New Port Richey FarmNet
Committed to a healthy community, food sovereignty, and agrarian ideals
Join us at Ordinance One in downtown New Port Richey for
Evening Farmers’ Market – June 17, 5:30 to 7:30
Weather Report
Last week’s rain was most welcome. We received about ¾ of an inch over three days. As helpful as the rain was, the overcast conditions were equally beneficial. We are coming up on the start of the rainy season – hopefully starting before the end of the month. The recent rains will help us keep ahead of the game.
The coming week promises temperatures above normal (as high as 94 degrees) with average chances for rain – about 30% each day. Rain chances are typical for late spring, prior to the start of rainy season.
We are still in the dry season. By the end of the month, we should be in rainy season. Last week was a tantalizing hint of what is coming. The rain last week and from two weeks ago is helping to ease us out of the drought. Still, this is the very dry season. This is also when temperatures reach their peak, where they remain until September. The average high of 91 degrees will remain the average high until early to mid-September, when it drops to 90, and finally 89 toward the end of September.
Here is a reprint of an educational memo (a sidebar) from last week, repeated here for new readers or incase it was missed by subscribers last week. We’ll run it through the end of the month. For now, here is the story on how average temperatures are computed and what this tells us:
Sidebar on average temperatures, which you see in weather reports on TV, in newspapers, and online.
Those average temperatures are the work of NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/) in accordance with the World Meteorological Organization. They are adjusted every 10 years and reflect the average over a 30 year period. Here is good link to this important work: https://www.noaa.gov/explainers/understanding-climate-normals
The latest change in averages was in 2020 and covers the 30-year period from 1991 to 2020. The averages are uniformly higher than they were for the previous period (1981 to 2010). For example, the average high for our June to September hot period was 90 for 1981 to 2010. This average was reached later in June and ended earlier in September than is the case today. Of course, this is a consequence of climate change and is simply another marker of global warming. Finally, sidebar to sidebar: As some readers already are well aware, NOAA, and the NCEI are among the many governmental agencies the current Administration is de-funding, de-staffing, or eliminating.
Dry season is mid-September through mid-June. What we call the very dry season is mid-April to mid-June. So, we are moving out of the driest time of the year, and although the rain last week was most welcome and any we get this week will also be a touch of grace, rain is still the exception to the seasonal norms. If it does come, no one will complain – certainly not the crops, or the animals, trees, birds, wildflowers, insects, the Gulf-coast earth.
Historical (1991 to 2020) average for week: High, low 90s; Low, mid 70s
Forecast: Above normal heat. High, low to mid-90s; Low, high 70s
Rain: Rain possibilities are moderate throughout the week – about 30%
Harvest & Ripening Update
Harvest
Blackeyed Peas: Check your rows and towers now. Early plantings now have pods ready for harvest. Get going. These will produce all summer long. Start more now.
Cherries – Barbados cherries are now producing their spring fruit. Watch for the cheerful red berries.
Mangos. Look for first fruits. Might be a bit early, but we are hearing reports that some trees in the area are ripening. FarmNet encourages all regenerative growers to have at least one mango in their agroecological system. If you have mangos to share, let us know; we are working set up distribution network for this wonderful summer fruit.
Pigeon Peas These reliable legumes are flowering and producing pods now and until fall. Start more now.
Tomatoes – Harvest now. The season is over. With the high heat rolling in, the fruit will not last long. The plants might, but the fruit will not set once temps are above 90 by day and above 80 by night. Keep them going if they are healthy, but do not expect much production
Starts
Beans Try lima beans – if you have not before. They will likely succeed where other beans do not.
Blackeyed Peas Start now. Blackeyed peas can be started all summer long. Blackeyes are also called Cow Peas, Southern Peas, Crower Peas, and several other names.
Eggplant Start now. May not do well once hottest summer heat arrives (July to September), but has traditionally been able to produce throughout the summer and into fall.
Okra Keep planting. Start or open sow. Okra starts best in cells. Okra can be started all summer.
Peppers (Hot) Start hot peppers now. We have done well with Habaneros in past summers.
They will not let you down. These reliable legumes are flowering and producing pods now and until fall. Start more now.
Pigeon Peas Start more now. Keep planting throughout the summer.
Sweet Potato Slips – Start now. Best yielders for us are Georgia Jets and Beauregards. Many growers reported very light harvests for the past two years (2023 and 2024). We are planting heavily at our major gardens – nearly 1000 slips. Keep planting until end of June.
Regenerative Growers’ Notes It is well past time to start summer seeds or open sow for summer gardens. Best choices for planting now are sweet potato slips, okra, black-eyed peas, pigeon peas, and (possibly) eggplant. You can also open sow these reliable hot weather crops. See featured story on pigeon peas in previous issue of The West Pasco Urban Farm Report.
Hot peppers are worth a try. We’ve had success with habanero peppers in the summer. Time has passed for bell peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes. You can try peppers and tomatoes (and some report fruit through the summer), but do not get your hopes up.
FarmNet nursery has okra, pigeon pea, and black-eyed pea seedlings. Orders for seeds and seedlings are accepted now. All are available to the community for donations. Remember, these seedlings are acclimated to the region and especially West Pasco. They will also produce reliable seeds for regeneration.
Transitional crops, like peppers and tomatoes, might produce through the rest spring and into the early summer, but don’t count on it. It is simply too hot for them. Sweet Potatoes, Okra and black-eyed peas, pigeon peas, lima beans will thrive through the entire summer and into the fall. Eggplant is the wild card. It is warm weather/summer crop that lately has not had high yields. Try again this year.
As an agroecological project we are experimenting with “Butterfly Weed” (Asclepias tuberosa), a native milkweed, which is in short supply and uncommon in the area. This is not a food crop for humans and should not be eaten. It is a food crop for Monarch butterflies and other pollinators. We will be starting a few seeds every month and monitoring germination rates and maturation process. We are offering the seeds to any who are willing to join the experiment. As many know, New Port Richey is a recognized Monarch City, USA, and we are promoting the propagation and installation of native milkweed to support restoration of this imperiled creature. See this short clip on our commitment to the Monarchs: New Port Richey celebrating its role in protecting Monarch butterflies https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local-news/new-port-richey-celebrating-its-role-in-protecting-monarch-butterflies
If you desire seeds and seedlings (including the milkweed seeds for our experiment) , contact us through the FarmNet web site, and join our mailing list for the Seed & Seedling Project. Go to https://farmnetnpr.com/
Shade seedings: We are running this message regularly though the summer.
For new plantings, seedlings, and sweet potato slips, if you plant in full sun or little shade, use shade cloth, sun shields, shade grates, umbrellas, and canopies. If exposed to direct sun, most will not survive. Remember, in direct sunlight, ground temperatures typically run 10 degrees (or more) hotter than the air temperature – and the ground is where those precious seeds and seedling are trying to grow.
Do not plant trees or shrubs: We are running this message regularly though the summer.
This is not the time of year to plant trees and shrubs. In fact, it is probably the worst time to plant them, especially if they are being planted in a sunny location. The next period to even consider planting trees and shrubs is the rainy season (mid-June to mid-August, and maybe into September), but that also is not an ideal planting time, and do not plant unless it is certain that we will actually have a rainy season. Remember we did not have a rainy season in the summer of 2023. Best bet for planting trees and shrubs is January. The next best months, those on both sides of January (December and February). After that, next best, are the next pair out from January (November and March). October and April are worth considering but they are not ideal. It is definitely not a good time to plant now.
Nursery Notes
If you desire seeds and seedlings, contact us through FarmNet web site, and join our mailing list for the Seed & Seedling Project. Go to https://farmnetnpr.com/
If you are looking for seeds and seedlings for local growing, FarmNet is the place to go. FarmNet features organic heirloom seeds from Seed Savers Exchange, and the FarmNet seed bank. FarmNet’s seed bank has the largest collection of local seeds in Pasco County, with over 30 different seeds with local genealogies dating back at least 10 years to as long as 25 years
Seedlings are also available. Right now, we have a good supply of seedlings, featuring, black-eyed peas, lima beans, pigeon peas, and okra.
Featured this week: Okra – Red Burgundy and Silver Queen
Black eyed peas – Knuckle Pod
We have other varieties- check on those of interest to you:
Okra: Star of David, Hill County Red
Black eyed peas: Fast Lady, Big Red, Hercules, Zipper Cream, Purple Pod
If you desire seeds and seedlings, contact us through FarmNet web site, and join our mailing list for the Seed & Seedling Project. Go to https://farmnetnpr.com/
Market News The next FarmNet Evening Market at Plants and Pints is June 17 (6/17).
Mark your calendar: FarmNet will have fresh local produce at Plants & Pints, at Ordinance One, in downtown New Port Richey, on Tuesday June 17, 5:30 to 7:30. June will feature summer offerings. Possibly sweet potato leaves (try them if you have not before), and hopefully first of black eyed peas.
In the meantime, CSA shareholders can pick up shares at the homestead every Tuesday evening. If you are interested in acquiring a share contact us through the FarmNet website https://farmnetnpr.com/
Weekly shares and single items are also available.
FarmNet has a table at Tasty Tuesday. Look for Amanda Zaborek, who can share FarmNet news, programs, and service opportunities.
Wright’s Famers’ Market is closed until the fall.
- CSA & Fresh Harvest Feature: Sweet Potato Leaves. Yes! The leaves. This week’s CSA fresh harvest feature offers a wonderful and virtually unknown (in USA) summer green: Sweet Potato Leaves –If you have not tried sweet potato leaves, give them a try, and as a colleague aways says: Try them, and join the rest of the world. True, throughout the rest of the world, sweet potato leaves are a regular part of the diet. We are the only culture that grows sweet potatoes in abundance but do not enjoy the leaves as a food item. You can use sweet potato leaves in any recipe where you would use collard greens (or other leafy green) – soups, sauces, omelets, stir-fry, boiled in water or vegetable stock with a little ghee. Check them out on these websites:
Nutritional Profile: https://www.nutritionadvance.com/sweet-potato-leaves-nutrition/
Comparison of SP Leaves with Collard Greens:
Recipes: https://www.natureword.com/5-sweet-potato-leaves-recipe-ideas-and-uses/
- Remember: They can be substituted in any recipe calling collard greens (or other leafy green)
If you’d like loquat preserves (jams and jelly), let us know.
Other CSA produce includes various herbs and cranberry hibiscus – and Barbados Cherries.
CSA shareholders can pick up their shares at the homestead every Tuesday evening. If you are interested in acquiring a share contact us through the FarmNet website https://farmnetnpr.com/
Weekly shares and single items are also available. Suggested donations: $10 one item, $20 any four, $30 five or more.
If you are interested in acquiring a share, contact us at https://farmnetnpr.com/ We’ll give you a day and time to pick them up.
Costs of annual shares are very modest compared with other CSAs.
Weekly, monthly, and quarterly shares are also available. Suggested donations:
Weekly $10 one item, $20 any four, $30 five or more.
Monthly (full share, 4 weeks): $70
Quarterly (full share): $180
Half Year (5 months) $250
Annual Share $400
If you would like to acquire local seeds and seedlings, send a message to New Port Richey FarmNet on Facebook and ask to be added to our mailing list.
Our project is supported through donations. This report and all other FarmNet programs and publications are funded through good-will contributions shared by supporters and those who find benefit in regenerative, sustainable community-based initiatives such as these. Contributions are tax-deductible and most welcome.
Send check or money order to:
FarmNet
PO Box 596
New Port Richey
Florida 34656-0596
FarmNet has a table at Tasty Tuesday. Look for Amanda Zaborek, who can share further details and information on the mission and vision of New Port Richey FarmNet mission, including our programs, events,and service opportunities.
To send a message to New Port Richey FarmNet, see FarmNet on Facebook or the “contact us” link on the webpage
FarmNet and Friendship Farms are registered branches of Ecology Florida, Inc., a not–for–profit organization, with 501(c)(3) designation. Contributions are tax deductible under section 107 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Ecology Florida is a registered charitable organization in the state of Florida. Registration number, CH 33333. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REIGSTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMEDNATION BY THE STATE.
New Port Richey FarmNet is dedicated to quickening the rise of a healthy and resilient community in the City of New Port Richey and surrounding areas based on agrarian principles and practices, and a commitment to food sovereignty.
This week’s image
Barbados cherries – boxed up from our first harvest of the season – June 13, 2025
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