Frustrated with the Process

Tonight, in the past, our concert series would have begun. Three hundred families would gather on a beautiful summer night to listen to Lisa and Her Kin, The New Iberians, Jackstraw or some other local band. The hayride would be going out to the berry fields. Phil would have the BBQ going. The corn roaster would be turning out its ears. And, tonight the big sprinkler would be going because it's so hot. And, lest we forget - Farmer Don (me) - would give his talk on what's in season. But tonight the farm will be dark.

Last August after a six-year run of giving families one of the finest farm experiences imaginable, the county contacted us and let us know that we needed to update our farm stand permit to include the concerts and other similar activities. We agreed to sign a "Voluntary" Compliance Agreement to cease these sorts of events until our permit was updated. We then began the arduous process which went on all winter. Multiple thousands of dollars have been spent putting together a 70-page document that finally was deemed complete in mid-May. Shortly thereafter, the public comment period began. The county received more than 180 positive comment letters and only 12 negative letters. The negatives were what you would expect -- like my mother always said "not everyone is going to like you."

Now the county sits with the decision. What are they waiting for?? From our conversations with our land use planner, we know the decision has been made. We'd like to know what it is so we can proceed (or not) with our summer plans. We want to continue this great tradition and need to know the outcome. Tonight the farm will be empty. Maybe I'll light a candle in silent memorial.

Busy Days

Without questions the period of June 20th - July 10th is my most intense work period of the year. A combination of the heavy berry harvest, end of season farm plantings, weeding everywhere and lots of irrigation has me working 13 hour days. And, then throw in a visit from my African basket wholesaler who decided to visit for five days and my life is just a little bit crazy these days.

On the berry front. After a one day gap in which we barely had a berry in the store, we are now making our transition to caneberry fruit. Kitata blackberries, marions, boysens and raspberries are all about to explode (almost literally). By this Friday we should be loaded with berries for the 4th of July weekend. Strawberries, except for some foraging, are done for the year.

Blue Lake green beans are coming in -- 500 lbs picked today. Our French beans are amazing. Corn continues to tassle for a July 20 harvest and we'll have a handful of pickling cucumbers this weekend.

It's 5:30 a.m. in the morning (when I wrote this, obviously entered later). It's a cool 50 degrees with the sun rising over Mt. Adams. Our home has big windows and fabulous views from Mt. Ranier to Mt. Hood. On the summer Solstice the sun rises just to the north of Mt. Adams. This morning it was directly over the top of Adams which means it's moving back. On the winter Solstice, the sun comes up on the other side of Mt. Hood. I write my blog from my favorite spot looking out at the mountains(and down on Sauvie Island). I love my home, but sometimes miss waking up and walking to work on the farm. Not this morning...with this view.

Berry Update

It's official. Raspberry season has begun in a big way. All three fields are producing heavily for a big weekend harvest. Except for three tows of an early variety called Malahat, all of our raspberries are the Toulameen variety. Large, strong tasting fruit is the characteristic of this berry. It is the best tasting variety so far. The down side of Toulameen is that is is prone to root rot, but I believe it is worth the trouble.

The cool weather is stretching out strawberries for one last weekend. It has become a hunt, but the rewards are still great.

Blueberries are slowly becoming more plentiful, but the big harvest is still a week away.

I ate by first boysenberry last night, but all of the blackberry varieties seem a week away.

We picked yellow beans Thursday. Our first Blue Lake and French beans will be picked on Sunday. One month early because of our new ground.

The weather this weekend looks beautiful, perfect for berry picking...

More Berry News

This cool weather is stretching out the strawberry season and delaying the other berries just a little. Except for the new field, the berries are getting small. The mind-set for these fields needs to change. We are now "foraging" for berries, not "picking." But whatever you get is startling. The flavor is so intense you wonder if you're tasting another kind of berry.

This is the time when some folks start to complain about our berry season. The season is winding down, but I still sometimes hear "What is wrong with the berries this year?" or "This is not worth my time." Strawberry season is a short one here in Oregon and you need to get them while they're ripe or the time simply runs out.

We've been making a simple vanilla frozen yogurt recipe that we found in this month's Sunset magazine. It's amazingly simple (2 ingredients) and the tartness goes great with strawberries and raspberries. Perfect if you have a counter-top ice cream maker that largely goes unused (like the one in our house.) Click here for a link to the recipe.

Special for blog readers.
I won't open my raspberry u-pick fields until the weekend, but will have a "first-chance preview day" this Friday especially for my blog readers. I also have some peas you can pick and eat if you find me at the farm.

Farm to do List
My list of tasks for the week.

1) Begin preparing the final plots for the last planting of corn, cucumbers and beans.
2) Reshape last flower beds for planting September flowers.
3) Stake tomatoes.
4) Prune blackberries.
5) Mow all caneberry fields.
6) Weed eat weeds in blueberries.
7) Cultivate pumpkins.
8) Fertilize, water and cultivate corn.
9) Weed third cucumber field
10) Continue watering berry fields.
11) Water, water, everywhere...
12) Research how best to handle late bearing strawberry fields.

Obviously, I have a busy week ahead...

Another Strawberry Update

We have officially reached the post-harvest period in our strawberry season. Although the fields are now down to the last 20%, there are still opportunities for wonderful results. It's just that one's approach and mindset need to change. The biggest opportunity is to take advantage of the last berries on a plant. They are often no larger than a fingernail, but they possess the strongest flavor of any berry. My recommendation is to turn these into the finest jam know to mankind. Put it into small jars, treat it like caviar or the finest vintage wine. Call it something like Late Harvest Strawberry Jam. Have fun because to pick these berries is a workout.

The secret "Blog" field will continue to give larger berries through the weekend, but the general public will begin to go there as other fields run out of berries.

This is our big Berry Jam celebration weekend. Despite the forecast, I expect weather breaks throughout the weekend. The background music will be great! I especially like the New Iberians on Father's Day. We will have a big tent left over from a wedding, so there will be weather protection. Please put on your boots and join us for this event.

I am still noticing raspberries and blueberries, but haven't opened the u-pick fields on these berries yet. But I am thinking about a preview day late next week exclusively for the blog readers...

See you at the farm.

Weekly Strawberry Update

Over the last three days, I estimate that 9,300 pounds of strawberries were picked by u-pickers. That's over 4 1/2 tons! But even with this incredible harvest, at the end of the day Sunday u-pickers were still pulling beautiful flats of berries out of the field. I expect the fields to still be loaded throughout the week, but a gradual trailing off of quantities may begin. With many berries not picked and becoming overripe, the fields will begin to smell like strawberry jam especially when it warms up.

I was pleased this weekend with the number of blog readers who came up to me looking for the special strawberry field. It made me realize that I am being read. After nearly 40 years of writing personal journals, I was the first time that anything that I have written has been read. I have to say it's kind of a personal thrill. But it did also get me wondering where to go with it. Sometimes I want to do simple stuff like publishing my farm to do list once a week. Some might find in interesting, some may find it a complete bore. Perhaps continuing to title the blog entries can help. If a blog says The Farm to do List and you find it's not for you, you can pass it over. Still not sure here and would like some feedback.

At times I want to just report what goes on around the farm without structure. There are so many stories, so many moments.

Weather for the week looks like more of what we have had for the last ten days. Lots of morning clouds. Some breaks of sun. Maybe a little warmer. Maybe some showers mid week and late in the weekend, but nothing serious or organized at this point. Just plain good strawberry weather.

There are few raspberries turning red. Blueberries turning blue, but so far only enough for me and birds to forage. By the weekend it might be better. Let's hope...

June Gloom

Here is a brief excerpt from the National Weather Service technical discussion concerning the long range weather this week.

The general model consensus appears to maintain some weak disturbances over the Pacific Northwest. Given differences in the models, details are not to be trusted. It is difficult to argue with keeping in some low canes of showers for much of the week.

What does this mean? After two weeks of remarkable summer-like conditions, we have moved into a classic Northwest June weather pattern of morning clouds and afternoon clearing with highs around 70 degrees. Sometimes the clouds will not clear off, like last Sunday, creating a condition often referred to as June Gloom. Long range predictions by local weather people showing graphic images of what the day will be are almost useless, as one never knows until that day whether the sun will break through or not. During these periods, we may get beautiful evenings as the gloom finally burns off and the temperatures rise to a perfect 70 degrees. Until I farmed, I would moan about this weather pattern which could often hold until around July 10th, when our summer usually begins. As a farmer of berries, I welcome the June Gloom. The pattern is perfect for slower ripening of all of the berries.

The Strawberry Report
Strawberries continue to be abundant, although my newer fields closer to the store should dramatically improve as slower weekday picking give the fields a chance to ripen. My newest field in the back is producing sensational quality berries, but is not easy to find. Keeping with my policy of self discovery, I make no announcements of where that field is, but if you come to me personally and ask I will let you in on its location. That way, I'll know you're a blog reader and have made it this far in my essay.

Other Berries
There were actually a few ripe blueberries which I ate before the birds. What a surprise! They may be ready along with raspberries before our Berry Jam event on Father's Day weekend.

Projected Berry Dates:
Raspberries: June 17 - August 1
Blueberries: June 17 - August 10
Marionberries: July 1 - August 1
Boysenberries: July 1 - August 1

Our pickling cucumbers will be ready by July 20th.