A common question during extreme weather events like our recent deluge of rain, is what do the farmers do in wet fields and rainy weather? Recently, we have taken advantage of sunny days by lightly tilling soil and planting cover crop seeds to let the soil rest before a busy Fall season. In this case, rain helps the seeds germinate and keeps plants well watered without the use of irrigation. Summer cover crops, like Cowpeas and Sunflowers, are vigorous plants that grow quick enough to out-compete native weeds like nutsedge.

Summertime crops need to be harvested about every two days to capture veggies at peak ripeness and quality, especially okra which seems to grow inches overnight! Typically even in mild rain you will find us harvesting in the early morning to keep our Grab-n-Go cooler stocked with the freshest produce. Our tomato crop will be phasing out of season, so be sure to grab our sauce and cherry tomatoes soon! The abundance of rain has increased pest pressure for this crop, so we will be slowly removing tomato plants in the tunnel and field over the next couple of weeks.

This patch of sunflowers has become a popular photo op for resident walks through the neighborhood and is a beautiful example of a mature cover crop! Sunflowers have a long tap root that can penetrate our heavy clay soil, and produce a lovely harvestable flower. Similarly, Cowpeas trap nitrogen in the soil with the help of microbes that bind to the roots, while also creating an edible pod.

In Season : Cherry Tomatoes, 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

While some crops are longing for a dry spell, frequent summer showers have caused our sunflowers to burst with blooms! These sunnies are a perfect pair to bright zinnias and marigolds that make up our summertime bouquets. This week we are preparing beds to plant more flowers that will last throughout the summer season.

Long beans are dripping off of the vine this week and are available in red and green bunches in the Grab-n-Go cooler! We are also harvesting hot peppers including Jalapenos and Mad Hatter, pictured below. This pepper resembles a bishop's hat and tastes mildly sweet with floral notes combined with a spicy heat near the seed cavity. Mad Hatter creates a beautiful color and rich flavor when preserved in a hot pepper jelly!

Just a friendly reminder to visit our Grab-n-Go cooler now fitted with new and updated signs to streamline the purchasing process! The Grab-n-Go cooler option is open 24/7, making it a super convenient way to get fresh veggies on your table throughout the year. Visitors can simply grab a paper bag, fill it with your choice of veggies, and check out at the iPad stationed on the wall. Patrons can also stop by the Farm Stand from 9am - 12pm each Saturday!

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

This month we warmly welcomed Meghan Williams, who just moved back to the Houston area to continue her farming journey at Sunset Farm. Meghan has a natural gift for stewarding the land and understanding agriculture, though she claims farming found her through a lifetime search for an unconventional career. Even more than her love for the outdoors, she is driven by serving others and believes in making an impact on lives through environmental education. Be sure to stop by the Farm Stand on Saturday to say hello to Farmer Meghan, and meet the heart behind our veggies grown with love!

Although our first fruits of Spring have just begun to produce, preparations for summer vegetables are already underway! This week we planted our first round of okra and direct seeded long beans. These crops thrive in the heat of summer and will be harvested from May to September! In the meantime, we are enjoying our first ripe Sungold cherry tomatoes! This vegetable is Farmer Meghan's absolute favorite and she claims the best way to eat it is right off the vine once it has been warmed by the midday sun.

In advance of summer, we also seeded a round of Buckwheat cover crop! This will allow the growing space to rest and replenish nutrients back into the soil after supporting healthy plants and harvesting rounds of nutrient-dense vegetables. Buckwheat is a quick-growing plant that produces beautiful white flowers to attract a variety of pollinators. Feel free to take a walk through the farm to check out our new plantings and the beautiful Spring landscape!

In Season : Yellow Squash, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Cilantro, Parsley, Green Onion, Fennel, Carrots (limited), and Celery (limited)

If you’re looking for more plants to fill out your home garden or just want to give gardening a try - these beautiful herb plants grown from seed at Sunset Farm are a perfect addition this Spring season! We will be selling herb starts at the Farm Stand this Saturday from 9am - 12pm, with varieties including Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Chamomile, and Chives. When you stop by, we would love to share gardening tips and answer any questions about best growing practices for herbs!

In addition to seedlings, our Farm Stand is full of a beautiful variety of veggies with new Spring additions on their way! Highlights from our harvests this week include an abundance of yellow squash perfect for adding to any stir fry or pairing with a root veggie bake and this heat-tolerant leafy lettuce to savor as we near the end of salad season. A few vegetables in limited supply as we approach warmer weather include kohlrabi, fennel, and carrots!

Spring crops like tomatoes and zucchini are sizing up and will be ripe for harvest any day now! The first buds have also arrived in our flower patch and our crop of Borage has become a haven for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators as they feast on a buffet of blooms. Be sure to stop by for a scenic walk through the farm, and stay tuned as we share upcoming dates for Spring community activities on the farm!

In Season : Yellow Squash, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Cilantro, Parsley, Green Onion, Fennel, Carrots (limited), and Celery (limited)

During the Spring season intentional planning and field time is devoted to trellising a variety of warm-season crops that need extra support to maintain quick growth and heavy fruit set. Plants like tomatoes and cucumbers grow as vines and enjoy climbing vertical structures like the trellis line pictured below. Peppers and eggplant tend to branch out and can be weighed down by heavy fruits, so placing wooden stakes with twine woven throughout the row can help keep them upright. If you’re a home gardener, simple bamboo stakes and metal tomato cages work great for these plants in small spaces!

Many of our Spring crops are beginning to produce their first fruits! We harvested a small flush of yellow squash and zucchini this week, and are looking forward to more once the plants recover from the recent cold snap. Crops in the high tunnel were protected from low temperatures and have continued flourishing in this warmer environment. We are patiently waiting for our cherry tomatoes to begin blushing - the first change of color for ripening fruits with an imminent harvest!

Although we are slowly phasing out wintertime plants, crops like carrots, leafy greens, and lettuce continue producing abundant harvests. This week we stocked the cooler with grapefruit-sized kohlrabi and multiple varieties of head lettuce to make delicious salads and slaws! Stop by the Farm Stand this Saturday from 9am - 12pm or visit the Grab-n-Go coolers open 24/7 for your convenience!

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

Sunset Farm is home to more than just people and plants. Amidst the development of once wild land, the farm’s greenspace has become a haven for birds and wildlife. This week we are reminded that a variety of animals find both shelter and food in the lush bounty of the farm. Although cute and cuddly as babies, our resident rabbits can cause substantial damage to crops by eating newly planted seedlings or an abundance of vegetables. In order to prevent losses, we take precautionary measures by installing small perimeter fences around our vulnerable crops. This redirects the rabbits to forage on sweet clover growing wild throughout the farm.

This time of year the rhythm and chirp of a Killdeer parent’s call is like a melody for our work. These birds choose bare ground rather than trees to lay their eggs, and raise their young on the farm until they are old enough to venture out. A unique quality of Killdeer is their instinct to protect their eggs and young by bluffing an injury in a dramatic display with hopes that the perceived threat would pursue them instead of the nest. When we locate a Killdeer nest in the field, we flag it and leave the section undisturbed until the young are grown and gone.

When you visit the farm to take in the beautiful landscape of Spring, don’t forget to notice the little surprises nature has to offer! You’ll be sure to leave with a full heart and plentiful bag of delicious veggies. This weekend at the Farm Stand you can choose from a variety of farm-grown tomato plants for your home garden and the last crop of cauliflower this season!

In Season: Cauliflower, Lettuce, Kohlrabi, Chard, Fennel, Green Onions, Parsley, Collard Greens, Kale, Cilantro, and Dill

Are sunny Spring days and wildflowers in bloom beckoning you outdoors? Consider volunteering at your neighborhood Sunset Farm to experience nature in a new light! Volunteers will have an opportunity to take part in daily farm activities like harvesting vegetables, planting new crops, and tending to our fruit trees and flower patch. While working alongside our experienced farmers, you can gain gardening knowledge and cultivate goodness in your local community! Email jordanranch@agmenity.com to join our volunteer program!

After planting our field tomatoes this week, we have officially wrapped up tomato planting for the season and are now looking ahead to harvest days! In the meantime, for all of the home gardeners we will be selling our farm grown tomato plants at the Farm Stand on Saturday morning from 9am - 12pm, until supplies last! If you are planning a Spring garden, these tried and true tomato varieties would be a great addition. Farmer Sarah is also available to answer any questions about tomato care!

Springtime is nature’s invitation to get outside and relish in the beauty and bounty this season has to offer. In the coming weeks we plan to have more new crops ready for field planting like eggplant, peppers, flowers, and more cucumbers! If you are unable to make it out to volunteer or stop by the Saturday Farm Stand, our Grab-n-Go coolers are a great alternative to remain rooted in your local farm and enjoy fresh vegetables year round!

In Season: Carrots, Celery, Fennel, Green Onions, Parsley, Collard Greens, Curly Kale, Cilantro, and Dill

After two long months in the greenhouse, the day has finally come to plant our high tunnel tomatoes! With wind gusts up to 18 mph on plating day, we are thankful for our protected growing space that allows plants to thrive in optimal conditions with warmer soil, wind breaks, and controlled watering. This head start to tomato season should keep us on track to harvest our first cherry tomatoes by early to mid April!

Despite a drop in temperatures again, our newly planted summer squash fared well and should have gained cold tolerance in anticipation for any more cool weather. Our first round of slicing cucumbers is also ready to be planted this week. Similar to tomatoes, they are destined for the high tunnel where a trellis system is installed for these plants to climb to extraordinary heights! Stay tuned for crop updates as we share trellising tips and ways you can successfully grow Spring plants in your backyard garden!

While Spring planting is in full swing, our winter crops are still producing in abundance. Newly seeded carrots and spinach have germinated well, while scallion and fennel seedlings are growing quickly with warmer days. Our last kohlrabi crop for this season is ready for harvest! This unique veggie has a taste akin to broccoli, yet grows in a bulbous shape above ground making it great for chopping and roasting or shredding into salads or slaws. You can find it in the Grab-n-Go cooler or at the Farm Stand this weekend!

In Season: Carrots, Kohlrabi, Celery, Fennel, Green Onions, Parsley, Collard Greens, Curly Kale, Cilantro, and Dill

The warmth of a promising start to Spring has hastened the growth of our greenhouse seedlings, allowing us to plant our first Spring crop of summer squash in the field! We are hopeful for an earlier harvest of these fruits this season, which will be closely followed by cherry tomatoes. In the coming weeks, we will be making room in the field and high tunnel to plant our peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and flowers! We are especially pleased with high germination yields of our flowers, as many varieties need very specific growing conditions like light exposure to the seed and precise soil temperature.

With the changing of seasons, our new seedlings aren’t the only thing eager to experience new life. Both cool and warm-season weeds are breaking through the ground in response to plentiful rain and sunshine. Our goal is to keep these weeds at bay before we settle into our true Spring and Summer season when weeds are even more keen to consume beautifully prepared bare soil. Though weeding can seem like a chore, it is a necessary part of growing food when the farmer chooses to work alongside nature rather than against it.

If you too are looking to enjoy the outdoors this weekend, please stop by our Farm Stand from 9am - 12pm. There will be an array of freshly harvested veggies, versatile enough to prepare a refreshing salad or a warm and hearty soup! Farmer Sarah will be there to answer any questions you may have about starting a Spring garden of your own too!

In Season: Carrots, Celery, Fennel, Green Onions, Green Cabbage, Parsley, Collard Greens, Curly Kale, Cilantro, and Dill

This week our time and energy spent farming was truly rewarded when one of our loyal customers shared that their children would only eat vegetables grown at Sunset Farm! Their weekly ritual of purchasing produce from the Grab-n-Go cooler not only provides healthier food for their family, but also creates an opportunity of joy to encounter nature and agriculture up close. Food is much more than simple fuel for the body when it is rooted in connection and relationship. As Spring approaches, we are inspired to continue providing nutritious vegetables to the neighborhood and cultivate a space for more memories to be made!

Following suit of our up-potted tomato plants, this week we are transferring all pepper varieties to larger growing cells. This also allows them to increase in size and stature before planting them in the field and high tunnel. With these Spring plants in mind, we have started preparing our soil to welcome new crops. After terminating the cover crop which added plant matter back into the soil, we will add a thick layer of compost and a sprinkle of fertilizer. This should create a fertile space for plant roots and soil microbes to flourish throughout the Spring season!

In just a glimpse of this moment in time on the farm, our vegetables are telling a story of love from seed to plate. So if your family is craving something meaningful, make it a part of your week to stop by Sunset Farm to fuel body and soul! Farmer Sarah will be hosting a Farm Stand this Saturday from 9am - 12pm, and if you can’t make it the Grab-n-Go cooler is always open!

In Season: Carrots, Celery, Fennel, Green Onions, Green Cabbage, Parsley, Collard Greens, Curly Kale, Cilantro, and Dill