Everything in the field is coming along nicely, I’m happy to report. Last week we were given over an inch of rain, for which we are deeply grateful, and the plants are responding positively to all that needed moisture—weeds included, alas. So this week the crew and I will be focusing on cultivating and weeding, to make sure that conditions don’t get too far out of hand.

We should have ample time for that work. Things in the greenhouse are winding down, with most of the fall crops seeded and waiting to be transplanted in a few weeks. We’ve also finished with the big spring transplanting push, and all of the summer’s crops are in the field and (mostly) growing well.

So now our attention turns to caring for all those plants. The weeding I’ve mentioned. And we’ve already been irrigating during the dry times. I do need to keep an eye out for pests and diseases. A couple of weeks ago I noticed Colorado potato beetle larvae in the potato patch and made sure to spray them with a certified organic pesticide. And I’ve seen the white butterflies that signal the presence of the imported cabbage worm, so I’ll need to pay attention to those as well. There’s no sign of the tomato hornworm yet, but it’s only a matter of time.

It’s a big complicated machine, this diversified vegetable farm of ours, and it takes keen eyes and steady hands to keep it running smoothly. Fortunately we have an outstanding crew this year, as well as all of our members, who make this bounty possible—thank you!