With less than two weeks remaining before the first CSA deliveries of the season, we hope you’re as excited as we are to have fresh vegetables on your tables again! Spring is unfolding in our valley and despite the snow that keeps falling, we’ve resumed harvests! Over the last two weeks we were able to harvest sunchokes, parsnips and horseradish that we overwintered from last fall. Earlier this week we cut the first overwintered spinach and yesterday we harvested the first ramps! It’s been a bit of a slow start to the spring, but we’re grateful to have our field crew back in action and we’re looking forward to the season ahead!
Ramps & Overwintered Spinach
Speaking of Ramps and Overwintered Spinach, if you can’t wait for that first CSA box you will have an opportunity to pick up some of our early season products at your local co-op very soon! We’re sending the first shipment out into the world this weekend through one of our wholesale partners. Regional co-ops should start stocking our ramps, overwintered spinach, parsnips and other roots very soon. Some stores may have product on their shelves by Sunday afternoon while others may not receive it until Monday.
We’re happy to report that the chives are up and growing nicely along with the nettles. The watercress is quite prolific in one of our beautiful spring-fed creeks and the sorrel is just poking through the straw mulch. The rhubarb is starting to take off, but still no signs of asparagus. Asparagus is one of those crops that teach us patience. It doesn’t matter how much we want it or what we do, it comes when it’s ready and right now it’s a bit too cold! We can’t forget about the garlic! Our garlic field looks quite nice, including the green garlic that we’ll be harvesting next month!
First Planting of Greens
We’ve done our first planting of salad greens, baby spinach and baby arugula as well as cilantro, dill, red radishes, baby bok choi and baby white salad turnips. We’re anxious to do more plantings, but we need some dry days and heat! Our potato seed will be arriving soon and our greenhouses are filling up! We’re scheduled to plant cucumbers and watermelons in the greenhouse next week—can you believe it?!
Spring is a busy and exciting time of year! Now lets all set our intentions for warmth and sunshine so we can tackle our long list of crops that need to be planted! Thanks for joining us for the 2023 growing season. We are looking forward to feeding you and your family this year!
–Richard, Rafael, Andrea and the Entire HVF Crew
