A Greenhouse Makeover and Mowing our Cowpea Cover Crop

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Our greenhouse received a makeover just in time for fall! Over the past couple of weeks, we replaced all of the original panels with greenhouse film. Over time, the extreme heat of this summer warped some of the panels making it harder for them to withstand the wind while also disrupting the seal. The new film will allow us to control the environment inside better and will hopefully lead to improved germination.

In order to have space for all of the fall crops that are filling the greenhouse, we’ll be mowing down our cowpea cover crop. Cover crops in the legume family like cowpeas have the ability to fix beneficial nitrogen to the soil as they grow. You can see the evidence of this in the photo below! The nodules on the cowpea roots that fix nitrogen are in the center of the frame. Once the cowpeas are mowed down, we’ll tarp them so that they break down and are incorporated into the soil as organic matter. At that point, this section of our field will be ready for our second succession of fall planting!

You might have noticed that we’re a little lean on offerings at the moment as we transition from late summer into fall. Despite having a smaller variety of items to cook with in our kitchens, we’ve still been whipping up some incredibly delicious dishes. Farmer Alex recently made a lasagna with thin slices of eggplant and Egyptian spinach that was really delicious. And, one of our volunteers, Anna, has been making batches of fermented pickles with our cucumbers. We’ve also been making a few small zinnia bouquets each week in case you’d like to add some farm beauty to your home! You can find the full list of what we have available below.

In Season at the Farm Stand: Okra, Asian Eggplants, Italian Eggplants, Cucumbers, Sweet Peppers, Roselle Greens, Egyptian Spinach, and Zinnia Bouquets.