Today was our third anual “miss the market on July 4th weekend.” Sorry to anyone who came to the market looking for us. We are at the end of our spring crops and waiting for our summer crops to come in. With the demands of our CSA boxes we get very tight on produce this time of the season, thus our absence. We spent the day Friday trying to catch up on some much needed planting of spaces and crops that seemed to go by the way side of late. Today Richard is working all day, in the heat setting up another wave of irrigation (get it?). I went to TCS and bought more t-posts so next week we can start staking, posting and tying up the field tomatoes. I also checked out our local Farmers Market in Owosso as we may be their as daily vendors in July and August when the flowers are kicking in. Felt wierd not being at the Meridian Market and walking around Owosso as a customer; different perspective.
We had a very exciting day on Thursday when we hosted a farm tour with Vicki Morrone from MSU and Eric Fisher, Production Adjustment Chief for USDA Farm Service Agency in Michigan. About 30 crop insurance adjusters came to tour our farm and learn more about an organic farm system. Seems until recently an organic farmer was not paid an organic premimun on their crops if they made a crop insurance claim. Vicki and Eric wanted these folks to see first hand all that goes into an organic farm system. It was fun, information and not so hot. It’s always fun to talk about our farm to folks. Jesse Hahn came with his Trailor Park’d and made everyone a really yummy lunch. (Check Trailor Parke’d at Alan Street market, in Old Town and at the East Lansing Farmers Market. They lots of local ingredients including from Owosso Organics.)
Sorry I’m late with this weeks box plan. Like I said this time of the year we really have to guess at what may be ready to harvest. Plans for this week include: Lettuce, Swiss Chard, beets with green tops if they are ready, Basil, possibly snap peas. We actually need rain which is why Richard is working so hard to get the irrigation system all set up.
Remember for the Okemos pick-up on Monday I won’t be under the pavillion because they will be setting up for the fire works. I’ll be at the parking lot at the historical village just to the north of the pavilion. Just look for our truck. Happy 4th of July everyone!

