Preparing for the Freeze and Bulk Harvesting Crops
We spent a large part of the end of last week preparing for the hard freeze. In addition to covering some of our rows with frost cloth, we did a lot of bulk harvesting, especially with our storage crops, to mitigate potential frost damage. A lot of winter crops like carrots, cabbages, and broccoli are meant for storing which means their freshness and quality can be maintained for longer periods in our cooler. Due to all of the bulk harvesting, the coolers are packed to the brim with delicious produce so we highly encourage you to don your warmest coat and stop by!
During bulk harvesting we made the decision to go ahead and harvest both kohlrabi and fennel in their baby stage. You can now find bunches of petite fennel and kohlrabi in the coolers! Fennel (above) has a mellow anise flavor that makes a great base for soups, stews, and tomato sauces. It can also be thinly sliced and added to leafy green salads. Kohlrabi (below) has a mildly sweet flavor similar to a broccoli stem. It can be enjoyed raw in salads, pickled, or paired with your favorite veggies for a simple sheet pan veggie roast.
We sowed the first round of tomato and pepper seeds in the greenhouse and they’re already starting to germinate! Most of this first round will be transplanted in the high tunnel since its more controlled environment allows us to plant more vulnerable varieties earlier than in the field. Among the tomato varieties we planted are the highly popular Sungold and Cherry Bomb cherry tomato varieties along with Big Beef slicers. We also planted a mix of sweet and hot peppers including shishito, poblano, and lunchbox sweet snacking peppers.
In Season at the Farm Stand: Baby Kohlrabi, Baby Fennel, Dino Kale, Curly Kale, Collards, Komatsuna (Asian Spinach), Bok Choy, Swiss Chard, Mustard Greens, Cone Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Scallions, Romaine Lettuce, Butter Lettuce, Little Gem Lettuce, Cilantro, Carrots, Salad Mix, Arugula, Cherry Tomatoes, and Early Girl Tomatoes
