Hi all,
Gemma here with an introduction and an update on the season. I’m so excited that we’re ramping up production and getting plants out in the fields. But first I wanted to give you all a bit of an introduction to who I am. This will be my third farm season and the first in my home state of California. After graduating from Bard College with a liberal arts degree in 2020, I went straight into working on a small farm in the Hudson Valley of New York State. My degree in environmental studies with a focus in food and agriculture provided a solid foundation for this work. With a knowledge of soil health, and the social implications of farming sustainably, I was thrilled to connect the intellectual with the practical, and start doing rather than thinking. I’m so glad to be at Open Field Farm this year, and am stoked to be participating in a production model focused on feeding families, and building a resilient community around the farm.
The past couple weeks we’ve been focused mostly on getting plants in the ground. The greenhouse is slowly emptying as we make our way through. Yesterday we finished planting our first succession of brassicas (broccoli, collards, cauliflower, cabbage). This planting takes time and focus as we interplant alyssum and cilantro into the beds as well as the brassicas themselves. In this case the interplants act as a magnet for beneficial pollinator insects and to help attract pests to the flowers of the interplant, rather than our main crop. I like to get a little nerdy sometimes when it comes to practices I’m personally partial to. So let’s define what interplanting is for those who don’t know. Interplanting is the practice of growing more than one crop in a given growing area. We see this practice on a few different scales currently. One being the brassicas I just described, two being an entire bed of marigolds in between each of our field tomato beds. Another being that we planted basil as an interplant in tunnel B (our unshaded hot house) a few weeks ago, bordering our tomato and cucumber rows. This allowed us to maximize growing space where real estate is limited, and where the main crop takes a longer time to mature. This allows us to harvest the beds multiple times yielding more efficient use of timing and space. Plus an early basil harvest for us all to get excited about.
Intercropping has been proven to increase yields and productivity of agroecosystems. Studies have shown the use of interplanting benefits both the plants and soil health. By increasing plant diversity, we’re setting up an agroecosystem that thrives. Some interplanting combinations increase the soil microbial diversity. This practice works well with crops whose root systems differ so that the soil can be shared and the nutrients in the soil can be efficiently used. However, not all interplanting combinations work, sometimes the plants in a given space will compete rather than benefit one another. I’m anxious to see how the ways we use interplanting differ, and how the plants in the field mature under this treatment.
Upcoming Farm Events: All Member Meeting: 6 pm on Thursday June 1st
CSA barn hours:
Summer hours: 2:30-6:30 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in March)
Winter: 2:30-6 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in November)
Pick List:
It will be a couple of months until the pick list starts increasing, usually around July 1st. We will do our best to keep a steady supply of spinach and lettuce from the tunnels. We will have fennel and bok choi again next week, and hopefully radishes, cilantro, dill, and basil in about a month.
Eggs
Cortland Yellow Onions
Joan Rutabaga
Mars Celeriac
Green garlic
Parade Scallions
Regiment Spinach
Lettuce Mix
Spaghetti Winter Squash
Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries
Herbal Tea Blends and Whole Dried Chile peppers (Please bring your own jars!)
Pick your own flowers and herbs
Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)
Revolution Bread: Fresh bread on Friday (Frozen bread available.)
Open Field Farm 2023 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members
I made this lemonade twice last week and it served as such a refreshing beverage for the hot days and warm evenings we’ve been having recently. It also works as a lovely base for your favorite cocktail or mocktail. All measurements/ ingredients can be adjusted to your taste.
Basil Lemonade:
5 large sprigs Basil
3-4 cups water
1.5 cups meyer lemon juice (15-20 lemons worth)
Many slices of lemons
Lemon zest (optional)
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup honey
Slice your lemons and place in a large pitcher or jar
Remove basil leaves from stems and add those in too.
Place sugars and honey in a heat proof bowl
Boil 1 cup of water and pour over the sugar mixture and stir to combine
Let the syrup cool completely while you squeeze the lemons.
Add two cups cold water to the pitcher followed by the lemon juice
Add your simple syrup and shake to combine
Taste, adjust, and let sit in the fridge to allow the basil to infuse. Pour over ice and enjoy!