Summer CSA Week Four | Weed Withdrawals
- 10th St. Farm & Market
- Jul 9
- 5 min read
Week 4: July 9th - July 12th
As many of you know, we practice no-till agriculture at 10th Street Farm. Essentially, that means we prioritize long-term soil health over some short-term ease. For example, rather than ripping through beds with a rototiller to quickly open up the soil for planting, we use tarps to allow crop residue to break down naturally while preserving the soil structure below the surface. As much as possible we keep living roots in the soil, use hand-scale tools, and keep the ground covered with plants, cover crops, and other types of mulch.
These no-till practices provide lots of benefits to the vegetables we grow. Our healthy soil grows healthy, more nutrient-dense plants. But no-till agriculture has a secondary benefit to us as farmers: it helps us manage our weeds!
Farmers refer to nefarious seeds found in the soil as “the weed seed bank.” Generally, seeds in this bank will only germinate if they are located in the top two inches of soil, closest to the sun. On a tillage farm, the soil is regularly turned over, bringing new weed seeds up into that germination zone (and sending others further down to lie dormant, waiting for a chance to grow). On a no-till farm, deeper seeds have fewer chances to make it up into the top two inches, meaning they have fewer chances to grow. This means that as we manage weeds over time, the number of viable seeds in the top two inches of soil decreases. No-till farmers make withdrawals from the weed seed bank, but avoid making new deposits.
Theoretically, at least. Sometimes, though (as with all farm-related activities) things don’t go according to plan, and rather than being withdrawn from the bank by a hoe or a hand, weeds find enough time to go to seed and drop a whole new batch of seeds into the topsoil. We call this “seed rain” and we try to avoid it as much as we possibly can.
Which brings us to the task at hand on the farm, at the moment. The recent heat has made more body-intensive hoeing more difficult, and the rain has made weeding nearly impossible (because working in wet soil causes compaction). Those two factors have also encouraged weeds to grow like, well, weeds - shooting up seemingly overnight. We’ve been locked in battle with the weeds for the last couple of weeks, attempting to keep them from setting seed and cashing checks into our soil. With time-intensive hand weeding as our primary tool, we’re confronting bigger weeds than we would in a typical season, which take more time and effort to remove.
Luckily, the weed growth is nearly matched by plant growth, and the vegetables keep rolling in. Tomatoes are picking up, lettuce and salad mix are back at full force post-hail, and any time not spent weeding is full of fruitful harvests! A slower planting period has given us just enough time to stay ahead of the big weeds, and we’ll be making a big push in the coming weeks - hopefully with less heat and frequent rain - to keep withdrawing weeds, both present and future, from the bank. Wish us luck!
Have a week of good growth,
Chris, Ashley, and the 10th Street Farmers
In Your Share This Week
Green Beans: The classic taste of summer - these green beans are flavorful and ready to rock. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Choice:
Cucumbers: Crunchy and refreshing, chop up for a salad, add to sandwiches or just eat raw! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Summer Squash: Green zucchini and yellow squash - delicious sautéed, grilled, or baked. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Choice:
Purple Peppers: These beautiful peppers taste like a green bell pepper - the first of the season! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Garlic Scapes: This loopy fella is the flowering part of a garlic plant - chop it up and use it just like garlic. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Fresh Onions: These cippolini and fresh red long onions are perfect in any recipe that calls for an onion! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Choice:
Romaine Lettuce: Beautiful crisp lettuce heads. Great for everything from lettuce wraps to salads and sandwiches. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Farm Mix Salad Mix: A diverse mix of tasty red and green lettuces. Delicious with just olive oil and salt, or dress it up! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Choice:
Power Greens Micro Mix: Our newest micro mix! A nutrient-dense blend of broccoli, kale, daikon, and bekana sure to power up any dish!
Flavor Mix microgreens: Mild and tasty, these make an easy salad on their own or can add some color to any other salad. Try them on eggs or sandwiches – or anything, really! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Pea Shoots: Sweet and crisp, these make a great addition to sandwiches, wraps, salads or can be lightly sautéed as a side dish. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Choice:
Slicer Tomatoes: The taste of summertime! Store on the counter - never in the fridge!
Cherry Tomatoes: A rainbow of flavor, packed in a pint. Store on the counter - never in the fridge!
Basil: The perfect partner for summer veggies! Herbaceous and tasty. Store in a glass of water outside the fridge.
Eggplant: This Asian variety of eggplant has a very thin skin, so you don't need to peel it - just cut it up and cook it! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Choice (Full Shares take two):
Cabbage: A staple across cultures, cabbage is equally tasty in a fresh cole slaw and roasted in the oven. Versatile, storable, and beautiful. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Carrots: These carrots are sweet, crunchy, and oh so addicting! Remove tops and store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Full Share Choice (Take Two!):
Broccolini: Tasty tender broccoli shoots - eat them leaves and all. Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Beets: These earthy beauties are good in sweet and savory roles alike. Boil, roast, or grate into baked goods! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Cilantro microgreens: Zippy micros to add a little flavor to whatever's on your plate! Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Kale: Hearty yet still tender, the kale is tasting great this summer. Maybe time for some kale chips? Store in an airtight bag or container in your fridge.
Kitchen Inspiration
The first green beans of the year are here! The beans are tender and tasty - good enough to eat raw without turning on the stove. But this section is called “kitchen inspiration” not “eating raw vegetables inspiration,” so I’ll give you a couple of recipes too. This cold Italian green bean salad with cherry tomatoes and red onion looks perfect for our warm weather ahead. Or maybe blister them with soy sauce and sesame seeds, if you can stomach turning the oven on?
We’ve got a choice of carrots or cabbage in the share this week too. Could be great weather for some apple cider vinegar-forward cole slaw or a sweet, lemony shaved carrot salad. And if you’re looking to try something new with your cucumber, it’s perfect weather for a smashed cucumber salad!
If you've found a recipe you're loving, please send it our way. We're always looking for new things to cook and share with other members!
Please remember to bring back your Purple or Blue bag each week! Thank you!
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