New life is springing up all around the farm. Take a look:

Jason found this toad under the landscape fabric in the Big Tunnel and lifted him to safety before cranking up the walking tractor and tilling. Toads are esteemed colleagues on the farm, respected for all the good they do, gobbling up slugs and other pests that feast on produce. Perhaps it’s because of the German fairy tale, “The Frog Prince,” that toads are specifically associated with ugliness. How unfair and untrue! Just look at that gorgeous, bejeweled skin, and those gold-rimmed eyes.

Radishes in the Big Tunnel are almost ready. Tiny red globes are emerging from the soil. Fresh radishes have a wonderful crunch. This crop is Cherry Bell and French breakfast.

The garlic poked up from the straw seemingly overnight. In late spring, each garlic plant will produce a single curly scape. These will be snipped and shared with CSA members or sold. Scapes have a pleasant, light garlic flavor, and a long fridge life (over a month). They’re delicious in eggs and can also be grilled. Scapes are one of my favorite ingredients. The twirled scape is the stem of what would eventually be a bloom. If we don’t cut the scapes, the plant will divert its energy toward producing this flower and away from growing a bulb underground. We’ll pull up the garlic in July.

We had extra space in the back of Caterpillar 1, so I transplanted flat leaf Italian parsley that Jason started from seed. Here, it’s getting a drink from the sprinklers. We like to aim for at least one herb in the weekly CSA shares as often as we can.

~ Stella