Field Notes: Tomato Trellising

We’ve dropped lots of hints at these special fruits keeping us busy but we wanted to give y'all a closer look at what that means. Tomatoes are one of those crops that keep us humble. Give them a little warmth, water, and encouragement, and they'll happily try to take over the entire high tunnel.

To keep the plants healthy and the harvest manageable, we trellis our tomatoes using a Qlipr system. Each plant is trained up a hanging twine, and as it grows, we clip the vine in place and lower it throughout the season. It's a simple idea that takes a surprising amount of crew time, but it keeps the plants upright, improves airflow, makes harvesting easier, and helps us stay ahead of disease pressure without reaching for synthetic inputs.

Pruning: What We're Looking For Out There

Tomato pruning sounds complicated until you spend a few minutes with a plant. Then it mostly becomes a game of deciding what gets to stay and what needs to go before the tomato jungle wins.

• The main leader (or growing stem)
  This is the plant's primary stem and the part we're training up the trellis. For our tunnel tomatoes we select two strong leaders growing upward all season.

• Suckers
  These are the little shoots that pop up in the "armpit" between a leaf branch and the main stem. Left alone, each sucker can become a whole new stem. Tomatoes are ambitious like that. We remove most suckers so the plant focuses its energy on producing fruit on the leaders we’ve chosen rather than turning into a tangled thicket.

• Lower leaf removal
  As the plants grow taller, we gradually remove older leaves near the bottom of the plant. This improves airflow, reduces humidity around the stem, and helps lower the risk of disease moving up from the soil.

• Plant spacing and airflow
  A big part of pruning isn't about removing a specific part of the plant—it's about creating space. Tomatoes packed too tightly tend to hold moisture and invite problems. A little breathing room goes a long way.

• Removing damaged or diseased growth
  If we spot leaves that are yellowing, damaged, or showing signs of disease, we'll remove them and get them out of the tunnel. It's one of those small jobs that can prevent much bigger headaches later.

• A little every week beats a lot all at once
  Tomato pruning isn't usually a one-and-done task. We walk the rows regularly, making small adjustments as the plants grow. Miss a week or two and suddenly you're negotiating with a wall of tomato leaves that seems very confident it owns the place.

Inside the tunnel, we're also feeding the crop through an injection fertigator, which allows us to deliver organic nutrients directly through the irrigation system in small, steady doses. Rather than giving the plants a big meal all at once, we're essentially serving them a season-long buffet. The goal is healthy growth, strong fruit set, and resilient plants that can handle the ups and downs of summer.

Like most things on the farm, none of this is especially glamorous. It's a lot of clipping, lowering, checking irrigation lines, and paying attention to what the plants are telling us - not to mention the lovely coating of tomato tar we take. But those small daily tasks add up to the baskets of tomatoes you'll find at harvest, and we're committed to doing the work in a way that cares for the soil, the crop, and the trust you've placed in us.

Staff Highlight: Washpack Prince - Eugene Link

Eugene is here for his third season of farmin’ at Titusville. After an adventure of WOOFing in Hawaii, Eugene decided to try on farming full-time and has found something he’s really suited to in this work. The earliest to arrive on the farm and always in motion, he’s known for being our fastest transplanter on the team and this year took on the new responsibility of wash pack coordinator. This role is so important. Not only is he in charge of quality control - ensuring all those veggies are looking their best when they come into your hands, but he is also counting and sorting everything that is headed out - putting it into bins and organizing it properly in the right spot in the cooler. That’s a lot to manage and he does it well. Eugene says that he feels empowered by the independence and responsibility this role and space lends him and that being the LINK (pun intended) from the fields to the folks it feeds gives him a sense of purpose and connection he really values. So when you’re biting into those fresh, sparkling veggies know that Eugene was the one washing them with care and that he held ya’ll in his farmer heart as he sent it along. 

How To Eat Your Veggies: Patty Pan Squash

Patty pan squash is one of summer's most charming vegetables. Its scalloped shape hides a tender flesh with a sweet, buttery flavor and delicate texture. Think of it as zucchini's slightly nuttier cousin—perfect for grilling, roasting, stuffing, or simply sautéing.

Simply roast: 

• Cut squash into ½ inch slices or wedges

• Toss in EVOO with garlic and salt

• Roast 20-25 mins @ 425

Optional Zhuzh: before serving drizzle with hot honey, sprinkle with feta and chopped mint. 

Veg Burger sub (or addition!):

You can slice these round squash into horizontal discs about ¾” thick

Oil and season both sides and grill 4-5 mins per side

Use them as a veg patty sub or (for GF friends) as the buns - also perfect as a veg addition to a classic burger.

FARM HAPPENINGS:

Farm Tour: Featuring Pastured Egg Production

Led by our Farm Director, Leon Vehaba, we’ll take you on a spin about the farm in our tractor pulled trailer (a hit for the little ones) stopping intermittently for a bit info on each of our enterprises (veggies, flowers, orchard) and ending in our poultry pasture with a deeper dive into our egg production operation where you’ll get to see our large flock of beautiful hens and the fancy coops they reside in. Bring your curiosity and meet us on the wagon at 11am! The tour should last about an hour. If it is hot, we will try to stop in shady spots along the way, please bring sun protection and any refreshments you might need. If the weather is poor, the tour will be cancelled/rescheduled. 

U-Pick

Strawberries are in their final stretch for the season. Come now and stock up - it’s time for jam! Our mini u-pick continues to bloom and flourish. Pick peas by the pink and cut flowers by the stem! A perfect post-tour activity to extend your morning outing before lunch. 

NEW SCHEDULE: Once a Month Tot Time - First Wednesday in July

Tot-time is taking on a new schedule for the busy months of summer. Still the same format - story, snack, farm exploration and free play. We’ll be here once a month ready to share whatever is fresh from the fields and have some fun.