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Crop Talk, July 11: Week 6
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The next time you ride the wagon to the back of the farm, you may notice tall, broad-leafed sunflowers growing in the lettuce field. They're not volunteers. We planted them there because they love the hot summer sun, and their leaves catch a lot of it, providing shade for the lettuce, which doesn't tolerate the heat so well.
Companion planting -- growing different plants that help each other in the same space -- is a sustainable technique that farmers have used for centuries. Native Americans, for example, often planted corn, beans, and squash in the same plots because the beans fixed nitrogen for the corn, the corn provided climbing poles for the beans, and the squash acted like living mulch, covering the soil with its wide leaves so weeds didn't grow.
"Organic gardeners know that a diverse mix of plants makes for a healthy and
beautiful garden
. Many believe that certain plant combinations have extraordinary (even mysterious) powers to help each other grow. Scientific study of the process, called companion planting, has confirmed that some combinations have real benefits unique to those combinations. And practical experience has demonstrated to many gardeners how to mate certain plants for their mutual benefit. C
ompanions help each other grow—tall plants, for example, provide shade for sun-sensitive shorter plants. And the technique
uses garden space efficiently.
Vining plants cover the ground, upright plants grow up, allowing for two plants in the same patch.
Companions also prevent pest problems. Plants like onions repel pests, and other plants can lure pests away from more delicate plants. Or one plant may attract the predators of another plant's pests."
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Week 6 CSA Shares Include:
Kale
Broccoli
Summer squash
Peaches
Potatoes
Pristine Apples
Cucumbers
About this week's fruit:
You may notice dings and nicks on your peaches and apples -- that's hail damage. A couple of violent thunderstorms in June pelted our orchards with hailstones the size of acorns, and a lot of our fruit wound up marked. We wish that weren't the case, but it is. The fruit is still perfectly good to eat, but the peaches will ripen faster than usual, so eat them right away.
Group site members, please remember that
boxes must be picked up on the day they are delivered. Most group site hosts can't refrigerate boxes, so many items will be spoiled by the next day.
I encourage group site hosts to give unclaimed boxes to their neighbors or consider them a bonus for hosting. So please remember to pick up on delivery day. Those days are listed by zip code on
our website. If you'll be gone when we deliver to your house, you might consider leaving a cooler for your share. Fragile items wilt quickly if left out in the heat.
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The kale keeps coming -- lucky us! I usually braise my kale with onion and garlic and eat it with black beans or pinto beans, but there are many other possibilities. Here's the link to last week's list from
Health.com, incase you want to explore new ideas.
Summer Hours at The Roosteraunt
Tuesday through Sunday, 11 to 3
Closed Mondays
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Pick-Your-Own Bonus
July 12 -- 18
5 peaches
or
half-pint black raspberries
Wagon Rides from 9:15 through 5:00
We'll take you to the berry patch or the peach orchard in a farm wagon so you're in the right place and we know who's in the field if storms blow in. Wagons start at 9:15 sharp and run every 20 to 30 minutes through the morning hours. Starting at 1:00, wagons leave the market at the top of the hour until 5:00.
This week's Bonus Value: $5.00
Year-to- Date Bonus Value: $62.00
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What’s going on in the Big Red Barn on Sunday mornings? Classes in Canine Parkour and Confidence Foundations for dogs, of course!
Canine Parkour is a sport in which you turn your surroundings into an environmental agility course. You and your dog will begin to see neighborhood walks in a whole new way. A park bench becomes an opportunity to practice “2 paws up," and a tree becomes the perfect obstacle for a “go around!" You’ll discover things to go under, over, through and in, and balancing on curbstones and landscape timbers will be a walk in the park.
In Confidence Foundations we pay particular attention to communication with our dogs, building skills for on-leash and off-leash cooperation. Your dog will become more sure-footed as we observe the way he navigates labyrinths, hoops, cavalettis, textures, and more. We'll improve balance and coordination using bodywork, body wraps, and thoughtful movement.
These classes are part of Joyful Dog LLC’s Great Country Fidos offerings. We’re accepting registrations for our final four-week summer term, which begins on July 31. Canine Parkour is at 9:30 Sunday mornings, and Confidence Foundations is at 11:00. Tuition is $108 for farm members for each four-week term, and $140 for non-members.
Joyful Dog also offers private training in good manners for puppies and adult dogs, Tellington TTouch, and behavioral issues by appointment at the farm, or in your home. Call 703-554-2384 to register.
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Great Country Farms | 540-554-2073 | CSA@GreatCountryFarms.com | www.GreatCountryFarms.com
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