Sowing Sunn Hemp and Sunflowers

A couple of weeks ago, before the rain moved in, we prepared the last section of our field next to the Farm Club plots in order to seed sunn hemp and sunflowers. If you’ve followed us for a while you might know that sunn hemp is our favorite warm weather cover crop. Sunn hemp is a member of the legume family and as it grows, it fixes beneficial nitrogen to the soil. As for the sunflowers, they will encourage beneficial mycorrhizal fungi growth in the soil. Once they bloom at the end of the summer and the beginning of fall, we’ll have something for the pollinators to enjoy and will be able to use them for cut flowers!

Despite the rain over the past couple of weeks we were able to transplant a row of roselle. Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a member of the Malvaceae family along with okra, cotton, and hibiscus. The leaves of roselle are edible along with the red calyces it produces. Roselle leaves have a tart flavor that can be eaten raw in salads or cooked. The ruby red calyces that surround the seed pods of roselle and are the most popular edible part of the plant. They have a tart flavor much like cranberries and are what typically give herbal hibiscus teas their zing.

Our monthly farmers market takes place this Saturday, July 17th from 8am-noon! Our market is open to the public and is focused on offering local and sustainable goods. This weekend we’re adding two new vendors to our lineup along with live acoustic music provided by a local musician. Aside from our farm-fresh produce, you’ll be able to purchase pastured eggs and poultry, wagyu beef, honey, jams, and body products. The market is located at 8939 Harlem Road right next to our neighbors Messina Hof Harvest Green Winery and Kitchen. We hope to see you there!