Strawberries are Rippening

An unusually cold spring has delayed our strawberry harvest by two weeks. Each day the fields show a little more color. This weekend a scattering of ripe berries will be ready. Enough for a good dessert, but not the mother-load. I expect the following weekend of the 17th - 19th to be excellent, potentially perfect timing for our Berry Jam weekend. We will begin sunset closures midweek. Weekday evenings are perfect for picking berries and the quantities are better. The persistent morning marine clouds often burn off by late afternoon, making startlingly beautiful summer evenings. The late beginning of the strawberry season also means a late ending; as I expect strawberries will still be around on the unheard of July 10th date.

Although at times it has been a brutal spring to farm, I'm starting to see a potential for a good season (just a little late). Because I am fortunate to have some dry ground on the hillsides, I have managed to get in a normal succession of plantings. Only peas have suffered -- this year we will only have one harvest -- last year I planted four. This year the tomatoes look better. You may remember that last year we lost our first planting to the June 5th record rainfall. So, even though it is cool, it is dry. These are perfect conditions for berries.

I haven't blogged in a long time. I write daily in my journals but the blog has taken a back seat. I'm thinking that shorter entries might make me more consistent. So, I'm going to try again. There is so much interesting stuff going on at the farm. I feel the blog has the potential of sharing the ups and downs of the farm experience. I just need to stick with it.

Weather Woes!

If you think the weather is bad for you -- try farming it!   (See my before and after photos of our tomato planting to the right) 

I have had many challenges  since taking over the farm 10 years ago. But none is greater then what has gone on this spring. I was suspicious early when we had the surprising mild winter related to the El Nino effect. In '05 we had we had a similar pattern, mild winter until mid March with 12"of rain in April and May of '05 . But this

 year it's worse-- at least in '05 June returned to normal. This year June has brought on record rain and cold temperatures.  To add insult to injury here, yesterday June 16th set a record   minimum, maximum for the day, 59 degrees -- previous record 61 degrees.  And to continue pouring it on - an upper level low is locking in off the coast sending us spurts of moisture over the foreseeable future.  

The state of the farm today -- June 17th. 

Strawberry fields still have potential.  A little break on Friday could reopen the fields for a strong harvest this weekend.  This will be the peak strawberry weekend.  Strawberry season will stretch out through July 4th because of this cool weather. 

Raspberries are breaking loose for a good harvest this weekend.  There are possibilities of opening up our u-pick raspberries but I'm unsure when that will happen.

Blueberries show great potential.  The bushes are loaded.  We will get some for the store.  U-pick opens June 24th.  

Lots of peas this weekend and into the future.  Other fields continue to grow.  Because we have some higher ground we were able to get in  some plantings. But, things are growing slowly except for the weeds which seem to like this weather.

Through all of the difficulties, I try to remain optimistic.  This too will pass and our  summer will be great.  Remember Northwest folklore "Summer doesn't begin until July 15th."  

One last note.  When I start to have weather worries I think to myself "I could have a beach front resort in the Gulf."  Let's hope for a solution to that environmental disaster.      

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Spring on the Farm

Strawberry Update
The cold wet weather has slowed strawberry ripening somewhat. But overall the timing of our season looks similar to last year. This weekend there might be a scattering of berries in the fields -- a possible treasure hunt for those who just can't wait. For the serious strawberry picker, it could be a time to scout out your favorite field. I also think it's a good time to bring children to the fields so they can watch the progress of the season each week.

The early indicators in the fields look good. There is a good fruit set and still lots of blossoms. The timing of this wet and cold weather is not a concern as the berries are still green. It actually may help give us larger berries. Rot issues are probably not a factor yet, but we do need a dry-out which may come on Memorial Day weekend.

So what this all means is that our first strawberries will be ripe Memorial Day weekend with the best picking from June 5 through June 25th. This, of course, is an estimate. Check back here for updates. The photo on the right was taken last week.


Peonies Please
One of the great flowers of the year is beginning to bloom. The season lasts only 2-3 weeks. So get them while you can.

Peas
We have 5 plantings. By Memorial Day weekend we should be picking a plenty.

Lettuces
We will begin picking our first lettuce this weekend.

Squash Breaking Ground
I took this photo of my squash seeds pushing through the crusted-over earth. It was a "wow" moment for me.


The farm has never looked better. Some of these mixed showery days are great opportunities to see the farm with stunning clouds and color shows -- especially at sunset. Come out and walk the farm at dusk and you'll find yourself in virtual solitude.

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.

Wow! What a Storm!

Thursday we stopped irrigation for the day because the weather models indicated a good chance of a substantial shower at some point. When I am not irrigating it frees up an extra guy for weeding. Lately we have been falling behind in that area, so it was an opportunity to catch up a little.

At 3:30, I walked into the office to look at the radar. I was stunned at what I saw. There was a huge band of yellow, red and, almost never seen here, purple about 40 miles out and clearly moving in our direction. I said to Susan, my associate, "I have never seen radar like this before!" It immediately sent waves of fear through me as I realized that this super-cell had the potential of producing substantial hail which could destroy my early strawberry harvest. I love storms and could even see myself as a storm chaser some day. But I wanted no part of this one.

As I continued to watch the radar over the next half an hour, the super-cell continued to move closer. The movement began to show me some hope that we might not get a direct hit, but it was still difficult to tell.

I went outside and there was an eerie silence. You could see the storm in the distance. It looked ominous. I began to warn u-pickers in the field. I mobilized the staff to secure things that could blow away. I pulled my crew off of weeding to cut Peonies that I thought could be ruined. The farm was buzzing with anticipation.

At 4:45 the wind suddenly began to kick up. I waved everyone in from outside and we huddled in the store with the doors closed. The wind became fierce. Huge clouds of dust blew across the farm in a scene I had never witnessed before. The roof rocked and adrenaline was flowing. Some heavy rain came but it was clear we were going to miss the brunt of it. No hail and no damage to the strawberries. What a relief!

Strawberry Update
There is the potential of a spectacular strawberry harvest this weekend. With 7 fields ripening on the farm, I think supply has the potential of keeping up with demand. Picking conditions could be ideal as we move into a more marine influence with morning clouds and cool temperatures. These are ideal conditions for slowly sealing in the strawberries' sweet flavor.

A Few Strawberries

When walking through the fields yesterday, I found a few red strawberries. Every day there will be more. It looks like next weekend could be good for strawberry pickers.

If you come out to the farm (www.krugersfarm.com) this weekend you can wander the fields looking for a ripe berry. Make it a treasure hunt. If you find one...eat it...it's free. It could be fun.

The BBQ is open this weekend. We are also hoping to fire up the corn roaster. Come out and have a picnic, the farm is beautiful in the spring.

Another Perfect Storm/ Strawberry Update

Just when we were starting to think irrigation, a perfect storm on Monday dropped 1/2 inch of rain, thoroughly soaking the farm. Unlike many rain periods we get, this one was isolated. It came, it went. Behind the storm is a long stretch of dry warm weather which could last a week. The timing for this break couldn't be better, as the strawberries continue to bloom and existing berries grow and grow.

Farming continues to go well. The peas are almost ready. We are picking our first lettuce and, once we start harvesting lettuce, we will have continuous pickings of successions until the end of October. This weekend we are planting our third succession of corn, our first big cucumber field, a third planting of beans and 1 1/2 acres of tomatoes.

My early small plantings of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage look average. Some kind of root maggot is getting about a quarter of the plants and those pesky flea beetles are eating holes in the leaves. Since I don't spray, we'll see if the bugs get more of the plants than me. I always do much better in the fall when the problem bugs are gone.

Last night, before heading home, I picked a lone misshapen red strawberry about the size of my thumbnail. I ate it and symbolically began my strawberry season. But before you come out excited about picking, you need to realize that you might find 5 more ripe berries over 10 acres. With this great window of weather, I am starting to think that the first berries will be here on the last weekend of the month. Our favorite flower, Peonies, will also be here in big supply at the end of May.