Category Summer

Summer Maintenance

Last week was filled with general summer field maintenance tying tomato rows, patching drip tape that animals have chewed on, mowing the edges of the field, moving flash tape to keep birds away from the wee popcorn, and of course weeding.…

Hot Days

Well, it is officially summer and the weather is following suit. The mornings start out bright and sunny. With the temperature quickly climbing and by midday it is way too hot to be anywhere near the greenhouse. By the early…

Everything is Planted

The entire field is finally planted. Last week I planted the last of the popcorn, a bit behind schedule but in the ground nevertheless.   The tomato plants are getting big. The cherry varieties have lots of green fruit on…

Purposely Small

A few weekends ago I was at a grand opening party for a local Sonoma Valley business, T.A.T. Gallery.  I ran into friends and acquaintances, enjoyed tasty food, good music, even an amazing magic show.  It was lovely to get away…

Living Seed Catalog

Last week I spent some time at the National Heirloom Expo.  Each year they have large, detailed displays of  squash, tomatoes, peppers, and melons.  All organized by varieties, its like a living seed catalog. As a farmer you spend a lot…

The Changing Light

Thursday morning while I was getting seedlings ready for market and harvesting tomatoes. I couldn’t help but notice shadows that weren’t there a few weeks ago. The sun’s position has changed, it’s no longer directly over head, its starting to lean towards the…

Harvest For Now and Later

During this time of year the main task on the farm is harvesting.  The tomatoes are ripening so fast that almost everyday some row of plants need to be harvested. Just week, I harvested over 70 pounds of cherry tomatoes. I’m…

Autumn is Coming

The winter squash vines are beginning to crowd the walkways and are taking over the field.  Hidden underneath the big leaves and bright yellow flowers are beautiful baby squash, starting to take on their varieties distinct shape. With all the…