Monday harvest, weeding and bread oven

Lining up for the turnip toss

This morning our group set out to harvest for the upcoming Thanksgiving break.  We packed up boxes of chard, kale, broccoli, lettuce, turnips, daikon radish and black radish. We also had a practice session of "the turnip toss".  It is amazing how much food is still left in the fields.

Scary black raddish

The black radish is a funny little vegetable.  The taste isn't remarkable--I know I've eaten them but couldn't say what they taste like--but they are very attractive.  Until the root splits and someone carves scary eyes into 'em... 

Betsy walking amongst the baby spinach

In the afternoon, we went to work on Sentinel Elm farm.  We weeded in the greenhouse and helped to build the bread oven.  The spinach in the greenhouse didn't need much weeding but it was nice to do it while the weeds were tiny.  There is a green-gunky algae that can form on the soil in a greenhouse and we broke that up between the plants.  Isn't it beautiful?

Our last task of the day was to work a bit on the bread oven.  The arch layer is about ready to start as we placed bricks that had been angled.  These bricks will hold the arched vault of the oven which is just about ready to build.  Our guide on this project, Josh, will be setting up a steel frame of sorts in preparation for setting on the top.  Stay tuned for more photos on this project.

This evening, we were invited to view a documentary in progress entitled "The Greenhorns"  Here is the website if you'd like to have more information:  http://www.thegreenhorns.net/home.html  It was a beautiful movie, speaking to the enthusiasm, needs and approach of young farmers new to the world of farmer.