Turning Tomatoes to Salad

Summer to Winter

The first round of winter greens maturing

Stepping into a tomato tunnel late September is impressive. The plants tower overhead producing abundant flowers and a staggering amount of fruit is still ripening. It is this moment at peak production when, if winter production is desired, the tomatoes must go.

Timing is crucial. As day length and temperatures diminish plants have less energy needed to grow. Hardy crops must be planted given enough time to mature before a period of winter dormancy. Planted too late and the crop won’t mature. Too early and you lose tomato production and have leggy greens. Our farm works in rounds getting the longer season winter crops planted in early September and faster greens towards October.

The process starts by harvesting the marketable tomatoes, either ripening or large and green. Then we drop the tomato plants from their string trellis, save the clips, and roll up the strings stored back on the trellis wires. The plants are cut at the base and hauled to the compost if there is no disease. 

The tunnel is now empty besides a few weeds and lots of green cherry tomatoes. Using a mechanical tiller we can skim the surface of the soil cutting the weeds at their base. Compost is then piled on the beds and raked smooth. Drip irrigation is in place from the tomatoes and we are ready to either transplant or direct seed crops.

These tunnels will not be heated and basically work like giant walk in coolers. As winter sets in the plants go through periods of freezing and thawing. We harvest in blocks. Since the plants are dormant there is no growth to keep up with. This allows us to budget our production for the season. For example, each kale plant should provide 1 bunch of kale (I like to undershoot). So one bed should provide 420 bunches given no losses. We project these numbers across the months budgeting for CSA boxes, Farm Stand, and Winter Farmers Markets.

Hoops and row cover will be placed to protect the crop from cold nights and insects. These simple cloths keep our crops from suffering damage from frost or insects. Each layer of plastic of fabric increases our zone of hardiness. So instead of zone 5 outside the tunnel, we are cultivating in zone 7. Basically the panhandle of Texas. As long as the row covers and tunnels are securely covering the plants and not touching the leaves, we are good to farm.

A hurdle we are overcoming this year is processing. Since we produce and wash our products everything that comes from farm is value-added. In previous years we have used our normal wash station, open to the elements, and fueled by hose water. It is truly freezing work dipping your hands in dunk tanks while snow lingers on the ground. This year we will use a section of the Farm Stand for a modular wash pack which will save freezing fingers and allow our crew to comfortably work throughout the winter season. 

The second element in producing food throughout the winter comes down to storage. We grow carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, cabbage, garlic, onions, and shallots during the warm months, then bring them inside to last through winter. Limits in cooler, freezer, and dry storage means our space will get crowded. Refrigerated space is the most important investment a vegetable farm can make. While our 10x12 cooler felt big at one time, we consistently max out its storage capacity. This is a hurdle we will deal with this year and have ambitions to improve next season. 

Increasing our capacity for winter production has been an ongoing business goal materializing over many years. I am excited and nervous to see how the large increase in growing space will play out.

The farm is growing winter production this season and bringing us to year round production. We have grown an abundance of storage crops but do not know the weights until we harvest. Crops like potatoes we purchase from other farms that can grow them more efficiently. Growing supplemental storage crops would be the main reason to expand our acreage, however that would also mean an expansion in storage space.

This year, like many, is a trial. I am making this push to offer year round employment. I am reaching a point in my farming career where I do not want to be the sole caregiver of these crops and would like to pass the torch through delegation. Remaining financially active throughout winter will hopefully allow people careers in small scale agriculture. We won't be employing people full time through this winter, but I am hopeful that by offering part time hours we can all remain engaged and ready to jump back in come next spring.

No seeds need to germinate so that January tunnel can feel just as impressive, if not more, than tomatoes in September.

Farm News

Expanded Winter CSA! The CSA will run from November-March offering pre-packed veggie boxes complete with a range of delicious winter produce. The share will offer fresh greens, stored roots and squash, plus some value-added seasonal treats! Don’t miss out on the unique and delicious flavors of cold sweetened produce.

Farm Stand Hours: 10-6pm Wed-Friday, 10-4pm Saturday and Sunday

*The Farm Stand is now self-service

Hopefully stocked this week:

NEW! Farm Fresh Pork- That’s right, the pigs are back home and ready to be loved a second time

Greens: Hearts and Souls Salad Mix, chard, kale, arugula, bok choi, endive, escarole

Roots: Potatoes, onions, shallots, carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, and garlic

Veggies: Cherry Tomatoes (last of season!), heirloom tomatoes, field tomatoes, eggplant, sweet and hot peppers, dragon tongue beans, fennel, cauliflower, broccoli

Herbs: Parsley, dill, cilantro

KREAM Kimchi, Jodar Farms Eggs, Rey Atelier Home Goods, Bread Chic Sourdough, Fox Den Coffee, Owl Tree Farm Worm Compost, Bee Squared Apiaries Honey, Abuelita’s Hot Sauce, Christie Leighton Jewelry, Life’s A Buch Kombucha