Week of June 8, 2015

Abbreviated Weekly Farm Report

From Friendship Farms & Fare

http://www.fffsite.org/

A Community Service To the Local Farming Community

For the full Farm Report, go to:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/643592_337733efc8e34a3bb181b554adb01ae2.pdf

Seedings:  Eggplant (Listada De Gandia, 31); Sun Flower Medley, 54;  Peanuts, 21; Red Malabar Spinach, 54; Tomato (Arkansas Traveler, 36); Okra (Silver Queen, 54, Red Burgundy, 21)

Garden Starts: okra, peanuts, Lima beans

Harvest Notes:  cucumber, okra, eggplant, herbs, red malabar spinach

Last Sweet Potato Slips Arrive

Planting Begins

Our last shipment of sweet potatoes arrived on Friday (June 5).  We’ll being planting on Saturday, and plan to have all installed by Sunday.   Sweet potatoes from this planting will be our late season champions, with harvest expected in early September.

Very important:  If you desire slips, please let us know ASAP. We will hold extra slips for others until Wednesday (6/10) – donation of .50 per slip requested.

If you’d like to acquire some of our slips, please let us know.

Final End of Winter Crops

Collards Last To Go

We removed the last of the winter crops on Friday (June 5), composting a large bed of collards in the South Garden.  Collards were wonderfully productive this year, and these last plants were still healthy.  They were attracting white flies and tramp snails, and their production of new leaves had slowed considerably.  We’ll plant sweet potatoes in that bed.

Garden Overview

Summer Plantings Continue

(additional details given in full report)

Summer plantings picked up a bit. We planted more peanuts, Yule Beans, and okra.

For those interested in summer crops: We recommend sweet potatoes, okra, beans, and eggplant. We’ve had good luck with all four of these summer staples.  It looks like we’ll be successful with the Red Malabar Spinach.

We will plant sweet potatoes this week, our last shipment from George’s Plant Farm.

If you would like slips, please let us know.  We’ll hold some for you – .50 per slip, please.

We continue to have challenges getting our bell peppers to mature properly.  Eggplant seedlings also appear to be struggling, although we had another group germinate nicely this week.

All varieties of eggplant are flourishing.

See the Share Report for all items.

For all plantings, we use seeds from our collection or heirloom seeds from Seed Savers Exchange (http://www.seedsavers.org/).

Okra

6 ¾  pounds

We harvested 3½  pounds of okra this week, bringing our total to 6¾  pounds.

We continue to plant okra, filling in more open space in the north and south gardens.

If you read this far in the newsletter, let us know if you would be interested in attending an Okra Festival.  We are doing some advance planning for an event in mid-June, 2016.

The collards are still with us – but they are starting to show their age. They are wilting every day due to the unseasonable heat.  The beautiful and gigantic collard we included in images last week was blown over in one of last week’s storms.

Blackberries

Ouachita Family

The blackberry vines are about spent.  We would have likely to have had more of this delightful fruit but the vines were not as productive as hoped.   We also shared readily with neighborhood birds and human residents.

Habanero Peppers

Habaneros are coming back very nicely now, and bearing abundant blossoms – and the first fruits.

Order if you like this week.

Eggplant 45 

Eggplants are flourishing.  We harvested nine more this week., weeking, bringing our total to 45 so far.

You may order eggplant this week, but we may not have any that are large enough to harvest.

3F, Ecology Florida, and Market Off Main Offer Seed Savers Exchange Seeds in New Port Richey

Good gardens require good seeds, and Tampa Bay now has access to the highest quality seeds. These are Seed Savers Exchange heirloom, organic seeds.  Your CSA has joined other groups committed to sustainability in sponsoring a Seed Savers Exchange seed kiosk in New Port Richey.

Through a cooperative arrangement with Friendship Farms & Fare and Ecology Florida, the Market Off Main, in New Port Richey, now offers a wide range of organic, heirloom, non-GMO seeds exclusively from Seed Savers Exchange.
This is a trend-setting achievement for the Market Off Main, and another verification of New Port Richey’s leadership in ecological stewardship, sustainability, and resiliency.   Market Off Main in New Port Richey will be the only location on the West Coast of Florida offering these high quality packaged seeds.

Ecology Florida News carried a feature article on the kiosk by your 3F Farmer, which you can read at this link:

Commitment and Context: The Good Story of the Seed Kiosk in New Port Richey

Ecology Florida advances the harmonious integration of healthy natural, cultural, and economic ecologies to regenerate a sustainable world

http://www.ecologyflorida.org/

The Market Off Main is a meeting place, a community hub, and an entertainment center.  It features local produce, a delicatessen, and a cafe.

http://www.marketoffmain.com/

Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds. Since 1975, our members have been passing on our garden heritage by collecting and distributing thousands of samples of rare garden seeds to other gardeners.

http://www.seedsavers.org/

3F Produce for General Public

Non-Members may order items for $5.00 each, shares for $20 per week, or $50 per month. For this amount, contributors may request any and all items they desire from the weekly Share. Although we will assist with transmissions, it is the responsibility of the contributor to make arrangements for pick up of the share.

As always, non-CSA Members may request single items from the share list for $5 per item.  A full share for one week (any/all items) is $20, and $50 for one month.  Annual shares are recommended, at $300 per year.  Five-month shares are $200.

Just reply using the website contact link if you desire anything on the list.  We suggest non-shareholders start an account to cover costs of items.

EGGS

Prices are $6.50 a dozen, and $4.00 a half-dozen ($3.00 for shares). These prices are a bit higher than prices for organic eggs at commercial grocers. Acquiring eggs from local farms keeps resources in our community, supports local farming, and directly benefits a local farm family.

As required by our policies, our suppliers are local, follow organic principles, practice compassionate husbandry, and allow chickens free range.

Farm Tours (Local Urban Gardens)

If you would like to schedule a tour of local urban gardens in New Port Richey, please let us know, and we can make arrangements.  Our tours are experiential, informational, educational, and fun.  Donations are greatly appreciated.

Typically, and depending on the season, participants will spend an hour or so in two or more gardens, learn about organic farming in an urban environment using permaculture philosophies and practices, observe and learn about urban wildlife and helpful plants, and enjoy samples of live produce.  Tours are structured on the basis of participants’ interests and background.

Please note that an appropriate contribution for the tours and learning sessions will be suggested when tours are scheduled.

There are four categories of tours:

* Urban Farming, Permiculture and Soil development

* Urban wildlife and helpful plants

* Seasonal produce, from seed to harvest

* General (including two or more categories)

Please note that an appropriate contribution for the tours and learning sessions will be suggested when tours are scheduled – typically, $100.

Please buy your seeds and seedlings from local growers or suppliers committed to organic, heirloom seeds.

See this story on the damage caused by “big box stores”:

http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/smart-growth-working-families/harms-big-box-retail

See also, 10 reasons to support local commerce:

http://ilsr.org/why-support-locally-owned-businesses/

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Visit the Friendship Farms & Fare website for the Weekly Farm Report:

http://www.fffsite.org/#!report/c1tuh

Friendship Farms & Fare is a branch of Ecology Florida, a not-for-profit corporation.  Contributions to Friendship Farms & Fare and Ecology Florida are tax deductible.  To learn more about Ecology Florida, please visit the website:

http://www.ecologyflorida.org/

If you would like to support our mission and individual projects, you may share donations through our website (above) or at our mailing address:

Ecology Florida

PO Box 596

New Port Richey, FL 34656-0596

Friendship Farms & Fare reaffirms, restores, and advances agrarian ideals to reestablish a sustainable culture

http://www.fffsite.org/

Natural, Economic, Cultural…bringing three ecologies together to regenerate a resilient future for all.

PO Box 596 ● New Port Richey, Florida 34656-0596

www.EcologyFlorida.org

Ecology Florida advances the harmonious integration of healthy natural, cultural, and economic ecologies to regenerate a sustainable world.