Sundog Farms

Sundog CSA September 15, 2020

Beautiful weather this weekend – one of those beautiful Kansas weekends that feel like a gift after last weekend’s heat and wind. Relief came in the way of rain finally on Tuesday with 1.27 accumulating over the next few days. Today as I walked by our plots where we hand sown some rye and turnips, I could see both coming up. The rye is straight red stems and since part of it was thrown by Seth and Izzy, it is an interesting germination picture. 😊 I did toss some buckwheat in the mix but I can see that it will not be coming up as the seeds probably needed to be sown with a seeder and covered instead of hand seeding. The shiny buckwheat seeds are on top of the ground and show no signs of knowing that they are not in their package!

We are still harvesting tomatoes however the quantity is decreasing and they are smaller in size. Taste still is good. The moths that deposit the army worm eggs are thick in the bottom tunnel but they do not know that we have a “secret weapon” that may tip this “war” in our favor. We have decided to turn out chickens into the high tunnel at the end of the season for a few weeks. We have done that in the past but it has been several years. Hopefully it will change how many bugs winter over! We spent some time this weekend once again picking the chard down to the tiny new shoots as it is being shredded by Harlequin bugs. Each one of those beautifully colored bugs that I shook off into my catching bucket went to the chicken pen. We are hoping to have chard next week.

Picking tomatoes in our top patch was a little bit of an adventure on Sunday afternoon. I was at the back of the patch and noticed that the deer netting was moving on its own through a tiny circle of green beans that have made it through the drought and so I leaned over and tried pulling it back towards me and found that it was attached to a large snake. He has his mouth caught in the net and it took a little work to get him “uncaught” and I have to say that I did not think that he was near grateful enough for the time and trouble! He left quickly with a “mean mug” look towards my direction. It was three rows and counting before I was able to focus the camera and get a quick picture to prove that I was a “hero”!

The three home cows and our two calves (Harry and Glory) are excited about their new morning routine with them marching behind me single file as I head down to the brome/prairie field and open the gate. With the rains, the grass is fresh new growth and even though it is a lot of work as it is still short, it is sweet and they love it. Right behind them comes the goats who are chased by the pigs so as we look across the field in the afternoons, we see all three species. I found myself standing on the pond dam in the warmth of the afternoon sun, watching pigs sinking themselves into deep mud below me while high above turkey buzzards were casting giant shadows as they coasted on the wind currents above our hill.

Dan continues to cut wood and add to the winter pile and Katy and I once again are experimenting with soap - and the weekend hours fly by. We enjoyed visitors, Gary and Judy who came showing a beautiful amaranth crop and some tiny Mexican sour gherkins and then our neighbor who sells us hay came by with a couple of melons so it was a bonus afternoon for us!

###YOUR BAG THIS WEEK -

  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Slicing and Paste Tomatoes
  • Sweet Peppers
  • Hot Peppers
  • Potatoes
  • Cucumbers
  • Beets

Quick Pickled Peppers

https://cookieandkate.com/quick-pickled-peppers-recipe/

Crisp & Spicy Cucumber Salad

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/crisp-spicy-cucumber-salad/

Mornings are a rush as we start chores in the dark and end up walking cows to the pasture gate in the beginnings of the day. The air is heavy and sweet and lies soft and wet on your face as you walk and there is the faintest of mist coming off of the pond as I swing the gate and open it up for the cows who are following me single file. And even though I need to hurry, the temptation to linger causes me to dally and watch cows eat as though I have never seen them do it before and the scene blends with the smells of warm, wet grass and worn cowhides and as I head back to the house to get ready for work, I count it well worth the time it took.

Blessings of health from the farm – Seth, Izzy, Dan, Katy, Teresa, Jen and Zach