Well, we’ve had an eventful first week at both Willowbrook and Whipstone Farms. A hail storm hit both farms on Friday afternoon and caused some significant damage. Many crops were protected by row covers, which helped limit the destruction, but even the row covers were town apart in some cases. This will set back multiple crops for several more weeks as plants recover, and others will appear permanently damaged due to the little dings and holes left by the hail. This week’s bok choy and radishes from Willowbrook will likely show some hail damage, but the produce will taste as delicious as ever.
For those of you new to the CSA model, this type of event is exactly why community supported agriculture projects first started. Although we operate slightly differently than a traditional single-farm CSA, we can feel confident that our commitment to these farms helps when times are tough. Willowbrook and Whipstone Farms already have a guarantee that 60 shareholders are committed to purchasing their produce this season regardless of whatever the weather throws at them. So thank you for being with us this season through the ups and downs!
Have a lovely week!
Meghan
What’s in your basket – May 24th
Dill – Whipstone Farm
Head lettuce – Whipstone Farm
Radishes – Willowbrook Farm
Salad mix – Whipstone Farm
Sunflower sprouts – Camptown Greens
Lettuce at Willowbrook before the hail storm…
…and lettuce under row covers after the hail storm.
Kale and Swiss chard under row covers were smashed by the weight of the hail, but not shredded.
Dinged up onions at Whipstone Farm after the storm.
Cory showing the difference between covered and uncovered lettuce after the hail storm at Whipstone.