Date:Wed, 07 Aug 2002 
From:Roger 
To:<tt-inc@yahoogroups.com>
Subject:Garden Project Report; was Re: [tt-inc] August Board Meeting Set

> Sorry Roger, I know you can't be there. Stan will just have to fill in again 
> on the Acerage Report! :-) 

That's okay, I'll just post a few words here in advance of the meeting to save 
Stan some of the questions... 

We have harvested a fair amount of carrot seed and will be removing these from 
their heads in the next couple of weeks. We also harvested the potato stock which 
I was was trying to keep in large supply to carry into the shift. The harvest was 
very slim and disappointing. We have had too much heat and not enough moisture 
and all the tubers are small (golf-ball sized or smaller). It will be interesting 
to see how this weather has affected the sweet potatoes later this fall. 

We also picked 16 of the roughly 50 varieties of beans. This harvest was also 
disappointing. We struggled with pests of both the insect and rodent types. Once 
they beans had recovered from the pests, the heat set in and though water was 
provided, it was too little too late for some of the beans. The yellow bean harvest 
was less than what was planted. The other varieties faired better, but only just 
clearing the quantities planted. The remaining varieties are green and leafy and 
few have set seed so we will wait and hope for a late harvest this fall. We have 
soaker hoses on all beds and Stan has a regular watering routine to keep them lush! 

Finally we have the corn. The first variety planted has suffered from the heat 
and lack of water. They are dwarfed in height and in ear size. We have some ears 
with mature kernals that are ready to begin drying. We will leave these on the 
stalks for as long as we can, but we've had some signs of grasshopper damage and 
may have to risk an early harvest. It is better to allow them to dry out on the 
stalk. The second variety planted has had poor germination and then this heat is 
really slowing down their growth. Stan is deligently watering them with the water 
tanks, but I fear they won't produce a crop. 

The good news is that I have had a bunker crop of volunteer pyrethrum daisies in 
my backyard! I have harvested a good amount of seed from them. I also had a good 
harvest of flax as they set seed before the heat hit. Additionally, the scallions 
which I overwintered out there in the backyard survived and I have nearly two cups 
of seed! 

Have a good meeting without me, 
Roger