This was Monday’s view from my office window. We’re putting in some new paving for parking. Strawberries just beyond the corral full of flowers on the far side of the equipment. Rhubarb to the immediate left of the berries. Lettuces, carrots, beets, snap peas, snow peas and radishes to the upper right of the berries. Beyond them is a long, narrow patch of corn which has just come in. Very sweet. Unless you’re a fan of starch, you need to eat corn as closely as possible to the time of harvest. The sugars inside of corn start converting into starch as soon as the ear is picked. Starch is a sugar too, of course, but it makes the ear taste different. Best scenario? Grow your own.
You mention in your bok choy post that all your vegetables are organic… I grow organic weeds in our garden with a few artichokes, beets and pole beans vying for a bit of dirt. We reached biblical proportions of wheat and tares after the last ten day vacation. One look at your impeccable rows of veggies and I have to ask – do you have an anti-weed ward you can sell me? What’s the family secret?
Secret to combat weeds in an organic plot? I’m afraid the answer is human labor (one of several reasons why organic produce usually costs more). No one’s invented an effective organic herbicide yet. Our secret is employees. Also, my dad’s been farming since the early 70s, so he can grow a head of lettuce easier than falling of a log. My advice would be to put your kids on the payroll (50 cents an hour?) and give ’em hoes. I’m impressed, though, that you’re growing artichokes. Can you eat them, or are they just ornamental?
At the moment, the artichokes are ornamental – but I have high hopes for their future! So, Michael could have told me exactly the same thing – in fact – he’s the one who showed me how to dig up weeds with a hoe – yes – I needed instruction. Andrew’s asking for 50 cents a weed – but of course I’d go broke. I couldn’t imagine with a farm that size that you were still pulling weeds. Just thought I’d ask in case you had a better plan… the boys like dirt – just have to teach them how to like weeding. Enjoying Tormay –