Planting Peanuts and Acorn Squash
April 14th, 2021
We planted four rows of peanuts this week! We are trialing four different peanut varieties: Texas Red and White, Tennessee Red Valencia, Carwile’s Virginia, and Georgia. Both the Texas Red and White and Tennessee Red Valencia varieties are suited to growing in clay-heavy soils like ours so we will be eager to see how they perform compared to the other two. Peanuts are members of the legume family and like most legumes, they are capable of fixing beneficial nitrogen to the soil. This allows us to simultaneously improve our soil fertility while growing a food crop.
Remember our Hopi Turquoise corn that we planted? It has put on a lot of growth over the past couple of weeks! We decided to get a head start on our winter squash crop and interplant our corn with acorn squash. This is a nod to the “Three Sisters” system of companion planting among various indigenous groups in North America. The Three Sisters consisted of the three main agricultural crops: winter squash, corn, and climbing beans. Each crop provided a benefit for the others as they grew and once they were harvested and enjoyed together, they provided a source of complex carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, and all nine essential amino acids.
When we planted our sugar snap peas earlier in the year, we decided to trial an English shelling pea variety called Mr. Big. Typically, English shelling peas do not like our growing climate as it often gets too warm too quickly here in the spring. We were pleasantly surprised to see this crop succeed and give us one humble yet sizable harvest! These peas will be going to James Beard Award-Winning Chef Justin Yu so that he can work his culinary magic. As for our sugar snap peas, this will most likely be their last week at the farm stand so make sure you stop by on Saturday to scoop some up!
Our spring crops are beginning to wind down so here’s what’s on the harvesting horizon: green beans, tomatoes (check out those Midnight Snack cherry tomatoes in the photo!), summer squash, potatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.
If you’re out and about and want to support restaurants that are using our produce, check out the following: Ostia, UB Preserv, Nancy’s Hustle, Better Luck Tomorrow, and Brasil.
