Wintered Harvest

I can't believe that I forgot to mention that we harvested for the first time yesterday! And we did it again this morning, which is why I remembered. We harvested spinach and kale. The kale is going to seed, so we are harvesting as much as we can this week and maybe next week before the leaves start dieing. We harvest the spinach just about the new growth in the middle so that the plant can regrow once more before it gets too hot. We are two thirds of the way through the spinach field after this morning and we hope to get the rest of the way through the patch plus one more run through the field before it goes to seed. They planted the kale last July and the spinach last August. They harvested some kale before the end of the season last year and then both the spinach and kale went through the winter. Many of you either heard about or experienced three different BIG snowstorms over here on the east coast, and Waterpenny experienced them as well. They were wondering what affects it would have on the wintering crop. The spinach and kale look great, both Rachel and Eric say, so they think the snow insulated the kale and spinach from the harsh winter air and then watered them well once it melted.

Eric went to the first market (Takoma Park) two weeks earlier than last year in order to take advantage of the good conditions. Last Sunday was his first time to Takoma Park this season, and this morning he added the Charlottesville market. Next week we'll add in the Warrenton Market on Thursdays. We are selling spinach, kale, strawberry plants, and then other plugs and plants that they seeded in February or early March.




I won't get to go to market for another couple of weeks, but I'm already excited for when that time comes!