Implementing a New Cropping System and Planting Fall Crops

We’re in the process of implementing a new cropping system on part of the farm that we’re calling “HVF”, or High Velocity Farming. This system involves taking a section of the farm and re-shaping the beds so that they are 30 inches wide with 18-inch walkways between them. Within these beds we’ll be planting 4-6 varieties of quick-maturing crops such as radishes, arugula, salad mixes, and salad turnips. These beds will produce high yields and consistent harvests that will allow us to move more food into our local food system via our CSA, the farmers market, and to local chefs. We’ll be planting the seeds in these beds this week since it will be nice and rainy to help water them in.

We planted out 14 beds with fall crops last week thanks to the cooler weather! Here’s what went in the ground: broccoli, cabbage, Swiss chard, kale, Brussels sprouts, and a variety of flowers including calendula, zinnias, and bachelor’s button. The flowers will provide a food source for our pollinators while also providing us with cut flowers for the veggie wagon and Farmers Market. Seeing all of these fall crops finally going in the ground has us excited for the shift in seasons (and veggies).

There are a few new crop varieties in the greenhouse we’ll be experimenting with this fall. Russian Frills kale is a very frilly kale variety purported to have better heat and aphid resistance than other kales. Dazzling Blue kale is a Lacinato-type with blue-green leaves and vibrant purple stems. Fiolaro broccoli is an Italian leaf broccoli grown for the leaves rather than the crown. Celeriac, also called celery root, is a type of celery grown for its edible stem which resembles a root vegetable.

New This Week: Yellowfin Zucchini! This golden zucchini variety has a buttery flavor and tender flesh. It can be prepared in the same way as standard green zucchini varieties. Make sure to stop by the veggie wagon on Saturday from 8am-noon so you can pick some up to try!