FARM NEWS
The fields are popping - finally. After what felt like a long, barren winter the fields say spring.Strawberries look gorgeous thanks to regular fish emulsion injections in the irrigation lines and a new type of fertilizer applied before planting. We sampled the first sweet berries last week. Verdict: delicious!
The sunflowers continue to bloom. These are tall ones that rustle and whip you as you move through them. My favorite thing is walk to the middle of a row in the middle of the field and lie down. I close my eyes and listen to the bees meander through the blossoms. The dry leaves scratch the wind. The spiny stems prevail straight as electrical poles, covered with the dust that swirls from the road.
Bouquets of Lacinato, Green and Red Curly kale await, their bottoms leaves harvested for farmers market bunches grant the top leaves permission to reach out in fingered fronds; helicopter blades that spiral outward from the stems. It’s not yet so hot. The days are not yet so long, that the plants have fretted and tensed and become susceptible to aphids. The cool, cloudy days trick these cool season crops into producing a bit more, into living a bit longer.
The cauliflower is dwarfed by nettles. They have not yet started to flower. I’m not sure if they will. The long, banana-shaped leaves protect the tender heart center enjoined to grow out of its season.
The lettuce looks spright and lively. The turnips are round and juicy. The radishes crisply crunch. Sylph-like Padrons and hot peppers, newly transplanted, tenderly cherish the ground. Summer squash spreads out like a college student home for the summer. The peas died.
The fields move like spring moves, frisky and wild, placid and mild. The plants know how to act these days. Their offerings reflect our needs.
- Lucila de Alejandro, organic farmer, Suzie’s Farm
