Tag Archives: flowers

Summer Crops Update: August 4

FlowerinRain

Rain!
Hooray! The light rain this past weekend amounted to only 0.1 inches in Lincoln, so Monday morning’s steady rain was a welcome sight. It appears the rain has worked its way below the soil surface. We had been watering via bucket brigade and by raising the transplanter above crops and driving over the plants with the water streaming down. We’ll see how the crops hold up this week!

Bucket Brigades Brought To You By
Volunteers helped us water beans and chard last Tuesday between harvesting potatoes. Food and Farm Educator Emma led groups of campers in hand-watering flowers and string beans in the front field. The whole team, with help from many volunteers, has been working hard to water melons, strawberries, eggplant, and peppers during the drought and heat wave. Thanks to all of them for their dedication and good cheer during this stretch of extreme weather!

Living with New England Wildlife
Now it’s time to catch up on other pressing jobs like stringing tomatoes and battling pests. We installed an electric fence around our watermelon patch to keep the coyotes out. Last year, they damaged almost every watermelon! The deer have been swiftly eating sweet potato vines, too, so we’ve sprayed garlic oil on the leaves to keep them away.

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Flower Harvest
Farmer Jessica has been doing a fabulous job leading the Friday flower harvest and making beautiful bouquets at the Union Square Farmers Market. Many thanks to last year’s CSA coordinator Katerina for taking the time to give Jessica pointers in flower arranging. For those who remember Katerina, she is now the head flower grower at Allandale Farm.

Drumlin Farm on WBUR
Reporter Andrea Shea of WBUR is a fan of our produce and frequents the Union Square Farmers Market. It was there that she made a connection with us and reported on the effects of the drought in Massachusetts. It’s a great story to read and hear, and paints a picture of how farmers across the state are handling the dry weather.

The Farm Stand: Designed by Farmer Katie
Farmer Katie has been responsible for setting up an attractive veggie display at the farm stand, and today you can find white corn, melons, and heirloom tomatoes. Note the impressive size of the corn and tomatoes! We were never able to water these crops by hand, so all that growth is the result of minimal rain and healthy soil maintained by our sustainable growing practices.

See you in the field,
Your Farmers

 

Drumlin Farm Friday to Friday: April 29–May 6

Kayt-Silvers-Drumlin13See you later, April. We’re ready for some May flowers!

For a full list of our programs, visit our online catalog.

Friday, April 29

The Princess and the Peas
3:30–5 pm | Ages 2+ w/Adult
We will learn of the pea’s plentiful powers while acting out the story of The Princess and the Pea.

Saturday, April 30

turtle

Discovery Day: Water, Water, Everywhere
10 am–4 pm | All ages
April showers bring May flowers! Meet some animals that live in our ponds and depend on water as part of their life cycle.

Sunday, May 1

Sunday Morning Birds at Drumlin
8–9:30 am | Adults
Join us for Sunday morning birding! Drumlin Farm has a great variety of habitats and gets a nice mix of migrants and residents in the spring. Registration not required.

Wednesday, May 4

I’m a Little Tadpole
3:30–5 pm | All ages w/Adult
Spring is the time for frogs (and salamanders!) to lay eggs in pools and ponds. We’ll investigate frogs, listen for their songs, and discover their babies swimming around.

Thursday, May 5

Thursday Morning Bird Walk
7:30–10:30 am | Adults
Join us as we explore Drumlin Farm and other local hotspots in search of late-winter and early-spring migrants. Registration not required.

Friday, May 6

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Birding Mount Auburn Cemetery
7–10 am | Adults
Ever since Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge was established in 1831 it has been a “migrant magnet.” Today it is one of the 79 Important Bird Areas in Massachusetts.

Trucks, Tractors, and Tools
3:30–5 pm | All ages w/Adult
Join us as we search for trucks, tractors, and tools and witness the important jobs they help us do.

Teen Birders: Warbler Rambler Overnight
Friday, May 6 at 7 pm–Saturday, May 7 at noon | Teens
Spring is the time to see warblers!  Spend the night at Drumlin Farm (camping equipment provided) to learn more about warbler and other spring migrants.

Find Us at the Farmers Market!

Looking for farm-fresh produce in the city? Look no further than our booth at the Union Square Farmers Market in Somerville. On Saturdays in the summer and in the early fall, we sell a selection of our sustainably grown veggies (and flowers!).

Drumlin Farm at the Union Square Farmers Market_2015 (4)Right now you’ll find sweet corn, fava beans, lettuce, cut greens, radish, Swiss chard, beets, carrots, cabbage, summer squash, peppers, potatoes, onions, scallions, herbs (cilantro, dill, basil, parsley, mint, lavender, lemon balm), and the last of the season’s peas (snow and shell).

You can also grab fresh-cut flowers to create a vibrant table arrangement or bouquet. (Or, use them to add color to a dish—we’ve learned from our restaurant partners that many of our flowers are also edible!) Favorites include snapdragons, strawflower, sunflowers, yarrow, and celosia, among others.

Drumlin Farm at the Union Square Farmers Market_2015 (1)New this year: Our booth at the Watertown Farmers Market at Arsenal on the Charles, Thursdays from 2–6 pm. Stop by and check out our new digs!

Can’t get enough farm-fresh goodness? We can’t say we blame you. Learn more about our CSA program, farmstand and restaurant partners, and food and farm programs.