May 15th First Pick-up!

09 May May 15th First Pick-up!

The weather has been all over the map this Spring. April was a month of dry warm weather interspersed with freezing cold nights. Our crew spent many hours getting to know the large white sheets of row cover, or remay, which provides an extra 4-7 degrees of temperature protection on any cold-sensitive seedlings. The strawberries needed a double row of covers to keep their blossoms protected from the frosts and freezes, but then they also needed to be uncovered in the mornings for pollination to occur. No small task, all that covering and uncovering! 

Row covers, or remay, protecting the greenhouse tomatoes and field strawberries from the cold nights.

The early spring dry weather enabled us to get lots of crops in the ground right on schedule, now we hope the rainy days and damp weather doesn’t go for too long! We need the sun and warmth to ripen those strawberries, and dry weather will definitely help prolong the strawberry harvest by not encouraging molds and other funk to grow.

Strawberry field and garlic.

Most of our work on the farm in the Spring involves seeding and planting. The weeds have yet to really start growing, and what’s out there we are mostly able to get with the cultivating tractor. In addition to all the planting, we have been busy thinning turnips, trellising our greenhouse tomatoes and getting stakes and trellising lines on our field peas.

Head Lettuce, Trellising Heirloom Tomatoes, Baby Fennel plants

The official first on-farm CSA pick-up is next week on Tuesday May 15th and Thursday May 17th from 1-8pm. What can you expect the first week? Spring radishes and hakurei turnips, spring onions, spinach, bok choy, and head lettuce!

New members, don’t forget to read through the CSA Rough Guide before your first pick-up- this goes over all the logistics of pick-up, like BYOB (aka bring-your-own-bags), what to do if you go on vacation, and how to switch your pick-up day if needed. The Rough Guide will most likely answer many of your questions, so please check it out before next week!  Split partners- be sure to coordinate who will pick-up the first week. If you have yet to send in your down payment, please do so by the first pick-up to be sure you are on our “pick” sheet the first week! Unsure of your registered pick-up day? Check your invoice or email us!

 **We do still have some shares available, so please help us spread the word. Shares are also available for our abbreviated 16-week CSA boxed delivery share to Doylestown Presbyterian Church on Fridays. That delivered share will start in mid to late June.

We have two wonderful classes coming up this month at the farm. The first is on Saturday May 19th at 10am, a Strawberry Jam Canning class with Marisa McClellen of the very popular Food in Jars Blog. This is an amazing opportunity to learn from an expert in the canning world, and a great way to kick off strawberry season! Pre-registration is required for this class!

On Wednesday May 23 at 6pm herbalist Susan Hess will teach “Dreaming the Herbal Garden”, all about starting your own herb garden- whether in containers or in the ground. Click here to read more about Susan’s classes at the farm this summer. Pre-registration and Pre-payment is required.

Last Call for Pastured Chicken Shares! May 15th- postmark deadline. Don’t miss your chance for delicious, nutritious and local poultry, delivered to Blooming Glen Farm when you pick-up your veggies. For more details, click here.  Please contact Ledamete Grass Farm directly with any questions via email or phone: April and Rob Fix, Ledamete Grass Farm, 5471 Sell Road, Schnecksville, PA 18078. Phone: 610-767-4984, email: ledametegrass@gmail.com, website: ledametegrassfarm.com You can also read more on our recent blog post about Ledamete Grass Farm.