Tomatoes for Peru...

Great Tomatoes here, Free Healthcare there!

Today we have a guest post from Pat Jackson who is a bilingual RN who travels to Peru each year with Global Health Ministry. We're sharing Pat's story! Without further hesitation here is Pat's story in her own words!

"Hi there, Pat Jackson here. I'm a bilingual RN and in 3 weeks I leave for Peru, a medical mission trip with Global Health Ministry that I've been doing for ten or so years now. It's an expensive endeavor and I stumbled upon a fundraiser that has really worked...The Great Tomato Sale. (I'm an RN, but a master gardener also, so why not combine these talents?)

A house call made in Peru with the Global Health Ministry

The first year was serendipitous...I was teaching a seed-starting class, and included some of my own in the greenhouse, along with the students'. But when 100 tomato plants "took," I wondered what I'd do with them. Ran to St. Francis Hospital, my then-employer, who is affiliated with Global Health Ministry. The plants sold out in an hour. The next year, I tried for 200 and it was a hit. 

Villagers in Peru that need medical care

Well, I moved north to Vermont, had no greenhouse at my disposal, but continued this mission trip. How would I pull this off? So I called my good friend, HG Haskell, and presented my dilemma. His only question: "how many plants do you need?" And I had the nerve to request 300! Since then, he has been supplying me with the crux of my fundraising for this 2-week trip to Chulucanas, Peru. Amazing!

Tomato Plant Starts in the SIW Greenhouse

GHM has two trips to Peru: one in June for Primary Care where many of us travel 5-6 hours up into the mountains, offering care to folks who may only see a doctor -- us -- once a year! We also triage the patients for the October surgery trip where at least 200 surgeries are performed in two weeks, 3 surgical rooms running non-stop. All our services are free. Without this most of these patients would never receive care.

One of the Global Health Ministry doctors with a patient after surgery

So, my mantra is: "great tomatoes here, free healthcare there." Can't go wrong, right? What a guy, that HG. 

We thank Pat for sharing her story and doing the amazing work she's doing! Keep it up, Pat!!

A scare with the cold...

An unexpected cold snap in May!

Last night called for frost and that put everyone on edge at the farm. So many varieties of vegetables have been planted in the fields already this season. HG and the team have planted tomatoes, eggplant, peas, squash, green beans and corn in the fields thus far this season.

Young pea plants in the field

A frost could mean significant lose due to frost damage. It doesn't take much cold to kill a plant depending on it's hardiness. Most of the early vegetables that we've planted aren't hardy plants. They're also still young so don't have much strength to fight against the cold. It isn't so much the cold temperatures but frost that causes the most irreversible damage. Frost is actually what can damage the plants. A light frost, like we had last night, doesn't cause as much detrimental damage as a hard frost. HG and the team took to protecting the precious vegetables in the fields. Last night they were out covering the crops with row cover to help insulate and keep the plants warmer then the outside air temp. A few degrees could make or break the harvest potential of the crops. The row cover helps keep the temperature up a few degrees to protect the plants.

Row covers on the plants in the field to protect them

Since we're talking about all these delicious vegetables, we might as well mention the CSA as well. We are still accepting enrollments in the CSA until June 1st! The CSA is a great way to plan your meals around the surprises in your share of the week. Email us at siwveggies@gmail.com for more information!

Tomato plants with blossoms

23 days...

We're getting closer and closer to opening day and we couldn't be more excited!

Opening Day is June 1st!

Opening day is June 1st and we're well on our way getting things ready around the farm. The greenhouse has been busy and bursting at the seams (see those updates here and here).

Tomatoes that were started in the greenhouse

Some of our favorite veggies are in the fields and coming along nicely. We can't wait to taste those delicious tomatoes, have a fresh ear of corn or enjoy some delicious peas! We're so excited we're already contemplating our summer dinner menus.

Peas in the field with morning dew glistening in the sun

With opening day fast approaching, we're getting excited about all the upcoming events on the farm. Don't forget to check the calendar for our Field to Fork Dinners. We also have the Annual Farm Tour coming up on June 16th. Don't forget we also are hosting a Wild Edibles Walk with Nathaniel Whitmore, you can read more about that here.

What are you excited for this summer?

Wilmington Flower Market

The plants are on their way!


SIW is on their way to Wilmington to drop off flower and veggie starts to be sold this weekend at the The Wilmington Flower Market. We've grown eggplant, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and more to send to the market this weekend!

            

If you haven't heard of this amazing event, we'll share some more details. This event happens every year on Mother's Day weekend (Thursday-Saturday) and is fun for the whole family. There is a large selection of plants and flowers for your garden, as well as for sale. Need a last minute Mother's Day present??? There is also live music performed on the WDEL stage, as well as an amazing spread of delicious food. We can't forget about the kiddos either, there are carnival rides and games for them to enjoy!There are a few events leading up to the actual weekend as well! Tonight WFM Rocks the Park! They'll be kicking off the weekend with live music from 5-8pm tonight! The market is open Thursday and Friday 10am-8pm and Saturday 10am-7pm. 

Wilmington Flower Market

We're so happy to be a part of this amazing event again. The Wilmington Flower Market has been helping children since 1921. Wilmington Flower Market Inc. is a tradition, a corporation and an all volunteer fundraising organization dedicated to improving the lives of Delaware’s children. If you're looking for something to do this weekend, the perfect gift for Mom or just want to find the perfect addition for your garden, get out and support the WFM!

That's a wrap!

We wrapped up our second Crop Mob of the 2016 season on Saturday, April 30. We weren't sure of the weather at the the start of the morning but the sun came out and warmed us up. It turned out to be a wonderful day!

Volunteers arrive for a morning of helping at SIW!

A few tasks were added to the to do list of the day. The volunteers were split into groups and sent on their way into the fields. The first task on the list was to clean up the raspberries! The raspberry canes were trimmed and all the leftover debris needed to be removed from the rows of canes. Did you know that a raspberry plant is called a cane? 

Removing trimmings and debris from the raspberries

Another group of volunteers were sent over to the corn that had previously been planted in the field. The corn has been in the ground for a bit now. You can see the corn under it's big blanket on our Instagram feed when it was first planted. Good news, the blanket did it's job! The corn sprouted and began touching the "blanket". This means the hoops needed to be added to the rows to lift the row cover off the crops. The corn is still young yet so still needs the protection of the row cover. The volunteers did a great job of adding the hoops and recovering the corn!

The hoops are in and the cover goes back on the corn!

The last task on the list of the morning was to plant more sweet onions! The sweet onions have been in the ground for a few weeks now. Sometimes the seedlings don't take and need to be replanted. The volunteers went down the rows of onions looking for any empty holes to place a new seedling. 

Planting more Candy Onions

The tasks of the morning definitely give us an appreciation for the hard work that goes into providing the food for our tables! The tasks were completed just in time for lunch! We gathered for a group photo and then dived into a delicious lunch made by Talula's Table! A HUGE thank you to the Delaware Center for Horticulture and the volunteers that helped us!

Wild Edibles Walk

Wild Edibles Walking Tour with Nathaniel Whitmore

Photo courtesy of www.nathanielwhitmore.com

Nettles, Lamb's Quarters, Giant Chickweed, Skunk Cabbage...what are these strange things? Ever wonder what is edible in the woods? Want to learn more about eating wild foods, what's safe and what isn't, and the benefits of wild foods? We're hosting a walking tour with Nathaniel Whitmore as the guide. He has extensive knowledge in wild foods and medicinal herbs. He's been exploring the woods since he was a teenager and learning all he can. He's become an educator in the field of wild edibles and conducts classes and walking tours regularly. You can read more about Nathaniel's extensive background through his bio page of his website.

Wild Foraged Hen of the Woods Mushroom | Nathaneil Whitmore

Nathaniel also formed the Delaware Highlands Mushroom Society, a mushroom enthusiasts' club dedicated to the appreciation of fungi and education of edible and medicinal mushrooms.  Nathaniel offers walks through the club and serves as club president.  See the club website and facebook page.  DHMS is a member club of the Northeast Mycological Federation (NEMF) and is working on membership with the North American Mycological Association (NAMA).

Wild Mushroom | Photo from Delaware Highlands Mushroom Society

The walk will be June 23rd starting at 6pm. If you are interested in attending please email siwveggies@gmail.com by June 17th to reserve a spot. There is no ticket cost for this informative walk but are asked to make a small contribution of what you wish at the end of the tour.

We hope to have you join us!

It's almost time!

The warmer temperatures are reminding us that it's getting close to opening day!

There's been a lot happening on the farm in the last couple weeks. Fingers crossed we won't have any sudden cold snaps like we did with the freak snow day a little while back. The green house is bursting with growth, which means things are starting to be transplanted into the fields. 

Tomatoes being transplanted into the field

Another exciting happening is the first sweet corn has been planted in the fields! We all LOVE HG's sweet corn. This is a good sign that the stand will be opening soon. The corn has been planted and covered with what looks like a large blanket, and in theory, it is just that! This large cover helps heat the soil which aids in germination and emergence of the corn.

First Sweet Corn of the season in the fields

All this talk of tomatoes and sweet corn is making us ready for summer! The stand will open on June 1st! We also have a few events on the calendar for everyone to check out.  The Field to Fork dinners have been announced and we can't wait! We also have a volunteer opportunity on Saturday, April 30th for our Crop Mob with the DCH. If you'd like to volunteer, email us at siwveggies@gmail.com no later then Wednesday, April 27th to let us know.

Dr. Martin Lima Bean Succotash | 2015 Field to Fork Dinner

We're excited to get the 2016 season rolling and share all the delicious fruits and vegetables with you and your families!

Tomatoes, tomatoes & more tomatoes!

We have heirlooms, cherries, plums and more varieties well on their way!

(Planting heirloom tomato varieties under low tunnels in the fields)

The tomatoes are well on their way, some varieties even have flowers already! We're keeping our fingers crossed that Spring is truly here and we don't have any more cold snaps. The garlic and onions are coming along nicely as well. This all means one thing for us...

(Garlic coming along nicely in the field)

We're so close to opening day of the stand! June 1st is opening day at the stand! We're working hard to get all the veggies and flowers ready.

(Heirloom tomatoes at the stand)

We're also really excited for our Field to Fork dinners this coming summer as well. If you haven't checked out the dates yet head on over to our Events page and check them out. The next Crop Mob is on April 30th, if you're interested in volunteering for the morning at the farm, email us at siwveggies@gmail.com. We can't wait to see everyone!

Snow in April?!

The "onion snow" came and went...

The whacky weather over the past week has been interesting. A late snow like we got on this past Saturday can be known as an "onion snow". This is a term specific to Pennsylvania originating from the Pennsylvania Dutch. It refers to snowfall that occurs after the spring onions have been planted, and comes right as they are sprouting. 

(Snow covered Barn)

The forecast for this week is looking much better with lots of sunshine, warmer temps and some rain. We're going to keep trucking along with production in the greenhouse and hope the warm weather sticks around. 

(Seedlings in greenhouse)

We have a few exciting things coming up for SIW. Our next Crop Mob with the Delaware Center for Horticulture is on April 30th. If you're interested in joining the fun please email siwveggies@gmail.com. Once the work is done, we'll have lunch from Talula's Table! The dates for our Field to Fork dinners have been posted. You can find the dates, chefs, chefs and pricing here. We're also extremely excited that we're inching closer to opening day on June 1st as well as our annual Farm Tour on June 16th! If you would like to attend any of the upcoming SIW event's please email us at siwveggies@gmail.com. 

(Fields of SIW at Spring)

One last note, we still are taking sign ups for our CSA. If you are interested please email us at siwveggies@gmail.com. Enrollment will be open for a short time longer so don't miss out!

Greenhouse is "growing" strong...

The greenhouse is GREEN!

There is so much growth to report on! The first rounds of tomato plants are getting stronger, and taller by the day. Soon they'll be moved outside to get acclimated to the weather.

Jamie the resident greenhouse guru is also busy growing a plethora of starts for the Wilmington Flower Market! SIW grows starts for the Flower Market every year. Since 1921 the Wilmington Flower Market has been raising funds for a wide range of charities throughout the state of Delaware that support children. If you'd like to support a good cause and get your hands on some of the SIW starts head to their website for information on the big sale!

The fig trees are growing nicely as well as the zinnias. The stand will have shorter zinnias this year (12-18inch length stems) which will be perfect for any bouquet to decorate your home with! The sunflowers have been planted also.

The lettuces are poking their heads up as well. Making for some gorgeous color in the greenhouse. The sweet candy onions are coming along nicely, they look like chives right now!

The praying mantis have hatched and are growing. The praying mantis is used as a natural pest control method on the farm. Waiting for the nests to hatch has proven to be an event on the farm!

We're excited that Spring has arrived and can't wait to share more updates on the greenhouse and growing season's progress!