This Week at the Farm: Strawberry Everything!
It’s that magical time of the year: strawberry season! We started picking berries for the farmstand at the beginning of the week, and suddenly strawberries became a farm-wide theme.
The kitchen is using them in dressings and baking desserts that pair perfectly with fresh-picked strawberries. The homeschool class visited the strawberry patch and talked about flowers, seeds, and fruit. The middle school cooking class made strawberry shortcake. And our farm crew started planting next year’s berries!
Father’s Day Plant Sale!
Before we say anything more about strawberries… we have a few plant sales currently going on! For Father’s Day (through Sunday), hanging baskets are $5 off and perennials are 10% off.
Also, our mature tomato plants are fruiting and need homes asap! We’re marking them down, 50% off until they’re gone.
Strawberry Update
Now, back to strawberries. We’re planning to pick daily from here on out (we’ll have some at the Norwich Market today!).
Strawberries are available on a first come, first served basis. Because the berries are in high demand and we have a limited supply, we cannot honor requests to set aside berries. Some days they sell out quickly, so if you’re wondering whether it’s worth making a trip to the farmstand, you’re more than welcome to call for an update.
It’s supposed to rain off and on for the next week, so our Pick-Your-Own patch won’t be ready for another week or two. Stay tuned for updates!
In the Farmstand
The selection of veggies and greens in the farmstand is growing – radishes, hakurei (salad) turnips, lettuce mix, beet greens, green garlic, and collards are just a few of the things you’ll find in the farmstand.
The kitchen is making special treats for dads this weekend. They’re also whipping up seasonal quiche, salad dressings (lime dijon, lemon dijon, herb turmeric, and strawberry rosemary balsamic), and shortcakes to go with your fresh strawberries. Keep an eye out for strawberry parfaits, coming soon!
Remember, you can special order anything we make in the cafe or farmstand. We recommend doing this if you want 4 or more of anything. Contact Theo, our Kitchen Manager, for more info and to place an order.
Strawberries and Dessert
Our strawberries were ready just in time for the final baking session of our Cooking for Middle Schoolers Class, and the students were able to make a summertime favorite: Strawberry Shortcake! They made [massive] biscuits to hide underneath Cedar Circle’s farm-ripened juicy strawberries, and even made their own ice cream using a very cool contraption, similar to this.
Want to make your own shortcakes? Try our favorite recipe.
Update from the Fields
Did you know that we planted our pick-your-own strawberry patch last June? We’re already planting next year’s berry patch, before this year’s is even ready. Farming involves a lot of planning ahead!
In addition to picking and planting strawberries, the field crew set up irrigation, hoed garlic, and planted sweet corn, melons, sweet potatoes, and winter squash, to name just a few of the things they worked on this week.
Volunteer Opportunity for High Schoolers
We have open spots in our Junior Counselor program: July 1-5 (no camp on July 4), July 8-12, and August 12-16. Choose one week or 3!
This is a great opportunity for any responsible, mature young adult (ages 14+) who enjoys working with elementary-aged children and is eager to grow as a leader and mentor.
Gardening Tips: Wet Feet
Plants that can handle “wet feet” have roots that can tolerate waterlogged soils. They often grow in low-lying areas, flooded areas, and some can even live completely submerged in water. Astilbe, hosta, and lobelia are a few perennials that fall into this category. For a more complete list, check the Wet Feet handout in our little “garden information center” outside the farmstand, near the perennials.
It’s no secret that the cold and rainy spring has affected not only the growth of our crops, but also our planting schedule. It doesn’t look like that’s going to change in the near future, but let’s hope that sunnier, warmer weather will be here soon. The farm needs it!
Hope to see you at the farm this weekend.
–From all of us at Cedar Circle
Upcoming
June 15 – Norwich Farmers Market, 9-1.
June 16 – Knife sharpening at the farmstand, 10-2.
June 18 – Little Farmers drop in class for children ages 2-5, 10-11 am.
June 20 – Lebanon Farmers Market, 4-7 pm.
Late June – PYO Strawberries! Exact date TBD.
July 1 – Cut Flower Garden opens to the public!
