Transplanting the First Tomatoes
February 3rd, 2021
The first row of tomatoes has been transplanted in the high tunnel! Since the high tunnel provides a warmer, temperature-controlled environment than the rest of the farm, we’ll be using it to get a jump-start on some of our summer crops. The first tomato variety planted in the high tunnel is Edox, a red cherry tomato that performed well for us last summer.
Outside of the high tunnel, Swiss Chard was transplanted in anticipation of spring. You might notice in the photos that we’re implementing a straw layer on top of these beds. The straw acts as a natural weed deterrent and will naturally biodegrade into the soil over time. Swiss Chard is a tender green with stems that come in a rainbow of different colors depending on the specific variety (which is why it’s often referred to as “Rainbow Chard”). Swiss Chard is closely related to beets so you might notice that their leaves look and taste similar. Both the leaves and stems of chard are edible and can be subbed in place of spinach in recipes.
Our lettuce has been very popular at the farmstand over the past couple of weeks! Joining the lettuce harvest this week will be our Coastal Star romaine. The leaves of this lettuce variety are crisp and sweet and make the perfect salad base. Since romaine lettuce is not quite as tender as butter or leaf lettuces, it can withstand being grilled. Farmer Josh’s favorite way to eat this romaine is to grill wedges of it or to create a simple chopped salad topped with a creamy dressing. If you’d like to try some, make sure to stop by the farm on Saturday from 10am-noon so that you can pick some up from our farm stand.
