I am happily feeling human again after my bout with the flu last week; thank you all so much for your get-well wishes!  As it turned out, it would have been a tough week to try and get any produce out of the ground, anyway.  Most of the winter produce can take a fair amount of cold, even snow and ice, but vegetables can't be harvested when they're frozen solid.  It barely got above freezing all last week, and even when it did, well, it takes more than an hour at 40 degrees for a five-pound cabbage-sicle to thaw completely through.  By Saturday morning the farm was coated in a quarter-inch of ice.

While winter plants are tough, a week in the deep-freeze does take it's toll.  We did lose a few of the outdoor crops, but there's still a pretty good selection of produce for late January.  Most of your root crops will be coming to you now without the leafy green tops (the roots themselves are still excellent eating).  I've been cutting field-grown salad greens later into the winter than I ever thought possible.  While there was still quite a bit outside, it's beaten up enough that it's time to move into harvesting the lettuce and spinach, radishes and arugula out of the greenhouse.  These look lusher and more tender than what you've been eating in the recent past.  The cauliflower and broccoli are in the field under row covers, but despite their blankets I had expected to lose both when temperatures dropped down to 17 degrees one morning last week.  Miraculously, about 75% of both crops pulled through just fine! 

The hens also seemed completely unphased by the frigid weather last week.  I try to keep them comfy through cold snaps by stuffing their coops with plenty of extra straw, and lugging warm water out to them every morning.  The girls have also been enjoying piles of cold-damaged greens (they aren't picky).  They did not slow down the egg production at all...if anything they're rapidly picking up the pace as the days get a little longer.  I'm gathering more eggs every day, and if you're in the mood for eggy things, there's no shortage around here!  Though if you look a little closer at the photo above (pardon the dirt; I hadn't cleaned them yet) someone out there seems a little confused as to just what size chicken eggs ought to be?

Loads of broccoli this week!  We have a new big full bed of broccoli that's loaded with full heads.  The heads aren't huge, since I plant my winter broccoli closer together than usual.  That way there will be plenty of tender little side shoots to pick once the main crowns have been harvested.  The past week's spring-like weather has pushed all of the plants on at once.  I'm glad we're turning colder again this week, which will hopefully allow the broccoli to hold on the plants a little longer.  No guarantees, though; best to get your hands on some now!  The hens are also back from their end-of-year "vacation," and we're starting to get a much better supply of eggs than we have had the past month or two.

CSA sign-up time: get your memberships in for the 2013 CSA!  Subscriptions are available on a first-come, first-served basis until we are full.  Please note that we usually fill up very quickly!    You'll find details about our CSA here.  You'll find a link to download this year's membership form at the bottom of that page.   Please contact me if you have any questions.

And cauliflower on the way soon!

Last winter went down as one of the warmest on record, and it's starting to look like this year may offer up another winter-that's-not-really-winter.  That's alright with me, as I'm no fan of cold, snow, or ice.  And we're able to offer a greater abundance and variety of vegetables through a milder winter season.  But mild weather coupled with days that are now lengthening can trick a few plants into thinking it's spring already.  Tatsoi is always the first crop to be fooled into believing it's April long before spring actually arrives.  (It's a plant after my own heart - I wish it could always be spring, too!)  It's pretty - you don't find much of anything else blooming in January, and it gives the honeybees something to eat when they fly out on sunny days.  Bolting greens are still edible, but quickly turn bitter, and then aren't fit for anyone but bees and chickens.  About one third of the tatsoi here is already in bloom.  With temperatures forecast to be in the 70s by the weekend, you can bet the rest will soon follow.  So tatsoi fans, this week might be your last chance for it until next year.

Many of you have been asking what happened to the brussel sprouts we had a few weeks ago.  Aren't there more?  No, you're all apparently one sprout-loving crowd that ate our entire crop in just one week.  I had no idea brussel sprouts were so popular.  We will plant many more for next winter!

It is also time to start getting your memberships in for the 2013 CSA.  Subscriptions are available on a first-come, first-served basis until we are full.  Please note that we always fill up very quickly!    You'll find details about our CSA here.  You'll find a link to download this year's membership form at the bottom of that page.   Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions!