This week you have probably noticed dramatic changes in the farm
landscape--tomato stakes have been pulled, large chunks of tomato and brassica
fields have been mowed, cover crop is growing strong after the 5+ inches of
rain we received ten days ago. Normally, this time of year we're keeping
our eye on the many beds of roots that we're counting on for the Winter CSA
Share, looking to strike a balance between giving them time in the cold weather
to sweeten up but avoiding the decimation that we know our local vole and goose
populations are capable of. More recently our big concern turned out to
be the cabbage field. Knowing that many inches of rain was forecasted, we
realized that the tender, flat drum head cabbages (aptly named Tendersweet) would
all burst with any extra bit of moisture. We harvested half the field one
day, and the rest the next. As it turned out, the other green cabbages
and one variety of red were also on the verge of bursting and they quickly made
it onto the next episode of what Roy deemed our farm reality TV show,
"Cabbage Rescue". We're usually maxed out for cold storage
during this time of year, but having a cooler full of cabbages this early in
October makes it feel particularly tight. Luckily, they're a crop that
will hold in the right conditions for many months, and I'm feeling relieved to
know that we have them safely out of the field.
In addition to cabbages, you're starting to see the autumn greens
really rolling in, most of which tend to fall into the "farmers'
favorite" category-the unique deliciousness of broccoli raab and mustard
greens is a much talked about topic during the morning harvest.
Unfortunately, some of our fall roots have made a poor showing this year.
We seeded parsnips two or three times through early to mid-summer, with no luck
at all. They're a finicky germinator and though we usually get something
from a planting, this year's hot and dry weather seemed to be too much for
those little wisps of seeds to find their potential. Rutabagas and purple
top turnips also took a hit from the extreme weather, and while they germinated
and their greens have been looking great, the root formation is very
spotty. Much as we tried to get water rotated through the farm
consistently, it was a big challenge to get enough moisture in a year when most
fields needed two weekly rounds of irrigation. But salad turnips and red
radishes have come along nicely throughout the fall. Leeks have been
stellar, and you'll see them once again this week, as well as some delicious
garlic.
The most dramatic
event of the week will happen quietly on the farm, when Zannah Porter works her
final day with us on Saturday. Zannah joined us in 2012 after spending a couple of years at
Land's Sake farm in Weston. She ran the gauntlet in her interview,
sitting down with Amanda, Andy, Dan and myself. We all knew afterwards
that she could be an important addition and complement to the farm, and four
years later, you can see that we were proven correct. By her second season, she
was managing the Gateways property in Weston, which has remained her focus in
subsequent years. She has also taken careful care of our equipment fleet,
staying on top of maintenance and researching and making new purchases to
increase efficiency and production. Zannah has cared deeply about and
taken deep care of Waltham Fields from the start and working with her has been
one of the highlights of my time here. She has a strong appreciation for
the natural and non-human world going on around her, and farming is just one expression
of that. By working with Zannah, we've all vicariously enjoyed canoe
trips through Maine, hikes in the White Mountains, childhood romps through
Virginian creeks and woods, stints working for a white water rafting company
and all sorts of other adventures. And then of course, there's Banjo, the
favorite farm dog of the past four years. Both of them will be missed
dearly, but we couldn't be happier for her to take on her next adventure as the head Farm Manager at Powisset Farm. This farm won't be the same without her, so if you see her
around the fields this week, give her a big thank you.
Erinn Roberts
Farm Manager
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