8-19-10

SUNGOLD HEAVEN

TOMATOES AT LAST!

BITE SIZED

ROYGBIV CLUSTER

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING IS STILL A GOOD THING

DINNER INGREDIENTS

ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS

Juniper Hill Farm represents our 19th wwoof host. Previous experience has taught us to arrive before sun fall, but feeling eager to return to farm life after our traveling across the entire country hiatus, we arrived early in the afternoon. Our new host, Adam, asked us if we felt up to getting straight to work, and we decided to jump right in. It was the best decision we made all day.

He led us to his rolling green house where he has tomatoes galore: green zebras, sungolds, and other open pollinated heirloom varieties. This is the first greenhouse we've seen that isn't stationary. It rolls along a track, and this feature enables him to plant a cover crop in the location where next year's crop will go. This ensures something can always grow inside the greenhouse but also that cash crops are never planted in the same place in successive years. By planting cover crops, there is less chance for disease, and the soil builds nutrients, but the greenhouse never goes to waste. It is a pretty clever system. We harvested over over 75 pints of sungolds while Adam picked larger heirlooms.

Keeping the harvest going, we picked spinach while he picked mixed lettuce, all of which he sells at nearby farmers markets, or to his 30 member CSA, or to local restaurants. After the harvest, we submerged the salad greens in cold water so their temperature would cool quickly and thus make the lettuces have a longer shelf life. Adam had converted an old washing machine to act as a large salad spinner, an ingenious idea that works well, but only when he can jimmy rig the washing machine just right.

There's a lot to do here for two reasons: (1) there are six acres of lush ripe vegetables that need our attention (2) Adam's neighbor's place burned down Sunday night and severely damaged his apartment (note: he lives in an apartment in town and farms his parent's land 5 miles away) rendering it unlivable. We're ready to rolls up our sleeves and get to work.