A patty-pan type squash - we're harvesting loads of interesting varieties this week. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Things are really picking up at the farm this week! We're coming into our first big flush of summer crops and everyone is remembering how much lifting we have to do here in the summertime. Summer squash (we're harvesting some cool heirloom varieties in addition to the green and yellow squash you're familiar with), green beans, cucumbers, onions, and some early tomatoes are all coming out of the fields this week. And believe us - these crops are HEAVY!

Luckily, we've just put the final touches on our harvest trailers - shaded roofs. I know I talked about these trailers a few weeks ago, but seeing them in action as the heavier summer crops come in is really an awesome sight. Instead of walking full bins of veggies to the ends of our fields, the harvest crew is now able to harvest right into their bins that are sitting on the trailer! This saves loads of lifting and carrying (something we could all use a little less of out here) and allows us to harvest up to 5 beds at a time. In addition, the shaded cover on the trailer means that we can get your produce out of the sun faster, which should improve overall quality on the farm. I just keep thinking, why didn't we build these sooner?

Our harvest trailers are now shaded! Photo by Scott David Gordon

We're still working to take down the steel structures that were our greenhouses until last week. Once the pads are cleared, we will be able to start rebuilding. A huge thank-you to our CSA community for your support during this time. Thanks to those who have committed for long-term CSA subscriptions with the farm, and those who have offered materials donations. We still have a lot of work ahead of us - if you can support the farm in any way as we move into a great harvest season, it would help us get these greenhouses up before we have to start seeding again in late June!

We're taking down the damaged sections of greenhouses this week. Photo by Scott David Gordon

As the workload picks up at JBG, we are all putting in the extra hours to make sure everything gets done. Some of us have found that plugging in our headphones makes the work go by faster. JBG Greenhouse Manager Brandon recently shared his list of agriculture podcasts with some of our staff, and we loved his suggestions and wanted to share them with you. Got any food/farming podcasts you like to listen to? We'd love to hear about them in the comments.

Permaculture Voices

The Permaculture Voices podcast founder Diego interviews folks in all aspects of the regenerative agriculture spectrum. This includes urban farmers, rural legends like Joel Salatin, soil experts, mycologists and more. This podcast explores the important balance between an agricultural business that cares for the earth with respect but also yields a profitable and sustainable lifestyle for the farmer. They are also a great resource for anyone interested in learning more about the principles of permaculture.

Recommended episode: Biodiverity is Biosecurity- Strengthening Foodwebs using Mycological Solutions

Photo by Scott David Gordon

Farmer to Farmer Podcast

Chris Blanchard's Farmer to Farmer is probably on the more technical end of this list of podcasts. Expect to hear real farmers discussing varieties, bed and row spacing, record keeping and more. Don't miss the episode a few weeks ago when Chris talked with Brenton about the farm!

Recommended episode: Eliot Coleman on the Importance of Observation, and Making the Soil Work for Your Farm

 

Homesteady 

From hunting to mushroom foraging to building a chicken coop, this podcast explores self-sufficiency topics for the aspiring homesteader. If you've dreamt of using your backyard as a market garden, want to know how to build a chicken coop, or don't know what to do once you've shot your first whitetail, look no further than Homesteady!

Recommended episode: Can you Make Money Selling Farm Fresh Eggs? Chickens, Eggs, and Homestead Business

Zinnia flowering at JBG this week. Photo by Scott David Gordon

More of Brandon's favorite podcasts:

Get Growing with Farmer Fred - Backyard gardeners! Farmer Fred is a long time Master Gardener in California whose podcast is a wealth of tips for organic backyard gardeners on soils, pest management, and plenty of great tips to help your garden thrive.

Farm Marketing Solutions - Lots of small farms fail despite the fact that they are great at growing food. Farm Marketing Solutions aims to help the farmer trying to grow the business an insight into great marketing techniques.

Homesteading and Permaculture by Paul Wheaton - Tons of information on permaculture design and techniques, good conversations with a variety of guests, and an entertaining (and sometimes foul-mouthed) host.

The Urban Farm Podcast With Greg Peterson - These shorter podcasts (30-45 min) discusses topics revolving around the art of urban food production systems and the potential that exists to grow food in metropolitan areas.

Chicken Thistle Farm CoopCast - Coopcast is based at Chicken Thistle Farm in Walworth, NY. Kelli and Andi raise pigs and chickens and give advice and hilarious stories in each week's podcast.

Sow Edible Permaculture Podcast - Join first-time farmers Stacy and Amy as they build their permaculture self-sufficient farm and off grid house.

Sustainable World Radio - Jill Cloutier has been producing this show since 2004, and each week cover topics ranging from permaculture to herbal remedies. Nature-based solutions to make this world a better place.

The Beginning Farmer Show with Ethan Book - Ethan from Crooked Gap Farm tells his own entertaining story about "the good, bad, and ugly of starting a farm from scratch". His enthusiasm is contagious and his storytelling is really captivating.

We hope you enjoy this list - let us know which podcasts we missed in the comments section!