I am excited that this year the Forest Farmers' Market has decided to extend our season until November 1. Last Friday, at the market, Melody from Forest Hill Orchards and I were discussing how we had so much produce from our farms available that it was a shame to end the market at Thanksgiving. She spoke to the other vendors and confirmed that they would also be on board. So I called the market manager to confirm our insurance and the Forest BIA to set up the road closures. The BIA filed our paperwork and we will be able to continue for an extra three weeks.
Our vendors will hopefully include: Full Circle Farm, Erin's Tiny Farm, Claylan Farm Produce, Forest Hill Orchard, Forest Fungi, Herbal Blends Tea, and some of our artisan vendors too!
Last night we had a frost warning, which was particularly difficult since I had a farmers market in the morning and taught piano in the afternoon. Luckily my mother and my sister helped me cover my crops with row cover after I got home at 9:00. My mom parked her car in the field and I wore a headlamp as well unrolled 7 pieces of 100 foot long row cover over my field crops. The lights attracted the attention of a neighbour who came by to help, since normally that type of activity in the area means the cows got out (to use the common vernacular). They were less interested in helping cover vegetable crops to protect from a frost. With only a little bit of bickering we were able to get the crops covered and protected.
While the zucchini is slowing down, the tomatoes made a bit of a comeback last week, I was surprised by my harvest from the green house plants. I should give up on them soon and pull them out, but I want to do so when I can easily replant. The greens, however, are in their prime. Now is a great time to stock up on baby kale and spinach, they can be blanched and frozen and available for cooking all winter long. I am hoping to dig the last of my potatoes this week. Both the small size and nuisance of hand digging all my potatoes with a digging fork has me dreaming of a new BCS walking tractor, with a hiller and a potato digging attachment. Hopefully in a few years I can a reality! Being able to build raised beds would be useful for growing larger potatoes and carrots (my dream crop, I love carrots, as, I'm sure, most people do).
Last week I was able to spend some nice quiet catch up work time on the farm. I got some things tidied up and the rest of my garlic cleaned. If you are looking to plant garlic for next year, now is the time! I have bulk garlic available or even just a few bulbs if you want to give it a try. Planting garlic is easy and it is one of my favourite crops to grow. It is planted now, in the fall, often from the same cloves that you would use to plant. Separate the cloves, but leave the skin on. Plant them in your garden 6 inches apart (either in a row or grid). like to mulch mine heavily so I don't need to weed (I use wheat straw, but leaves or wood chips work too!). Your garlic will be one of the earliest growing crops in your garden, giving you a sense of accomplishment before you start most of your outdoor planting! The leaves can be trimmed and used in cooking in the spring (just don't use too much or you will impact your bulb growth) or young plants can be harvested whole and used just like a garlic flavoured green onion. In June you can harvest the scapes when they form a full circle, they can be cooked like beans, pickled, ground up into a pesto, or chopped up and used for garlic flavouring, and in July you will harvest a crop when one third to two thirds of the leaves are dry. Cure the garlic by leaving it somewhere dry with plenty of air movement (I use our open drive shed, or my barn) Then in 5-6 weeks (unfortunately, we live in a humid climate), trim the tops of the garlic and the dirty outside paper will fall right off. I also trim the roots. The cured garlic will last for 6-8 months in a cool dry place. You can freeze cloves to last longer, or plant your extras for another crop (I saved my biggest bulbs for seed, the rumour is, since garlic propagated by cloves are all clones, bigger seed bulbs will result in bigger crop bulbs)!
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