Dirty Girl Produce

South Swell Season Opener

joelschirmer@sbcglobal.net — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:07:13 +0000

Well the second wave of tomatoes is finally in and watered. It was a dusty crusty affair but i think they will live, if not, oh well. Since i only signed the lease on the new rancho on Green Valley Road in May, the soil moisture had wicked out like i’ve never seen before. Two hours of overhead watering and the soil was bone dry four inches down. I could barely finish all the tractor work and chisle the plants into the dry crust before that heat wave came and nearly killed them off before i could run drip tape. A few died but i don’t have extra plants this year so i can’t replant in the holes. Oh well. Now I’m readying myself for the waves of brassicas, chicories, beans, and leafy greens about to explode on the farmers market tables. This is the first week in 08 we will be running all six markets:Felton Tuesday, Berkeley Tuesday, Santa Cruz Wednesday, Saturday S.F., West-Side Santa Cruz Saturday, and Sunday Santa Cruz. I can count on my fingers and toes the days before the first wave of dry farmed tomatoes begins to turn red and the beans have just begun. Soon i’ll start a thursday or tuesday delivery to the east bay and sf. How about that south swell last week? Sweet timing i totally needed that. If you didn’t get any……..oh well. Farm-On, joe

crunchy strawberries

joelschirmer@sbcglobal.net — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:02:15 +0000

its crunch time on the farm. the beds are filling up with bi-weekly transplantings and sowings. i’ve broken two disks this spring, luckily one was fixable. now its back in la selva and than right off to the new 10 acre rancho next to pinto lake in watsonville. still working on that lease. the spring crops are looking good but i don’t have much to bring to the table and sell right now. i should have planted twice as many strawberries. by june i should be feeling a little stronger in the sales department. i sit on two demanding farmers market boards. oh yeah, and my wife is pregnant and i am in escrow on our first house. my lead market girl stella has been gone since november and isn’t coming back until july or august. maybe the winds will be mellow after the market on saturday and i will be able to surf on the way back down the sc. life is good. farm-on, joe.

july 05 golfclub dr

joelschirmer@sbcglobal.net — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:17:24 +0000

[gallery=4]

Spring Waiting Period Has Begun

joelschirmer@sbcglobal.net — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:53:42 +0000

Spring here at Dirty Girl Produce is a waiting game. Waiting for the wind to mellow out, waiting for the spring sowings of greens and beans to germinate, waiting for the strawberries to start pumping, waiting for the tomatoes to feel the summer sun, and yes waiting patiently to make some dough rey me. I always think this time of year that I am going to put more land into production the next fall so that it will last longer the following spring, and then my market income can try to keep up with my spring spending. Next year i think more crops covered in remay, more strawberries, and i think the asparagras patch will get its first harvest. From my office window I can see the last of the first wave of early girl tomatoes going in. With no rain anywhere in the near future the dry farms are going to have to get watered in. There is still plenty of moisture in the soil though and the roots just need a little nudging down to find it. I think its going to be an awesome year on the farm , i just have to get through this spring first. Farm-on, Joe

Happy Holidays

admin — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:55:28 +0000

Happy Holidays from all of us at Dirty Girl Produce!

This is the new Farm Log for DG produce. Check here for news and updates from farmer Joe Schirmer!