Catalpa Ridge News–Volume 20 No 12–August 31, 2015

Great Day in Hoboken !

The annual Heirloom Tomato Tasting was on Sunday and we had over 20 varieties for tasting. The winner this year was Jelly Bean, a grape variety. This variety we have shipped to all the CSA drop-offs this season, so we hope that you have enjoyed them as much as the tasters did in Hoboken. The second place finisher was Striped German. This is one of the bi-color yellow/red tomatoes that we have been delivering as well.  Another favorite that is similar is Pineapple. The third place finisher was John Bear a more classic red variety. Each of the tomatoes has their own distinct flavor and everyone who came remarked about the great variety and taste.  There is nothing like a fresh harvest Heirloom tomatoes!

 

This event is also a great way to meet many of our CSA members in Hoboken.

 

Franklin Greenhouse Report:   

Three beds from the previous harvest were cleaned up and re-seeded with Oriental greens for the late autumn harvests. The eggplant continue to do well. The basil plants have started to shut down so that bed will be re-seeded with fall crops. We should have some greens for next week’s harvest from the Franklin greenhouse and those beds will then be seeded and planted for the fall.

 

From the Fields: A few of the beds that we seeded about one month ago have not done well. The beets are doing well and should start showing up in the next week or two. The zucchini and cumber plants are both starting to shut down so the harvest of these will start to drop off.

 

We are looking at the sunchoke (Jerusalem Artichokes) plants and they are looking extra good this year. We anticipate harvesting them in about one month.

 

Quite a few of the tomato plants are starting to shut down but we should be ok for the foreseeable future as we grow so many varieties  and have extensive plantings over different locations in the fields.

 

The cabbage, chard, kale and lettuce are all doing OK. We have a nice harvest of winter squash coming in. Varieties will include Butternut, Spaghetti, Kabocha, Delicata and Acorn.

 

Weather Report: We have had to irrigate over the last two weeks due to lack of rain. Temperatures have varied from very cool to too hot to too cool! Oh, the joys of farming. It appears we are trending for a hot week this week.

 

PS – Thanks to all who sent me an email regarding my Mom. She is doing better and is home from the hospital! – Sue