Experiential Learning Activity

Experiential Learning Activity #5 1.The cantaloupe is ready for harvest. Cantaloupe, however, like many other crops are not harvested all at once. Rather, each cantaloupe on the plant ripens independently from other cantaloupes. To determine whether a cantaloup is ready for harvest there are three steps. (i) Look to see if the cantaloupe has started to turn yellow/brown, if yes then go to the next step (ii) Does the cantaloupe detach relatively easily from the plant. The melon should detach with minimal effort and it should detach in a way that the stem (pedicel) is left on the plant and not on the cantaloupe fruit. (just hold the fruit and pull, if it doesn’t want to come off easily than move on the next fruit you think is ready) (iii) Does the cantaloupe smell good. A ripe cantaloupe should be very fragrant. - Cantaloupe tends to have a very short life span in the field. They must be harvested on a regular basis or they will become overripe and begin to rot in the field. So the field is open to Cantaloupe harvest starting now. So go in on a regular basis and check for cantaloupe that is ready for harvest. Enjoy the harvest now; as in a few weeks we will be using the remaining cantaloupe for a sale in the bowl to generate money for the field project next year. - When looking through the cantaloupe please walk along the edges of the rows (next to the neighbouring crop) and watch not to step on too much plants or fruit as this may be detrimental to subsequent fruit harvest. - Dr. Doug and Steffen and I harvested some cantaloupe earlier today. So there is currently no cantaloupe ready in the field for a couple of days, however, we left the harvested cantaloupe in the coolers so help your selves to those ones for now until more are ready in the field (2 days or so). 2. Watermelon are not ready for harvest yet, however, when they are ready I will let you know. Look out for next weeks experiential learning activity to find out how to determine when watermelon is ready for harvest. 4. There are many crops ready for harvest in the back of the field. Don’t forget about these crops. (mesculen mix, arugula, radish and spinach) are ready for harvest way in the back of our field (north west region). 5. Our new broccoli plants are being severely attacked by flea beetles. Much of the leaf surface is disappearing quickly on the broccoli transplants. I have applied neem oil (an organic pesticide) to the crop, however, it seems like the flea beetles are back once again. So we should probably put on another application of neem oil on the crop to help ensure we get a fall broccoli harvest. 6. Our corn is coming along, however, it is not ready just yet. Keep an eye out for flags on the corn in the next week or two. 7. Keep harvesting and enjoy fresh local produce.