Let me be upfront. There is no contest at Fleur-de-Lys Farm, wet T-shirt or otherwise. Gravity is not a pretty sight.
But we do have plenty of wet T-shirts. First, there is the early morning sloshing of the watering can as we dip into and out of the rain barrels to water seedling beds. Then, there is the leaking and squirting of too many hose connections and spray nozzles as we water transplants and fill animal troughs. Adjusting the irrigation water tower controls in our main growing field calls for another drenching. Last, there is the good old natural, hard-working, sweat version of wet T-shirts. During these intoxicating days of 90- to 100-degree heat it is not unusual to peel off a second change of clothing by 6:45 a.m.
Regardless of the sweltering temperatures, it is garlic-pulling time. The dry weather, while adding extra watering hours to each day, is perfect for harvesting garlic bulbs. We haul them to the barn, where they’re bunched, tied up with twine, hung from ladders, and cured for a month or so. We will also have a stash of fresh garlic in the shop for your immediate garlic gratification. Laurie Lynch
Garlic Hall of Fame: A photograph of our field-grown garlic is on Page 39 of the August/September 2010 issue of Organic Gardening magazine.
Today in History: 13 years ago today we bought our farm at 440 Hottenstein Road, Kutztown, PA, Richard, Marina, Paul, Dr. Seuss (the Bouvier), and I camped out on the floor of the family room our first night. The U-Haul got stuck in our driveway and we had to call a tow truck.
Celebrating Summer in Sweden: Marina and her friend ZIggy fell in love with Stockholm on a recent visit and frequented an Italian restaurant. Instead of bouquets of flowers on each table, the restaurant had clay pots containing basil and rosemary plants, so diners could pinch off fresh herbs for their meals.
One Way to Cool Down: While in Stockholm, they also went to an Ice Bar, built of blocks of ice and flowing with cool blue lights and outer space-type music. Drinks were served cups of ice and all guests were attired in fur-lined parkas to take the chill off.
At Fleur-de-Lys Farm Market this week: German White garlic, red, white, and blue potatoes, basil, dill, and parsley, cucumbers, zucchini, black currants, kale, honey, eggs, and sunflowers.
Written on Slate: There is nothing finer in life than true love and a home-grown tomato. – Gary Ibsen
No comments:
Post a Comment