Transplanter and Cultivator
Saturday’s Market Menu:
Canteloupe: new
Watermelon: both yellow and red
Turnips: new
Sweet corn: bi-color
Cucumbers
Summer Squash
Tomatoes: heirloom, roma, and beefsteak
Cherry Tomatoes: Sungold and grape
Beets
Eggplant
Potatoes: Yukon Gold and Norland
Cut Flowers
Leeks
Onions: red, sweet, and yellow
Garlic

Summer is just flying by if you havn’t been paying attention.
It seems like just last week I was selling lettuce and early brassicas like kale, but I can already see the end from where I stand. Frost seems to appear by the second week of September…for those of you counting, that’s just three weeks away!

Market menu for Saturday, August 19:
Watermelons: Sunshine (yellow variety) and Sugar Baby (regular)
Tomatoes: cherry tomatoes, romas, heirlooms, and regular beefsteak varieties
Potatoes: Yukon Gold and Norland Red
Corn: Bodacious bi-color variety
Onions: yellow, sweet, red
Peppers
Beets
Garlic
Leeks
Some yellow beans…
Flower Bouquets
Turnips
Radishes

My Uncle Duane was visiting our farm back in July and he lives for taking pictures! He lives in California and so it was great he could spend a couple of days with us. Some of his shots are below.

Sunset over Greenhouse looking North

Barn with pasture and thistles

Moving drip irrigation lines…my dad helping, my grandmom supervising.

Setting up irrigation…a common sight in July

Well, already another market day is upon us. The week has just whizzed by and tomorrow is already Saturday.

Market menu:

Lettuce: red bibb, green bibb, red oakleaf, romaine, and green butterhead
Scallions (or green onions, if you prefer…the two names are confusing!)
Kohlrabi
Green garlic (just hasn’t been dried or cured yet): it’s just more flavorful and with a little kick.
Summer Squash: zucchini and yellow crocked neck
Collards
Basil
Kale

We’ve only been residents of Lida Township for two years now, buying our farm from Kenny and Margaret Kratzke in June 2004.

But since that time I’ve been losing sleep everytime it rained, envisioning those holes in our old wood-shake roof getting larger and larger and the wood getting weaker and weaker until the whole barn becomes a pile of rotted lumber. Barns are too valuable to let go, especially if you have a use like we do: housing animals and equipment, storing Marvin’s hay in the loft, possible future use as a packing shed for produce…

We always knew we needed a new roof when you saw light pouring into the loft. After the shakes were taken down, lots of light poured in as you see.

In process…

Almost there….

Eli and his crew are from Wadena County off to our east in central MN and have no fear of heights. Let me tell you, I could never work this high off terra firma. I guess that’s why I would never consider roofing a hip-roof barn 40 to 60 feet high.

All told, it took a crew of 3-8 workmen to tear off the old wood shakes and put on new steel 3 full working days to complete.

And the finished product?

All told, I’m sleeping better this spring, although there are a few leaks Eli needs to repair and I’ve found new worries to fret about.

Next week…greenhouse construction. And you thought it would be easy?