Everything but the temperature is starting to feel like Fall with the Autumnal Equinox this past Saturday and more fall veggies being harvested.

The shorter days slow down the ripening of the summer crops but the fall crops love it as even when it has gotten to the high 90s the last couple of days its only for a few hours instead of most of the day like it is in the summer.

We took the first fall red russian kale and collards to the market on Saturday and we should have lots more from now on. The plants are looking great and healthy as we begin to harvest them.

After an early setback the Dino kale has grown rapidly and we will start to harvest it this week along with potentially a few bunches of chard.

It is still a little ways away from any broccoli or cabbage but those plants are growing very well and we are focused on keeping them weeded as best as we can.

Today is the last Picnic in the Park at the Wednesday Davis Farmers Market and the hours will be changing back to 3-6 p.m. beginning on October 2.

The little gem lettuces have been super popular at the market since we started harvesting them two weeks ago and this weekend we will add a head lettuce to the mix.

Our Red Batavia variety of lettuce has been looking really good and we’ve just been waiting for it to fill in. This crispy variety of lettuce looks similar to a romaine but has more sweetness without the bitterness due to its tolerance to hotter weather.

This weekend we should also have some arugula for the market while the hakurei turnips and leeks are on the horizon to be harvested.

We are continuing to transplant and direct seed lots more in the field this past week and in the coming weeks. 

There is lettuce to be transplanted every week from now through October but for many of the other crops there are fewer plantings left as they take much longer to grow. We’ve got most of our brassicas in the ground already including just planting a very unique broccoli.

Three of the four direct seedings of carrots are in the ground and the first two have already germinated and are growing.