Planting for Summer in the Greenhouse and Harvesting Onions and Carrots
The greenhouse is starting to fill up with summer crops! Even though we just started harvesting our first round of summer squashes, we’re already planting seeds for the next one. This is called succession planting and it helps to lengthen our harvest window and maintain more of a steady supply of produce throughout the season. In addition to summer squashes, we’ve also been starting seeds for hot peppers, melons, and okra (pictured below). Before you know it, it will be time to plant these crops in the field!
Our onion crop sized up nicely in the field so now it’s time to harvest and cure them. Curing involves spreading the onions out in a single layer with plenty of air circulation so that their papery skins dry and tighten around the bulbs. We’re doing this on the tables in our greenhouse. After the curing process, the onions become a storage crop and can last up to a few months if kept in a cool, dry spot. This was a bountiful harvest so make sure to stock up on onions next time you’re at the farm stand! They make the perfect addition to so many recipes and can even be cooked down into a savory and flavorful onion jam.
We know you enjoyed our baby carrots so we’re happy to share that we will have bunches of full sized carrots at the farm stand this weekend! Did you know that you can eat both the root and the leafy green portion of carrots? Once you bring your carrots home, make sure to separate the greens from the carrots. The greens can be used like an herb and they make an especially delicious pesto. Farmer Anna recommends roasting your carrots, then pairing them with a carrot top pesto for a simple and tasty springtime side dish.
In Season at the Farm Stand: Carrots, Zucchini, Zephyr Summer Squash, Beets (red, golden, & Chioggia), Fennel, Spring Onions, Cabbage, Collards, Kohlrabi, Celery, Kale, Turnips, and Icicle Radishes.
