6/13 Update -Storm Recap

[Rob]

Hello to all our CSA Members! I hope this email finds you dry and in
good spirits!

Unfortunately the update this week will mimic much of the news we have
all heard all too often lately in Southern Wisconsin -too much rain!
The plan was that by this time in June we would be harvesting dozens
and dozens of full heads of lettuce, and be within weeks of carrots,
beets, and nasturium among others. Unfortunately the hail from last
Saturday's storm has severely damaged our Romaine and Lettuce crop -
essentially what we were unable to get out Saturday Morning is a total
loss. Also, all of our seeded plantings of carrots/beets/etc has
washed out. We will replant as soon as we can enter the fields again
-"homegrown" carrots are simply too good to let a little (or a LOT!)
of rain stop us! I knew there was a reason we bought 5000 carrot
seeds!

The earlier crops that are up, are severely compromised with weeds as
we've been unable to cultivate our fields for the better part of 2
weeks --the soil is like quick sand. Hoeing the fields by hand is
critical to organic systems as a physical means of reducing weed
competition with the crops, vs spraying a herbicide over "Round-Up -
Ready GMO Crops". The situation is salvageable, but we have much more
work in front of us this June than expected.

But enough with the depressing news! On the Bright Side -the potatoes
are unbelievably robust -rebounding from the killing frost with such
vigor it is almost impossible to tell it ever happened! I had high
hopes for our large potatoes plantings and thus far they are coming
true! VERY excited to harvest in about 5-6 weeks! Also, the Hoop
House Tomatoes and Peppers are right on track. The Hoop House
plantings have allowed the tomatoes to form incredibly thick stemmed
"shrubs" despite the relatively cold late spring which is setting back
most tomatoes planted outside. In fact the vines are so vigorous we
will be trellising them this weekend. Hope to have photos up this
week.

The entire staff (that's both Meriah and I!) of Someday Gardens
appreciates your patience as we all work through the delayed
harvests. Thus far we have perservered through late frost, a Too-Dry
May and a Record Shatteringly Wet June -thanks for sticking with us!

-Rob and Meriah