Spinach

Okay this is not my spinach, but a girl can dream you know!! Mine our baby little plants going in; about 150 and then rows of seed in the ground. Need lots and lots of succession plantings!! I can't wait for my favorite spinach salad with mushrooms, farm fresh bacon pieces, red onion and a splash of a homemade sweet french dressing - so ying and yang; I love it. I also am here to let anyone watching that the farm is closed tomorrow, 09/25. Meghan made Cross Country Finals and I cannot miss that!! Then I promise to rush home and put the 50 Lacinato (Dinosaur Kale) plants that are due to go in. I put a few in the greenhouse and they were eaten and then today I found a HUGEEEEEEE green/yellow grasshopper in there. The hose made him jump THANK GOD!! As I was trying to hold the hose with one hand and keep him somewhat slowed down I was trying to grab for something to kill him with (sorry nature lovers, he was HUGE he had to go) and then I realized that he had a suit of armor on and that the tomato stick was a joke to try and kill him with. The next closest thing was a block and so I dropped it on him, and then he still was moving so I had to jump up and down on it!! Oh my Lord no wonder those things do some much damage in the Midwest!! The good news is I am seeing more colorful bugs than ever (proof of my environment here), but on the other hand I don't want to see one of him again though I must admit the coloring was amazing!! Say a prayer...I am putting in greens and lettuces like crazy and it is supposed to hit 100 maybe even here!!! Ugh!! I will be armed with the hose for the next week!! Moonstruck signing off for now!!

Evidence of a Healthy Environment

My favorite thing to watch is the signs of a healthy environment on the property here. As I watch the beautiful colored bugs flying through the air it is a nice reminder that thanks to not using pesticides that nature maintains a balance. Some of the most beautiful colors in nature are in the parasitic wasps and such that I see flying by. Then as I watch out my kitchen window in the morning the quail are busy digging around the herb garden that is freshly watered digging up some yummy bugs for their breakfast. As I wander around the kitchen in the afternoon getting my afternoon snack I notice through the kitchen window a Road Runner checking out the herb garden...I had to take the picture from online because as soon as I started to reach for the camera he was gone!! In the afternoon as I let the chickens out I notice another nice partnership with nature ... the chickens working the compost pile next to the coop. I keep one compost bin that rolls for what I thought was a quicker finished product of compost, but to be honest I think the chickens are faster now. As long as I remember to keep it moist and maybe turn the entire pile with a shovel once a week or so it finishes in just about the same amount of time as the expensive compost bin. I REALLY enjoy watching the chickens do the work for me!! Of course on the other hand we do have a very healthy level of squirrels and rabbits and the Squirrelanator needed to come out to cut down the numbers that were doing more than their fair share of damage on the property and the rabbits undermined the fence again as evidenced by the complete disappearance of every transplant I put out and the loss of all beet and radish seedlings...at least all I have to do with that is find the spot where they broke through and repair it. Well I am off to check the Squirrelanator...Moonstruck signing off!!

Evidence of cooler nights

I went outside for a few hours this morning and the heat started to come on so I went and hid in the house and did some very much needed cleaning especially of the garage where I store most of my market supplies now. I prepped dinner .... farm fresh ham in the oven from the Bashaws, mashed potatoes, peas and homemade rolls well on their way and used the leftover berry sauce from breakfast to make a pound cake parfait for dessert. So nice when dinner is prepped ahead of time so when I drag myself in at the end of the day I can just sit down to a nice dinner and a relaxing Sunday evening. Days like today are my favorite where I work outside, come in and catch up on the house and get a good dinner on the table... a little of everything to make a perfect day. It was also very nice to be outside in the late afternoon and feel the cool breezes blowing by.... just a little hint of Fall in the air. The sprouting broccoli was proof though today of the changing temperatures... even with the high 80s during the day we are reaching into the 60s at night and the broccoli is growing large, producing more heads and just looking "greener". I put a bunch of swiss and spinach out with this sign in front of me and more to go out tomorrow. The tomatoes are slowing down, but the late summer bunch are coming on to provide us with tomatoes as long as the night time temps hold, but all the summer crops are showing signs of slowing and then the hard part...when to tear out and replace and give up on summer... for the most part that is now. Carrots and beets need to have a good start to continue through winter so more of those will go in tomorrow, but thanks to our Indian summers I am sure I will have great success with getting these started over the next four weeks. Time to call it a great day... Moonstruck signing off.

Time to Plant!!

Long list of things to do is slowly getting done this week... new location is found...Phelan Community Church for pick up until further notice located just North of Phelan Road and Sheep Creek Road. Look for the "The Park" the skate board park and the church sign on your left. We will be there every Thursday 2:30-3:30 for pick up of preorders or shopping on the spot by our CSA members. You are all CSA members creating the direct connection from Farm to Customer ... just like the new business card states ... Farm Fresh from Our Door to You!! Email us at www.moonstruckfarms@verizon.net for more information or go to the website at www.moonstruckfarmscsa.webs.com. Thanks again Janet and Carrie for lending me a hand with the beautiful business cards!! Business cards are done, banner to be completed for next Tri Community Open Air Market in two weeks on 09/24 at the Wrightwood Community Center. Thanks everyone for a great turnout today!! Facebook noted...blog done... Availability posted everywhere I am supposed to.... now I get to go tackle the fields and greenhouse and boy are they out of control with summer weather growth!! But night time temps say it is lettuce and spinach time. Trays in the wings waiting and going in by seed also to get ahead of things. With everyone who shows up on the 25th of September for the Planting Day will help put the shallots, green onions, garlic and more spinach in for the Fall Season. Off to bed and up early to begin the day... don't forget we are open on Saturdays from 8-12 for the working folk now too! Moonstruck Signing Off!!

Whirlwind month and beef!

This last month was one of those whirlwind months that were full of good times and great accomplishments, but just plain exhausting!! Even the weather threw in its share of craziness going from 60 to 110!! The fields and greenhouse have been producing at their full capacity filling the customer's orders and my freezer!! Today ended the week with another batch of chicken on its way and the beef boxes completed!! Just drop me a line if you would like more information!! The next few days slow a little with the Labor Day weekend, but will still be full with the farm now being open on Saturdays from 8-12 for pick up of preorders, poultry and any purchase of any leftovers from the week's harvest!! Another batch of compost is smelling like sweet garden soil and anxiously awaits to be placed in a row full of spinach seed. Trays and trays of transplants are awaiting the cooling trend to begin hopefully Monday so that they may be set out for the Fall Season!! The date for the new field planting still is to be set, but awaiting hearing from suppliers! In the meantime I spotted a nice clear area near the chicken coop that will provide a great area for a new garlic bed so that we won't run out next year and we can have my 2 inch garlic heads back!! Of course it will need a little protection from the nearby free ranging chickens!! The asparagus bed is going in behind the current greenhouse at the end of the new field!! Now the plans are laid.... time to get back to work. See ya all soon. Moonstruck Signing Out!