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Hi Folks,
We're fast approaching mid-summer---August 6th this year to be exact----and the Summer is very dry. The last good rain we had was on June 2nd. Fortunately we have adequate irrigation water for all of the land we have planted. We have moved our Sweet Corn planting to Rob Bartlett's Farm in Salisbury, just west of the highway. The soil is heavier there and holds water longer than our Merrimac type soils here at Arrowhead. And Rob has enough water to irrigate about 60 of his 100 acres of cropland. Long time readers may recall that Rob is my cousin from six generations back. Most of the Moultons (Arrowhead is a Moulton Farm) and the Bartletts have remained in Agriculture for all these generations, with farms covering New England from Nantucket Island to Moultonborough on Lake Winnipesaukee, to Friendship on the Maine Coast.
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Potato Leaf Hoppers
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Growing Conditions So Far
Most of our crops look good this season. We have, however, suffered a long and severe Potato Leaf Hopper season this year. This insect came along on time in mid June, but has stayed with us for longer than the usual two or three weeks. These insects inject a phyto-toxin into the leaf as they suck out the sap. This toxin is designed to keep the wound open so the insect can feed without the effort of sucking. When there are a great number of these insects, these open wounds cause the leaf to bleed out it's sap. The leaves turn brown---called "Hopper Burn" and are no longer capable of photosynthesis. This has happened to all of our Potato varieties (worst in the Green Mountain cultivar) and the plants are dying down. Fortunately we planted this crop much earlier this year, so the plants were well developed before damage occurred. And as the plants dye down the leaf sugars are converted to starch, thus swelling the tubers. I expect a pretty good harvest much earlier than past years.
The Potato Leaf Hopper also attacks other crops including Eggplant, Beans and Dahlias. They have infested our Bean crop as well as the Potatoes, and the beans have been set back significantly. There should be some ready for harvest soon, however, and we are continuing to make later plantings, with hope that the Hopper season will run it's course. We plan to have Beans well into the Fall. By the way, the first pickings of Beans may look a bit funny, but the taste and nutrition will be there.
This is the price we pay when we do not use insecticides, occasionally we lose a crop. However we do not and WILL NOT use chemicals on our crops. Period. We grow such a diverse range of crops that there will always be plenty to fill the Shares.
All other crops look great so far.
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 Real Chicken Shares!
A good friend and fellow Farmer, Kempton Randolph, from Cabot Vermont (that's Kempton's Farm in the banner above) has been raising some fine free range Poultry for us this spring. These birds, Red Rangers, are the very best breed for grass fed, free range production. They will be ready to Butcher shortly and we are offering them as Shares right now. There are a limited number of these Roasting Chickens available and you may purchase them in Shares of one. two or three birds. They will be packaged fresh frozen and all ready to cook. Price is $6.75 per pound and the birds weigh just about five pounds each. These will be the best flavored, All-Natural, Roasting Chickens you have ever eaten---guaranteed! Two of our Member Volunteers taste tested Kempton's Red Rangers last fall and each of them said "WOW!". Please send me an email and tell me how many birds you would like to reserve. They should be ready next week. Please see the picture Kempton sent along of the hens in their moveable pasture setup.
We can't free range our Poultry here at Arrowhead because of the Hawks and Eagles. But Kempton can, and he raises them right---just the way my Grandfather Charlie did a century ago. These birds will be the center-piece of any meal and have real chicken FLAVOR! Send me that email. Thanks.
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This Week's Share
The Share this week will likely include Heirloom Tomatoes, Sweet Hungarian Peppers, Cucumbers, Kale, Onions, Green and Yellow Squash, plenty of Sungold tomatoes to pick and perhaps the first green and yellow Beans.
The Fruit Share will include Peaches and Nectarines and the Cutting Garden Share will have Mint, Basil, Sunflowers and a few Snapdragons.
All of these Shares are still available and we will make up the Share Pick-ups you have missed in the late Fall. So send an email or sign up at the Newburyport Farmers' this Sunday or at the Farm on Saturday.
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The Farmers' Market
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And speaking of the Farmers" Market, I hope you all saw the picture of the little girl eating one of our Peaches at the Market in Monday's Daily News.
At the Market this week we will feature Peaches, Nectarines, our new Micro-Greens---fresh cut to order right at the Market, plenty of Heirloom Tomatoes, sweet Sungold Cherry Tomatoes, and our new cherry tomato introduction Arrowhead #34, along with our usual offerings. Hope to see you at the Farm or the Market this weekend,
Oh, and let's hope for that rain!
Cheers,
Dick Chase
CSA at Arrowhead
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