The scant quarter inchof rain we finally collected this week was not enough to make much of a dent in the dry soil. The vegetables and pastures are hurting badly for it with stunted vegetative growth and poor yields. Many of the crops that are starting to come in are coming with disappointing numbers and with the stress showing in quality and speed of regrowth. We’ve continued the rotation of irrigation, though it is only sufficient to keep the plants alive, not enough on its own to keep them strong and vibrant.
The dry season has been a huge help in the excavation work around here though. The new waterline is up and running and all of the grading has been done around the bank barn. Next week we have a van load of pinch-hitters coming all the way from Austin, Texas to help out on construction and other farm projects. We’ll be working every morning from 5-1, with a break for breakfast, and followed up with lunch. If anyone has a free morning to help out we’d love the extra hands, just let us know ahead of time so we can plan projects appropriately. All skill levels are welcome—fun and good meals are guaranteed!
Design Contest
Sharpen your pencils and utility knives. As part of the waterline project James is announcing a CSA-wide design contest. We now have 22 hydrants serving 5000 feet of pipe. The hydrants sit 1.5 feet below ground in an 8″ sleeve of culvert pipe. We need to create lids for each sleeve to protect the hydrants from collecting debris and to insulate them from freezing in the winter. And of course the tops need to come off easily when we want them to and stay on securely when we don’t. Design drawings are welcome as are personalized prototype models. Talk to James for more details on sizes and constraints and to see a sample hydrant tonight.
In the Full and By Farm Shares
In the veggie share: carrots, beets, lots of broccoli, bunching onions, loose-leaf lettuce, mesclun mix, cabbage, celery, chard, kale, loads of zucchini, basil and white beans. We’ll have some other tasty treats at the pick-up that are just starting to ripen.
In the meat share: We have fresh beef this week. We butchered the front quarters yesterday and have plentiful ground beef and rib steaks. The back quarters will be coming in two weeks. Many cuts of pork and chickens are in the freezers.
Sara Kurak
Full and By Farm
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