In case you hadn't noticed, it has been extremely hot of late. This puts undo stress on both the plants, those in the ground and those waiting to be planted, and those doing the farming. Both requires lots of water to prevent drying out and dehydration. And while most of us can relax in an air conditioned home or office, Farmer David and his merry band of warriors (Greg, Oscar, and Jose) and all small and large farms in the area and elsewhere, are at the mercy of the elements- extreme heat, rain, and cold. If you do shop at a farmers' market, take the time to thank the farmer for bringing fresh, local, and sustainable produce to you. On top of the challenges presented by weather Farmer David is experiencing a different type of challenge. For the first time at Z Food Farm some critter is eating the plants that are developing in the greenhouse! And the damage is quite significant. Lettuce, kohlrabi, kale, among others, have been eaten. As a result there is a chance that there will be a shortage of these items at the time they would otherwise have been getting harvested during the fall. There will be a reseeding of the items that have been eaten, but this will not make up for the loss. Once everything is reseeded and starts to germinate the new baby plants will be covered, in some manner, to protect them from whatever it is that is eating the current plants.
What follows are some pictures of some of the bounty that David has been bringing to the Philly (Sat) and New York (Sun) markets as well as selling at the farm (Wed and Fri) and at the Lawrenceville market (Sat). Enjoy.
A painter's palette of colors. As you enjoy the beauty, imagine how tasty they are! Happy and healthy eating to all.
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