Hello, June! The Latest News from Farm & Larder and Bella Luna Farms

As we say hello to the month of June, it seems as if the signs are finally beginning to point towards the start of summer, from the baby birds leaving their nests to the abundance of beautiful blooms now seen around the farm.

During the sunny afternoons and evenings, we have spent lots of hours in the garden and now, the summer crops are just about planted and the first of their shoots should soon start popping up out of the soil. The lettuces and other greens are all thriving, in addition to the Romano beans inching their way up the trellises (tempting the pesky rabbits!) and the fragrant herbs growing in the walled garden. Preparations for planting summer cutting flowers are also underway.

Warm weather plants such as tomatoes and peppers are ready to go in the hoophouse, with the eggplant and summer squash starts to follow. We’ve begun checking the strawberries to see if any of the green berries are starting to turn pink, but we will have to be patient as ripe, juicy fruit looks to still be a couple of weeks out. In the meantime, we will enjoy the peonies as they start their vibrant season as well as the first flush of English roses are almost in bloom.

Around the rest of Bella Luna, the animals are about to enjoy a ‘spa day’: The goats are receiving a thorough grooming to brush out the last of their thick winter undercoats and get their hooves trimmed; our friend Marc will be by soon to shear the sheep; and the donkey (a.k.a Stinky!) will also be getting a much needed bath!

Enjoy these first few days of June and we hope you and yours continue to be well as summer approaches!