Our Sweet Charley strawberries are ripening fast, and the Chandlers aren't far behind, so come on out and do some picking. We've shifted to summer hours, with gates opening at 9:00 and wagons running at 9:15 and the top of every hour thereafter until 5:00. Market bonuses for CSA members this week include a bundle of asparagus and a bag of spinach.

   We planted corn, beans, squash, neck pumpkins, and 1,000 blueberry bushes last week, and on Friday a dozen piglets were born. Still waiting on the goats.

   We're beginning to build CSA delivery routes. Delivery days will be published in Crop Talk later in May.

   Remember: we've rescheduled the Strawberry Jubilee Festival for the first two weekends in May. We'll have live music, Diaper Derby, a pie-eating contest, and a lot of strawberries. Admission is included with your CSA membership. 

   There are a few different reasons why you might want to feed a weanling pig—that's a pig that's just been taken off its mother's milk—a vegetarian diet. The most pressing of which is simply economical: Feed consisting of only vegetable sources tends to be much less expensive than feed that includes animal protein, which makes it an enticing option for farmers. Until now, a pig’s specific dietary needs have indicated that a vegetarian feed at this stage in the pig’s life isn’t a great option. But a new study from the University of Illinois indicates that with some careful tinkering, it might be possible.

Read more here.