Sundog CSA May 19, 2020

Hi Everyone!

First of all, I want to thank you for signing up for this season. With the whole world turned on its head it almost seems impossible to think seeds could still be put in the ground and they would sprout and grow, and yet they did. Through unexpected snowfall in April and frost in May, crops came up and spread their leaves to the sounds and signs accompanying the coming of spring to this Kansas hilltop. Spinach, lettuce, mixed greens and even some collards made it to the month of May. We can vouch for the amazing lettuce - some of the best tasting we have grown! We planted the collards three times and on the third time, we managed a “stand” and look forward to having this green in a few weeks as it has been a while since we were able to grow it. The goats can also vouch for prior lettuce plantings and enjoyed a row or two of kohlrabi! The potatoes are standing about a foot high, trying to make up for the extra-long time spent in the ground before shooting out this spring. I dug up a few, thinking that maybe I had dreamed the planting of those tubers and found tiny little sprouts waiting wisely for the weather to settle! And we have peas blooming and hope that the deer are deterred by the solar flashing light that Katy set up – keeping our fingers crossed!

We still have plantings to finish in all the garden plots as weather has been a little challenging with rain and clouds making it hard to find dry spots to put seeds in beds. The tunnels are planted to tomatoes and we hope to stick some root crops in the bottom one in the next week. The ground has warmed slowly so the first bean plantings have come up here and there and we hope to see more plants poke thru in the coming week since the weather forecast says sunshine and warm temperatures. Peppers and eggplant are still sitting in pots – maybe in the ground this week also?

Cows have been moved to the summer pasture with our milk crew remaining here for the summer. Bottle calves and baby pigs are sharing the pens behind the barn so the morning and evening sounds are a jumble of grunts and moos as they hear the buckets moving and boots shuffling. Izzy has her egg chart on the frig and is moving eggs in the incubator with the hopes of baby turkeys hatching in a little under three weeks. Her Silkie hen is “sitting” on several eggs out in the chicken pen and we are expecting a shipment of chickens in the mail the first week in June as we need some replacement hens. It has been several years since we raised out some hens and so cleaning out the building and getting it ready for tiny balls of fluff is on the list of chores to do this week. Izzy and Seth (actually all of us) spent part of the winter reading about the antics of “Junie B. Jones”, courtesy of Izzy and Seth’s great grandma Gloria and enjoyed it so much that Izzy named the baby goat that she kept this spring “Junie B. Cheuvront”. Hopefully the name doesn’t come with any of the attached behaviors of the first Junie B!

###YOUR BAG THIS WEEK

• Asparagus

• Lettuce

• Spinach

• Rhubarb

• Mixed Salad Greens

• Chives

Spinach Frittata

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spinach_frittata/

Roasted Rhubarb Salad

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252369/roasted-rhubarb-salad/

Walking up the path after closing the high tunnels for the night, I found myself breathing in the evening air scented heavily by wild rocket - velvety plum- purple blooms gracing the goat pasture with their tall stems moving slightly as the wind picked up. There is something so rich about perfumed air, so elusive that your nose does try leading you where your feet hadn’t purposed. And my nose also did not miss the irony in the underlying scent that the wind also sent to me – the four legged critters who grazed the lettuce a few weeks ago send their own particular scent into the evening air to war with the wild rocket. Tonight rocket beat out goat and I was beyond grateful!

Blessings of health to you from all of us – Seth, Izzy, Katy, Dan, Teresa. Jen and Zach

Wild Rocket blooming for the benefit of the goats – and US!

BELOW – Some of our greens growing in crooked rows!

Junie B Cheuvront and her mom, Cleo

PICTURES by Katy and the how to as to getting them attached to this newsletter, courtesy of Zach! 😊