better at her website, www.farmtofork.net

Kristin Hamaker
Farm to Fork: a personal chef service
www.farmtofork.net
kristin@farmtofork.net
651.231.4356