Sunset Farm is beaming with beautiful Fall veggies like baby greens and newly planted root crops like carrots and beets. You won't want to miss this weekend's free farm tour to learn more about what we have planned this Fall season and get a taste of new veggies on the menu! Join us on the farm porch at 10am and shop the Farm Stand before you leave!

If you're interested in gaining hands-on farming experience, consider joining our Volunteer Program this Fall season! Volunteers work alongside Farmers Josie and Matt to help harvest and wash veggies or assist with field tasks like planting and weeding. Become part of the Sunset Farm family this season and help our farmers feed the Jordan Ranch community! If you're interested in volunteering, please send us an email at JordanRanch@Agmenity.com!

This week we planted our first round of Chinese cabbage and kale! Unlike our quick-growing arugula and radishes, these crops will take several weeks to fully mature before harvest. As Farmer Matt is experimenting with a hibiscus petal vinegar, he also can't wait to prepare a fresh slaw with the first Chinese cabbage!

In Season : Arugula, Radishes, Zucchini, Korean Melon, Cucumbers, Okra, Long Beans, Jalapeno Peppers, Banana Peppers, Sweet Italian Bell Peppers, Hibiscus Pods, and Flowers

Preparing for a new season is akin to welcoming home a friend who has been gone on a long journey. After waiting in joyful anticipation, we have now begun the process of fortifying the soil with compost and fertilizer, and creating more space in the coveted high tunnel. This week we seeded our first round of cool-season crops and soon enough we will meet again the familiar faces of Fall on the farm - leafy greens, root crops, fresh salad mixes, and tasty herbs. Come check out what's new during the Farm Tour this Saturday from 10am - 11am!

With the palette of a trained chef, Farmer Matt is still soaking in the tastes of summer. He has been enjoying fresh snacks of our new crop of Armenian cucumber and the versatility of sweet Italian peppers included in any meal on the menu! Matt also recommends keeping long beans on hand as they are great for a variety of dishes like a light broth with veg, or heavy cuisine like saucy stir fry with noodles.

Be sure to shop the Farm Stand this Saturday after the morning Farm Tour! Feel free to ask the farmers any questions you may have about starting your own Fall garden at home!

In Season : Zucchini, Korean Melon, Cucumbers, Okra, Long Beans, Shishito Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Sweet Italian Bell Peppers, Roselle Greens, and Flowers

This week we harvested 106 pounds of Korean Melon off of just one row! These mildly sweet and crisp fruits lived up to their reputation of being super productive in the summer season. Farmer Matt prefers to enjoy these personal-sized melons as a mid-day snack, especially on hot days! Also known as Chamoe in Korean, this melon is traditionally prepared in salads, kimchi, and as an appetizer.

Despite rising temperatures, the farm is vibrant with colors of deep green from Roselle and Cowpeas, sprinkled with a pop of color from beautiful flowers! We highly recommend taking advantage of the last days of summer with kiddos and enjoy a morning walk through the farm landscape. If you are interested in a more educational farm adventure, mark your calendar for our monthly Farm Tours that take place every fourth Saturday of the month!

Farmer Josie is also in the planning process for community events and programs on the farm this coming Fall! Adults and kids alike will have an opportunity to learn more about our sustainable growing practices we use to produce delicious food for the community, while also interacting with nature in fun and creative ways!

In Season : Patty Pan Squash, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Okra, Long Beans, Basil, Peppers : Banana, Shishito, Green Bell, Sweet Bell, Jalapeno, Mad Hatter, and Poblano, and Flowers

Join us on the farm this Saturday for a summertime farm tour from 10am - 11am! Check out our new plantings of cucumbers, melons, squash, and flowers while learning about how we keep plants productive and healthy during the heat of the summer! Participants will enjoy a refreshing treat of our new crop of Arava melons to cool off after the tour, and have a chance to shop for more seasonal veggies and flower bouquets!

We have sold our last cherry and slicing tomatoes of the season and only have roma tomatoes in stock! This will be the final week for our tomato crop until next year, so be sure to stop by the Farm Stand this Saturday. Though the variety of vegetables is more limited during the summer season, we are still hauling in big harvests of peppers, eggplant, long beans and okra!

In addition to beautifully ripening figs, we came across another surprise hiding in the orchard - two baby mourning doves almost ready to leave the nest! The lush canopy of leaves has been a safe haven for these babies and a buffer from the environmental elements. Stay tuned to our Sunset Farm social media pages, as we will post updates when the next flush of figs have been harvested! They will be available for sale by the pint in the Grab-n-Go cooler.

In Season : Roma Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Basil, Italian Eggplant, Okra, Long Beans, Peppers : Banana, Shishito, Green Bell, Sweet Bell, Jalapeno, Mad Hatter, and Poblano, Green Onion, and Flowers

Reserve your spot now for the Farm Tour this Saturday from 10am - 11am! Participants will enjoy complementary coffee and breakfast items courtesy of the Jordan Ranch lifestyle team while learning how we grow food year round in the neighborhood! Participants will browse the beautiful fruits growing in our orchard and taste test in-season veggies like cherry tomatoes. End the morning by shopping at the farm stand stocked with delicious veggies and gorgeous flower bouquets!

Celebrate the first summer weekend with fun on the farm! Our Buds & Blooms Kids Farm Adventure is open for signups and will take place on June 6th from 9am - 10:30am. Kids ages 8-12 years old will enjoy a farm scavenger hunt, seeding their own vegetable plant, harvesting flowers and more! Sunset Farm is the perfect place to encounter nature, learn where food comes from, and let your imagination run wild!

Despite frequent rains that have made field work difficult, our vegetables, fruits, and flowers are still producing in abundance! New in the Grab-n-Go cooler are pickling and Asian cucumber varieties that are both great for fresh eating or slicing on sandwiches and salads. Our Spring greens like collards, kale, and chard have officially reached their productive potential and will soon be replaced with new crops like long beans, Asian eggplant, and more flowers!

In Season : Slicing Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Basil, Asian Eggplant, Italian Eggplant, Okra, Banana Peppers, Poblano Peppers, Green Bell Peppers, Shishito Peppers, Green Onion, and Flowers

This past weekend, incredible volunteers from the Jordan Ranch neighborhood joined us to complete the blackberry patch in our fruit orchard! We are so thankful for their hard work and enthusiasm to help. Each person contributed amazing talents to get the job done, all while enjoying the fellowship of neighbors! If you're interested in volunteering on a regular basis, our weekly volunteer hours are on Thursday and Saturday mornings. Reach out to jordanranch@agmenity.com to get plugged in to the volunteer program!

Due to inclement weather this weekend, we will be postponing the Farm Tour to next Saturday, May 30th! Join us for a walk around Sunset Farm to learn about how we grow food for the community year round using sustainable farming practices! We will also visit the fruit orchard that is beaming with figs, pomegranates, and blackberries! The Jordan Ranch lifestyle team will be providing breakfast items and coffee, so be sure to claim your spot now for this fun morning on the farm!

Mark your calendars for Buds and Blooms : A Kids Farm Adventure from 9am - 10:30am on Saturday, June 6th! Children ages 8-12 years old will explore Sunset Farm through fun activities like planting their very own vegetable seeds and a scavenger hunt! Kiddos will also get to taste veggies in season like our new basil crop and fresh tomatoes, and harvest farm flowers to take home!

In Season : Slicing Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Basil, Asian Eggplant, Italian Eggplant, Banana Peppers, Poblano Peppers, Green Bell Peppers, Shishito Peppers, Radish, Yellow Squash, Chard, Collards, Kale, Green Onion, and Flowers

Join us at Sunset Farm this Saturday from 10am - 11am for a Spring farm tour where you can learn about our sustainable farming practices and seasonal growing tips for home gardeners! Participants will journey through the farm from seed to harvest and have a chance to taste some of our new veggies like cherry tomatoes! After the tour, be sure to browse our selection of produce at the Farm Stand and grab some of the last carrots of the season!

Interested in diving deeper into gardening with your local neighbors and expert farmers? Next Saturday, May 2nd, from 9:30am - 11am we will be hosting Trowel & Tea : Garden Talk in Victorian fashion with light bites of pastries and tea as we explore topics like plant health, soil fertility, and growing nutritious food on a small scale. Participants will have the opportunity to take part in an experiential gardening activity, so be prepared to get your hands dirty!

Stay tuned for updates on more community events happening at Sunset Farm this Spring like a community Blackberry Planting Day and Kids Farm Adventure! In addition to fun and educational activities, be sure to get your fill of farm fresh vegetables stocked daily in our Grab-n-Go, self-serve cooler! A quick round of radishes and arugula will soon hit the shelves as we wait for more Spring veggies like eggplant and bell peppers!

In Season : Cherry Tomatoes, Banana Peppers, Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Parsley, Green Onion, Fennel, and Carrots (limited)

We’re gearing up for our first Farm Tour of the fall season and can’t wait to see you! The tour takes place this Saturday, October 4th, from 11am-12pm. You’ll get an exclusive look at what it takes to get the farm ready for the fall season in addition to all of the delicious veggies we’ve been planting. Our tours are open to the public and suitable for all ages. No fee or signups required – simply show up at 11am on the farm porch ready to go!

The arrival of October brings the first harvest of our Cherry Belle radishes! These beautiful, vibrant radishes are crisp and crunchy with a peppery bite. They can be enjoyed raw in salads, sandwiches, and tacos and are a great candidate for quick-pickles. If you want to mellow their peppery flavor, try roasting them alone or with a mix of other root veggies. Make sure to stop by the Grab-and-Go coolers to snag a bunch or two this weekend!

Block out the morning of October 18th on your calendar and join us for our Orchard Beautification Day! This volunteer opportunity takes place on Saturday, October 18th from 9am-12pm right here on the farm. With your help, we’ll be weeding and mulching the trees in the orchard. We’ll also be planting a couple of rows of thornless blackberries and a native pollinator bed at the entrance. This event is open to the public and is a great way to leave your mark on the community. We hope to see you there!

In Season at the Farm Stand: Radishes, Scallions, Summer Squash, Okra, Eggplant, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Lunchbox Peppers, Jalapenos, Bell Peppers, Shishito Peppers, Poblano Peppers, Basil (Italian, Lemon, Thai, and Tulsi), and Flower Bouquets and Stems

We are excited to share that our first monthly Farm Tour of the fall season is on Saturday, October 4th at 11am! This tour will be a great opportunity to meet our Farm Team and celebrate the start of the fall season on the farm. Attendees will get an exclusive sneak peek at all of the fall varietals that will soon be making their way to the Farm Stand and onto your plates within the next couple of months. And, you might even get a taste of some of the first fall produce! Our tours are free of charge and open to the public. We hope to see you there!

We did a lot of direct seeding in the high tunnel this week for fall! Since most varieties we planted can be sown thickly (i.e. fairly close together), we’re able to do this with the help of our push seeder. This farm tool allows us to plant several rows within minutes! Among the varieties planted were arugula and carrots. Since arugula is a quick grower and can reach the baby phase in a matter of weeks, you can expect to see the first arugula at the Farm Stand within the next month! 

We planted a yellow mustard cover crop in a few beds on the southeastern portion of the farm to help suppress the growth of one of our most abundant and pesky weeds: nutsedge. Yellow mustard is a quick growing cover crop that will not only address the weed issues in these beds but can suppress harmful soil-borne nematodes and fungi. It is a different variety of mustard than the ones we grow and harvest for their spicy leaves. This cover crop will eventually produce yellow flowers that will attract and provide a food source for our native pollinators.

In Season at the Farm Stand: Scallions, Summer Squash, Okra, Eggplant, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Lunchbox Peppers, Jalapenos, Bell Peppers, Shishito Peppers, Poblano Peppers, Basil (Italian, Lemon, Thai, and Tulsi), and Flower Bouquets and Stems

Leaving Soon: Cucumbers, Summer Squash, and Peppers

Our first Farm Tour of the fall season is this Saturday, October 12th, at 10:30am! This tour will be an exciting one as it coincides with the first harvest of our fall crops. You’ll have the opportunity to see (and taste!) the new crops we’re harvesting and get a sneak peek at all of the delicious varieties that will be making their way to the Farm Stand this season. And, you’ll get the opportunity to see how our fall tomatoes are doing! Our Farm Tours are open to the public, free of charge, and suitable for the whole family. We would love to see you there! 

We’ll have a few new veggies for you at the Farm Stand this weekend! Whether you choose our grab-and-go option or come see us on Saturday morning, you’ll be able to try the first komatsuna, Amara mustard greens, and collard greens of the season. Komatsuna (above), sometimes called “Asian spinach” has a fresh and mildly sweet cabbage flavor with tender leaves and crunchy stems. It’s great for sautéing, stir-frying, and adding to soups. Amara mustard greens (below), sometimes called Ethiopian kale or Highland kale, have tender leaves with a rich, savory flavor. Try mixing them with your favorite salads green or making a simple sauté seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper.

No planting is complete without a lovely layer of compost! Compost is an essential part of our bed preparation process throughout every season. Before planting new crops, we apply a thin layer of compost to the top of each bed (below). The biology-rich matter in compost recharges the life in the soil and gives our crops a good start. The compost we applied this week will carry us through winter, keeping the soil healthy and active.  

In Season at the Farm Stand: Komatsuna, Collard Greens, Amara Mustard Greens, Baby Butternuts, Korean Melons, Asian Eggplant, Roselle Greens, Okra, and Long Beans.

Coming Soon: Arugula, Radishes, Salad Mix, and Hakurei Turnips

We are delighted to share that our first Farm Tour of the fall season will be on Saturday, October 12th at 10:30am! This educational stroll will include a preview of all of our fall crops in both the field and the high tunnel. You’ll also have the opportunity to check in on the progress of our fall tomatoes and ask us when your favorite veggies will be making their way back into season. Our Farm Tours are open to the public and free of charge. We would love to see you there!

Remember all of the varieties we direct-seeded in the high tunnel last week? As you can see below, some of them are already germinating! Most of what we planted will grow fairly quickly and will be ready for harvesting in the next few weeks. You can expect to see French breakfast radishes and arugula make their way into season first followed by salad mix and Hakurei turnips. Though we seeded carrots here as well, they have a slower germination rate and longer growing period. We’ll have a better idea of our carrot timeline once they begin to germinate.

We’ve reached the point in the year when our summer crops are starting to slow down and will eventually be phased out. You might have noticed that cucumbers are now out of season and we only have limited amounts of zucchini this week. We encourage you to enjoy the remaining summer crops as much as possible before they make their way out of season over the next few weeks! If you’re curious how to prepare any of the produce we’re currently harvesting, you can always ask us during our Saturday Farm Stand from 9am-noon or reach out on Instagram or Facebook. 

In Season at the Farm Stand: Baby Butternuts, Korean Melons, Zucchini (limited), Asian Eggplant, Roselle Greens, Okra, and Long Beans.

Coming Soon: Arugula, Radishes, Salad Mix, and Hakurei Turnips

The summer season has arrived on the farm! In order to combat the heat, we’ve installed shade cloths on both the high tunnel (pictured above) and the greenhouse. Since we use the high tunnel to extend the season of certain crops, the shade cloth will aid in keeping them cooler, less stressed, and more productive. This will allow us to provide you with more heat sensitive crops like tomatoes a bit longer than we would if they were planted in the field without any protection. If you’d like to see our shade cloth and summer crops in person, make sure to join us for our Farm Tour this Saturday, June 15th at 10:30am! This event is suitable for all ages and open to the public.

Two of our favorite summer crops will be making their way into season over the next couple of weeks: long beans and Korean melons. Both of these varieties can take the intense heat of summer and will lend delicious diversity to our future harvests. Our long beans (above) are just beginning to flower. Since the beans grow fairly quickly once the flowers are pollinated, you can expect to see them at the Farm Stand within the next week or two. Our Korean melons (below) are just beginning to set fruit. They will need slightly longer to size up and turn their characteristic bright yellow color. Be on the lookout for them in the next 2-3 weeks!

The back sections of each side of the main production field are currently planted with beneficial cover crops. One side is planted with cowpeas while the other (below) is planted with a mixed species soil builder. Planting cover crops during the summer allows us to improve the health of our soil while intentionally reducing the footprint of the farm. Both of these cover crops will be left to grow throughout the season before being turned under in preparation for fall planting.

In Season at the Farm Stand: Eggplant, Slicing Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Slicing Cucumbers, Pickling Cucumbers, Serrano Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Shishito Peppers, Poblano Peppers, Okra, Kale, Basil, and Cut Flowers (limited)

Coming Soon: Zucchini, Long Beans, and Korean Melons