More than one season at the farm

At the farm, we experience more than one season at a time. 

We are certainly well past spring and into summer now
as the plantings we put in the ground 

at our May "planting party" are now taking off. 

The chefs are having fun with all the padron peppers, which are in full swing. 

first plant in the ground (a padron) 

padron plant now 

Padron peppers are one of many chile peppers. 

Check out an interesting article in the current issue of Whole Living Magazine 

(including a "Pain O Meter" to help measure chile's heat) that details a lot about 

what a key ingredient chiles are for so many cultures: 

"Consumed in larger quantities by more people around the globe than any other spice, 

it's the underpinning of virtually every cuisine. 

Where would salsa, kimchi, and curry be without it? 

But because of the chile's signature bite, it's all too easy to forget 

its other qualities -- above all, flavor. 

Each chile contains a unique blend of notes ranging from 

nut to molasses, tobacco to licorice, citrus to stone fruit. 

And then there are its not insignificant health benefits. 

The heat in chiles dilates blood vessels, stimulating circulation and perspiration 

and speeding along digestion; when applied topically,

it's been known to relieve everything from headaches to psoriasis to shingles. 

Talk about a Renaissance fruit."

It definitely feels like summer in the upper quadrants at the farm 

with thriving basil, eggplant, summer squash including zucchini, lemon 

and white scallop varieties, merlin beets and sunchokes 

along with the padron peppers in just one section. 

And right next to all this, tarragon, asparagus, swiss chard, kale, fennel, carrots, 

lemon verbena and a few of the 350 tomato plants are growing.

summer squash, padrons and eggplants

sunchoke plants are almost 5' tall already. They can grow to 8 feet

first of the heirloom tomatoes appearing

But since our farm is a year round project, we are to committed succession planting 

where we plant at different times to vary our harvesting times. 

tomatoes, cucumbers and the abundant upper quad
overlook the lower quad planted with winter squash

So, here we are in July picking carrots and beets in the morning 

for the bartender at the girl & the fig to make a truly farm-inspired "Harlot" cocktail 

with carrot and beet juice spiked with Tequila 

(a server refers to it as "an intoxicated Jack La Lanne!"), 

while the lower beds are planted with winter squash.

photo by Jerry James Stone

Talk about thinking seasonally. 

Being sure the farm is planted for the season ahead 

even while we are picking what's fresh today gives us greater flexibility, 

is better for the soil as we change what is in the ground and 

certainly guarantees that the chefs always have farm fresh produce 

to feature on the menu.

summer and fall side by side: cucumbers and winter squash

 While you are picking the fresh herbs you've planted 

on your window sill or in your backyard, it is not too early to think

 about what you can plant for fall. 

So, go ahead be in summer mode and 

savor blistering padron peppers now while they are in season. 

(this video shows you how easy this is to do)

While you enjoy the heat of the peppers and the season though, 

do think ahead to fall, so you will be able to continue appreciating 

your farm project during cooler times. 

As we pick our summer lemon squash, we know it won't be all that long 

before the chefs will be serving

the winter squash that is just beginning to grow. 

honey-glazed winter squash on pg. 256 of Plats du Jour cookbook
photo by Steven Krause

What's in your summer garden? 

And what do you plant for Fall? 

Is it winter or spring at the farm?

The weather is fickle and playing tricks on our Winter Garden. 

There have been days where it is almost 70 degrees and 

buds are out on some of the trees already. 

celestial fig tree

Nectarine tree

It is unlikely we will see fruit on the trees much sooner than usual,
but the blossoms peeking out are harbingers
of spring and spur us on in our work.
What was even more encouraging was that only six weeks
after planting garlic, we harvested four rows about a week ago,
bringing green garlic to the girl & the fig's kitchen. 
John created a green garlic pistou with striped bass,
artichokes, gigante beans and crispy artichokes.

Green garlic ready for picking

garlic rows after recent harvest, ready for new bulbs below

Ray and Matt from Local Landscapers were back at it on the farm, 

planting more garlic so we will likely have 

one more harvest from this section of the farm 

before we put in other plants in this area for spring and summer.

 

Their careful work and the rich soil at our biodynamic farm 

ensure that what we grow is as pure as possible. 

Oyster shells which are pure calcium carbonate, 

are added as a soil amendment because they increase pH levels 

by adding lime and making the soil drain better.

It's as if we have one foot and one hand in our winter garden 

and the other preparing for spring/summer planting.

With the warm weather and our access to the greenhouse, 

we are now planting seeds in addition 

to what we are growing from transplants.  

The eggplants, peppers, herbs and tomato seeds 

will be started in the greenhouse, 

while most of the other vegetables are 

to be planted at the farm.  

We are gearing up to plant 300 tomato plants–just writing about them 

makes my mouth water, how about you?

And while we plan for summer's bounty from our seed packets, 

we continue to work the farm for what we will pick before spring.

In addition to the walla wallas and cipollinis

 we also are growing torpedo and red candy onions.

red candy onions

See the radish sprouts coming up between the red candy onions?
This is part of of our companion planting program. 

Companion planting is based around the idea that certain plants 

can benefit others when planted close to one another.

We will talk more about companion planting in an upcoming post.

Alongside the 1200 onions John 

and his crew planted lancelot leeks

Can you tell the subtle difference between 

how the leek stalk looks–straighter with a sharp edge, 

than the torpedo onions which are rounder?

lancelot leeks

leek stalk

torpedo onions

You can certainly tell the difference when you are eating them. 

grilling onions in the girl & the fig kitchen

braised leeks w/creme fraiche & truffles photo by Steven Krause

Follow how the companion plants compliment each other.

Tell us what you have been successful planting together. 

By the time we share with you again, we may have harvested 

more from the farm. For sure, we will have planted more!