Do you know your purslane? Thank goodness the heavy rains have stopped and we’re no longer slogging through the mud. In years past rains like we had in June and early July would have meant disaster for the crops in such a poorly drained field (I remember digging up rotten potatoes and carrots a few years back) But two things have allowed us to harvest good yields in difficult conditions this year: the raised beds and the high tunnel (unheated greenhouse). We did lose a few plants here and there in lower lying spots. In the pick-your-own section, a little bit of the parsley drowned. We also lost a few of the beets, squash and eggplants and two plantings of beans that sat in puddles for too long. The rest of the crops survived and are now starting to grow more vigorously again with the sunny weather. Many crops are a little behind schedule because of late frost and cold nights in May and a very wet June and early July, but from the high tunnel we had early cucumbers and, for the first time ever, full-sized red tomatoes in July! More hot weather crops such as eggplants and melons that got off to a slow start in the cool wet weather earlier this year are now growing well in the field. We expect to start harvesting them later this month. We’re also planning to harvest purslane – a wild edible. We didn’t plant it. But purslane is growing vigorously in the field and we seem to have more and more each year. Yes, it’s a weed. But it has a great crunchy texture and excellent nutritional value. And you may harvest more of it any time you see it in the field. See the recipes below. Read More ➤ for In the Kitchen – Cucumber-purslane-yogurt salad, Greens Pie, Preserving Basil AND Purslane Salad With Cherries and Feta Photo by Vermont Views: Tibetan Buddhist Chicken Cooperative
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 20:12:39 +0000
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