Earth Dance, Week #17

Weekly Produce List
Earth Dance Newsletter, August 5, 2010

Here is just another reason why Earth Dance Farm is such a special place. This is the bumper sticker that Norm (our farmer) has on the back of his truck.

This morning, Matt, Riley and I started by harvesting Romaine lettuce, and in this photo, Stephanie and Adriana are washing and packing it into the member boxes. We joked about it being beautiful enough to be a bridal bouquet.

Next, we harvested cauliflower. Some members will be getting Romaine, and some will be getting caulifower in their boxes, as these veggies are Farmer's Choice this week.

Since Bushra's internship ended Friday and Mark is on vacation this week (and Genna has not yet started), I got to drive the John Deere today! Matt helped remind me how to drive it, as I hadn't driven it since April, and after his reminders, it came back to me. Thanks Matt. : )

As I was reaching down to cut a cauliflower this morning, I almost put my hand right into this spider's web.  After I got over that little scare, I thought, "What a beautiful creature."

Riley hauling crates of cauliflower.

Next to be harvested was Bok choy ... gorgeous.

Matt hauling crates of Bok choy.

The day was humid and getting warmer by the minute. Matt, Riley and I rode in Riley's pickup to the upper fields to harvest summer squash and cucumbers.

Riley standing among the summer squash rows.

Adriana packing summer squash into member boxes.

Adriana showing off some funny-shaped squash.

Bok choy washed and waiting to be packed into the member boxes.

Even with all the farm work, there is still regular yard work that needs to be done, like mowing the lawn. Noah usually does the mowing, and here he is listening to his music while he mows.

Noah doing more yard work.

Adriana and Stephanie eating lunch at the new picnic table Norm got this past weekend.

Hannah, you are so beautiful!

Conner washing summer squash.

Somehow, we were ahead of schedule today. So, while Conner, Adriana and Stephanie packed member boxes, Riley, Matt and I went to hoe the weeds around the carrots.  I had to take a few shade and water breaks, as we had lost the wonderful cloud cover we had had this morning ... but, thankfully, we did have a nice little breeze.

While we were hoeing, Norm cultivated the fields near us.

Taking a break from hoeing, with Matt doing a great imitation of a scarecrow. : )

There were clouds of butterflies everywhere today. These little yellow ones seemed to be congregating around the dampness on the ground here.

Stephanie and Adriana used this cute little cart to transport member boxes to the cooler today, in addition to the guys hauling them on the big cart. We were surprised to find out when we finished that it was only 4:00. Riley, Matt and I then spent another half hour pulling weeds ... this time around the onions ... and then Norm said we could leave early.

I would have never guessed that we'd be done early on a day when we were a bit short-handed. It was really nice to get into that air conditioning in the car and be on the way home for the day.  On the drive home, Steph told me that next week will be her last week on the farm this summer, as she will be starting up volleyball practices before going back to school.

I just can't believe how fast the summer is flying by.

The Harvest:
Romaine lettuce (farmer's choice), radishes, cabbage, Bok choy, carrots, summer squash, cucumbers, potatoes, zucchini, thyme, basil.