Slowing Down
The growing season at Quarter Acre Farm is starting to come to a close. Last week I harvested the end of the dried beans and this week I finished collecting all the winter squash and pumpkins from the field. The…
Tag Harvest
Feelings of Fall
The mornings are chilly, the sun sets sooner, and the vineyards are changing color; it is fall. With fall comes the harvest of fall crops: pumpkins, winter squash, and gourds. But even with these feelings of fall, tomatoes have not…
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…
Colorful Beans
Last week I harvested the first of this year’s dried bean crop. I am growing four different bean varieties this year Tiger Eye, Jacob’s Cattle, Hutterite, and Calypso. Each of these varieties has a distinct colorful pattern hidden underneath their…
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…
Tiny Fruit
Cherry tomato harvest started this week and the blackberries are not far behind. As much as I love both of these sweet little fruits they very are labor intensive to harvest. I grow about 600 row feet of cherry tomatoes,…
Harvesting off the Farm
I think of myself as an outdoorsy person cause I like being outside but I’m not the type of person that goes on hikes or camps just to be outside. I like to spend time outdoors completing a task or…
The Drought and Quarter Acre Farm
The drought this season has impacted many farms in California, including Quarter Acre. In order to preserve the farm’s well, I will be dry farming for the coming season and only growing crops that require little to no water. Normally…