Red Kale planted into our clover strips thriving! photo by Elissa Planz
Reminder to our 2022 Shareholders,
The wait is over and the time has finally come to pick up your produce! The first share starts just next week and we are more than ready to get back into the fields to harvest some fresh veggies.
Our spring fields look aaamazing. And while we don’t like to count food until it’s back at the washing station and put out for display, we’re predicting a great season with lots of tasty veggies in this year’s harvest.
Please note, shares will start out lighter in the beginning and get larger as the weeks progress and the plants size up. You’ll receive an email from us every Wednesday by 2 p.m. letting you know what to expect in your weekly share, along with updates from the farm team.
In the first few weeks, you may expect the following items to pop up:
Spicy mix, arugula, peashoots, and lettuce, followed by kale and collards as they size up
Hakurei turnips and radishes
Garlic scallions and green onions
Summer squash (Look for these in Week 3 or 4.)
Strawberries (These are just starting to ripen due to the cold nights we’ve been experiencing, but we expect them to be ready by Week 2 or 3.)
We are very excited for how this year is going so far and what is to come. Between the veggies that are already planted and an abundance of beautiful flowers in the ground, we should have plenty to harvest this summer!
Our first share pickups will be
Wednesday, May 18
Clagett Farm, Upper Marlboro
3:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 19
Philip Merrill Environmental Center, Annapolis
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 21
Clagett Farm, Upper Marlboro
1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
This cool lettuce variety called Mayan Jaguar is not disappointing as it grows those lush, colorful leaves. Strawberry plants are also making progress, with bright white flowers already popping up. Each one of those will be a yummy berry very soon!
TIPS FOR WHEN YOU ARRIVE
At the farm:
The pickup site can be found by making left at the first fork in the road when entering the farm. Continue up the hill past the 3 barns. At the top of the hill, you will turn right to immediately find us in the building perched up to the right.We have a small parking area directly across from the pick-up site and then a larger area if you continue just up the hill a bit more past our pizza oven. Please do not park along the road or in the driveway near this building, as it creates blind spots for drivers to see pedestrians.
Annapolis location:
We will be located underneath the Phillip Merrill Center, in the front corner spots facing the water, feel free to park inside the garage if there is space, or right outside, out of the way of traffic.We will not be requiring face masks around the pickup site but please practice social distancing to make everyone feel comfortable as they gather their shares for the week.
Try to bring something to put your produce in like a tote bag or reusable shopping bag. Items like salad greens may come already portioned in a produce bag to reduce touching.
We will have instructions for how to gather your portion of the share listed on the boards at each table for each item. Please let us know as you go if you have questions about the options. (We love to talk produce!)
Please be patient as those in front make their decisions and resist the urge to jump ahead in line without permission from those who arrived before you.
We often have a bin of “culls” or bruised/damaged produce. Shareholders can take home as much as they would like from this labeled bin, so keep an eye out!
Until U-pick has been opened, please ask before cutting anything from the herb garden. Items like basil were just planted due to a late frost and need time to grow into their new homes.
DON’T FORGET TO ENJOY THE FARM
Once you have gathered your share, feel free to roam around and explore the farm. We just ask that guests remain respectful and not take vehicles off the gravel roads and onto the farm roads we use to access fields.
Dogs are also welcome all places but directly around the pickup area. Four-legged guests must also must be leashed at all times for the safety of our farm animals.
Meet the team!
Get to know some of our faces you’ll be seeing around the farm this year. Below is a snapshot of the core team that works their magic to manage all aspects of the farm’s operations. (Stay tuned for highlights of our amazing seasonal staff and volunteers that help to make each harvest possible!)
We look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones next week as we kick off another great season of our CSA. If you have any questions, check out our Frequently Asked Questions page or send us an email at clagettfarm@cbf.org.
See you soon!
-The Clagett Crew