Author: bloomingglenfarm

12 Aug Summer bounty and an epic winter squash harvest

Late August and yes, the tomatoes are literally rolling in. Into the packing shed they come in from the field- colorful heirlooms and ripe red beefsteaks and sweet teeny cherries of all colors and shapes. Then as quickly as we can find homes for them they head back out into the world. Whether this is to the farmers market, CSA or wholesale, we are kept busy picking, sorting, weighing and packing.

Melissa and Emma are kept busy packing tomatoes for wholesale accounts like Zone 7 and Ambrogi’s who supply local groceries and restaurants.

Though our hands are busy with summer harvest, we are always looking a few months ahead. Joining the parade of bounty out of the fields this week was the winter squash. It is ready quite a bit earlier this season- our local seed rep informed us this is not an isolated event, but occurring across the region. We harvested the spaghetti squash last week, and then before Tuesday’s rain came we scrambled to get the butternut squash out of the ground, followed by the kabocha and a few gigantic alien blue hubbards.

The kabocha is a corky stemmed winter squash which needs to be cured. They will get spread out on tables in a greenhouse covered with a shade cloth. This time period in a warm protected environment will enhance flavor and shelf life. They will be ready to enjoy just as the cool fall weather rolls around and we are all craving heartier fare.

8/11/15, CSA on-farm share #11

Meanwhile enjoy the fruits of summer- the juicy melons, sweet delicious tomatoes, and spicy hot peppers- all the salsa fixings! Check out a previous post by Mikaela with a delicious Tomatillo Jalapeno Soup recipe, or Jana’s directions for oven-dried cherry tomatoes.

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner. Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is entering its 10th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community. Tricia is passionate about food, art and nature and the intersection and expression of all three.

05 Aug Tomato Time!

This week’s harvest features some new veggies: spaghetti squash, tomatillos, red torpedo onions, yellow and red watermelons and hot peppers, as well as a return of swiss chard and sweet corn. Can you say salsa time?? There is a serious amount of food coming out of the fields right now- which requires quite a bit of juggling to manage all the picking that needs to be done while also squeezing in some field work.

Tuesday’s watermelon harvest; a late planting of field tomatoes yet to ripen, but looking good after a little weeding.

A few of our tomato plantings that were meant to be staggered are both peaking at the same time (go figure!), and the cherry tomatoes- well, no surprise there, they are prolific as always. No matter how many cherry tomatoes we pick for markets and wholesale and the CSA picks each week, they just keep coming in a tidal wave of sweet rainbow goodness. It won’t be long until the plum tomatoes are rolling in as well (yikes!). We will be offering them soon in half bushel quantities for canning and preserving so get your supplies ready!

8/4/15, CSA on-farm share #10

The farm is truly living up to its name right now- every where you look, it’s blooming!

Sunflower; sweet potato flower.

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner. Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is entering its 10th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community. Tricia is passionate about food, art and nature and the intersection and expression of all three.

29 Jul Middle of the lake

It’s almost August, and here at the farm we liken it to the “middle of the lake” effect. We are equidistant from all shores, and as we tell ourselves and our crew, we just need to keep paddling. The farm has a fuzzy feral look about it- the weeds are higher than we’d like them to be (break out the weed wacker!), the mosquitos and horse flies are taunting us as we harvest, disease is encroaching on the tomatoes, and the heat just exacerbates how tired we all feel. When the day finally ends with the setting sun and we step inside our homes they mirror the farm outside- dirty, with piles of dishes and laundry and loads of unchecked off to-do lists- and with most of us working 6 days a week, we barely have any time to cook the food we are growing, let alone preserve the bounty.

7/28/15, on-farm share #9

So how do we keep the paddles moving? We remind ourselves and our crew that the work we are all doing is important, that we each play an integral part in the season long effort to grow food on 40 acres of land. We are impacting people’s daily lives by providing organic nutrient-rich produce raised sustainably and with heart, and through that, a community connection to something greater than the worries we might have over will we have enough produce?, enough variety?, enough income? to provide for us all.

Breaking new ground- about 8 acres back by the woods.

Though we are tired, we all feel physically strong, and we can find joy and satisfaction in the small things- the sweet ripe flavor of a juicy cantaloupe and the discovery of a new variety we love, the tiny sundrenched package of a cherry tomato bursting with summer heat, the soft warm feel on bare feet of newly plowed earth, the myriad of butterflies flitting amongst the bright colored patches of flowers, the synchronicity of working as a team to achieve not just daily but season long goals.

Storage onions harvested and being laid out to dry and cure.

We hope that you feel the same way, that in some small way our work has touched your life for the positive. That this good food grown by so many hands and with such intention nourishes and supports you in your own work, and that the connection it brings to community and the earth ripples out though all our lives in positive ways out into the world. August on a veggie farm is not easy, but we can see the distant shore ahead, and we’re gonna keep paddling!

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner. Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is entering its 10th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community. Tricia is passionate about food, art and nature and the intersection and expression of all three.

22 Jul Reprieve from the rain…for now

The heat wave of the last few days was a doozy, but it and the roving thunderstorms seem to be behind us for a few days at least. We are hustling to make the most of the break in the weather. The cultivator is on the move again, beds have been made and crops planted.

Lexi Berko, cultivation manager, back in the fields after a soggy few weeks.

The work days have gotten longer as the harvest increases. Bringing in all the cucumbers, squash, tomatoes and cantaloupes has our days stretching late into the evenings.  The first and second planting of sweet corn look amazing, with minimal bug and bird damage, and we had fun harvesting over 2000 ears for Tuesday’s CSA pick-up.

Thought the harvest is just starting to reflect the main season summer crops (corn! cantaloupes! tomatoes!), we are already looking ahead to fall, transplanting leeks, brussel sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower, and the final rotations of summer squash and cucumbers. We have a watchful eye on our ripening winter squash crop and anticipate golden spaghetti squash in August.

After 9 months in the ground, almost all of the garlic was harvested last week. Our last minute email brought out a handful of stellar volunteers, who not only lent their hands, but their company as well. It is always a treat for us to be able to chat with enthusiastic CSA members and get to know some of you a little better. It makes the time pass that much quicker, and the work that much more fun. So thank you!

We are seeking a farm chef to prepare lunch for our farm crew once a week on Tuesdays, using fresh veggies from the farm.  Unfortunately our current chef is unable to continue with the job, so please contact us if you know anyone who might have the skills and interest to feed our hungry crew once a week. Our farm crew works incredibly hard, and we’d love to be able to provide them a nourishing meal made with the fruits of their labor. We were sad to have lost a chef mid-season, right when energy levels on our crew are low, and the days long. So please help us spread the word!

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner. Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is entering its 10th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community. Tricia is passionate about food, art and nature and the intersection and expression of all three.

(*Photo of Lexi Berko contributed by Justin Seelaus)

15 Jul Rainy day blues

Tuesday pick-up at the farm, and like clockwork another crazy downpour. The skies opened up and we got an inch of rain in less than an hour, and another inch and a half early Wednesday morning. Well, it’s not Texas and our farm isn’t completely flooding away (yet), so I guess we will try not to dwell on it too much. Instead, how about those Japanese beetles. Holy smokes! We haven’t seen them in these quantities in years, if at all in the 10 years we’ve farmed here. They are devouring the foliage of our eggplants and basil. Wonder why they showed up this year? Nature certainly works in mysterious ways.

Flooding has become a common occurrence.

We are super excited to have ripe tomatoes in the share this week- this variety is called early girl and they are particularly sweet and tasty- as well as sweet white onions, carrots, creamy golden potatoes and pick-your-own yellow wax beans. The cherry tomatoes are just starting to ripen, so we should see them in the share in the next week or two (the medium boxed shares got a preview this week). The cabbage is on the small side, so two it is.

7/14/15, CSA on-farm week #7

We’ll be harvesting our field of garlic in the next few days, after things dry out a bit. We are thrilled with the size of the bulbs this year. Our hope is to get them out of the fields before they suffer damage from any more rain. We are worried about all the root crops- potatoes, carrots, onions- it’s a lot of water for them to handle. We give huge thanks for our farm crew for their enthusiasm, and for putting in the extra effort and long days when we do have dry moments. Go squad!

Craig harvesting carrots.

Just a reminder that we are partnering with Otolith Sustainable Seafood again this season. The Otolith CSS (Community Supported Seafood) offers a variety of different options including halibut, rockfish, sablefish, Pacific cod, Dungeness crab, and wild salmon. All of the fish is sushi-grade, long-line caught in Alaska by small boats, blast frozen and packaged into conveniently sized pieces, and delivered direct to the farm during its appropriate season.

CSS enrollment is available online directly through Otolith. Visit communitysupportedseafood.com to register as a CSS member, select your fish and pay online. Your CSS shares will be delivered to Blooming Glen Farm on Tuesdays by 1pm. There will be a Signature Sheet to sign upon receipt of your CSS. CSS distribution is provided by Otolith Sustainable Seafood and will begin once your CSS fish has been harvested and arrived into Philadelphia. Notifications will be emailed to CSS members directly from Otolith.

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner. Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is entering its 10th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community. Tricia is passionate about food, art and nature and the intersection and expression of all three.

07 Jul Catnip, mosquitos and the wait for tomatoes

Every time we feel like we are starting to dry out, the rain pours down again. The cultivating tractors have been sitting idle, and the weeds keep growing and growing. Wet conditions are not ideal for us for many reasons, and it is difficult to stay optimistic as certain crops suffer. The average rainfall in June for our area is .22 inches, with a max of 1.6 inches historically. We received 6.7 inches in June and another inch so far in July.

On top of the day to day struggles with rain and falling behind in planting, we lost a whole field of celery to relatively new disease, “celery leaf curl”, that is striking celery crops in Pennsylvania and the U.S.- tissue samples will be sent from our farm to the Penn State Plant Disease Clinic to hopefully assist them in determining recommendations for prevention. This is the second year we’ve experienced it- but the first season where it rapidly killed the plants- rotting them from the centers out, and causing the leaves to wilt and pale. Disheartening to say the least!

We are excited for carrots and fresh garlic in this week’s share. The fresh garlic is pulled straight out of the ground- it has not been cured so the skin is still moist and the cloves fragile, but with a decadent flavor. Unlike cured fall garlic, fresh bulbs should be refrigerated.

7/7/15, on-farm share #6

This is the time of year where we find excuses to walk the tomato field daily, waiting for that first flush of ripe beauties. We are starting to see some blushing, so it won’t be long for the cherry tomatoes and early red field tomatoes. The greenhouse heirloom tomatoes aren’t far behind either- yes, we’ve harvested a few trays!- and cantaloupe and sweet corn are right around the corner as well.

First of the heirloom tomatoes!

The one thing I have noticed flourishing in this wet weather are the herbs in the discovery garden. Every time I walk by the discovery garden it beckons me closer, and I marvel anew at how much “medicine” can be found within. There are some monster catnip bushes in the garden this season, which had me flipping through my herb books for a refresher on its uses.

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) or catmint, is probably best known as a stimulant for cats. Interestingly, its action in humans is exactly the opposite!

Lemony-mint tasting, catnip is a gentle, and relaxing herb especially good for children. This mild sedative soothes flu, colds, belly-aches, and intestinal viruses. It is a fantastic remedy for adults who internalize emotions in the stomach or gut. Take catnip tea hot to induce sweat and break a fever. Combine with peppermint and elderflower for children, or combine with yarrow for adult fever. Harvest it now and dry it for the winter.

Most interesting to me, there seems to be a direct correlation between the fact that the catnip is thriving in the wet conditions which also means an influx of mosquitos. What you may not know about catnip is that studies have shown that it is a powerful mosquito repellant. Nepetalactone (the essential oil in catnip) is 10 times more powerful at repelling mosquitos than DEET. Amazing how nature provides!

To make a homemade bug spray, you can simply harvest the catnip when it’s in flower (that is the very best time, which is right now!). Chop it up, put it in a glass jar and cover it with cheap vodka or apple cider vinegar (which I prefer) for at least two weeks, strain, measure and dilute it (by half) with distilled water. Add a a few drops of any essential oils that you like for repelling bugs and transfer to a spray bottle. Examples of essential oils for repelling bugs: lavender, peppermint, and rose geranium amongst many, but do your research- some are not recommended for children or pregnant women. Spray as needed. (Don’t feel like making your own, but interested in this natural alternative? Susan Hess of Farm at Coventry, a local herbalist who has taught classes here in the past, makes a fantastic natural bug spray. Contact her to find out where you can purchase it.)

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner. Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is entering its 10th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community. Tricia is passionate about food, art and nature and the intersection and expression of all three.