How to Water the Fields at Town Farm
Hello Farm Towners!
What a welcome rain this morning. All of our newly-seeded carrots are very pleased, and the crew and I are happy for the break from driving water from field to field. Here's how we do it, when we have to:
1. Fill up our thousand-gallon water tank from the well at our main field. The well discharges a whopping 125 gallons per minute, which would be even more impressive if so many of our crops weren't located elsewhere. Don't fill the tank all the way or the trailer will bottom-out.
2. Drive out to the field (notice dog & bike in tow).
3. Attach water tank to main line of drip irrigation and turn on the pump. 800 gallons will provide ample water for 3,000 row feet of crops for about one dry week. It takes about two hours to empty the tank. This time we are watering the melons, while the bees are busy pollinating them.
4. Set timer for 1.5 hours. Ride the bike home (with the dog) while the water is pumping.
5. Eat dinner. Jump in the pond. Yell & curse at disfunctional pump in other field. Pick tomatoes. Hold friend's baby. Help six-year-old gut & fillet first fish. There are many things to do while the melons are being watered.
6. Ride back to field. Disconnect main line. Cut open a watermelon & see how they're coming along. Get very surprised and text Oona a picture of an almost ripe watermelon! Drive the tractor & tank back to the well. Fill the tank again. Drive the tank to the next dry field.
OK, so, if you're a shareholder, click this link for all sorts of important information about this week's share.
Listed below is what we'll have at Tuesday Market this week, including tons of ripe, red tomatoes, gorgeous Italian & Asian eggplant, and Cubanelle peppers, which are sweet & tasty (as opposed to our jalapenos, which are hot & tasty).
ITALIAN & ASIAN EGGPLANT, CUBANELLE PEPPERS, FRESH SUMMER ONIONS, CUCUMBERS (crisp & juicy, here's a recipe for quickles), YELLOW SQUASH, ZUCCHINI, PATTY PAN (here's a great tandoori kabob recipe), ripe, red TOMATOES, SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES, FRESH GARLIC BULBS, CILANTRO, DILL, PARSLEY, JALAPENO PEPPERS, RED CABBAGE AND TENDERSWEET CABBAGE, HEAD LETTUCE, CARROTS (Here's how we got them), BEETS, KALE (here's a great recipe for Massaged Kale Salad), SWISS CHARD, and SHAVED ICE!
We'll see you somewhere. Be well!
